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A Conversation with Associate Professor Fengling Yu

Time：2021-06-16　　

  After getting her doctorate in Britain, Fengling Yu worked several years in Singapore for her postdoctoral research
and joined DGO in 2014.
   

1) What attracted you most to apply for the position at Xiamen University?
  
Three reasons for me to choose Xiamen University: firstly, Xiamen is close to my hometown, it is convenient for me to visit my family; secondly, it has always been considered as one of the best cities in this province, both in weather and economy; finally, Xiamen University is one of the top universities in China, and it has good education and research platforms.

             
2)  What were some of the professional challenges you faced starting your position in the DGO, how did you overcome these challenges?
  
Changing from a postdoc to a PI has been the biggest challenge for me. I have to take care of everything, including funding budget, lab and office configuration, lab and fieldworks, teaching and supervising master students etc. It was handful at the beginning until I found a research assistant to help. Of course, I have received tremendous support from the colleagues here.
             
             
3) Can you describe your experience working in a multicultural environment within DGO?
  
Apart from the fact that I need to write emails in both Chinese and English languages, it is fun!  During daily life, we share our knowledge about festivals in different cultures. During meetings and discussions, it is fun to find out diverse opinions due to culture differences. It certainly helps improve my communicational skills regarding cultural differences. Also, it brings up more opportunities for international collaboration in research than a traditional department.