On the eve of the Chinese New Year, the 42nd Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition sent a special Spring Festival congratulatory letter to Southeast University (SEU), extending sincere greetings to all faculty, students, and staff, and highly commending the university’s significant contributions to the nation’s polar expedition endeavors. Meanwhile, Xu Yinhui, a PhD student from SEU participating in the expedition, sent a New Year’s greeting video from the Antarctic ice sheet, holding the university flag high as he conveyed festive wishes to the SEU community.
According to the letter, the expedition team departed from Shanghai on November 1, 2025. Their mission focuses on advancing the supporting infrastructure construction and system optimization of the Qinling Station, conducting comprehensive surveys and observations across multiple Antarctic fields, and promoting the innovative application and achievement transformation of major scientific research projects and domestically developed equipment and technologies in Antarctica. To date, the unloading of supplies at Zhongshan Station, Qinling Station, and Great Wall Station has been completed, while summer expedition activities and Southern Ocean scientific research are progressing steadily as planned.
The letter specifically acknowledged that Southeast University has long been dedicated to the advancement of polar endeavors, playing a vital role in the organization and implementation of Antarctic expeditions, team development, and key technical support. These contributions have laid a solid foundation for the smooth progress of various expedition missions. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the expedition team expressed its hope to continue collaborating with the university to boost polar scientific and technological innovation, strengthen the support and guarantee systems for polar expeditions, and jointly fulfill the noble mission of “better understanding, protecting, and utilizing the polar regions.” Together, both sides aim to make new and greater contributions to the well-being of humanity and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Thousands of miles away, his heart remains with his alma mater. In the greeting video, Xu Yinhui, dressed in a bright red expedition uniform, stood on the vast ice sheet holding the SEU flag and shared his blessings: “From Antarctica, I wish everyone a happy New Year! May the new year be as smooth as our Antarctic journey!” As a young member of SEU’s polar scientific research team, Xu is primarily engaged in the study of the “Polar Unmanned Observation and Monitoring System” during this expedition. The observation device he helped develop has been tested and is now operational in Antarctica.
For a long time, Southeast University has been firmly grounded in national strategic needs, proactively aligning with the development of polar scientific expeditions. Through sustained efforts in technological research, talent cultivation, and team building, the university has provided robust technical and personnel support for China’s Antarctic scientific endeavors. This congratulatory letter serves as both full recognition and encouragement for the university’s polar research work. In the new year, SEU will continue to contribute its wisdom and strength to the collaborative exploration and protection of the polar regions, in line with the expectations conveyed in the letter.
Source: SEU News Network
Edited by: Leah Li
