"She is a 'light pursuer', working in the forefront of teaching and research, and lighting up students' dreams with the light of knowledge." This is the praise of Cheng Xiangai, a professor and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, from the teachers and students of the Frontier Interdisciplinary College of the University of National Defense Technology. Since 1991, Cheng Xiangai has worked quietly on the platform of the National Defense University of Science and Technology. Over the past 30 years, she has lectured more than 10 courses. Applied Optics, a professional basic course, has been taught by her for more than 10 years. The basic principles of professional basic courses remain the same. The teaching plan and courseware can be used repeatedly. However, Cheng Xiangai has to prepare the lessons again every time the class starts. As long as there are new phenomena and new technologies related to the teaching content, she will always enrich the teaching plan and courseware at the first time, and strive to make every class have new information. "A course is a feast of knowledge. It should be nutritious and tasty." Cheng Xiangai said that teaching is endless and improving is her unremitting pursuit. In 2022, the comprehensive reform and practice of Applied Optics won the first prize of teaching achievements in Hunan Province, and was recommended by the military as a national first-class undergraduate course. Over the years, Cheng Xiangai has been actively engaged in scientific research while completing the teaching tasks, and won the National Award for Science and Technology Progress once and the Military Award for Science and Technology Progress five times. Hard work has brought about peach and plum trees. Jiang Tian, head of a research institute at the University of National Defense Technology, is the first doctoral student of Cheng Xiangai. In that year, Jiang Tian, a graduate student, decided to give up studying for a doctor's degree. Cheng Xiangai believed that Jiang Tian had great scientific research potential, and was able to endure hardships and study hard. He encouraged him to say, "Keep going, you will have great potential in the future." Under the careful guidance of Cheng Xiangai, Jiang Tian completed key projects during his doctoral study, and was recommended to serve as the leader of the research team after graduation. Later, Jiang Tian led the research team to make full efforts to tackle key problems, and the achievements won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. After teaching for more than 30 years, Cheng Xiangai has guided and trained more than 60 masters and doctors, of which 9 people have won the Academic New Scholars Award for Doctoral Postgraduates of the Ministry of Education, and many have grown into backbone of scientific and technological innovation and excellent grassroots cadres. "I am very proud to see the achievements of the students. They are the future and hope of the construction of the country and the army. I will do my best to support them and support them, so that they can stand higher and go further," Cheng Xiangai said. (Outlook New Era)