Fang fang, class of 2025 in Civil Engineering, has been deeply committed to exploring the interdisciplinary possibilities within civil engineering, focusing on bridge inspection research centered on intelligent structural monitoring and synthetic data, while also integrating new materials and algorithmic tools. As a teaching assistant for the Project-Based Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE190) course, she demonstrated meticulous attention to detail and patient guidance, earning unanimous praise from both faculty and students. Her outstanding overall performance earned her a place on the Dean’s List.
In the 4th Zhejiang University Undergraduate Concrete Dragon Boat Competition, Fang Fang and her team skillfully combined traditional aesthetics with engineering technology to create concrete dragon boats that balanced artistic appeal with structural performance, winning second place and showcasing her strong cultural and artistic sensibilities.
Beyond academics, she embraces a philosophy of well-rounded development, pursuing diverse interests including painting, photography, language, crafts, and bass guitar. She also served as president of the POITA Art Club at International Campus, Zhejiang University, leading club members on museum visits, conducting video-based lessons and experience-sharing sessions, building bridges of communication, and fostering collaboration and growth among members.
On her journey toward her dreams, she has achieved remarkable success—receiving offers from nine out of ten universities she applied to, including Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Georgia Institute of Technology, and University of Southern California. She is now preparing to embark on her next chapter at Stanford University.
Fang Fang’s research journey in civil engineering has been defined by cross-disciplinary exploration. At ZJUI, she came to realize that the field extends far beyond traditional construction and structural analysis, intersecting with emerging technologies such as computer vision and virtual reality. Guided by this vision, she sought research opportunities across diverse directions to explore integration with other disciplines.
Early on, she worked with Associate Professor Li Binbin on a low-cost wireless vibration sensing project, integrating triaxial accelerometers with Arduino and Wi-Fi modules to achieve real-time structural vibration monitoring with improved accuracy. She later led her first independent study on 3D concrete printing materials, learning mix design, rheological testing, and the effects of aggregate absorption rates—an experience that broadened her experimental perspective.
By her senior year, Fang had defined her focus: intelligent structural monitoring and synthetic data–driven bridge inspection, combining new materials and algorithmic tools. Under Assistant Professor Yasutaka Narazaki, she contributed to the Random Bridge Generator system, creating 3D bridge models in Blender, simulating deformations in OpenSees, and achieving high-precision segmentation of bridge components.
Her lifelong passion for anime also shaped her creative work. As leader of the POITA Art Club, she organized museum visits, cultural events, and collaborative art projects, while also contributing to campus media. This love for aesthetics even found its way into her engineering—most notably in the Concrete Dragon Boat Competition, where she combined artistic design with structural performance to win second prize in her second year of competition.
For Fang, the driving force is simple: genuine interest. “Passion sparked by curiosity is more enduring than any utilitarian goal,” she reflects. “Everyone has their own pace—finding it and progressing steadily is the most sustainable path forward.”
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