Jie Song, doctoral student
China
If you could do your PhD at any university in the world, would you still choose ETH above other institutions? Why or why not?
Yes! In terms of research resources, research environment and quality of life, to me ETH is the best considering all the factors together, and it still keeps improving. In terms of research ranking, ETH is always in the top group in the world and especially for engineering, science and technology it is one of the best universities worldwide. We have the best professors and PhD students, and we also get fully supported by the Swiss government, the EU and many industry partners. I have experienced professors as open-minded and helpful; PhD students as friendly and well-connected; and companies, in general, very interested in supporting research. These are the most important factors that enable ETH as a whole and me as a PhD student to do excellent research. Also, Zurich is one of best cities for living. It is a medium-sized city with very good facilities in all aspects. Lakes and mountains are just around the corner and weather is perfect - summer or winter. So considering all the factors, I think ETH is best choice for me to do research.
How would you describe your life as a PhD student up to now? What do you like most about it? What has been particularly memorable?
PhD life is intense and fun. Doing a PhD is a process to train your logical thinking and to do systematic research. This includes task definition, problem analysis, action plan and execution. And of course, the most important and difficult part is exploring your creativity. I have most liked the moments when I figured out the connections in a problem after spending a lot of time digging into it. This is really the fun time during research. I also like to discuss with experienced researchers and professors with plenty of knowledge. Exchanging ideas motivates me and makes me enthusiastic to explore more. I like to learn a lot from them, and to benefit not only from their knowledge but also to learn new strategies of how to go about analyzing problems, etc.
If you were given the opportunity to change one thing at ETH, what would it be?
I would make ETH an even more international place. Right now, some documents, e-mails and webpages are still in German. Providing information in English would make the whole system more international and this would help ETH to attract even more of the best students in the world. I consider this an important aspect which would help ETH to improve as a top-class university.
By choosing to do a PhD in Switzerland, this country has, to some extent, become a new “home”. Which part of you is actually Swiss?
I like the Swiss style: precise and rigorous. This is a symbol of Switzerland. Living these qualities is so important to make you a good researcher. So I want to train myself to have a rigorous attitude towards any aspect of research.
Assuming after the successful completion of your PhD, you decide to remain in Switzerland. What are your personal and professional aspirations in this country?
Personally, I aim for a healthy life with a lot of sports! With a great outdoors, mountains and lakes, this is exactly what Switzerland can provide. Professionally, I will try to train my skills to make a great contribution to the world!