HIT Star 2019

WIN THI YEIN

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Technology

Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China

Win Thi Yein, 马文，女，缅甸籍中国政府奖学金博士研究生，就读于化工与化学学院化学工程与技术专业，该生学习勤奋刻苦，成绩优异，已在国际能源环境领域重要学术刊物上发表SCI学术论文5篇，影响因子总和达到18，其中1篇被编辑选为杂志封面，同时积极参加学校学院组织的各项活动，在校园文化节上展示本国文化，促进文化交流；协助导师指导学生科技创新活动，在哈尔滨工业大学第二届国际化学化工创新创业大赛中做英文口头报告，并获得一等奖，鉴于该生端正积极的学习态度，丰硕的科研成果，乐于助人的优秀品德，推荐马文同学为本月HIT  STAR。

Education plays the critical role in everyone’s life by building good personality, improving knowledge and skill and providing the internal and external strength. It makes us maturity and teaches us how to live in society with changing environment. Chinese government is praiseworthy for its performances to generously offer education programs called Scholarships to foreigners from all over the world to come and study in China. Studying in abroad can get an international exposure which is quite imperative for one’s career building process, stand shoulder to shoulder with the globalized world and achieve current technologies, get adapted to the latest trends of the world, meet people of the multifarious backgrounds, and cultures on a day to day basis.

In there, I am glad for this opportunity to share my experiences about studying in China through HIT STAR. I am Win Thi Yein from Myanmar (缅甸), officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Myanmar is a Southeast Asian nation of more than 100 ethnic groups, bordering India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. It is also remarked as "The Golden Land" because it's all over the country placed golden pagodas. The most greeting sentence said that all of Myanmar people, “Mingalarbar” (你好). My first arrive to study as a PhD Scholar in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China was in 2015. It is a great pleasure for me to be a member of HIT, since “HIT” is a place with a multicultural setting where I have had new wonderful experiences.

When I arrived at Harbin, there were a lot of challenges that I faced. The language, food, weather and levels of Science and Technology among many other things. During my PhD first year, I finished all of the course works for my degree. All of the teachers who I met were very cooperative and active. I have met the new international students from different counties. In addition, I also met Chinese students who are full of hospitality, genuinely cooperative, wise-hearted, with a welcoming nature. After passing those year, I endure a lot of challenges of my daily life in Harbin and have a chance how to become independent and manage my social life.

The developments in science and technology have received a great attention of a large number of students all over the world to start their academic careers in China. As for me, studying to do scientific research is a very important part of my life which is successfully received in HIT. After arriving in HIT, I started studying the research in my PhD first year. The day that I visited to my Supervisor’s research group made me feel motivated. I was inspired by the research of Supervisor, Professor Xiaohong Wu at HIT. I was warmly welcome and she introduced me all of the professors and lab-mates who worked with me during these years. From 2015 to unit now, she played a greatly supportive role in a long journey of my PhD research in China. Since my PhD second year, I started my research works under the guidelines, advises, supporting, active cooperation of Vice-Supervisor   Assoc. Prof Qun Wang. His mentorship was paramount in providing well rounded experiences in my research field. On the other hand, all of the teachers and my lab-mates in my research groups gave their supporting and encourage while I was doing my research.

Compared with my pervious experiences before I come to China, I am exploring here more appropriate and effective teaching and research methodologies, dynamics and engaging. Luckily, I had a chance to learn the teaching system of Chinese Professors. In my PhD second year, I attended the extra course works such as “Quantum Chemistry” and “Chemistry of Nanomaterials” taught in English by Chinese Professors. At the moment, I was inspired by Chinese Professors. Rather than giving a fear into the students’ mind, teachers want the students to well understand whatever they teach them. Under the creation of active teaching and learning environment, they invite the students to think imaginatively and conceptually about a significant theme or problem to develop their critical thinking that is very useful to apply in their research. After attending these course works, my research thoughts have been changed a lot.

HIT organizes a variety of student activities including Sports, Art Competitions, International Cultural Carnival, World hand in hand Gala, and tourist trips to discover the world culture and China. As for me, on the side of these excellent academic exposures, I have also the great opportunities to learn about some other countries cultures and social networking by taking part many extra-curricular activities including the “International Cultural Carnival”, and “World hand in hand Gala” together with my country-mates as well as tourist trips that are organized by College of International Education (CIE) in HIT every year. From these activities, I have learnt many interesting things about their language, culture, values and beliefs of their people and also shared interesting history and facts about my own country.

Beside these social networking developments, while I am studying in China, so many experiences made me to obtain the skills to overcome the challenges. I have also found that I am learning a lot in my daily life. After I passing these four years, now I have a much better understanding and developing in my communication skills, and learning skills. Up to now, I have published 4 papers on SCI-indexed journals and at the present, the 5th paper is under review. The 4th paper has been chosen as the Journal Cover Page of Chemical Research in Chinese Universities Journal. More than that, I had the opportunity to attend and made a talk on “The 2nd HIT International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition on Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, July 2018”. Besides, I had awarded First Prize in first position in this competition. I also actively took part as participant in “The 4th FRSC Forum on Global Challenges and Chemistry Solutions: Water Safety Forum”, organized by HIT and Heilongjiang University in August 2019. All of these achievements and opportunities would not be able to attain not only without work hard, strong destination, resistance, and persistence by myself but also with the lack of high supporting and active cooperation of my supervisor, vice-supervisor, all of the teachers, and my lab-mates in the good research environment.

Famous Chinese saying says that “师父领进门，修行在个人” “Teachers open the door – You must enter by yourself.” All of my teachers have already opened the door to see my bright future. I just walk through the door for my future. My warm regards also go to admirable Supervisor Professor Xiaohong Wu, Vice-Supervisor Assoc. Prof Qun Wang, all of my teachers in our group, my lovely lab-mates, colleagues and friends for a number of matters and thoughts we share and collaborated each other. As I mentioned above, because of the great offer of Chinese Government Education program, my study in China has a good impact on my life and is worthwhile.