Ms. Huiqian LAI (AIDM)

At her graduation, AIDM student Lai Huiqian has successfully received PhD admission letters from Syracuse University (ranked 67th in the US News national ranking) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (ranked 105th in the US News national ranking) and has been awarded a five-year scholarship from Syracuse University.

She ultimately chose Syracuse University to pursue a PhD in Information Science and Technology. Before her graduate studies at UIC, Lai had worked in the internet industry for many years. With the idea of upgrading her education, she applied to study at UIC and unexpectedly discovered her research interest during her studies. With the support and help of her teachers, she overcame numerous difficulties and finally won a full scholarship for the PhD program.

01 Interdisciplinary Learning Sparks Research Interest

During her graduate studies in the AIDM programme, Lai deeply felt the charm of interdisciplinary learning. The basic course in communication studies taught by Professor Sun Li made her pay attention to the social problems brought about by modern communication. In the course on deceptive communication taught by Professor Lin Tianzai, she further realized the negative impact of misinformation and false information. In the recommendation system course taught by Professor Qu Bingqing, she developed a strong interest in the algorithmic bias brought about by the recommendation system. This bias affects the user experience and may trigger a series of communication-related social problems. Lai is determined to delve into this field and contribute her efforts to solving the problem of algorithmic bias.

Ms. Ashura LAM and Ms.Huiqian LAI

Dr. Bingqing QU and Ms.Huiqian LAI

02 From Coder to Researcher

The AIDM course has a lot of homework and is very difficult, and Lai has gained a lot in conquering it. Her research ability has significantly improved by continuously learning algorithms and writing course papers. When applying for the PhD program, she submitted some of her course papers, which fully demonstrated her research strength and potential, enabling her to enter the interview stage of the doctoral committee smoothly.

After clarifying her idea of further study, Lai Huiqian actively sought research experience related to communication studies. Thanks to her study in the programme, she successfully obtained a research collaboration opportunity with Professor Ding Runze, achieving a breakthrough in the field of communication research. The application process for the PhD program is full of challenges. When she was confused, the programme director, Dr. Qu Bingqing, continually encouraged her, and Dr. Ding Runze advised her on the direction of the PhD application. The academic recommendations of the two teachers provided her with great help.

Dr. Runze DING and Ms.Huiqian LAI

After many years of work and returning to campus, Lai Huiqian enjoyed the past two years of tranquil and pure campus life. She encourages other students who are interested in researching to bravely communicate with teachers and take the first step in research. As long as you stick to your goals and make efforts, you will always find opportunities that belong to you.

From DCS

Reporter: Huiqian Lai, Hilda Zeng

Photos provided by: Huiqian Lai