On August 9^th, 2019, 74 outstanding high school students from Jiangxi Province visited the Center on Frontiers of Computing Studies (CFCS), Peking University at No.5 Courtyard of Jingyuan garden. Professor Baoquan Chen, Executive Director of CFCS, Dr. Hao Dong, assistant professor of CFCS, and Mengzhi Shi, Turing Class Student (Class of 2017) attended the event.

Professor Baoquan Chen introduced the background of computer science, the life of Turing and the origin of the Turing Award to the students. Turing Class Program initiated by professor John Hopcroft, is an elite undergraduate program, aiming to cultivate a new generation of computer scientist/engineers that are solid in both theories and practices. It involves the best teachers in and outside of  to ensure the first-class level of Turing Class in the world. Professor Baoquan Chen stressed that no matter whether the students join the Turing class or not, as long as they come to Peking University, PKU will bring the best teaching and scientific research resources to everyone. Students will be exposed to the world's top masters and cutting-edge scientific research in a variety of ways, and grow up freely in a strong academic atmosphere. For example, in No. 5 Courtyard of Jingyuan, we have teachers from top universities at home and abroad to make reports and exchanges almost every week to introduce the progress of cutting-edge scientific research in different fields.

Dr. Hao Dong said that in the past decade, although there has been a lot of progress in engineering in the field of computer science and artificial intelligence, the core is the breakthrough in theory. Peking University has a strong academic foundation in theory and mathematics, which will be the advantage of Peking University in the above fields in the future.

Mengzhi Shi introduced the environment of No.5 Courtyard of Jingyuan and shared her feelings about studying in Turing Class. Turing class has a rich and colorful curriculum model, which can exercise students' ability to study and think independently. In this excellent class, students are each other's motivation. At present, most of the Turing Class students from class of 2016 are conducting summer research in well-known foreign universities. The students from class of 2017 have completed the rotation of scientific research, and many of them have officially entered the laboratory and began systematic scientific research training under the guidance of their teachers. In the end, Mengzhi encouraged everyone: "If you are interested in computer science, you must come to Turing Class!"

In the following Q&A session, high school students asked questions actively. Teachers gave detailed answers.

In the end, Professor Baoquan Chen said that in high school, students should first lay stress on their basic knowledge, at the same time, consciously find and cultivate their own interests, and accumulate relevant knowledge and experience. Dr. Hao Dong added that the most important courses in high school (for science students) are mathematics and physics, because no matter which major you choose in college, you will be involved in the contents of these two courses.

After the forum, the students stepped into the laboratories at No.5 Courtyard of Jingyuan and listened to the senior students introduce their latest research results.