123 Aboard the Fendouzhe, Prof. He’s duty was to observe creatures and collect biological samples, and she was not disappointed. At 10,000 meters, on the seabed, she was amazed to see a great deal of sea cucumbers and amphipods wandering along carefree. Having known what she would see didn’t make her less amazed, and this is the magic of gaining first-hand experience. After 14 hours — 6 hours of descending and ascending plus 6 hours at the seabed and 2 hours of diving preparation, she and her crew returned to the surface to begin processing the samples they’d collected. Prof. He’s irrepressible energy and fascination saw her working until 3 a.m. the next day, as the biological samples collected have to be timely processed. “The deep sea, the abyss, and even the 10,000-meter seabed are not silent,” she says. “They have a rich variety of life, and very cute creatures.” Prof. He admits that the road ahead has its challenges. Deep-sea exploration is frontier territory — there is no experience, no predecessors to learn from. It is a big part of the difficulty, but it is also part of what makes the journey so exciting. Prof. He is often asked whether she’s afraid on these expeditions. “The comprehensive understanding of the research and development process, and the spirit of excellence and unity of the engineering team have given me confidence,” she answers. Leading the way in her field of study, Prof. He is inspiring new generations of women scientists to pursue their own ideals. She is proud of her team, and those who have made this type of technological and scientific advancement possible. As she herself shares, “I will make an unremitting effort to build China as a world power in ocean technology.”
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