Zhu Jiaqi, a 2023 master's student in Electronics and Information, epitomizes an all-rounded high-achiever. She published a paper as the first author in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, a top-tier journal in wireless communications, and clinched the first prize at the 10th “3S Cup” Internet of Things Technology and Applications "Three Innovations" Competition for College Students. She also earned over 20 university-level and above honors, including the Yilida Liu Yongling Scholarship, Five-A Graduate Student and Outstanding Graduate Student Awards. Beyond academics, Zhu Jiaqi served as a member of Zhejiang University's National Flag Guard and President of the College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering Student Association. She shone equally in arts: holding Grade 10 certifications in piano and Chinese classical dance, and she was an active member of the Zhejiang University Wenqin Dance Troupe and other student Associations, dazzling audiences on stage. Through outstanding performance, combining dedication to research with excellence in dance and music, she was selected as one of the Students of Distinction at the International Campus, Zhejiang University.
When asked to sum up her postgraduate years in one sentence, Zhu Jiaqi joked, "My postgraduate journey is like gradient descent on a non-convex function surface, maintaining the step size of exploration amid uncertain oscillations, adjusting parameters through iterations that let go of sunk costs, and constantly breaking free from local optima to strive for better solutions while balancing research and student affairs."
Focusing on the R&D of core technologies for future communications and next-generation networks, Zhu Jiaqi has deeply participated in multiple National Key Projects as a core team member. Under the guidance of ZJUI Assist. Prof. Yang Hao, She leading cutting-edge research projects including Research on Wireless Network Architecture and Key Technologies Integrating Communications and Intelligent Algorithms, Research on Key Theories and Optimization Technologies of Analog Over-the-Air Federated Learning for Edge Intelligent Networks, etc. For the research on analog over-the-air federated learning in edge intelligent networks, the relevant outcomes led by Zhu Jiaqi were successfully published in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, a top-tier international journal in the field of wireless communications, ranked CAS Category 1 with an Impact Factor (IF) of 10.7. In the research, she led her team to build a comprehensive theoretical analysis framework, conducting in-depth investigations into the operational mechanisms and performance of over-the-air federated learning in large-scale client scenarios. Through theoretical modeling and experimental validation, the team not only revealed the core advantages and operational rules of the technology in such scenarios, but also provided innovative technical ideas and theoretical foundations for breaking through the communication bottlenecks of federated learning and improving system performance, laying a solid groundwork for its large-scale practical application.
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Moreover, as the first author, Zhu Jiaqi has successively published three academic papers at top-tier international conferences in the fields of computer networks and wireless communications, including WiOpt, MobiCom25 WS, and IEEE WCNC24 WS.
Zhu Jiaqi admitted that turning a vague initial idea into a published paper is a long academic odyssey. At the beginning of her research, she thought that generating impressive simulation results and verifying the effectiveness of methods would suffice. Later, she realized that writing a paper is an art of "storytelling", which requires rigorous and coherent writing to clearly convey the research value to readers.
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Today, Zhu Jiaqi has taken on another significant role-a reviewer for top international journals and conferences including IEEE TWC and AAAI. This recognition stems from the solid foundation of her past research. Transitioning from an author to a reviewer, she said that reviewing papers is not only a responsibility for academic service, but also a valuable learning opportunity: it allows her to access cutting-edge research ideas, broaden her academic horizons, and continuously improve her research taste and judgment through comparison and reflection.
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Piano, painting, and Chinese dance have been Zhu Jiaqi’s lifelong companions since childhood. Her decade-long persistence has earned her Grade 10 certificates in both piano and Chinese dance.
Among these hobbies, dance is her longest-lasting passion. From the Zhejiang University Wenqin Dance Troupe and Dance Association at the College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering during her undergraduate studies, to the Shadow Dance Club at the International Campus, Zhejiang University, dance is more than just an outlet to relieve research pressure, it is a silent form of self-cultivation.
Beyond the art stage, Zhu Jiaqi has another impressive identity: a member of the Zhejiang University National Flag Guard. "My original intention was to step out of my comfort zone, experience different roles, and meet more outstanding people," she told us. Dressed in a neat uniform and holding the bright national flag high, she has participated in flag-raising ceremonies at major events such as National Day and the University’s Sports Meet, under the watchful eyes of thousands.
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Zhu Jiaqi's firm conviction is rooted in her long-standing connection with the spirit of Co-Ching Chu. Inspired by his deeds since high school and deepened at Zhejiang University, she has continued to reflect on the two questions raised by former president Co-Ching Chu. As a key member of the team sharing and interpreting the spirit of former president Co-Ching Chu, she actively promoted this legacy through themed lectures, reaching over 500 faculty and students and revitalizing the Spirit of Seeking Truth among the younger generation.
In the future, she will continue to delve deeper into the field of integrated communications and intelligence, striving to grow into an engineering leader with both professional depth and comprehensive literacy, guided by the perseverance in research and the commitment to serving society.
