Yeats once said, Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. In the classroom of ZIBS Assistant Professor ZHOU Wenyu, he not only fills students' pails with knowledge but also ignites a passion within them. How did he evolve from a curious student of finance to a curve wrecker? And how has he continuously broken new ground in academia, garnering numerous honors? Let's delve into his story.
“I hope to think about issues from the perspective of a scholar, to better serve ZIBS and the International Campus, to tackle the various problems and challenges faced in research, to study the Chinese economy, and to tell the story of China well.”
Self-Exploration and Discovering Certainty in the Unknown
 |  |  |
Although he is now a curve wrecker with a Ph.D. in economics, a master's degree in statistics, a master's degree in economics, a bachelor's degree in finance, and a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics, he did not know clearly what he wanted from the beginning. When selecting his major, ZHOU Wenyu, much like many high school students, felt bewildered and had limited knowledge about his chosen field. It wasn't until he started studying that he realized finance is so complex.
Luckily, he chose a major later he fell in love with. To better understand the essence of financial operations, he decided to take courses in applied mathematics, using mathematical models to interpret financial data and employing rational thinking to analyze complex human behavior. While pursuing his graduate degree, he recognized the extensive application of statistics in economic research and thus enrolled in numerous statistics courses, eventually fulfilling the credit requirements for a master's degree in statistics from UCLA. The original uncertainty and confusion became clearer and more certain as he explored the root causes and continued to try.
In the nine years of his higher education, he earned 5 degrees. He mentioned that he did not want to do the stamp collecting job while pursuing these degrees; rather, he simply pursued areas that genuinely interested him and that he wished to explore.
Throughout his research journey, this thirst for knowledge and exploration of the unknown has consistently accompanied and driven him. He believes that academia is a process of self-exploration, dealing with open-ended questions that have no fixed answers. One can summarize patterns from data, models, and objective facts, seeking certainty amid uncertainty. He thoroughly enjoys this process.
Persistence and Continuous Passionate Engagement
When asked about the secret behind his academic productivity, ZHOU Wenyu reflected on his impactful exchange experience at the University of California, Berkeley: The scholars whom I consider 'geniuses' are in their offices at 6:30 in the morning and stay until late at night, every single day of the year, consistently pouring their passion into their work.
Research is not easy, but precisely because it is challenging, the sense of achievement when you break through is especially rewarding. ZHOU Wenyu immerses himself in academic research with unwavering enthusiasm. Every day, he sits in front of his computer writing code and derives formulas on scratch paper—tasks that may seem tedious to others—but they have become an integral part of his daily life, and he finds joy in them. ZHOU Wenyu humorously remarked, If one day I don't do this, I would feel particularly empty.
It is this relentless dedication to research that has allowed him to publish his findings in top finance journals such as the Journal of Financial Economics, and to receive numerous awards, including the Excellent Achievement Award in Philosophy and Social Sciences from Zhejiang Province, the Peak Award from the Digital Finance Open Research Platform, the PwC 3535 Best Academic Achievement Award, the First Prize for Excellent Achievements from the Zhejiang Economic Society, and the Academic Excellence Award from the International Campus of Zhejiang University. His policy reports have also been adopted and endorsed by relevant central ministries multiple times.
As an instructor, ZHOU Wenyu views educating and nurturing students as his mission. As the Director of ZIBS MCS Programs, he contributes to the development of the school. Among all these roles, he still prefers his identity as a scholar. I hope to think about issues from the perspective of a scholar, to better serve ZIBS and the International Campus, to tackle the various problems and challenges faced in research, to study the Chinese economy, and to tell the story of China well.
Passion Pushing, Forge Ahead into the Future
ZHOU Wenyu has always considered nurturing the next generation of young minds as his mission, believing that helping students succeed is the greatest happiness for a teacher. Teaching a good class has also become his interest and goal. At ZIBS, his in-depth yet easy-to-understand teaching style, lively classroom atmosphere, passion for imparting knowledge, and attention to students have made his courses highly sought after by many classmates. ZIBS GCM student Sorawit Worrawatkittikhun said taking his course was a real highlight for him, mainly because of his relaxed and approachable vibe. He had his way of teaching that breaks down difficult topicsand convey it in a way that we as a class was able to grasp it. What very impressed him the most was how he would go the extra mile to make sure everyone was on the same page by asking if we understood it, then if we needed more explanation he would patiently guide us through until we got it.
Whether studying, researching or teaching, ZHOU Wenyu always starts with interest and sticks to it. He firmly believes that interest is the best teacher and diligence is the cornerstone of success. He often shares his thoughts on life and the future with his students,Not to overlook your interests in favor of pursuing what may seem trendy in the moment. Instead, discover your true passions and strengths, striving diligently to achieve your life ideals.
The rich interdisciplinary atmosphere of the international campus, coupled with a vibrant community of young scholars and a student body characterized by open-mindedness and diverse thinking, along with world-class research facilities and support, as well as comprehensive living amenities, and ZIBS international perspective and the advantages of ecosystem network, have provided me with unprecedented inspiration and motivation in academic research and teaching practice. All of this has not only fulfills my passion, but also makes me look forward to the future. ZHOU Wenyu is also very glad that he chose to join the International Campus of Zhejiang University. In this fertile land, he looks forward to pursuing his passion and exploring the future with other enthusiastic faculty and students. As a young faculty member, I believe our generation has every reason to develop the International Campus and ZIBS into a model of international cooperative education and a shining beacon.
Click to learn more about Prof. ZHOU
*The article is from WeChat Public Account of International Campus, ZJU
