“Smart Building,” an interactive, user-friendly facility management platform developed by NYU Shanghai, was launched on January 18 and is expected to serve neighboring properties, including the Diamond Tower and the Fund Building, as part of cooperation with the Lujiazui Group.

Developed by Campus Facilities and IT Services, “Smart Building” uses a WeChat-based data processing system to connect users on mobile terminals with engineers and backstage management staff on the service end.

Under the new system, community members can report and send photos of failed equipment to an online maintenance request that immediately alerts engineers who then provide detailed repair solutions and services. Users can also rate these services on the interface, while managers oversee the smart system operations on the backend.

At the launch ceremony, NYU Shanghai Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman saluted the partnership as an example in experimenting with new approaches in classroom and campus design, university administration, worker relationships and facilities management.

“From the very beginning, the Lujiazui Group understood that NYU Shanghai’s mission is to be an experiment, boldly trying new approaches to being a university. We are delighted to share the Smart Building technology, so that the Lujiazui Group can also benefit from it,” Lehman said.

“Our Smart Building technology ensures that communication is seamless and friendly, while management is data-based and super-efficient. It treats the time and energy of our workers as precious commodities, and it enables us to recognize and celebrate our top performers,” Lehman added.

The launch, moderated by NYU Shanghai Chancellor Yu Lizhong, was also attended by senior leadership of Lujiazui Group, including Chairman Li Jinzhao and General Manager Wang Hui.

Wang Yihua, associate general manager of Lujiazui Logistics, said joint efforts to launch “Smart Building” will stimulate deeper cooperation in technology and management between NYU Shanghai and the Lujiazui Group.

“Our collaboration should take advantage of the Lujiazui Group’s experience and management expertise as an industry leader, and also tap into the intellectual and technological resources of NYU Shanghai.”

This post comes to us from NYU Shanghai and you can read the original here.

Since 2015, the NYU Alumni Executive Mentorship program has paired dozens of NYU Shanghai students with NYU alumni working in Asia. The program helps students explore professional pathways, while mentors also enjoy the energy and perspectives our students bring. Here, three mentors and their students share their stories, and how it changed their career paths.

There was no doubt in Gabriela Naumnik’s mind.

“She knows what she wants,” laughs Julliet Pan, NYU Tisch ’04, founder of SHE&JUL Films Productions and Media Company, based in New York and Los Angeles. And what Gabriela Naumnik’19, majoring in Interactive Media and Business at NYU Shanghai, wanted in her sophomore year, was to work with Julliet Pan. Mentees choose three possible mentors. Gabriela chose Pan all three times.

When Pan came to Shanghai to meet Naumnik and talk about the internship, she was working on The Lane, a new drama she describes as Melrose–Place-meets-Sex–in–the–City set in Shanghai. She showed Naumnik the trailer. “I love it!” was the immediate reaction.

“I was affected by her enthusiasm,” Pan admits. She asked for Naumnik’s thoughts on lowering the characters’ ages from 23–30 to 18–23, Naumnik’s own demographic and Naumnik agreed. She also suggested making the episodes much shorter—around ten minutes—for an internet audience.

Gabriela’s  enthusiasm re-energized Pan. “I gave her twenty questions to ask expats in Shanghai. She posted the questions on Facebook and began to gather stories.” Naumnik then conducted over forty in-person interviews and brought in other NYU Shanghai students to help.

“I got so much energy from the fearlessness of these students,” says Pan. “They helped me to realize the global appeal of the project.” Pan advises her mentees to “know what they want” and “be honest about their interests with their mentors.” “Through honesty, you gain trust. Gabriela was bold and clear.”

“Pan embodied everything I was interested in,” says Naumnik. “After she told me to follow my heart, I decided to minor in producing. And I have never felt so happy about studying something.” Gabriela’s advice to future mentees? “Choose someone who not only interests you as an industry professional, but also as a person.”

Ambassadors From The “Real World”

Qingchuan (Kyle) Sang ’18 was torn his sophomore year between chemistry and engineering. He wanted to get the inside scoop on the chemical industry. He chose Mark Yang, NYU Courant ’99, General Manager, Spectra Gases (Shanghai), as a possible mentor. “Mark was working on special gases, producing a reactive gas for medical usage.” Yang introduced Kyle to the chemical engineers working on the project. He took Kyle to a business conference in Beijing to meet the company leaders and give Kyle an inside look at decision-making in his industry. Kyle worked as a translator at the conference.  Kyle’s take-away? For now, he feels more comfortable in Research and Development. “I thought the business side would be easier but it’s NOT! Questions like, ‘how big should the factory be; how fireproof do the materials have to be, what should the dirt the factory is built on be composed of’ made me realize that I’m a scientist!”

