Jieying on courses and workshops

How did you come to pursuing your research topic in Nijmegen? 

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in psychology, and continued with a research Master’s degree in psycholinguistics at the Renmin University of China. My master project investigated the cognitive and neural mechanism of Chinese written production.

In 2018, I joined the Psychology of Language Department to continue language production research. My PhD project focuses on how speakers coordinate concurrent speech production and comprehension, and how and why listening affects speech planning.

What are some of the highlights of your doctoral life so far?

I’ve taken part in various courses and workshops that cover a whole package of academic skills such as scientific writing, peer review,  presentation skills and so on, all of which are really helpful for IMPRSers to become independent and highly competent researchers. Moreover, lots of interesting talks and conference are available to IMPRSers at which we can present our own research and learn from other excellent researchers.

What advice do you have for peers or those considering doctoral studies? 

If you plan to apply for a PhD position, please do not hesitate to contact one or more researchers whose research interests you. You must first determine your own research interest, then read up on some closely related literature. When you’re ready, make contact with them and share with them your enthusiasm and ideas about the research topic.

When you start your PhD, draw up a plan for your dissertation that usually contains a series of experiments that build up on each other. Then, as you complete each experiment, share the results with colleagues near and far at lab meetings and international conferences. To develop a strong academic profile, be sure to follow courses that cover different academic skills such as statistics, programming, academic writing, and presentation.