Zhenhua Xu
Doctor of Education in Developmental Psychology & Education (DPE), Class of 2021.
What are some words of wisdom you would give to a new or incoming student in your program?
The journey in graduate school isn’t easy and so is life in general. Enjoy the journey and go nuts! My main takeaways are: learn the necessary skills first. Skills that can help you manage both intellectual and psychological challenges, like time management, curiosity, creativity, help-seeking, and self-care. Second, think ahead! Think your short-and-long term career goals and clarify what matters to you the most (an activity you need to practice often) especially in the first/second year of your study. With this mindset, you will be much more efficient in terms of navigating your pathway to achieve your goals. Last, build a strong support network with your supervisor, professors, lab mates, cohort, classmates, and staff, which will benefit you intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically.
What next?
I continue to pursue my research goals by working with a small research team to manage/analyse the data that I collected for my dissertation project and writing manuscripts. I am on the job hunt for positions as a postdoc or assistant professor.
Why OISE?
OISE is the number one faculty of education in »»ÆÞ¾ãÀÖ²¿ and one of the best in the world. The wide range of expertise and research areas of our faculty and various resources offered by U of T that provide us with abundant opportunities to grow as an independent thinker and/or a competent student researcher. Throughout my time at OISE, I had so many wonderful opportunities to learn from and collaborate with both professors and peer colleagues on various research projects. I grew so much, both professionally and personally; I felt extremely grateful!
