conference | Chinese at Queen's

Being an international student at Queen’s never means that one has to bury their heads into books and articles for their academic study. Instead, proactively partaking in a range of academic and social events can benefit them hugely.

In this post, Yufei Yang (杨雨菲), a MA candidate in Children’s Rights, tells us how she felt about being an international conference assistant during her study at Queen’s.

“While assisting at the conference, this international event enabled me to connect with participants from around the world, representing diverse cultures and backgrounds.”
Yufei yang, pG student from school of social sciences, education and social work, qub

In September, as an international student assistant, I had the privilege of participating in the “CHILDREN’S RIGHTS PARTICIPATION & EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM,” marking one of the highlights of my inspiring cross-cultural (跨文化 kuàwénhuà) journey since I came to study at Queen’s. This conference brought together distinguished scholars and experts from Poland (波兰 Bōlán) , Ireland (爱尔兰 Ài’ěrlán) , China (中国 Zhōngguó) and many other nations, engaging deeply in discussions about children’s rights (儿童权利 értóng quánlì) and education (教育 jiàoyù).

*Presentation at the conference | Photo: Yufei Yang*

While assisting at the conference, this international event enabled me to connect with participants from around the world, representing diverse cultures and backgrounds. It was an enriching experience that highlighted the richness and excitement of cross-cultural communication (跨文化交际 kuàwénhuà jiāojì). Interacting with representatives from Poland, Ireland, and other countries provided insights into unique perspectives and practices regarding children’s rights and education.

Conference Panel | Photo: Yufei Yang

Through group discussions (小组讨论 xiǎozǔ tǎolùn) and workshops (工作坊 gōngzuòfǎng), I shared best practices from my home country alongside international participants, delving into the challenges within the realm of children’s rights and education. Scholars (学者 xuézhě) from various nations passionately presented their research progress and reports, not only enriching academia with new insights and innovations but also inspiring other professionals.

This collaborative effort fostered a better understanding of each other’s cultures and backgrounds, emphasizing the significance of respect (尊重 zūnzhòng) and understanding (理解 lījiě). Beyond academic exchange (学术交流 xuéshù jiāoliú), the symposium showcased the power of international cooperation (国际合作 guójì hézuò). Our collective focus on the future of children’s rights and education reinforced the understanding that these goals can be better achieved through global collaboration (全球协作 quánqiú xiézuò).

Overall, this symposium on children’s rights and education served as a vibrant cross-cultural adventure, underlining the value of international academic exchange. It opened doors to broader explorations for the future, igniting a passion for the continued pursuit of knowledge.

Author: Yufei YANG
Editor: Lauren McShane and Liang WANG

Congratulations for Yiming HUANG (黄一鸣), a third-year PhD candidate, who recently won the Talks Prize 1 at the 73rd Irish Universities Chemistry Research Colloquium!

There were 72 second year PhD students who gave poster presentations and 40 third year PhD students who gave talks…

It was my first time speaking at an open conference. Therefore I felt very lucky and honoured to be the only Chinese person to win the prize.

All of the PhD candidates in attendance were excellent in their research and most were from local universities in Ireland. Queen’s University Belfast was the only participating university from the UK, according to Yiming.

I’m with Prof. Steven E.J. Bell’s group, based in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. The primary area of study for our group is the development of novel nanomaterials for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). My talk at the conference focused on controlling nanoparticle aggregates for stable SERS, which is the project I worked on the entire previous year.

Winning tips

I believe the award could not have been given to me without the following factors. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Bell, for his excellent guidance in the content of my presentation during the preparation stage. He pointed out that rather than a bunch of data, people prefer to hear a complete story, which was really inspired me. Secondly, to keep the audience interested and prevent them from becoming tired of listening, I used some videos, cartoons and real-life photos to better illustrate my stuff. For example, I made a comparison between my polymer network with nanoparticle aggregates and noodles network with meatballs. In addition, I paid attention to the pace of my presentation and established eye contact with the audience rather than just talking to myself, which enabled the audience to follow my thoughts.

The comparison between hydrogel network with nanoparticle aggregates and noodles network with meatballs.

We hope that these tips will be of help to the new comers and also send our best wishes to Yiming for a great success in her PhD research and future career.

If you have similar stories to share with us your successes in study and work, you are very welcome to contact us by leaving your messages below in the comment box.

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Tag Archives: conference

My Conference Assistant Experience at Queen’s

QUB Chinese student won conference Talks Prize

Congratulations for Yiming HUANG (黄一鸣), a third-year PhD candidate, who recently won the Talks Prize 1 at the 73rd Irish Universities Chemistry Research Colloquium!