Esther Hall held a tea party about “SHE SAYS · Those Stories of Female Scientists” for its members of the 3rdSTEAM program on the evening of November 26th, 2022. Prof. Dang Li from Shantou University College of Science and Prof. Shi Feng from Jiangsu Normal University were invited to share their experiences on the road to studying science.
01 Speech presented by Prof. Shi Feng
Prof. Shi Feng
Shi Feng: She is the Distinguished Professor of Changzhou University and Professor of Jiangsu Normal University. She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Jiangsu Normal University in 1998 and 2004 respectively, and her doctoral degree from theJoint PhD Programme of Soochow University-University of Science and Technology of China. She worked as a visiting scholar in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore from 2012 to 2013. She has been awarded by the Excellent Youth Foundation of Jiangsu Province (2016) and the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (2021), and has been selected as the middle-aged leader of science and technology of the“333 high-level talents training project” of Jiangsu province and high-level talent of the“Six Talent Peaks Projects” in Jiangsu Province.
She has won the Second Prize in Science and Technology of Jiangsu Province, the Second Prize in Natural Science of the Ministry of Education, the Thieme Chemistry Journal Award, the Asian Core Program Lectureship Award, and the NHU-CJC Innovation Award.She was the young-aged editorial board member of Chinese Journal of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Synthesis, and editorial aboard of Organic Chemistry Frontiers,EUR J ORG CHEM, and European Journal of Organic Chemistry.
Prof. Shi Feng used the word “roundabout” to describe the course of her student career. After graduating from her four years at Jiangsu Normal University, she became a middle-school teacher. Out of sheer interest, she decided to go on with further study and started to prepare for the graduate qualifying examination. She was successfully admitted by Jiangsu Normal University after preparation for months. She became a lecturer in Jiangsu Normal University - her Alma Mater, after graduating with a master’s degree. When she settled down and lived a comfortable and stable life, she became a wife and a mother.
Prof. Shi Feng’scourage and ambition broke her invariant and stable life. The then-lecturer decided to study for a doctorate. During the Ph.D. period, she has studied enthusiastically as ever even though she was ten years older than the schoolfellows and had to take care of the family. She was always among the last to leave the lab and turn off the lights even on cold winter days. Her persistence and endeavor returned her with excellent academic grades, and she was qualified to graduate beforehand. She eventually gained a stronger female power.
After returning to her position as a teacher, Prof. Shi Feng quickly set up a research team that has won many awards with the joint efforts of the whole team members and teachers. On the hand, the team provided many qualified talents to different academies, such asNanjing University andChinese Academy of Sciences. On the other hand, it enabled Prof. Shi Feng successfully apply for the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars.
Prof. Shi Feng was grateful to her teachers, students who shared mutual improvement, and family members who got behind her through the whole journey, but most importantly, to her resolution to cut off all means of retreat. She was interested in scientific research and continuously did the really impressive things. She gained confidence and ranked among the top in college. She believed that a successful career can nourish a female with endless confidence. Women should give it a whirl and live with no regrets, regardless of what happened in the end.
Finally, Prof. Shi Feng exhorted the students present,“life is a long-distance race. She who won the race must possess a healthy body, a positive mindset, and constant endeavor.
02 Speech presented by Prof. Dang Li
Prof. Dang Li
Dang Li: She received her Ph.D. from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2010 under the guidance of Prof. Lin Zhenyang, and then joined the research team by Micheal Hall from Texas A&M University as a post-doctor. In June 2013, she worked in Southern University of Science and Technology and carried out independent research. In 2017, she joined STU and built the academic team. The research team led by her mainly emphasized the catalytic activity of metal complexes and researched theoretical calculations. Besides, the team also engaged in the theoretical and experimental study of luminescent materials of perovskite and research on the reaction mechanism of organic photochemistry. So far she has published more than 80 SCI papers, and the citations of her papers have reached 2,500 or more, with an H-index of 21. In recent five years, she headed 2 projects for the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1 project for the Pearl River Youg Scholar in Guangdong province, 1 key project for Guangdong province, and 1 science and technology project for the Li Ka-Shing Foundation. Shewasselected for the “Shenzhen Peacock Project” in 2014, the “Pearl River Young Scholar” in Guangdong province in 2016, and the awards of “STU Outstanding Talents Scheme” since 2018.
