Mathematics and poetry often seem to belong to two different worlds.
Mathematics speaks the language of rigorous logic and proof, while poetry gives shape to emotion and imagination. For Zhao Haotian ’26 at the School of Mathematical Sciences (IMS), however, mathematics and poetry have never been at odds. Throughout his four years at ShanghaiTech, he has immersed himself in number theory and representation theory while continuing to write poetry, pursuing mathematical research while never losing sight of the richness of everyday life.
Mathematics helps him understand the world. Poetry helps him understand himself.
Finding order in an abstract world
Zhao’s fascination with mathematics did not begin with a particular course, but with one time he asked a professor about how to learn mathematics.
During the summer after his first year, driven by a growing curiosity about number theory, he sought out Professor Xue Boqing for advice on where to begin. What started with a textbook and a research paper gradually evolved into years of reading, thinking and research. Two years later, he published his first paper and became certain that mathematical research was the path he wanted to follow.
Looking back, what stayed with him most was not the publication itself, but a new understanding of what mathematical research truly means.
“Mathematical research isn’t about solving a single problem. It’s about recognizing structure in what first appears to be chaos, and making small but steady progress toward certainty through repeated failures.”
His perspective towards mathematics continued to deepen through research experiences at the University of California, Berkeley, advanced studies with internationally renowned mathematicians, and leading his team to secure an award in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling.
Along the way, he realized that mathematics is never solely an individual pursuit. It is a collective endeavor, driven by ideas that are shared, challenged, and refined through open discussion and collaboration.
“If an idea remains only on your scratch paper—never understood, discussed, or challenged by others—then it isn’t truly complete.”
For Zhao, mathematics has taught him far more than deduction and proof. It has taught him patience, humility, and the lifelong pursuit of truth.
Preserving space for feeling
If mathematics is Zhao’s way of understanding the world, poetry is how he understands himself.
Poetry has fascinated him for just as long as mathematics. He has long been drawn to classical Chinese poetry while continuing to write contemporary poems of his own, earning recognition as an Emerging Poet at the 11th Shanghai Citizens’ Poetry Festival.
Many people see mathematics and poetry as opposites. Zhao sees something different. Mathematics searches for patterns through abstraction; poetry expresses emotions through imagery. Both demand imagination, and both seek deeper connections beneath the surface. One sharpens his rational thinking, while the other reminds him to remain sensitive to the world around him.
That balance extends beyond books.
As captain of the university football team and an enthusiastic runner, Zhao sees sports not simply as a break from study.
“Every time I return to my desk after playing football, I feel like I’ve been refreshed.”
Stepping away from equations, onto the field, and back again, he has learned to find his own rhythm between reason and emotion, thought and life.
Growing alongside others
Throughout his years at ShanghaiTech, Zhao has never forgotten the people who helped him along the way. He came to believe that excellence is not only about moving forward oneself, but also about reaching back to support those who follow.
He served as a teaching assistant, mentoring younger students through his residential college’s peer-learning program. He also helped compile a student guidebook on academic and personal development, and devoted his time to volunteer service, hoping to pass on what he had learned.
Zhao Haotian serving as a teaching assistant in residential colleges.
As he puts it, “The people who change your life aren’t always those who appear at defining moments. Sometimes they’re simply the ones who help you understand a little more, see a little more clearly, or move one step a little further.”
He hopes to become that kind of person for others.
Zhao received the ShanghaiTech President’s Award and was selected to speak on behalf of the Class of 2026 undergraduates at the commencement ceremony. This fall, he will begin his doctoral study in mathematics at the University of Hong Kong, where he will continue his research in number theory and representation theory.
Rather than talking about changing the world, Zhao hopes simply to devote himself to work that is rigorous, meaningful, and able to stand the test of time.
Perhaps that is what he meant when he wrote, “In a world that naturally drifts toward chaos, there should always remain a corner of order. Such is life, such is the journey. And as for me, I will keep moving forward, willing to be a fighter against chaos.”