On March 5, 2024, Mr. Zhang Yalong, Chairman of COWMATE, as a 2007 alumnus of the College of Science at Northwest A&F University (NWAFU), donated a set of anniversary mascot IP designs to his alma mater in honor of its 90th anniversary celebration. Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Anniversary Office Yan Zushu presented the certificate. Party Secretary Nie Hai of the College of Science, along with representatives from the anniversary office and the education development foundation, attended the meeting.
Donation Ceremony - Left: Zhang Yalong, Right: Yan Zushu
Meeting Agenda
Mr. Zhang Yalong expressed gratitude for the cultivation and support he received at his alma mater, which became a solid foundation for his entrepreneurship and growth. As Vice President of the Jiangsu Alumni Association and President of the Changzhou Alumni Association of NWAFU, Zhang Yalong stated that he would continue to unite alumni and contribute wisdom and strength to the school's celebrations, saying, "Today I am proud of my alma mater, and I hope tomorrow my alma mater will be proud of me."
Party Secretary Nie Hai of the College of Science noted that alumnus Zhang Yalong has always carried deep feelings for his alma mater and teachers. He reviewed a series of positive contributions Zhang Yalong has made to the college and the university in recent years, and sincerely invited him to return frequently, to share his growth experiences, entrepreneurial stories, and life wisdom with more current students through seminars and presentations, inspiring students' potential and guiding them to pursue their dreams more firmly. Secretary Nie Hai also expressed hope that this anniversary would allow alumni to gain a deeper understanding of the school's development, enhance their sense of belonging and responsibility, and strengthen the close ties between alumni and the school from multiple dimensions, promoting in-depth exchange and cooperation among alumni and between alumni and the school.
Vice Secretary Yan Zushu expressed gratitude for alumnus Zhang Yalong's continued concern for the school's development, hoping that he and fellow alumni would drive employment through entrepreneurship and make greater contributions to society. The school will also use alumni success stories to play a leading role in student education and career planning, cultivating students into good young people with ideals, responsibility, perseverance, and dedication.
Anniversary Office and Education Development Foundation representatives attending the meeting
Mascot Design
The anniversary mascot donated by COWMATE to NWAFU consists of two personified dolls named "Xixi" and "Nongnong".
"Xixi", homophonous with "stream," is a blue water droplet. Water is the basis of life and the source of civilization, flowing to the sea benefiting all things without contention, embodying the profound philosophy of endless vitality and natural achievement. It signifies that NWAFU people carry the nation's great cause in their hearts, presenting satisfactory answers to the construction of a strong nation and national rejuvenation with the spirit of "Honesty, Simplicity, Bravery, and Perseverance" and their mission-minded commitment to their original aspirations.
"Nongnong" means the messenger of agriculture, a golden seed, also representing the deep alma mater feelings of NWAFU people. Seeds are the "chip" of agriculture. The revitalization of the seed industry and the prosperity of the nation embody the responsibility of independent innovation and persistent effort, symbolizing vitality, harvest, and hope. It signifies that NWAFU people adhere to the concept of "People as the Foundation, Food as the Priority", making greater contributions to agricultural and rural modernization with a striving spirit of excellence and an enterprising determination.
(Image of Xixi and Nongnong)
University-Enterprise Cooperation
Mr. Zhang Yalong entered NWAFU in 2003 to study Information and Computing Science. He is now an off-campus cooperative supervisor for professional degree postgraduates, President of the Changzhou Alumni Association, and Visiting Professor at the College of Information. He successively founded COWMATE focusing on the R&D of high-precision positioning equipment, AIE artificial intelligence engine, and next-generation robotics technology applications. He won the National Championship in the Electronics Group of China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, was shortlisted for the National Finals of the Modern Agriculture Group, received a First Prize nomination for Technical Invention from the Ministry of Science and Technology, and has led more than ten national and local science and technology projects.
In recent years, Mr. Zhang Yalong has been committed to conducting deep industry-academia-research cooperation with his alma mater. Collaborating with the College of Information and the College of Animal Science at NWAFU, he has worked on the R&D and application of digital Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis in livestock breeding and disease prevention and control, forming high-tech product series adapted to market applications. As the founder of the school's Mathematical Modeling Association, he has established a Mathematical Modeling Competition Scholarship, engaging deeply with students through lectures and guidance activities. Currently, COWMATE has signed an employment base agreement with the College of Information, establishing employment internship bases and industry-academia-research cooperation bases, receiving NWAFU students for employment and internships each year, continuously contributing to the school's talent cultivation and scientific research.
(Group Photo)
