Nobel laureate in chemistry Professor Arieh Warshel shares stories from his formative years with incoming students.

Many Paths, One Journey

This year’s convocation was held under the theme “Many Paths, One Journey,” reflecting how students from different places and backgrounds — each pursuing a distinct path — are now coming together at NYCU. President Chi-Hung Lin told the students that he, too, considers himself a learner in the age of AI.

“Answers may be readily available in the AI era, but we cannot outsource our thinking,” Lin said. “Sound judgment matters far more than the ability to generate knowledge.”

NYCU’s inaugural Year of AI Literacy is designed to help students make effective use of AI without becoming dependent on it, Lin said. He encouraged the incoming class to remain curious, explore courageously and chart their own paths through interdisciplinary learning and the university’s diverse campus experiences.

The president and vice presidents offer words of encouragement to incoming students.

Judgment Is the Skill That Matters

Warshel began his address by reflecting on his early years working and fishing on a kibbutz in Israel. As a university student, he became fascinated by the mechanisms of enzyme catalysis and boldly combined that interest with computer technology, which was still in its infancy. His conviction that computational methods could transform scientific research ultimately set him on the path to the Nobel Prize.

Addressing the rapid development of AI and robotics, Warshel told students that AI could serve as an extension of the human brain, while robots could become an extension of the human hand. The most important skill, however, is not simply finding answers quickly, he said. It is the ability to assess the information AI provides and make sound judgments about how it should be used.

Warshel cautioned students against relying blindly on technology for the sake of convenience. Only through critical evaluation and deliberate choices grounded in human values, he said, can society realize AI’s full potential.


An incoming student uses a smartphone to take part in an interactive session during NYCU’s freshman convocation.

Human Connections Remain Irreplaceable

Warshel also emphasized that genuine human interaction and connection remain among the most valuable parts of a university education. Students from a wide range of academic disciplines attended the ceremony, and the classmates and professors they met at NYCU could become lifelong friends, mentors and collaborators, he said. He concluded by encouraging students to use their university years to become people of excellence, passion, individuality and virtue.

Faculty members and student representatives also took the stage to discuss “what professors do not tell you” and share practical insights into university life. Performances, interactive quizzes, and introductions to campus services helped students discover NYCU’s many learning resources and build a sense of belonging with support from faculty members and senior students.

Videos and other ceremony content were presented with bilingual support, reflecting NYCU’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning, collaboration and inclusion. The day continued with a freshman life expo and student club performances, giving the incoming class an opportunity to explore the campus and learn about available resources.


The cheerleading squad delivers an energetic performance at the freshman convocation.

As NYCU begins its Year of AI Literacy, the university will organize a series of activities and lectures where faculty members and students can learn together — exploring how to collaborate with AI, how to ask it better questions and, most importantly, how to keep asking the questions that technology alone cannot answer.