PLACES IN MY HEART – ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (28th Aug, 2024)

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter as I officially embark on my PhD journey at The City University of New York. This moment is not just a personal achievement but also a reflection of the incredible support, guidance, and encouragement I’ve received from so many people.

As I look back on completing my MBA at San Francisco Bay University on August 18, 2024, and starting at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York on August 28, 2024, I am filled with immense gratitude. I would like to express my greatest appreciation to the following people. Without their unwavering support, I would not have been able to successfully shift my career to Computer Science, nor would I have had the confidence to pursue a doctoral degree and secure this opportunity.

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, especially to Dr. Raffi Khatchadourian, Dr. Ping Ji and the Admissions Committee, along with a special thank you to Dr. Jun Li, Dr. Saadeddine Mneimneh, Dr. Tim Mitchell, and Dr. Pegah Khosravi.

It’s a bit of a mystery to me why Dr. Raffi took an interest in me. I only transitioned to Computer Science three years ago, so I didn’t see myself as a particularly strong candidate for his research. Yet, he was incredibly patient, taking the time to discuss his research areas, future developments, and even offering positive feedback on the gaps in my background. To me, it felt like stumbling upon money just lying around—an unexpected stroke of luck, mine for the taking. The rigorous committee interviews left me anxious and uncertain about my chances, but Dr. Raffi consistently provided comfort. Without his determination to have me as his student, I might not have received this offer.

I am also deeply grateful to Dr. Ping Ji, the Executive Officer (Chair) of the Computer Science PhD Program, and the Admissions Committee. The selection process for this program was rigorous. In addition to Dr. Raffi, I was individually interviewed by another one potential advisor and three other committee professors (whose names I will always keep confidential). We had in-depth discussions covering everything from my past experiences, the reason why I convert to CS, to the current trends in the technology industry. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t fully demonstrate my mathematical abilities until March 5th, 2024. Thankfully, the committee gave me an extension to submit the necessary material. This extension was crucial, as verbal assurances alone would not have sufficed. Without the approval from Dr. Ping Ji and all the support from the Admission Committee members, I couldn’t get the admission and receive the Graduate Center Fellowship.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to San Francisco Bay University for awarding me a full scholarship and a housing scholarship. These scholarships were pivotal, as a visa delay had previously caused another school to withdraw my admission offer. However, with the scholarship letters as evidence, I was able to secure my visa and come to the United States.

I would like to express my special thanks to SFBU Student Affairs, Student Life Team, Registration Office, International Student Office, Student Library, Financial Department:

– Dr. Peter Maribei (Student Affairs)
– Ms. Judy Weng (Registration Office),
– Ms. Jessie Dhamrait (International Student Office),
– Mr. Jason Sjah (ex-Student Affairs),
– Ms. Melanie Mairena (ex-Student Affairs),
– Mr. James Digilio (Student Life Team),
– Ms. Lea (Student Life Team),
– Mr. John (Student Life Team),
– Mr. Chris and Mr. Thai (IT),
– Mr. Ken Lee (Dept. Finance), and
– Ms. Joy Gao (Library)

for their unwavering support during my time at SFBU. They took care of every aspect of my campus life, and made my experience at SFBU smooth and convenient, allowing me to focus entirely on my studies and research.

I am also profoundly grateful to my professors for their dedication to teaching and guidance throughout my studies of MBA program at SFBU (By course registration sequence):

– Prof. Gul Maqsood Sabit (Global Trade and Operations, and Agile Project Management);
– Prof. James Nysather (Logistics and Operations Management, and Brand Management and Marketing);
– Prof. Reginald Duhe (Human Resource Management);
– Prof. Isa Tuncman (Introduction to Business Analytics);
– Prof. Arshad Khan (Visual Analytics for Dashboards);
– Prof. Michael Aquilina (Financial Management);
– Prof. Vidhyacharan Bhaskar (Advanced UNIX/LINUX Programming);
– Prof. Alex Yang (Computer Architecture);
– Prof. Yasin Ceran (Practical Application of Algorithms);
– Prof. Flora Chu (Business Capstone Course); and
– a special thank you to Prof. Henry Chang, who offered valuable advice on course selection, even though I was unable to enroll in his course due to unmet prerequisites.

