Dialogue@ZJU: With YU Hangyan, recipient of the Chu Kochen Scholarship

【Editor’s Note: YU Hangyan is a Ph.D. candidate studying psycholinguistics at the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University. Her access to Chu Kochen Scholarship (2021-2022), the highest annual honor a student could ever obtain from the University, was secured by her academic excellence—no doubt—but it would be awfully prejudicial if we mistake her simply for a bookish researcher working in a lonely laboratory around the clock, and disregard her comprehensive capabilities beyond academia. As a member of “slash youth”—a scholar, a hostess, a dancer, and herself—YU has a lot more to share with us in the following interview.】

Q1: Tell us about your academic interest.

My research interest lies in neurolinguistics, studying how language is presented and processed in our brain. I am fascinated by the brain because of its infinite possibilities. And I’m also curious about the mechanism of how language is processed.

Q2: What does inter-discipline mean to you?

Interdisciplinary research means to me the integration of multiple techniques, perspectives, and tools to address a problem that can otherwise not be solved by a single discipline. And it also means to me to be open-minded, curious, and willing to learn from others of different perspectives and expertise.

Q3: What is the great concern in linguistics?

There are many challenges for linguists to approach. I hesitate to say which one is the most important. But probably we can combine linguistic practice with real-world issues, such as language learning, communication, translation, and artificial intelligence. And also we can probably pay more attention to the collaboration with other disciplines, such as neuroscience, psychology, computer science, and sociology, so that we can gain a deeper and broader perspective of language as a whole.

Q4: Any “knacks” for publication?

I don’t think I have so called “knacks” of publication, I also struggle all the way long publishing. Some of my experience are, first of all, try to read comprehensively, so that you can keep up with the trend in your field. And second, try to communicate effectively with your mentors, and be open-minded to the feedback that you can get. And third, try to write concisely and clearly, following the conventions of academic writing.

Q5: How do you balance your hobbies and study.

Dancing is one of my hobbies that enriches my life and research. It helps me to relax, recharge, and refresh. I don’t think dancing and researching are mutually exclusive, but rather complementary. Because through dancing, I can cultivate my sense of sensitivity, creativity, and coordination, which are also important for research and study. I strike a balance between them by prioritizing tasks, managing time wisely, and also enjoying both processes.

Q6: What do you gain from international activities?

Participating in international activities has been a valuable learning experience for me. It helps me to learn from scholars from different backgrounds and perspectives. It also cultivates my skills of communication, teamwork, and cross-cultural understanding, which will be valuable in my future academic and professional endeavors.

Video Editor: CAI Zhengwu, graduate student, Translation Studies