In reflection, I am reminded of words in the Book of Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 3, which says "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end, it will speak." My PhD journey at UNNC was one marked by resilience, challenges, setbacks, moments of introspection, and the elation that accompanied the congratulations of my examiners at the successful completion of my Viva. The collaboration with the eminent Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (CNITECH), offered me a global platform to conduct diverse and ground-breaking research. I must express my profound gratitude to my mentors and guides, Dr. Di Hu (UNNC), Professor Haiyong He (CNITECH), and Professor George Chen (UNUK). Their unwavering support, invaluable insights, and constant encouragement were instrumental in my academic growth. With the culmination of my PhD journey, I am charged with the responsibility to translate the knowledge I have acquired into impactful research while guiding younger generation on their path to becoming independent researchers. To future UNNC PhD students, I would like to conclude by saying, "Maintain an unwavering focus on your academic goals while embracing the beauty and experiences that life has to offer."

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回溯我的博士旅程，我想起了《哈巴谷书》第 2 章第 3 节中的一句话："因为这默示有一定的日期，快要应验，并不虚谎"。我在宁诺的博士学习历程充满了坚韧、挑战、挫折、反思以及我顺利完成毕业论文时老师们的祝贺。宁诺与中国科学院宁波材料技术与工程研究所（CNITECH）的博士联合培养项目给我提供了一个全球性的平台，让我能够开展多样化的开创性研究。我想向我的导师和引路人胡笛博士（UNNC）、何海勇教授（CNITECH）和George Chen教授（UNUK）表示深深的感谢。他们坚定不移的支持、珍贵的洞见和不断的鼓励对我的学术成长起到了至关重要的作用。随着我的博士旅程的结束，我有责任将我所获得的知识转化为有影响力的研究，并引领年轻一代的研究人员成长。最后，我想对未来的宁诺博士生说：“希望你们能坚定不移地专注于自己的学术目标，并且拥抱生活中的美好和体验。”

Deciding to do a PhD is easy, applying for a PhD is difficult; self-discipline in research is easy, achieving innovative results is difficult; writing a paper is easy, publishing in journals is difficult; polishing a CV is easy, finding a satisfactory job is difficult. Every PhD graduands who shares a common smile has experienced different sleepless nights. Here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my families for positively encouraging me when I was feeling down, to my supervisors (Dr. Zhao CAI, Prof. Alain Chong & Prof. Chee-wee TAN) for their meticulous guidance when I encountered academic difficulties, to my friends for exploring Ningbo cuisine to relax together, to the UNNC Graduate School staff for actively organizing various academic and entertainment activities, and to UNNC for the fascinating international teaching and research environment! I love UNNC forever!

May your life be filled with joy and light, and may your future shine brightly in academia.

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做一个读博的决定是容易的，申请博士的过程是艰辛的；读博中做到自律是容易的，做出创新的成果是艰辛的；写论文是容易的，发表见刊是艰辛的；丰富简历发展特长是容易的，找到满意工作是艰辛的。每一个笑着毕业的博士，背后都曾有不尽相同的彻夜难眠。在此，我要特别感谢我的家人在我情绪低落的时候积极开导我，感谢我的导师们（蔡昭、张毓隆、陈致玮教授）在我学术遇到困难时细致引导我，感谢我的朋友们一起探索宁波美食放松心情，感谢UNNC研究生院老师们积极组织各种学术与文娱活动，以及永远感恩UNNC国际化的教学和科研环境！我爱UNNC！

最后，祝愿每位UNNC博士生都能得偿所爱，你们的前路光明又康庄。

I was pregnant with my daughter when I applied for the EdD programme at UNNC, and I complete my studies, my daughter has turned 8. Being a working mother and an EdD at the same time has never been easy. There were many moments when I patted and comforted my daughter to sleep with my left hand and scrolled through the readings on my phone with the other; there were also moments when I got frustrated with my thesis, but still managed to carry on right after I wiping my tears off my cheek... This thesis could never have been completed without the continued support and patience of my supervisors, Professor Douglas Bell and Professor Anwei Feng, especially Professor Douglas who was always there to guide me through so many puzzles and confusions in my writing up.

Looking back, it has been a difficult road, but one that was well worth taking. I’ve grown stronger, tougher, and it seems that nothing in this world can knock me down after all the challenges I’ve been through

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在我怀孕五个月的时候，我在家人的鼓励下申请了诺丁汉的教育博士项目，现在我的女儿已经8岁了。作为一名工作的母亲和在读博士，这几年的日子真的不只是用辛苦能来形容。有无数个夜晚，我一边用左手拍着安慰女儿睡觉，一边用右手滑动手机屏幕看论文；也有那么几次，我对我的论文进展感到无比感到懊丧，但又在调整好情绪后打起精神继续走下去。当然，我博士学位的完成也离不开我的导师道格拉斯·贝尔教授和冯安伟教授。尤其是道格拉斯教授，每当我困惑迷茫的时候，他总是在那里耐心地支持我鼓励我。

当我再回头看这几年走过来的路，我想说，路漫漫，且艰辛，但真的一切值得。我变得更强大，更坚强了，而且似乎没有什么困难能打倒我了。