Student Sharing

PhD path is a difficult journey that may be compared to a marathon rather than a sprint; hence, it is critical to be persistent and focused on your final goal. Enrolling and completing a PhD program is just the beginning and I am glad that EdUHK was the place where I made the first steps toward my aspirations to develop and share knowledge. PhD degree was one of the most difficult challenges of my life, however, it helped me become a better scholar, educator, and person. And although it might sound intimidating and difficult to enter a competitive academic environment, it encourages me and makes to "run farther, stretch out our arms faster" (credits to F. Scott Fitzgerald).

During my PhD studies at FHM, I have benefited from numerous academic conferences, lectures, and other events related to my research topic, and I have received inspirational guidance from the FHM faculty, especially from my supervisors. In addition to my research, I have also gained a deeper understanding of an academic institution through participation in LCS and RCCLLC's courses (as a teaching assistant and part-time lecturer), academic events (as a designer and student helper), publications (as a proofreader) and so on. I am grateful to FHM for training and accompanying me through this significant stage of my studies. I received constructive feedback from various linguists around the world regarding my study.

With the support from the Faculty, I joined the Georgetown University Round Table (GURT) on Languages and Linguistics for paper presentation and worked on my research proposal in March 2020. Although part of the conference was held online due to the pandemic situation, I could still meet some prominent international scholars, whose research interests are in the scope of my concentration. I also participated in the panel discussion concerning the dominance of English and its impact on multilingual learners. I received constructive feedback from various linguists around the world regarding my study.

Photo: Liubov took photo with Professor Lourdes Ortega of Georgetown University

FHM Research Support Grant offered me a valuable support to my participation in the 2nd Conference on English Language Education in the Chinese Context at Beijing Foreign Studies University and 4-week pilot study in Vietnam. Apart from building up my knowledge related to the use of technology in English Language Education, I created a new social and academic networking with other researchers in the similar area during the conference. Moreover, I believe that what I experienced and learned in the pilot study could support my examination of the conceptual framework and the research instruments for my research proposal. I have also improved my personal research skills.

Photo: Thao received the certificate from Beijing Foreign Studies University