The 62nd CESASC Annual Convention: A Beacon of Innovation and Collaboration
LAPost/Cerritos, Ca (May 6, 2024) – Last Saturday (May 4th, 204), the 62nd Annual Convention of the Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California (CESASC) unfolded grandly at the Sheraton Hotel in Cerritos. This prestigious event not only celebrated CESASC’s rich heritage but also projected a visionary future for scientific and technological advancements.
The theme of this year’s convention, ” Envisioning Beyond the Horizon,” eloquently expressed CESASC’s unwavering commitment to pushing the frontiers of technology and science. The afternoon’s sessions were robust, featuring two pivotal segments: the Technical Symposium and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum.
Past presidents and the current president (Photo provided by CESASC)
Presided over by Dr. Liping Yan, the Technical Symposium brought forward luminaries such as Professor Yanbei Chen from Caltech, who explored the future trajectories of physics, and Professor Gang Chen from UCLA, who addressed the critical issues of climate change and extreme weather events. Dr. Dankai Liu from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory captivated the audience with insights into the latest endeavors in the Mars sample return mission.
Following a productive networking interlude, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum, chaired by Dr. Jiachen Zhang, commenced with a compelling presentation by Dr. Alice Liu of ID8 Innovation, who delineated the dynamics of Southern California’s startup ecosystem. The session continued with a thought-provoking panel discussion on medical innovations, facilitated by Mr. Aaron Ma and featuring insights from Dr. Byron Shen, Dr. Howard Xu, and Mr. Stephen Chen. The forum concluded with strategic advice on personal wealth management from Ms. Xuemei Wei, Managing Director at UBS Financial Services Inc.
The evening gala was a crescendo of inspiration, highlighted by profound keynote speeches from Professor Andrew Ingersoll of Caltech and Professor Rong Fu of UCLA. They delved into the evolving landscape of intelligence and the enduring challenges of climate change, underscoring the critical role of innovative thinking—a cornerstone of CESASC’s ethos.
CESASC President Dr. Jonathan Jiang, alongside Board Chairman Mr. Chenxi Guo, honored Professors Ingersoll and Fu with Friendship and Achievement Awards and presented scholarships to a group of remarkable youths. Eleven students were recognized for their outstanding academic prowess with CESASC scholarships. Additionally, four artists were celebrated with the Lisa Lu Foundation Artistic Achievement Scholarships. Among the evening’s highlights was 17-year-old Ruixuan E. Chen, who received the Jonathan H. Jiang Prize for Fundamental Science in Physics. Her groundbreaking research on exoplanets around early-stage Red Giants offers promising insights into potential future habitats as our Sun ages, expanding our understanding of the cosmos and humanity’s place within it.
This year’s CESASC Student Essay Contest, themed “An Image for Interstellar Messaging,” challenged K-12 students globally to present Earth and humanity to potential extraterrestrial civilizations through imagery and essays. The contest showcased the diversity and richness of our world, with seven students earning accolades for their creative submissions.
Dr. Jiang extended profound gratitude to all sponsors and volunteers, whose dedication ensured the convention’s success and reinforced CESASC’s role as a catalyst for professional growth and collaborative innovation.
As Dr. Ying Zhan prepares to assume her role as CESASC’s incoming president in July, she brings a spirit of optimism and determination. In her acceptance speech, Dr. Zhan emphasized collaboration, innovation, and inclusiveness. She pledged to harness these values to confront challenges and enhance CESASC’s impact on society. “Together, we will nurture a bright future for our community and society at large,” she affirmed, inviting all members to engage actively in shaping the next chapter of CESASC’s illustrious journey.
