Yang Xinxin is a 2024 graduate of the Internet of Things Engineering program at the School of Information Engineering, Xi'an Eurasia University. During her time at university, she served as the head of the Publicity Department of the Student Growth Promotion Association at the School of Information Engineering. She received several honors, including the second prize in the 2023 Chinese Collegiate Computing Competition in the Northwest region and the first prize in the 2023 China Collegiate Computing Contest - Network Technology Challenge in the Northwest region. She has also been recognized multiple times as an outstanding student leader by the School of Information Engineering. Currently, she has been employed by DBAPPSecurity Co., Ltd.

In recent years, with the frequent emergence of social issues such as online scams and cyber violence, the government has increasingly emphasized the importance of cybersecurity. Understanding the significance of cybersecurity, Yang Xinxin solidified her knowledge base over her four years at the university. She actively participated in practical projects in on-campus studios and internships at industry partners, to enhance her comprehensive abilities. Upon graduation, she successfully made the transition from student to cybersecurity service engineer, securing a position at one of the national high-tech enterprises, DBAPPSecurity Co., Ltd.

Join Studio: Diverse Practices to Enhance Professional Skills

"Xi'an Eurasia University is almost exactly as I imagined. Before enrolling, I followed many social media channels of the university and learned that it has complete laboratory facilities and provides different specialized training rooms for students in the School of Information Engineering."

(Fig. 1) Intelligent transportation test bed in the training room

(Fig. 2) Collection of intelligent systems

(Fig. 3) Smart home experience room

Yang Xinxin chose to delve into cybersecurity under the Internet of Things Engineering program. In her sophomore year, she joined the Smart IoT Technology Innovation (Embedded) Studio, where she began to engage with real-world projects closely related to her field of study. QAX Technology Group, a company with a deep partnership with the School of Information Engineering, sent enterprise mentors to teach students majoring in IoT Engineering two courses: "Vulnerability Principles" and "Threat Analysis". The systematic curriculum and market-relevant instruction from these mentors laid a solid foundation for her future studies and internships.

(Fig. 4) The enterprise mentor is giving a lesson to the students

Only by integrating practice at the studio with the basic knowledge learned in the classroom can the learning outcomes be effectively applied to real work scenarios. Communicating with experienced cybersecurity engineers from enterprises and cultivating innovative thinking and engineering application ability in real project practice, Yang Xinxin gradually nurtured her career dream of becoming a "cybersecurity engineer".

(Fig. 5) During her sophomore year, Yang Xinxin and other members of the cybersecurity studio visited Venustech Group Inc. in Xi'an

In high school, Yang Xinxin was introverted and shy, but upon entering Xi'an Eurasia University, the diverse clubs and community activities encouraged her to open up. In addition to her routine duties in the School's Student Union, she also participated in organizing and coordinating activities and brand writing with the Youth League Committee of Drucker Youth Communities and the Source Code Promotion Studio of the School of Information Engineering, enhancing her various skills.

Get Lost in Confusion for the First Time, but Gain Growth in Projects and Competitions

During her junior year, Yang Xinxin experienced a period of confusion and uncertainty. That was during her first time participating in the China International College Students' "Internet+" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. With minimal knowledge of the artificial intelligence field, she found it challenging to pursue her project. As the deadline for the presentation approached, she revised her slides over 50 times in just one week. After numerous attempts and constant revisions, Yang Xinxin finally achieved a satisfactory outcome. Since then, she has had no fear of exploring unknown fields.

(Fig. 6) Yang Xinxin revises the slides over 50 times

The project involved researching current mainstream computer vision technology combined with brain-machine interface technology for multimodal emotion recognition. The aim was to utilize artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy and reliability of emotion recognition while opening new avenues for development in the field. Throughout the competition preparations, her instructor, Ren Lu, provided numerous suggestions and improvement strategies, patiently teaching her how to communicate with clients and manage the project. Counselor Zhang Dangfeng also offered continuous encouragement and assistance in her daily life. "This project made me more confident. As I overcame difficulties step by step, I learned to take more initiative in learning and studying problems," Yang Xinxin remarked.

(Fig. 7) Yang Xinxin's project introduction

Since then, she has participated in various competitions, including the Chinese Collegiate Computing Competition and the China Higher Education Computer Competition - Network Technology Challenge, gaining more professional skills and practical experience along the way.

Intern at DBAPPSecurity: Move Forward to the Field of Cybersecurity

Thanks to years of cooperation between the School of Information Engineering and DBAPPSecurity, Yang Xinxin successfully secured an internship lasting almost a year at the company during the second semester of her junior year after passing the interview. "The company recognizes our education, and I am grateful to Xi'an Eurasia University for providing us with this opportunity and platform."

(Fig. 8) School-enterprise cooperation exchange between DBAPPSecurity and Xi'an Eurasia University

Upon joining the Public Management Team in the Security Service Department at DBAPPSecurity, Yang Xinxin did not slack off. She approached every task with a serious attitude while learning to improve her comprehensive abilities during off-duty hours. The foundational learning in the cybersecurity field encompassed six areas: baseline scanning, vulnerability scanning, email phishing, asset mapping, monitoring and analysis, and penetration testing. Yang Xinxin efficiently completed all the learning tasks in more than half a year, achieving L0-1 certification in four areas. She also self-taught Xiaodi Security's courses online to familiarize herself with business knowledge as much as possible.

In real project engagements, Yang Xinxin's responsible and diligent attitude earned her praise from company leaders and colleagues. She and her teammates once supported a security operation project of an exchange, where meticulous attention to detail was essential for engineers handling intricate tasks. Daily report records, weekly and monthly updates to the client, and a significant amount of effective supporting materials were required. Additionally, she needed to document and review meetings and synchronize the information with on-site engineers. Throughout this complex workflow, Yang Xinxin adhered to the critical thinking she had learned in school, ensuring maximum resource utilization. Her recognition as an "Outstanding Intern" helped her successfully become a full member. In her senior year, Yang Xinxin achieved her goal of becoming a cybersecurity service engineer.

"The most important thing in life is to keep making progress, and I have never regretted any of my choices. Efforts are never for the sake of showing off to others. I hope that all students of Xi'an Eurasia University can work hard with hope and wait for the day when success finally arrives." In the future, Yang Xinxin hopes to approach work challenges with greater professionalism, systematic knowledge, and targeted strategies to achieve significant personal growth and progress.

(Contributed by the Brand Communication Department)