Engineer Designs 'Fashionable Coats' for High-Speed Trains

Gao Nan, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [For Women of China]

Designing "fashionable coats" — the products' exterior parts — for rail-transport products has been a major part of Gao Nan's life for 20 years. Gao, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., is one of China's first engineers dedicated to designing railway vehicles. Given her remarkable achievements, the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) named Gao a National March 8th Red-banner Holder in 2015. She was one of 10 recipients of the 2018 Top Innovation Award (TIA), presented by IDA (International Design & Arts Alliance) World Congress. In recent years, she has led her team in conducting industrial-design projects. The team's designed products have enjoyed widespread acclaim among people the world over.

Pursuing Perfection

In October 1973, Gao was born in Zhuzhou, a city in Central China's Hunan Province. Her parents both worked, as engineers, with CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. (CRRC Zhuzhou) for dozens of years. The company became China's first enterprise dedicated to manufacturing electric locomotives.

During the 1990s, Gao's design plans (locomotives' colors) earned her first-, second- or third-place prizes during several competitions, organized by the company. At that time, Gao was studying in the School of Packaging Design & Art, under Hunan University of Technology.

In 1998, Gao and two colleagues established the industrial design group (within the company). However, given the harsh work conditions, Gao's partners transferred to other departments.

In 2002, Gao and her teammates developed China Star, the highest -speed train in the country (at that time). As the train is shaped like the lovely animal, many Chinese call the train "Duckbill."

Gao over the years has led her team in conducting many research projects. The projects have earned the team's members 10-plus scientific and technological awards. The members have also obtained more than 50 national patents for designs of rail-transport products.

Gao Nan, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [For Women of China]

Winning Team

Most of the members of Gao's team are women. Gao has taught the young members the skills needed to design "fashionable coats" for rail-transport products. Under Gao's guidance, many of the young people have made rapid progress in honing their skills. Several designers have been verified as "Alias (An American industrial design and surfacing software) Designers."

Over the years, Gao has led her team in completing more than 100 industrial-design projects. Their products have not only accorded with the technical requirements, but they have also embodied the cultural elements of their birthplaces. Given the ingenious designs and superb workmanship, many of the team's products have enjoyed widespread acclaim among people the world over.

Given its outstanding achievements, the team during the past few years has received accolades and special titles, including National March 8th Red -Banner Pacesetter Collective and the National May 1st Women's Pacesetter Post. The team is the only industrial-design team (in the country) that has received, four times, the gold medal of China Red Star Design Award, the top prize for China's industrial designs.

Approved by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, CRRC Zhuzhou in January 2016 established a State-level industrial-design center, the first of its kind in the country. Most of the center's workers are from Gao's team.

Gao Nan, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [For Women of China]

Amazing Chinese Industrial Designs

Gao has made it her mission to lead her team in creating well-recognized, brand-name products, to which people the world over will give thumbs up. To this end, she has taken every opportunity to improve her design skills. Gao has yielded fruitful results through unremitting efforts; she has become an expert (in industrial designs), who has won many prizes during national and international industrial-design contests over the past several decades.

During the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (held on September 27, 2015, in New York), CCTV (China Central Television) reported on Gao's team, as a model collective of implementing the basic State policy of gender equality.

In early 2018, CRRC Zhuzhou asked Gao to lead her team in designing a new type of locomotive, so the team could participate, on behalf of the company, in the Design Intelligence Contest, which was sponsored by China Academy of Art. Gao brainstormed with her team to come up with many good ideas. Eventually, the team won the gold medal. The team's design was chosen from among more than 7,700 industrial designs.

Gao says she is lucky that she lives in a good age. "In recent years, the rapid development of manufacturing and industrial equipment has created a favorable environment for Chinese industrial designers to blaze new trails when they are designing industrial products," says Gao.

Gao Nan, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [For Women of China]

Keeping Pace

In October 2018, Gao was elected a delegate to the 12th National Women's Congress (NWC, held in Beijing from October 30-November 2, 2018). During the conference, she was elected a member of ACWF's executive committee.

As soon as she returned to her company, Gao promoted the spirit of the 12th NWC among women workers. Many women were inspired by Gao's speeches, with the theme of the congress.

Gao during the past few years has taken Xiaobo (nickname of her 12-year-old son Qiu Gaoyuan) to participate in many parent-child reading activities, organized by the company or women's federations, at all levels, in Hunan Province. Gao is delighted to see Xiaobo, who has "lectured" on AI (artificial intelligence) and other science-related themes (during the activities), has so many little fans. Influenced by Gao, Xiaobo has become increasingly interested in science and technology. In 2018, he won a gold medal during the China Adolescents Science and Technology Innovation Contest.

Gao hopes women will study hard to keep pace with the times. She also calls on women to set good examples for their kids, especially in devoting their lives to their careers.

Gao Nan, chief designer of the Institute of Industrial Design, under CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [For Women of China]

(Women of China)