Interview with Nanjig University's International Office During my PhD (October-2020)
Name: Wajid Rafique
Chinese Name: 李进
Nationality: Pakistani 巴基斯坦
Major: Computer Science and Technology 计算机科学与技术
Research Field: Internet of Things Services Orchestration 物联网服务部署
Awards：2019 CSC excellent international student scholarship award
2019年中国政府优秀来华留学生奖学金
2019 Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship
2019 江苏省政府奖学金
I did my master’s degree in software engineering from the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) of Pakistan, which is the top rank engineering university in Pakistan. Faculty of computer science and technology of Nanjing University owns a greater reputation around the world. Therefore, I contacted professors relevant to my research area and I was able to secure admission under the prestigious Chinese Government Scholarship to pursue my Ph.D. at Nanjing University.
学术经历
我在巴基斯坦国立工程技术大学（NUST）取得了软件工程硕士学位，是巴基斯坦排名第一的工程类大学。而南京大学计算机科学与技术学院在全球享有盛誉，因此，我联系了与我研究领域相关的教授，并获得了赫赫有名的中国政府奖学金，得以在南京大学攻读博士学位。
Introduction of papers published this time
请介绍一下你近期发表的这篇论文
李进：I have been lucky enough that my article has recently been published in the IEEE Communication Surveys and Tutorials, which is a prestigious journal in the field of computer sciences having an impact factor of 22.97. This article was based on a novel idea of integrating cloud computing and the Internet of things infrastructures for service provisioning using smart sensors.
非常幸运，我的文章最近发表在IEEE Communication Surveys and Tutorials上，这是计算机科学领域的著名期刊，影响因子为22.97。本文基于云计算与物联网基础架构集成在一起以使用智能传感器进行服务提供的新颖思想。
What is the effort behind it?
你为此付出了哪些努力？
李进：One of the most important aspects of achieving this goal was to set a bigger target for myself, which ultimately instigated me to put a relevant amount of effort into achieving it. Then came handwork, consistency, and regularity, I have learned that a focus on pursuing smaller milestones every day helped me in keep moving toward a bigger goal, as these smaller steps don't feel overwhelming. Then, inertia takes over and once we are in motion, it’s easier to continue our journey to achieve a bigger target. Focusing on achieving something and consistently working toward it allows you to utilize the power of intention, which yields extraordinary results.
实现这个目标最重要的方面之一是为自己设定一个更加宏远的愿景，促使我投入大量精力来实现它。其次就是努力，坚持和规律的执行，每天专注于追求较小的目标有助于我朝着更大的目标迈进。因为将任务细化不会感到不知所措，一旦我们专注地运转起来，就可以轻松地向更大的目标继续迈进。专注于达成目标并坚持不懈地努力需要强大的意志力才能收获非凡的成果。
What are the difficulties encountered?
你遇到了哪些困难？
李进：It has been a very wonderful experience pursuing my Ph.D. research at the faculty of computer sciences and technology at Nanjing University. As I am still pursuing my Ph.D., a matter of fact is that a Ph.D. life is full of challenges and exhausting experiences. Ph.D. students face multiple challenges, including academic directives, publication requirements, loneliness, and hopelessness when they are not able to achieve the desired results. Sometimes Ph.D. students find themselves in despair, however, some encouraging feedback from your advisor or good words from your friends can motivate you in getting out of such a situation. The key is to keep on hitting your target regularly and don’t lose hope. Luckily, I did not encounter that many difficulties, my advisor, and lab fellows were always there to help me whenever I needed any help. Moreover, my lab is well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and most importantly brilliant minds around me are always there to help me whenever I am stuck to a problem.
