Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
There were few dull minds in San Jose the spring of 2010. Around 1600 teens from around the world streamed into the heart of Silicon Valley for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair; for me, it was an unforgettable first glimpse of the talent and imagination of my global peers.
Perhaps it was the discovery that innovation is contagious, that science is a universal language for the young, but as I strolled through the massive exhibition hall on judging day, gasping at the elaborate schematics and full-scale engineering prototypes, I suddenly felt a tantalizing sense of belonging. It was enthralling and humbling, the realization that I too was a part of a community bound by a passion for knowledge and willingness to devote thousands of hours of research to obtain answers to our inquiries.
Yet even as the exotic flavors of the multicultural dishes faded away, a vivid impression still lingers of the power of intellect and the celerity with which it struck down instantly all language, cultural, and mortal barriers. For a week, this microcosm of the future generation, my future generation, transcended international conflicts and tensions and dispelled the resentment and problems that plague modern society; for a week, we lived simply to see and feel and cooperate and learn - from ourselves and from each other.
It was inspiring to hear a myriad of accents and languages mingling, my own among them, exploring the same interests and hopes of bettering the world through our leadership and research. Even though I will probably never again meet the Austrian girl with whom I gossiped about neural networks or the boy from my birth city Nanjing with whom I chatted (in Mandarin!) about college and computers, I am deeply inspired by this promise of a vibrant future.