Yujie Liao, PhD student, University of Hong Kong
Balancing the diverse demands of a doctoral journey is a challenge familiar to many students. For Dr. Cindy Hiu Yu Lam, an EdD graduate from the Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, this meant not only managing her studies alongside full-time work, but also integrating her research with her professional life.
Cindy’s doctoral research focused on service learning, a topic closely connected to her current role as the Dean of Students’ Office at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In this position, she works to support students both inside and outside the classroom, making her research a natural extension of her day-to-day commitment to student development.
This intersection of academic inquiry and administrative leadership informs her perspective on navigating the doctoral journey. I had the pleasure of speaking with Cindy, and this article draws on our conversation to share her insights on three key themes in doctoral life: effective time management, engaging with academic communities, and making thoughtful career choices.
The Power of Morning schedule
One standout insight from our conversation was about developing a consistent and effective routine. Like many part-time doctoral students, Cindy initially struggled to balance the demands of research, coursework, and her job responsibilities. Eventually, she discovered that the most effective strategy was adopting an early-morning schedule:
“It’s crucial to reserve time every day to do reading and writing. My suggestion is waking up early. I went to my office earlier than my working time. My working time was at 9 AM, and I tried to go to my office at least at 8 AM. I had one hour to do my reading and writing.”
She contrasted this approach with weekend or evening schedules, suggesting that those time slots were more prone to interruptions from social or work commitments. Her advice is simple but powerful: find a dedicated, protected time for research each day. This echoes scholars (Odena & Burgess, 2017; Lindsay, 2015) who note that safeguarding independent writing time can substantially advance a doctoral project.
Joining the Community: Seminars and Conferences Matter
Another suggestion Cindy shared—especially for early-stage doctoral students—was to engage in as many academic seminars and conferences as possible. She particularly highlighted the annual Research Postgraduate Conference organized by the HKU Faculty of Education:
“The annual conference is targeted at postgraduate students and is held internally within HKU. I highly recommend you force yourself to present because it can be a good starting-point. In the first year I presented a poster, and in the second year I gave a 20-minute presentation about my research. These events help you receive feedback from others, let you get into the academic atmosphere, and build your confidence in speaking to academics and others.”
Motivated by Cindy’s suggestion, I submitted an abstract to this Conference during my first year. The experience was transformative: I felt a stronger sense of belonging to our faculty as an academic community, and I received generous, constructive feedback from peers and professors from diverse academic backgrounds. I left the conference feeling inspired and supported.
Research has shown that attending academic conference can deepen doctoral students’ understanding of their research fields, expand their academic networks, and promote their socialization into academic life (Campbell et al., 2021; Kuzhabekova & Temerbayeva, 2018). Therefore, for those who aspire to enter academia, Cindy’s suggestion is a great reminder to actively seek out these opportunities, not only to share our work but also to familiarize ourselves with the norms, knowledge, and expectations of the field.
Looking Ahead: Thoughtful Career Planning
Cindy’s wisdom is especially inspiring when it comes to career planning, as her research topics and her career path are closely intertwined. She urged doctoral students to approach their career pursuits with pragmatism and nuance:
“Ask yourself: is it okay if you start with a teaching track position? Universities not only have academic track but also teaching track. Different tracks have different requirements. It’s important to really consider if you are passionate about research and about being an academic. If you can’t accept the competitive nature and demands of the role, especially in places where the academic environment is stressful, then that path might not suit you.”
Drawing on her extensive experience in higher education, Cindy emphasized the importance of considering the academic community we wish to join—not just the job description, but also the geographical location and cultural environment of the institution. She reminded us that understanding the diverse and realistic dimensions of academic life is essential before making a well-informed career decision.
Conclusions
The doctoral journey—and the path that follows—demands substantial time and intellectual energy. Cindy’s sharing reminds us to do more homework on both the communities we are currently part of, and the ones we aspire to enter. Understanding our position in these contexts can make our investments more effective, and help us navigate our careers with greater clarity.
References
Campbell, A., Wick, D., Marcus, A., Doll, J., & Yunuba Hammack, A. (2021). “I felt like I was not just a student:” examining graduate student learning at academic and professional conferences. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 12(3), 321–337. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-08-2020-0061
Kuzhabekova, A., & Temerbayeva, A. (2018). The role of conferences in doctoral student socialization. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 9(2), 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-D-18-00012
Lindsay, S. (2015). What works for doctoral students in completing their thesis? Teaching in Higher Education, 20(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2014.974025
Odena, O., & Burgess, H. (2017). How doctoral students and graduates describe facilitating experiences and strategies for their thesis writing learning process: a qualitative approach. Studies in Higher Education (Dorchester-on-Thames), 42(3), 572–590. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1063598
