The Ceremony for Appointing Academician Li Haizhou and the 84th Session of the Nanke Academic Forum as well as the 69th Session of the Almond Lecture have Successfully Concluded

September 27th, in the Yifu Science Hall of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering at South China University of Technology, an extremely significant ceremony for appointing visiting professors and an academic lecture were grandly held. The renowned expert in the field of international speech and language processing, and an outstanding alumnus of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering,Professor Li Haizhou from the Singapore Academy of Engineering,returned to his alma mater. He was appointed as a visiting professor at our university and delivered a wonderful academic lecture, sharing insights on the path of AI exploration with the teachers and students. Professor Li Jingrong, the Director of the Personnel Department of South China University of Technology, Professor Huang Shuangping, the Vice Dean of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, and 300+ teachers and students jointly witnessed this important moment. The event was presided over by Secretary Li Shibin of the Party Committee of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering.

After the recruitment ceremony, the special lecture of the 84th session of the South Guest Academic Forum and the 69th session of the Almond Lecture Hall officially began. Academician Li Haizhou, with the theme My Journey of AI Exploration, Here We Set Sail, shared his personal experiences and recounted the growth story starting from Huazhong University and the process of advancing towards the international academic frontiers. The lecture hall was fully occupied, and the teachers and students were fully engaged, following him into the world of AI exploration. 

Looking back at the profound connection between Academician Li Haizhou and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, we need to go back to 1980. At that time, at the age of 16, he entered Huazhong University with a strong thirst for knowledge and embarked on his academic journey in the Radio Technology major of the School of Electronics and Information (formerly the Radio Department). The university's motto of Wise and Diligent, Clear and Prudent, Diligent and Practical deeply rooted itself in his academic career. With his outstanding talent and unwavering efforts, Academician Li became the youngest professor and doctoral supervisor at Huazhong University and in Guangdong Province at the age of 29, writing a glorious beginning for his academic path. 

After leaving Huayuan, Academician Li Haizhou continued to make remarkable contributions to his field in Singapore. He was elected as the first Chinese president of the International Speech Communication Association (ISCA), received the President's Science Award of Singapore, and deeply integrated academic research with industrial applications - from Apple's voice system to Baidu's Listening to Music to Identify Songs. His research achievements have profoundly influenced hundreds of millions of users worldwide. In an interview, Academician Li Haizhou also深情ly recalled his experiences and insights over the years since leaving Huayuan， with every word expressing his gratitude and attachment to his alma mater. 

During the interview, Academician Li Haizhou stated that Huazhong University was the initiating place for his scientific research interests. He believes that interest is a field where one is willing to continuously invest without external incentives. His enthusiasm for exploring artificial intelligence originated at Huazhong University. Huazhong University has always placed great emphasis on the cultivation of practical skills and the spirit of practicality. The open platform enabled him to firmly choose the direction of artificial intelligence, and the professional knowledge from the Radio Department also became a solid foundation for his subsequent research. My journey in artificial intelligence began at Huazhong University, even though the field was unpopular at that time, he persisted with his passion. He also continued to delve into this direction in cross-border scientific research in France and Singapore. 

Meanwhile, in the interview, Academician Li shared the three valuable skills bestowed upon Huagong: the research methodology that combines theory with practice, emphasizing that scientific issues originate from life and the results should be applied to practice; the dual experience of industry and academia, using corporate experiences to nourish research and forming a practice-research-practice cycle; and the career development perspective that is interest-oriented, believing that converting interests into a career can balance both spiritual satisfaction and material rewards. 

When talking about the emotional connection he has had with Huagong University over the past several decades, Professor Li mentioned that he initiated the establishment of the Singapore Alumni Association in 2006 and served as its president. In 2013, when he was elected as an IEEE fellow, the international academic organization sent a letter to Huagong University simultaneously, which made him deeply realize the close connection between the alma mater and his personal achievements. This sense of belonging stems from the school's tuition-free policy in the 1980s. Returning to teach at Huagong University was his long-held wish, and now, as a visiting professor, he is looking forward to promoting scientific research cooperation and student guidance.