“I had no mentor experience in my education,” says Mark Yang, “but at my first job at Bell Labs they assigned me a mentor. I still keep in touch with him.” Yang felt that sharing his experience was critical for students considering his field.

“There is a great leap from the academic world to the commercial world. Staying in the lab, he feels, does not give a student in the sciences the whole picture. It really helps to have a mentor prepare you for the culture of the industry and what is expected of you in that culture.”

Culture Counts

Like Mark Yang, Danny Bao, CFA, NYU Stern MBA ’01, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, HJY Capital Advisors (HK) Limited, had no mentoring experience in his college years. “In my undergraduate study,  I had very limited career counseling. I had no idea of how the business world worked! Luckily, J.P. Morgan had a mentoring program.” Bao helps his mentees understand their personal strengths. “I try to move the conversation away from what the student’s parents want. I ask about their hobbies and I try to reduce the gap between the parents’ aspirations and the student’s interests.”

“It’s one thing to learn skills,” Bao says, “but these are changing every day with new technologies. Learning the culture of an industry is much harder.” Bao’s mentee, Olivia Taylor ’17, was interested in investment banking, but Bao helped her to realize her true interest in consumer products, and that this was a culture she might enjoy more. “Danny helped me with the interview process, and with an action plan.” Taylor is now in a two-year marketing and development program at L’Oreal. Participants switch roles each year. In her first year, Taylor is working in the luxury division. “For millennials, the culture is so important. The life advice I got from Danny gave me real insight into this. I’ve made friends at L’Oreal—in the end, it’s not just about the resume. It’s about the people you will be working with.”

Article by Susan Salter Reynolds. This post comes to us from NYU Shanghai, you can find the original  here.

On Nov 4-5, NYU Shanghai hosted China’s first model UN conference recognized by the United Nations and endorsed by United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI). Joining 14 NYUSH freshmen, 44 Chinese students, from 10 leading high schools from across the country gathered on the Pudong campus for the weekend-long, inaugural Model United Nations Conference (NYUSHMUNC17).

In her welcoming remarks, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Maria Montoya, speaking as a historian about the harmful effects of “contraction, nationalism, and anti-globalism”, called on delegates to embrace collaboration and globalism, and to apply critical thinking to their debates and to the exchange of ideas.

Under the banner theme of “China’s Global Emergence”, NYUSHMUNC17 organized its work in three distinct committees targeting different global issues, the economy, environment and international relations. Zhang Jun’an ‘20, Secretary General of NYUSHMUNC, said the conference aimed to serve as a catalyst for global connectivity and awareness of issues that affect the entire human race. “The committees echo the urgent call for addressing global warming, building a more efficient financial system and saving the environment unaffected by nuclear threats,” he said.

In the Model UN Security Council Committee, delegates representing the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — and other non-permanent members debated about the rising tensions posed by North Korea’s repeated nuclear tests. In the Model UN Environment Assembly, students searched for global strategies to cope with the challenges of multilateral collaboration on carbon reduction and the implementation of Paris Agreement.

In the Model UN’s forward-looking FinTech committee, delegates discussed the emerging blockchain technology and China’s role in leading the technological advancement of the global cybercurrency market. After rounds of intense diplomatic negotiation, the FinTech committee successfully submitted a draft resolution on the regulation of blockchain technology and worked for its approval.

Ding Yuhao ‘21, representing Ethiopia on the FinTech committee, said he was impressed by fellow delegates’ appreciation of cutting-edge technologies and their future potential. “It is an amazing experience to interact with peers with thoughtful insight on global issues,” he said.

Concluding the two-day diplomatic dialogue, nine participants were selected for Honorable Mentions, Outstanding Delegates, and Best Delegates for their strong leadership and diplomatic potentials.

The conference was sponsored by Huaxia Finance, V-Credit and UCB.

Mid- October marked five years since Shanghai New York University was officially established, becoming the first Sino-American joint university in China and the third degree-granting campus in NYU’s global network.

On this occasion, the Gazette spoke to faculty, students and administrators to capture their thoughts about the past momentous years. Also, leaders from the Shanghai Government and ECNU offered their best wishes to the school.

