Misc

Words That Shaped Me

Pieces of writing that gave me language, courage, or a new way to look at research and life.

Words carry weight. Even though English is not my mother tongue,
these writings still move me to tears.

• Yumeng's Reflection of First CHI

  A PhD student's candid reflections on attending CHI for the very first time — navigating an unfamiliar academic world, forming unexpected connections, and discovering what it means to belong to the HCI research community.

• Prof Shen's Memory of His PhD Advisor

  A memorial dedicating a book to the author's late PhD advisor, Mark Chignell, reflecting on his profound influence and legacy.

• Ryan (MIT) — The Fear of Success

  Researchers often fear releasing imperfect work, yet sharing incomplete maps of understanding is where real growth begins.

• Prof Amy's Reflection of CHI 2025

  CHI 2025 brought meaningful scholarly connection but felt shadowed by authoritarianism's threat to research and a troubling LLM hype overshadowing deeper societal concerns.

• Prof Amy's Reflection on the Injustice of Admissions

  College admissions are inherently unjust, denying deserving students access not by merit but by resource constraints — and only more public funding can fix it.

Personal Odds and Ends

I love writing in Chinese, and I have left behind a few small pieces that still feel interesting to me.

• Ecclesiastes 3

  A Chinese reflection on Ecclesiastes 3, tracing seasons, time, and the quiet dignity of living within what we cannot fully control.

• Foreword to the Book Another New Culture Movement

  A passage that deeply moved me.