致前来参加严红追悼会的西工大动力与能源学院领导及师生
To the leaders, faculty, and students of the School of Power and Energy at NPU who attended the memorial
投稿人：严萍（代表全体家人）
Contributor: Yan Ping (On behalf of the family)
严红，于我而言，始终是我生活中熟知的老姐。每当闭上眼，浮现在眼前的，仍是她那张温婉恬静的笑脸。嘴角左侧那枚深深的酒窝，常被人说是她“能喝酒”的标志，却不知，她所谓的“酒量”，不过是从小服用黄酒熬制的药，一点一点练出来的。
To me, Yan Hong was always the elder sister I knew so well. Whenever I close my eyes, I still see her gentle, serene smile. The deep dimple on the left corner of her mouth was often said to be a sign that she “could drink,” but few knew that her so‑called “tolerance” came from the medicinal rice wine she had taken since childhood, little by little.
家里人都知道，她一直为疾病所困，但她从未把自己当作病人。数十年间，她与病魔抗争不息，心境始终明朗，从无怨言，也从不消沉。她不愿给任何人添麻烦，凡事尽力而为，以一己之力守住生命的尊严与光亮。
Our family all knew she had long been burdened by illness, yet she never treated herself as a patient. For decades she fought the disease without cease, her spirit always bright, never complaining and never sinking into despair. She did not want to trouble anyone, and she did her best in all things, guarding the dignity and light of life with her own strength.
老姐热爱生活，操持家务井井有条，做得一手好菜，也爱美。上学时，每次放假回西安，我最开心的事，就是被她拉去“改头换面”。她从小就是学霸，小时候大家介绍我时，都说那是严红的妹妹。
She loved life, ran the household with ease, cooked wonderfully, and cared about beauty as well. When I was in school, the happiest thing each time I returned to Xi’an was that she would take me to get a “new look.” She had been a top student since childhood, and when people introduced me back then, they would say, “That’s Yan Hong’s younger sister.”
至于工作中的老姐，我了解得并不多。我只知道她很优秀。能让以严谨出名的父亲说出“她比我强，我现在很放心”，在我看来，已是对她最高的赞誉。
As for my sister at work, I did not know much. I only knew she was outstanding. Hearing our father, known for his rigor, say, “She is better than me; I am at ease now,” was in my view the highest praise she could receive.
2010年，在美国科研领域已崭露头角的她，响应祖国的召唤，毅然选择学成归国，回到母校西北工业大学任教，立志以所学报效国家，为祖国航空航天事业贡献力量。老姐严谨治学，忘我工作，淡泊名利，关爱学生，这一切都与父亲一脉相承。此后，常听母亲半是心疼、半是无奈地抱怨：“他们两个一个样，为了工作不要命，经常熬夜，说了也不听。”没想到竟一语成谶。
In 2010, after making her mark in the U.S. research community, she answered the call of her country and chose to return home. She came back to her alma mater, Northwestern Polytechnical University, determined to serve the nation and contribute to its aerospace endeavors. She was rigorous in scholarship, selfless in work, indifferent to fame, and caring toward students, all of which echoed our father. After that, we often heard our mother complain with both concern and helplessness: “Those two are the same. They work themselves to the bone, stay up late, and never listen.” Who could have thought it would become a prophecy.
老姐的身体，一直是家里人最深的牵挂。从2024年起，我们多次劝她办理病退，她却总是顾左右而言他。我们明白，她放不下的，是对工作的责任，也是对学生的牵挂。或许我们曾有不解，但更多的，仍是对她选择的理解与尊重。
Her health was always our family’s deepest concern. Since 2024, we urged her many times to take medical retirement, but she always changed the subject. We understood that what she could not let go of was her responsibility for her work and her care for her students. Perhaps there were moments of confusion, but more than anything, we understood and respected her choice.
直到看到自发远道而来参加追悼会的众多师生，看到为她守灵的学生们，我才真正明白——工作带给她的责任感与成就感，正是她生命意义的重要部分，也是支撑她前行的力量。
Only after seeing so many faculty and students come from afar to attend her memorial, and seeing students keeping vigil for her, did I truly understand: the sense of responsibility and achievement that work brought her was an essential part of her life’s meaning and the strength that carried her forward.
“或轻于鸿毛，或重于泰山”，老姐用自己的一生诠释了这句话。正如你们所说，她是一道光，一道温暖却不刺眼的光。她用自己璀璨而坚定的一生，燃烧了自己，也照亮了他人的生命。
“A life can be lighter than a feather or heavier than a mountain.” My sister spent her life giving meaning to those words. As you have said, she was a light—warm but not dazzling. With her brilliant and steadfast life, she burned herself and lit the way for others.
在此，我谨代表严红的全体家人，衷心感谢各位展现了她在工作中的另一面——那是我们未曾完全了解、却同样为之骄傲的她；也感谢你们对她付出的认可与铭记。这份情谊，是对她最大的尊重与最好的告慰。
Here, on behalf of Yan Hong’s entire family, I sincerely thank you for showing us another side of her at work—one we did not fully know yet are equally proud of—and for your recognition and remembrance of all she gave. This affection is the greatest respect and the best consolation for her.
我们为她感到无比骄傲与自豪！
We are immensely proud of her.
同时，也对未能周到接待远道而来的各位，深表歉意。
At the same time, we offer our deep apologies for any shortcomings in welcoming those who came from afar.
严萍谨代表全体家人
敬上
Yan Ping, on behalf of the family. Respectfully.