Deputy Mayor Of Shanghai Chen Qun: “Congratulations NYU Shanghai, for your remarkable achievements over the past five years. My wish for the University is for it to receive even more support over the next five years and reach greater achievements.”

On March 28, 2011, NYU Shanghai held its groundbreaking ceremony in Lujiazui Financial area, setting in motion preparations for the new university.

Chancellor Of NYU Shanghai Yu Lizhong：“In its first five years, NYU Shanghai has devoted itself to establishing world-class undergraduate education. The school has achieved remarkable success in attracting outstanding faculty and students as well as innovating our education model. NYU Shanghai is training students by the standards of the world’s top universities, preparing them to be global citizens and leaders that will contribute to our society. This is why the inaugural class of NYU Shanghai has received numerous offers from leading graduate schools and enterprises.

Five years is a short time for a growing university, but I believe the growth of NYU Shanghai will not only stimulate reform in education, but also develop students’ critical thinking capability. NYU Shanghai is especially bringing forward a number of outstanding students who know about China, who love China and who are willing to build connections between China and the rest of the world. ”

NYU Shanghai was jointly established by New York University and East China Normal University, on October 15, 2012.

Vice Chancellor Of NYU Shanghai Jeffrey Lehman:  “The past five years have been a blur, as NYU Shanghai developed from a mere concept into a fully operating university. The courage and devotion of almost 2,000 students, faculty, and staff have created a living institution that embodies the values of creativity, cosmopolitanism, and excellence. Along the way, it has drawn heavily on the commitment of our four parents (NYU, ECNU, Shanghai, and Pudong) and also of individuals and organizations around the world who share a hopeful dream for our future.

Over the next five years, I expect the pace of development at NYU Shanghai to accelerate. As our faculty and student body continue to grow, they will have an ever greater impact on the interconnected worlds of research, teaching, and service to society. That will in turn attract even greater numbers of comparably talented people to our community. The future of this university is bright indeed.”

On August 12, 2013, the inaugural class held their convocation at ECNU’s campus, where they spent their first year.

Ben Tablada ‘20 ：“One of the main reasons why I chose NYU Shanghai is because it was an empty canvas. The school is waiting for someone to start clubs, organizations, and traditions that can continue once I graduate and leave. To me, it’s an opportunity to leave a lasting impression on an institution as prestigious as NYU Shanghai.

I can’t even express how fast NYU Shanghai  has changed. With each new class, a plethora of fresh faces arrive and bring new organizations and events. The NYU Shanghai community, although small, continues to grow,  fueled by innovators and global citizens. In the year that I was here, several new programs and majors have become available for students and I can only imagine the progress that the next few years will bring. ”

On May 28th, NYU Shanghai held its very first Graduation ceremony at Shanghai’s Oriental Arts Center. The pioneering Class of 2017 earned their NYU bachelor’s degrees as well as their NYU Shanghai diplomas.

Associate Dean Of Students Davie Pe: “Commencement was a great time to reconnect familiar faces. Many parents who dropped the students off in August, 2013 then came back to see their children walk across the stage after four years. It is with their trust and constant support of NYU Shanghai that allowed us to confidently progress and grow each year. They were in the background cheering and rooting for us during each milestone.

I was so impressed by the friendships between our students. Each of them has developed a deeper understanding and connection of the “other” that crossed cultural boundaries. They continue to be roommates, colleagues, graduate school classmates and life partners! Each activity, interaction, conflict and moment all contribute to establishing the history for the university. I hope students will continue the momentum and realize the special opportunity they have and  seize it to the fullest.”

PCI Director Professor Adam Brandenburger: “Teaching at NYU Shanghai, I see our students taking a highly entrepreneurial approach to their own education. They have decided to attend a newly founded university pursuing an innovative model. They choose programs of study that include both courses on traditional subjects and courses on new and emerging areas. They are extremely active in participating in and organizing workshops and shows and all kinds of events beyond the classroom. Being such entrepreneurs in their education, our students will go on to be innovators in many areas of life beyond university.  It is very rewarding to teach and work with them.”

NYU Shanghai honored its first graduates at the university’s inaugural Commencement on May 28. The 264 graduates, who hail from China, the United States and 31 other countries were awarded their NYU bachelor’s degrees as well as their NYU Shanghai diplomas in a ceremony at the Oriental Arts Center in front of professors, friends, and families who travelled from around the world to celebrate the historic event. For more information about the weekend’s festivities, see here.