Ruyu:<\/strong> I started by going back to my thesis, skimming it as a whole and then focusing on the introduction and conclusion, where the key arguments and overall structure come together. I also read parts of it aloud\u2014this was especially important for me as a non-native English speaker, because hearing myself helped me feel more comfortable speaking and less distracted by my own voice. Once I knew what I wanted to highlight, I prepared a short presentation and practised it as much as I could. I did a mock presentation three days before the viva with a friend who had research and teaching experience, and another one the day before with updated slides. Both were really helpful in making myself clear to others. On the day itself, I even ended up practising unexpectedly\u2014I ran into my neighbour and explained my project to him on the way out. He was really inquisitive and genuine. It almost felt like I had entered the Q&A part of the defence in advance. Because he is my friend, answering questions from him helped me stay relaxed and so I could approach them with a sense of trust and ease. Looking back, constantly talking through my research was probably the most valuable preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Joshua: During that brief 1-hour and 40-minute session, how was that defence experience? Were there any particularly challenging moments during the defence?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruyu: <\/strong>It was a really nice discussion, full of good questions. I was speaking with scholars who had taken the time to read my entire thesis closely, and that made the exchange feel both serious and meaningful. What I found especially valuable was how forward-looking the discussion was. Of course, the examiners helped me think about revisions to the thesis, but they also encouraged me to consider its future as a publication. They guided me to think about what kinds of questions readers might have, and how I could better frame my arguments for a wider audience. Since my work has a critical dimension towards the translingual\/translanguaging movement, they pushed me to think more carefully about how to engage with its supporters. The defence overall led me to respond to how my research fits into ongoing conversations in the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, the defence felt much more like a very fast-paced conversation. Intense but also full of energy. Of course, before the viva, I also imagined that it would be challenging. But I tried not to dwell on that. I think it is more practical and realistic to understand that I am there to explain, to make understanding happen. In reality, the examiners asked me to further explain a word choice or clarify a certain point I had made. My focus was on understanding the question and finding a clearer way to express myself. Being challenged or feeling challenged personally was not a major feeling I had. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Joshua: Looking back, what does completing your PhD now mean to you? And what was the most memorable moment during your PhD journey?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruyu: <\/strong>One thing the PhD has given me is the space\u2014and the privilege\u2014to think more slowly. I\u2019ve come to realise that good thinking takes time, and in this way completing a PhD means for me that I am capable of and comfortable at thinking slowly, even when the world is whirling. What the completion means to me has changed, as my understanding of what a doctoral project entails has changed throughout the journey. When I first arrived, I remember hoping that, by the end, I would have the tools to make sense of my own experiences and the world around me, in the way my teachers and other researchers do. Now that I\u2019ve finished my thesis, I don\u2019t have final or clear answers to everything\u2014but I do feel that I\u2019ve gained a way of seeing. For me, that perspective is grounded in language and meaning: understanding how they work, and testing those ideas through my research. I have a feeling of anchoring myself in principles that I believe in. That brings with it a sense of certainty and confidence in participating in a conversation, expressing myself, and helping others, for example, my students. As I approached the end of my PhD, I became more confident in this linguistic perspective. At the same time, I\u2019m aware that it should not turn into a rigid way of seeing the world. I want to continue exploring both the value and the limitations of this perspective in my future projects. So completing the PhD means a starting point as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For my most memorable moment, I often think back to a summer school I attended in my second year. It brought together PhD students from different disciplines, and we spent our time discussing the broad theme of human differentiation and categorisation. The schedule was intense. After the seminars and lectures, I spent almost every moment with my peers, from early in the day until late at night. The summer days in Germany are long\u2014I remember having dinner with them as the sun was setting around 10 p.m. We would talk endlessly about each other\u2019s projects, as well as our everyday observations. I was often exhausted, but also deeply energised. There was a sense of belonging in that shared eagerness to understand things together. At the same time, I remember feeling quite confused and anxious at times. I was the only one working mainly from a philosophical perspective, while most of my peers were using empirical approaches and were very focused on practical questions. But those differences turned out to be important\u2014they encouraged me to rethink my project. The friendship of my peers and their intellectual companionship are the most memorable things. There were also other moments where I realized how thinking alongside others is important to me. Such moments are all very precious to me. Ruyu: <\/strong>My immediate priority is to develop my research into a book and to work on journal articles. At the same time, I want to become a better teacher, so I plan to continue teaching over the next year while preparing my publications. Alongside this, I\u2019ll be applying for postdoctoral positions. But I\u2019m also hoping to make space for another side of myself\u2014illustration. I\u2019ve been wanting to return to it for some time, and I\u2019m considering taking on a year-long illustration project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Joshua Lee and Fan Yang Joshua: Congratulations on successfully passing your PhD defence! Could you share how you prepared for it? Ruyu: I started by going back to my thesis, skimming it as a whole and then focusing on the introduction and conclusion, where the key arguments and overall structure come together. I alsoContinue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47024"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47024"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47063,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47024\/revisions\/47063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photo-1-1024x1024.jpg\")
Joshua: Let’s move on to the last question, what are your plans now that you\u2019ve completed your PhD?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n