The list of recipients for the 19th "Tsinghua Outstanding Mentor" award has recently been announced. Among the honorees is Professor Lu Hui from the Department of Earth System Science (DESS), who has been recognized with this prestigious award for the second time. Congratulations to Professor Lu Hui!

Professor Profile:

Lu Hui, a tenured professor, doctoral supervisor, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at Tsinghua University’s Department of Earth System Science (DESS), has dedicated 14 years to teaching. Upholding and promoting Tsinghua’s tradition of "balancing dual responsibilities (both academic and administrative)," Prof. Liu has been consistently supporting the all-round development of his students. With a long-standing focus on remote sensing monitoring and modeling of terrestrial water cycles, Prof. Lu has been honored with numerous accolades, including the Second Prize of the Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Award (2018, 2022), the 16th “Tsinghua Outstanding Mentor” Award (2018), Outstanding Communist Party Member of Tsinghua University (2019), Advanced Worker of Tsinghua University (2020), and the Lin Feng Counselor Award (2023). To date, he has mentored over 15 graduate students, who are now making significant contributions in academia, industry, government, and research institutions both in China and abroad, taking on key roles in teaching, research, and management.

Moral Leadership

When delivering the foundational course "Quantitative Remote Sensing of the Environment" for the ecological discipline within the DESS, Lu Hui consistently embraces a trinity educational philosophy that encompasses value shaping, ability cultivation, and knowledge impartation. He emphasizes moral education, seamlessly integrating aspects of social commitment into his teaching. In postgraduate training, he is dedicated to bolstering students' confidence in scientific research, urging them to embark on challenging research assignments, and actively steering them towards pivotal industries to foster contributions to national prosperity. Furthermore, he vigorously advocates for group members to engage in social endeavors and serve their peers, thereby honing their moral character and enhancing themselves. Consequently, the students from his research group have made noteworthy contributions to student work across various grades and positions within the department and the university.

Lu Hui deeply practiced Tsinghua University's talent cultivation concept of “being both ideologically principled and professionally proficient, developing in an all-round way" in student work, and cultivated a number of outstanding student leaders. Among them, Jiang Ruijie, a Class 2020 doctoral student, served the class wholeheartedly, led the class to win many honors such as "Tsinghua University 2022 Graduate Advanced Group" and won the title of "Three Good Students in Beijing" in 2023; Xu Yawei, a Class 2021 doctoral student, actively participated in the student work in the department and the university, winning the "December 9th" Counselor Guo Mingqiu Award in 2023. Inspired by Prof. Lu, more outstanding student leaders are making meaningful impacts in their roles.

Prof. Lu leads a student team to practice in Xi 'an

Scholarly Excellence

At the end of 2010, Lu Hui concluded his academic career in Japan and returned to Tsinghua University, where he had been away for nearly eight years, to take on the role of a professor and contribute to the rebuilding of Tsinghua’s Earth System Science discipline. Standing at the lectern, he leverages his profound expertise and unique personal charm to skillfully transform dry theoretical concepts into vivid and humorous stories, allowing the brilliance of wisdom to shine in a relaxed and engaging atmosphere. He seamlessly integrates cutting-edge scientific questions with classical methodologies, delivering each lecture as a feast of knowledge, where students glean the essence of wisdom in an atmosphere of joy and engagement. Prof. Lu advocates for independent exploration, encouraging students to boldly set sail on their academic journeys. Through his own actions, he sets an inspiring example of pursuing truth and embracing innovation.

Guided by national needs and disciplinary frontiers, Prof. Lu Hui has led his research team in long-term efforts to advance remote sensing monitoring and modeling of terrestrial water cycles. The team has tackled numerous technical challenges and achieved groundbreaking theoretical innovations, including the development of a soil moisture inversion algorithm based on radiative transfer mechanisms and machine learning methods, creating a long term global daily soil moisture dataset derived from AMSR-E and AMSR2 (2002-2022), which was recognized as one of the "Top Ten Most Valuable Datasets" at the inaugural Open Remote Sensing Data Sharing Competition in 2021, with the team honored as one of the "Top Ten Most Contributing Data Teams." In 2023, the dataset was again awarded the "Top Ten Datasets" prize by the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center.

Prof. Lu discusses a poster with students at an international conference

Award certificate

Supportive Mentor

Prof. Lu, known for his unwavering kindness and trustworthiness, has touched the lives of every student in his research group and department. His humility, approachability, patience, and tolerance have left a lasting impression on his students. He remains calm and composed, even in the face of minor oversights or unexpected delays. In every email exchange with students, he concludes with heartfelt gratitude and genuine recognition of their efforts.

In his role overseeing student work, Prof. Lu skillfully nurtured students' potential, giving them respect and trust while maintaining high standards. This approach helps shape the DESS’s unique reputation as a "small department with a big impact." Beyond academic achievements, Prof. Lu also cares deeply about students' extracurricular lives, encouraging them to form study partnerships, share meals, and play sports together to build camaraderie. Under his guidance, students freely discuss their aspirations and life experiences, thriving in a joyful and relaxed atmosphere.

Prof. Lu takes a photo with the students of his research group in a Faculty-Student Evening Exchange

Prof. Lu takes a photo with members of Water Cycle Lab on Teacher's Day

Dedicated Educator

In the expansive world of academia, Lu Hui leads his students on a journey of exploration, setting an example by his actions and exemplifying the core role of a professor: to educate and guide. Xu Yawei, a doctoral student in the research group, still vividly recalls her first field expedition. While collecting soil samples in the field, the team hesitated over whether to remove the top layer of humus. They called Prof. Lu, who answered immediately. His first concern was the students' safety. After confirming they were fine, he patiently guided them step by step, addressing every question and challenge they encountered in the field.

As night falls and Tsinghua’s campus settles into silence, Prof. Lu’s office often remains aglow. As a “Double-Task” counselor, he gives up his rest time to dedicate himself to teaching and research. Night after night, even as the clock nears ten, the warm light from his office continues to shine, a beacon guiding his students forward. With meticulous care, he reviews every line of their theses, pouring his heart into nurturing their academic dreams. Professor Lu not only provides us with the keys to knowledge but also inspires us how to embrace the vast and vibrant world with passion and perseverance.

As dusk falls and Tsinghua’s campus gradually quiets under the evening sky, Professor Lu’s office remains brightly lit. As a "Double Task" counselor shouldering heavy responsibilities, he continues to dedicate his precious rest time to teaching and research, even after a long day of departmental duties. Under the glow of that steadfast light, he meticulously reviews his students’ papers, conducts research with unwavering precision, and prepares his lessons with the same dedication as always.

As the ancient saying goes, "Peaches and plums do not speak, yet a path is formed beneath them." Lu Hui’s quiet dedication and profound impact have naturally inspired countless students to follow in his footsteps.

Photo: Teacher Lu took a group photo with graduate student leaders