Let me jot down a few notes about my PhD student, Su Xiaomei, the 16th under my supervision, who passed her viva voce last month. She was my first student from China and, although she registered earlier than her peers, she was the last among them to complete her examination.
I learned a lot from Su Xiaomei, who enrolled during the 2020/2021 session, at the height of the pandemic. Supervision began online while she was still in China, and at first, communication was very challenging. To support her, I appointed two co-supervisors, AP Dr Norulhuda and Dr Ikram.
She moved to Johor Bahru after travel restrictions eased and stayed there for about 3 years, returning to China only once to collect data. Over these years, I admired her enthusiasm and clear improvement in English. After coming back from her data collection, she informed me she would now have to stay in China, as she had just been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and needed ongoing treatment.
During her mock viva with me last week, which occurred online while she was in China for treatment, I was deeply touched when she revealed her bald head, wearing only a wig due to chemotherapy. She expressed how much she looked forward to her viva voce so she could focus on her treatment with peace of mind.
Alhamdulillah, she achieved an excellent viva result, needing only minor corrections. Thanks to the external examiner, PM Dr Mazlini Adnan (UPSI); the internal examiner, Prof. Dr Johari Surif; the chairperson, Prof. Dr Fatin Aliah Phang; the assistant chair, Dr Afzamiman; and the secretariat, Puan Ramlah.
Su Xiaomei, your resilience in the face of challenges inspires me deeply, and I wish you a speedy recovery. I look forward to seeing you honoured at convocation this year.