Finally, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the SFBU staff, faculty, and fellow students for creating an environment that fostered the pursuit of our dreams.

Apart from my recent two universities, there are many people I want to say thank you.

I am immensely grateful to my personal tutor, Dr. Mian M. Hamayun at the University of Birmingham (Dubai). His lectures on Computer Systems and Algorithms were not only highly informative but also deeply inspiring, sparking my pursuit of a doctoral degree. His method of teaching and problem-solving guidance encouraged me to explore and identify my areas of interest within Computer Science. Dr. Mian was confident in my ability to tackle future research challenges, and our discussions often extended beyond the classroom, offering invaluable insights that have been crucial to my career. Even after I graduated, he never hesitated to write letters of recommendation to support my applications for further studies. Without his influence early in my career transition, I might not have developed such a strong interest in Computer Science.

I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Eric Zhibo Sun and Dr. Yue Zhang at Drexel University. They provided me with a valuable opportunity to explore Cyber Security, despite my lack of prior research experience. They generously offered their time for discussions, guiding me on how to analyze phenomena, define motivations, and formulate research questions. Often, when my ideas drifted too far from the main focus, they gently guided me back on track, much like gardeners pruning the long branches of a tree. Even when I struggled to find suitable solutions to my research questions, they continued to encourage me, offering both comfort and motivation. Although I could not join their research efforts due to some family reasons, I remain deeply grateful to Dr. Eric Zhibo Sun and Dr. Yue Zhang, who were my first mentors in research.

My deepest appreciation goes to Dr. Yifan Sun at William & Mary. Although I was not successful in securing a PhD offer from William & Mary due to the highly competitive nature of the admissions process and my own lack of theoretical preparation at the time, which was the beginning of 2023, Dr. Sun remained a steadfast supporter. He continued to offer valuable advice during my subsequent applications to other institutions and encouraged me to persevere in my pursuit of a doctoral degree. He believed that with hard work and proper training, I could become a specialist in my research area. Though he did not become my PhD advisor, we became friends, and I am sincerely grateful for his support.

I would also like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Dr. Lei Zhang at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Our discussions about my PhD application were always pleasant and insightful. Dr. Lei Zhang introduced me to his research areas and career path with great patience, understanding that I was transitioning from a non-Computer Science background. He provided me a valuable opportunity to experience a small part of his research and offered guidance on how to apply research to real-life industry scenarios when we were interviewing. Dr. Lei Zhang also imparted his attitudes on integrity and professionalism, demonstrating a peaceful and positive approach to research. Despite the different timelines for admissions decisions at various schools, Dr. Lei Zhang generously extended an admission offer, recognizing that I met the basic requirements for his research area and guaranteed my admission in Eastern Region of US. It is hard to find words to express my gratitude. Instead of describe myself as a person with God blessing, it is more appropriate to say that Dr. Lei Zhang is protecting my dream.

I want to express my big thanks to Mr. Zach Liu, a Senior Compiler Engineer currently studying at The University of British Columbia(Canada). We first met when I decided to transition to Computer Science, and since then, he has provided continuous useful advice and essential study materials to help me quickly adapt. Zach encouraged me to think critically, to avoid blindly following the crowd, and to always maintain my own judgment. He constantly reminded me of the importance of writing my own code after careful thought rather than copying from GitHub, and emphasized mastering foundational knowledge in areas like computer architecture, operating systems, data structures and algorithms, linear algebra, probability, and statistics. His guidance ensured that I approached my studies with the mindset of a true software engineer, avoiding shortcuts or the temptation to simply copy and paste, or rely too heavily on tools like ChatGPT. With his support, I never underestimated the difficulty of transitioning from business to computer science, and I learned to embrace the challenges without deceiving myself. If I can do something, I can; if I can’t, I must acknowledge it and strive to learn. His mentorship has been instrumental in my journey.