在南京大学计算机科学与技术学院攻读博士学位对我来说是一段美妙的经历。我现在仍在攻读博士学位。说实在的，博士阶段的学习也是充满挑战和令人疲惫的。博士生会面临多种挑战，包括学术方向，出版要求，以及当他们无法取得理想结果时的孤独和绝望。博士学生有时会发现自己陷入一种绝望的境地，但是，导师的积极反馈，或者是朋友的鼓励都可以激励你摆脱这种困局。关键是能不断实现阶段性的目标，并且总是心怀希望。幸运的是，我并没有遇到过多困难，我的导师和实验室的同学们总是能在我需要帮助的时候为我提供帮助。此外，我的实验室配备了最先进的设备，最重要的是，每当我遇到问题时，我周围总有出类拔萃之辈为我提供帮助。
How to solve them?
你是如何解决这些问题的？
李进：As a Ph.D. candidate, you should be independent enough to deal with the research challenges with continuous effort, passion, and consistency. My way of dealing with these challenges is by sparing some time from my research for extracurricular activities. One of the best aspects of studying at Nanjing University is that you can always find various opportunities to exhibit your extracurricular skills. These experiences gave me more freedom and time to relax from the tough research routine, which enhanced my focus toward academic challenges as well. Moreover, students can arrange their own activities by sparing some time out of their research, including reading a favorite book, occasional cooking, playing sports, and other such activities.
作为一个博士生，我们需要足够独立，以持续性的努力、热情和坚持来迎接科研挑战。来轻松应对这些挑战的方式是投入一定的时间到课外活动上。在南京大学学习的最好方面之一是，我们总是可以找到各种机会来展示自己的课外技能。这些经历使我有更多的自由空间从艰难的日常研究中放松下来，这也有助于我更加专注于下一个阶段的学术挑战。此外，我们还可以腾出一些时间来安排自己的业余生活，包括阅读喜欢的书，偶尔做饭，参加体育运动以及其他类似的活动。
What kind of help did you get from your supervisor?
从导师那里得到了什么帮助？
李进：I was lucky enough to have a Ph.D. mentor like Professor Dou Wanchun who is always there to guide me whenever I needed any help. He always strived me to think big and set higher standards for me. His constant encouragement was vital in making this paper a reality. He spent endless hours proofreading this research paper and providing me excellent suggestions, which always resulted in improved versions of this paper. He guided me to become a thorough researcher and encouraged me to determine appropriate solutions and methodologies to organize the research findings. I am always full of confidence and motivation, whenever I leave his office after discussion. I want to see him often as it brings more energy in me and leaves me with a glimpse of a smile on my face after our meeting. The best feature of his unique character is being a great listener, he is always there to listen and provide sincere advice about anything I hoped for. I went with him to Zhangjiajie for an IEEE conference in 2019 which gave me the opportunity to know more about him as a as a travel-companion as well as an academician. Without his encouragement and continuous guidance, I would not have completed this milestone.
我很幸运有窦万春教授这样的博士导师，随时给我提供帮助。他一直在鼓励我思考，并为我设定更高的标准。他的不断鼓励对于这篇论文的发表有着至关重要的作用。他花了大量的时间来校阅这份研究论文，并给我提出了很多有价值的建议，使论文得到不断完善。他指导我成为一名全面的研究人员，并鼓励我采取适当的解决方案来组织研究结果。每当我们结束讨论，离开他的办公室时，我总是充满信心和动力。我总是期待与他见面探讨，因为这给我带来了更多能量，每一次的见面交流都能给我带来快乐。窦老师非常乐于倾听，他总是在聆听之后，就我希望的事情提出真诚的建议。我和他一起去了张家界，参加了2019年的IEEE会议，这使我有机会了解更多关于他的旅行伙伴和学会会员。没有他的鼓励和持续性的指导，我将无法取得这样程碑式的进步。
What are your plans for the future?
你对未来有什么计划？
李进：I will work hard and will try to achieve more scientific achievements during my Ph.D.
在我攻读博士学位期间，我将努力工作，并努力取得更多的科学成果。
李进：As a matter of fact, I am still pursuing my Ph.D. research; however, I have learned that the Ph.D. is not like other academic degrees, it requires extreme self-motivation, focus, enthusiasm towards the research work, and peacefulness. To be successful in Ph.D. life, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve, to be better, and to get a little closer to your goals. I would like to say that a Ph.D. student should be mature enough to accept failures and rejections too. A time comes in your research when you find yourself stuck to some challenges. That’s the hardest point and you need to keep moving and try to find resources that could be beneficial for you at this point.
