Only three months into 2023, Kashan Khan, a Pakistani doctoral candidate at the School of Civil Engineering, has gotten off to a flying start in his academic research with 4 papers published. Up to now, Kashan has published 19 papers, 12 of which are first-authored and in top journals. He has participated in two national research projects, two provincial and ministerial research projects, and served as a reviewer for several journals, including the Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Mathematical Problems in Engineering, and Journal of the Institution of Engineers (India): Series A (Springer).
Professor Chen Zhihua, Kashan’s tutor thinks very highly of him. “KASHAN KHAN is a practical, diligent and inquisitive student and has good professional knowledge. I see him as the rising star with a foreseeable future in the field of international civil engineering.”
As a stellar international student, what’s the secret behind Kashan’s academic success? The TJU English journalist interviewed Kashan about his life and study in China. This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.
Q & A
Kashan Khan
Q: Why did you choose to study at Tianjin University?
Kashan:When I was an undergraduate at Pakistan’s Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, I have made my decision to further my study abroad. As I want to study more about civil engineering, I did some research and found that the number of high buildings owned by China ranks among the top ten in the world, and considering the good relationship between the two countries, I started to look for desirable Chinese universities on the internet. Then I found that Tianjin University is the first modern university in China, according to its website introduction. For me, on the one hand, the old is gold. A university with a long history is admirable. On the other hand, Tianjin University’s School of Civil Engineering boasts a high reputation in the nation. That’s how I made up my mind to apply to study at Tianjin University and I got in! I have to say, the university and my school live up to their reputations and I quite enjoyed my life and study here.
Q: Could you please share your experience about academic research?
Kashan:I think the most important factor is understanding where your interests lie. To do what you love is very important. I chose my major out of interest and as I learn more about it, I was fascinated with it. There is a world, there is construction. Civil engineering lays the foundation for a nation’s infrastructure which in turn affects the development. Many countries in the world need to build or upgrade their infrastructure. In this way, I think what I learn will benefit a lot of people. I still remember the awe and pride I felt when China raced against time and built two emergency hospitals within 10 days in Wuhan during the novel coronavirus outbreak. They used technologies I’m studying about, that is, modular steel structures. That strengthened my faith and love in my major a lot.
The second suggestion is to focus on one thing at a time. Concentration is very important, especially in scientific research. For me, once I set my goal, I’ll invest all my time and energy in achieving it. I have been in China for almost 8 years. During this period, I only returned home once. When the epidemic broke out, I weighed between going back home and staying at school and focusing on my study, and the latter won. The past three years turned to be very fruitful for me. I immersed myself in my study and research and made some progress.
Another thing I want to mention is the courage to conquer difficulties and setbacks. I was much inspired by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech delivered at the opening plenary of the 2017 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said that “When encountering difficulties, we should not complain about ourselves, blame others, lose confidence, or run away from responsibilities. We should join hands and rise to the challenge.” That’s what I believe in and follow in real-life practice. Once, to ensure the on-time production and delivery of my experimental samples, I went to the contractor factory about one-hour’s ride from the campus and supervised the production process on site, working and eating with workers with different dialects from different parts of China for over 20 days in a row. That’s a hard experience for an international student but also an interesting one as I learned more about the Chinese language and culture, got to know so many friends with different backgrounds, and won their recognition. I remember the manager patting my shoulder and saying, “Good lad, you will make something big.” At that moment, I felt quite fulfilled. So you see, difficulties sometimes help you become a better man as long as you face them bravely.
Kashan made friends with workers from the factory.
Q: What other factors do you think contribute to your success as a researcher?
Kashan:I learn a lot from all my teachers, my doctoral supervisor, Prof. Chen Zhihua, in particular. All the teachers I met here at Tianjin University have some common traits. They are generally very kind and friendly, always ready to help. They usually respond to students' concerns in a timely manner. They are quite dedicated to spreading knowledge and innovation.
Kashan's tutor, Prof. Chen (in the middle of the front row) often dines with students.
Kashan is invited to attend classmate's wedding ceremony in Hebei Province. He is warmly welcomed and feels keenly the profound friendship between the two countries and their peoples.
Take my tutor, Prof. Chen, for example. He is a role model for all his students. Despite his busy schedule, he is very concerned with our needs in both study and life. We meet on a weekly basis and he always gave me instructive and critical suggestions on my study. Moreover, it’s Prof. Chen’s trust and faith in me that motivates me to become a better self. He entrusted a National Natural Science Foundation Program to me and let me be in full charge of it. That’s a bold decision for a teacher to make. But Prof. Chen made it. I can’t let him down. That’s a big reason that keeps me moving forward. In one word, without my tutor’s guidance, I couldn’t have been where I am now. I am very grateful to him.
I think coming to study in China is the best decision I’ve ever made.
To know more about KASHAN KHAN, click http://www.tju.edu.cn/english/info/1010/6205.htm.
By Eva Yin