The course of Prof. Dang Li’s student career is different from that of Prof. Shi Feng’s. While summarizing her career in scientific research, Prof. Dang Li said that “I have been living in the ivory tower”. She got her bachelor’s degree from Nanjing University majoring in organic chemistry, her master’s degree from Xiamen University majoring in computational chemistry, then her doctoral degree from HKUST, and finally her postdoctoral position in Texas A&M University. She input endless enthusiasm into scientific research along the way. Prof. Dang Li was grateful to her doctoral supervisor who kept encouraging her in research activities, so much so that she developed a keen interest in scientific research, and that she could discover and learn something new from this process and finally find a brand new self.
03 Solving the puzzles
Q1: I am now in my third year of graduate study. I have no interest in scientific research but could not escape the“rat race”of getting a higher degree. So I am inclined to ask if getting a doctoral degree is the best option for female students majoring in science and engineering. In addition, people around me tell me that females should choose a stable life by considering family, age, and other factors. What should I do with these opinions?
Prof. Shi Feng: One of my former students had the same puzzle. I encouraged her to talk to the senior teammates in the research group who got their doctoral degrees and learn from their experience. She then found her direction. Females should think more about how to live a wonderful life and find out their true thoughts, rather than being confined to their age. It might be possible that your potential is not evoked by the research topic, but it does not mean that you are incapable of scientific research. Conducting scientific research could not only bring you a wonderful life and great development, and freedom to choose a better life.
Prof. Dang Li: One can study for her doctoral degree, but also impart knowledge and educate people. We all have multiple roles in daily life, and we just need to do well in role shifts. We need to narrate different stories of different roles in separate ways. For example, never bring problems at work back to your home, and vice versa. Remember to accompany the family in spare time.
Q2: As atutor, what qualities do youexpectmostfromyour students?
Prof. Shi Feng: Possessing a fantastic personality is the top priority, that is, to be positive and sanguine. The higher order of psychological quality is also significant since one might face many failures during scientific research. People who have strong mindsets will know how to be gracious in defeat. Besides, great physical quality enables people to work and study sustainably. Finally, team spirit is essential because it will achieve the power of unity and good results.
Q3: How to stay focused on learning? How to improve memory?
Prof. Dang Li: It is very important to have enough rest. However, the longer the rest time is, the great the starting force is required. the left side of the brain takes the lead while doing scientific research and is excited for receiving feedback. If you want to have your left brain rest, you need to use your right brain by exercising and listening to music. In addition, I’ve always believed that the palest ink is better than the best memory. When reading the literature and finding the highlights, you need to write it down immediately, simplify the main points of the content, and make a PPT. That way, you will recall the contents while opening the PPT.
The two professors answered students’ questions patiently. The members said that this was a wonderful sharing session and brought them new ideas.Many members weredeeply moved by the twofemale scientists’ firm determinationinscientific research, and had a clear plan for the future of scientific research.
# SHE SAYS
2020 Clinical Medicine Science, Wu Siying
A healthy body and optimistic character would be essential for both conducting scientific research, and in work and study. It is important to keep a work-life balance. The surrounding environment and people are all driving us to move forward in an invisible way.
2021 Architecture, Zhong Xiaqi
During the tea party, the professors talked about how to make choices, how to shift our roles in different backgrounds, and how to develop personal interests during the process of learning. Learning about the experiences and reflections of the professors gives me a reference and clears up my confusion. It is a joyful and fruitful tea party.
2020 Electrical and Computer Engineering, Tong Huiling
After listening to the sharing from the two professors, I firmly believe that “the harder I work the more I have luck”. It inspires me not to set limits on my life too soon, and jump to a conclusion that I am not up to scientific research. I need to try out as many as I can and explore my potential and possibilities by going beyond myself and achieving self-fulfillment.
▲ Group Photo of the Event