事实上，我仍在攻读博士学位。但是，我知道博士学位与其他学术学位不同，它需要高强度的自我激励，极度的专注，对研究工作的高度热情以及平和的心态。要想在攻读博士学位的过程中取得成功，必须利用好每一天来提升自己，不断接近目标。我想说的是，博士学生应该足够成熟，要能接受失败和拒绝。当你发现自己陷于某些挑战时，恰恰就是进入研究的最佳时机。这是最难的一点，您需要继续前进，并尝试寻找可能对您有用的资源。
Suggestions for Ph.D. students
给博士生的一些建议
1) Plan your day. In a Ph.D., it’s very easy to put things off to the next day, as there are no strict deadlines. It takes a lot of self-motivation to take action towards getting a self-paced project like a Ph.D. done. Focus on accomplishing specific tasks, not just spending some amount of hours in the lab. Sometimes I’ll set aside times on my calendar to work on certain tasks I know I need to do and will try to schedule other commitments around those times. With this, I’m more likely to efficiently work towards accomplishing a task, rather than feeling like I’m just keeping my chair warm and figuring out what to do next when I get to the lab in the morning.
计划好你的一天。在博士学位中，由于没有严格的截止日期，就很容易将事情推迟到第二天。采取行动来执行计划需要强大的自我激励机制。专注于完成特定任务，而不仅仅是在实验室中浪费一些时间。有时我会先在日历上预留出一些时间来给那些必须完成的任务，并尝试在这些时间点附近实现它们。这样一来，我可以更加高效地完成一项任务，而不是舒服地躺在椅子上去思考早上到实验室时该做些什么。
2) Do something that’s not your research. People who seem happiest have lives outside of school/research and are often physically active one way or another. Everyone needs an outlet that helps them relieve the stress of the Ph.D. and support their mental health. If you’re not mentally healthy, it’s very difficult to stay self-motivated. A Ph.D. should not be miserable, where I’m always sorry to hear stories of people who are not enjoying their PhDs. We can plan to meet up with friends off-campus, take fun classes like language learning, swimming, and travel as often as I can.
做一些研究以外的事情。那些快乐的人可以将自己置身于学校或者研究之外，并且会参与不同形式的体育锻炼。每个人都需要一个情绪出口，以帮助他们减轻学业的压力，有助于心理健康。如果你的心理状况不佳，那么保持长时间的自我激励就很难。攻读博士学位不应该是痛苦的，虽然我总是听人们将自己的博士生活描述得很艰难。我们可以计划在校外与三两好友相约，参加有趣的课程，例如语言学习，游泳和旅行。
3)Ignore time-consuming distractions. Throughout the day there is any number of interesting conversations, problems, distractions that can be fun or intellectually engaging but may not be relevant to your work. Do take breaks, get to know your colleagues, as some of those side conversations are where the best ideas come from. But, know when to walk away from something that will just be a waste of time. And as you get farther along in your Ph.D., new projects may arise that interest you, but if you want to graduate on time, it’s best to limit your role in them.
别忽视看似耗时的消遣。你的一天可以安排许多有趣的对话，问题探讨和消遣娱乐，这些可能与工作无关，但是非常有趣。我们可以休息一下，了解一下你的同事，因为其中一些对话是灵感的来源。但是，我们需要知道什么时候该走开，否则只会是浪费时间。而且，随着你在博士道路上进一步发展，你会发现一些令你感兴趣的新项目，但是如果您想按时毕业，最好限制你在上面投入的精力。
4) Remember the big picture. Make sure you map out your milestones to graduation and keep track of your progress towards making them every day. A Ph.D. is a long and winding road, and sometimes it feels like you aren’t making progress. To help with this, put everything you do in the context of your path to graduation. If what you’re currently working on is not going to help you get your Ph.D., step back and reconsider your day.
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