I would also like to express my deep appreciation for Mr. Boqin Zhang, who is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology. We were classmates at the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University for three years. During that time, I struggled academically, but he was the only one who help and encouraged me to memorize and understand the Political Studies, which was a required course in my track. After graduating from high school, we lost touch for nearly a decade. When he knew that I came to the U.S. to pursue a doctoral degree in Computer Science, he took the time to discuss my intentions and future planning, research area selection, and provided valuable advice. His guidance helped me gain a comprehensive understanding of the U.S. Ph.D. system and prepared me mentally for future challenges. Without his advice, I might have made an unsuitable decision in my research area when I first arrived in the U.S.

Life with supportive friends is also important.

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Jing Su, Dr. Hongda Ma, and Mr. Yuxin Qiao. I deeply appreciate their efforts in involving me in real research programs, which helped eliminate my fear of scientific research. Dr. Jing Su, though rigorous in his thinking, showed great tolerance towards new researchers like me. Even when I misunderstood topics, he would patiently explain the issues in a more specific way, offering respect and encouragement. Dr. Hongda’s enthusiasm and willingness to help us solve problems beyond our expertise were crucial; without his support, we couldn’t have completed our tasks as effectively. Mr. Yuxin Qiao, a creative and kindhearted friend, provided us with essential resources that enabled our research team to collaborate more smoothly and efficiently. Without Yuxin’s contributions, achieving our goals would have been much more challenging. Furthermore, they collectively helped me solve my biggest challenge regarding my future legal stay in the U.S., giving me the freedom and confidence to pursue research in the areas that truly interest me, no matter how difficult they may be.

I am deeply grateful to Ms. Alice Wang. During my GRE preparation, I had the privilege of getting to know Ms. Alice Wang, who, like me, transitioned into Computer Science. Having made the switch earlier, she generously shared her experiences, offering invaluable insights from her journey. Additionally, Ms. Wang helped me revise my personal statement, ensuring I could express myself more effectively during my application process.

Further, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Scott Yu for his continuous support in helping me navigate various daily challenges in North America. Originally, Mr. Scott was a potential client during my time at Sunset Oasis Consultant Co., but for various reasons, we were unable to finalize our deal. However, even if the deal fails, the friendship remains. As a local in North America, Mr. Scott was indispensable in assisting me with numerous tasks, including organizing my schedule, managing banking matters, navigating government paperwork, and solving other challenges. His guidance not only enabled me to lead a smoother and more cost-effective life but also left a lasting impression on me, shaping my expectations for life in US.

Also, I’d like to thank my classmates and friends: Mr. Jize Xiong, Ms. Zongying (Doris) Guo, Ms. Ying (Flora) Xie, Ms. Xiaoling Cui, Mr. Rui Ding, Ms. Tian Miao, Ms. Ziqi Zhou and her family, Mr. Yue Wu, Mr. Mingyang Feng, Mr Hang Chen and his family, Mr. Weiming Chen, Mr. Michelle (Dinulos) Algire Manito, Mr. Keqin Li, Mr. Junhong Lin, Dr. Rong Wei, Mr. Yang Luo, Mr. Haoyu Yang, Dr. Xin Jin, Mr. Tingsong Xiao, Mr. Zhi Jing, Dr. Jiajun Xu, Mr. Zhiming Zhao, Mr. Xiao Hua Li and her family, etc.

Finally, I want say thank you to my parents for respecting my decision to change careers. It’s a risky move, and no parent wishes to see their child fail. However, they understand that while I may not achieve success in computer science, as long as it’s something I love and truly wish to pursue, they will always be proud of me. Proud of their daughter for being true to herself and taking responsibility for her own life independently.

Today marks the beginning of my new academic journey, and I am reminded of the insightful words shared by Dr. Pegah Khosravi at CUNY when I told her my admission decision: “Remember, this journey is as much about discovery and growth as it is about hard work and dedication. Embrace the challenges and opportunities that come your way, and never hesitate to reach out for guidance or support.”

With profound gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead, I embark on this next chapter, confident that the trust, encouragement, and support I have received will continue to inspire and empower me. This journey is not merely a pursuit of knowledge but a transformative opportunity for personal growth. I eagerly anticipate embracing every lesson, both inside and outside the classroom, that will shape my future.

Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported, helped, and cared for me along the way. I hope that, in the future, we can all continue to find peace, joy, and even greater success in our endeavors.

Best Regards,

Chufeng Jiang

28th Aug, 2024

Elmhurst, New York