Year of graduation: 2017
Supervisors: Prof Carol Fuller & Dr Catherine Foley
Research focus: My research investigated educational aspirations of Chinese rural ‘left-behind children’ (a highly socially disadvantaged young population in China) in relation to their educational experiences within the context of being ‘left behind’. It adopted the qualitative case study approach and used ethnography as the primary research technique to capture factors that impact on aspirations, and to understand and explain why educational aspirations are different among these young people who share many similar social characteristics.
Memorable experiences at the IoE: I have had an absolutely amazing experience studying at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education (IoE). As we all know, doing a PhD is difficult, and it can be even more challenging for international students. However, I received generous support from staff and my fellow PhD peers at the IoE. Without them, I couldn’t make it! I cannot express my gratitude enough for their support.
Career: Currently, I am working as a Research Associate at Shaanxi Normal University in China. I will continue doing research with a focus on the disadvantaged young people and their education, not only in China but also in other countries. I want to give voices to these young people’s experiences, and I hope to raise more awareness towards providing more care, protection and support to these young people.