Editor’s note:
As our 2023 graduates start a new chapter in their lives, they share with us how SIGS has shaped them.
In this installment of SIGS Graduate Stories, Tymoteusz Świstek, a master’s graduate in Electronic Information from Poland, shares his story of coming to Shenzhen and SIGS.
Engaging with China
SIGS master’s graduate Tymoteusz Świstek’s story with China began in Poland, his home country. After finishing his first bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2014, he heard about a new program at his university in Chinese Studies.
“I’ve always been interested in learning different languages and cultures,” said Tymoteusz. Before Chinese, he had previously studied English and Japanese. With a curiosity for Asian languages and wanting to explore more of the world outside Poland, he was determined to get into a second bachelor’s degree program at his alma mater for Chinese studies. To make his application more competitive, he even self-studied French. Finally, Tymoteusz was admitted into the three-year program and he had the chance to study for a year at China Youth University of Political Studies in Beijing in 2015.
Tymoteusz delivers graduation speech as student representative at SIGS Commencement Ceremony 2023
“Thanks to the Chinese skills I gained in Beijing, I was able to secure a job in Poland working for a software company with business in China.” In the company’s start-up environment, Tymoteusz wore a lot of different hats, offering technical support for Chinese customers, communicating with distributors, taking business trips to China, running training sessions, and performing feasibility studies. In the process, he improved his Chinese and established closer connections to the machine vision industry in China.
Coming to SIGS and Shenzhen
It was these connections that brought him to Tsinghua and SIGS. Tymoteusz met his future advisor Professor Wang Haoqian through a distributor he knew.
In 2020, Tymoteusz enrolled at SIGS as an Electronic Information with a research direction in Artificial Intelligence. He joined Professor Wang Haoqian’s Future Media Lab as its first international student. In the lab, he completed an independent research project related to machine vision, specifically ways to optimize using algorithms and machines to find defects in lithium-ion electrodes.
The pandemic brought challenges to Tymoteusz’s academic career. For two and half years, he was physically outside of China, but with the support of his advisor and classmates, he was able to continue to work on his research and establish relationships with the team. “I am incredibly grateful for the exceptional guidance of Professor Wang Haoqian throughout my research journey. Professor Wang has consistently provided invaluable guidance, constructive criticism, and essential resources to ensure my success. His adaptability and commitment to regular video calls have enabled me to navigate the remote learning environment effectively and maintain a strong mentorship relationship,” said Tymoteusz.
Earlier this year, Tymoteusz returned SIGS campus, where he was able to delve deeper into his research and meet his labmates in person.
Tymoteusz’s research work has allowed him to have hands-on experience. As part of his thesis project, Tymoteusz worked with a company applying his system for defect inspection to their products. “I also got to practice communicating and collaborating in Chinese on highly technical topics which is usually a challenge for non-native speakers, but one that I overcame,” Tymoteusz said.
Tymoteusz’s research community at SIGS has shaped his future plans. With several labmates from Future Media Lab, Tymoteusz has founded Visioneers, a company based here in Shenzhen focused on machine vision technology. Tymoteusz is currently the CTO. In the short term, the company will work to increase the effectiveness and safety of lithium-ion batteries while expanding to horizontal areas in new energy in the long term.
Going forward, Tymoteusz is looking forward to developing himself professionally and personally here in Shenzhen.
Written by Alena Shish
Edited by Yuan Yang
Photos by Huang Yinsi
Cover photo by Sun Chenguang
