Jingyuan Liang
Originally from Shandong Province in China, Jingyuan was one of many doctoral candidates who began their journeys offshore due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since arriving in New Zealand, Jingyuan has enjoyed discovering the University's research atmosphere, as she completes her research on cardiovascular disease risk prediction.
Programme: PhD in Population Health
Supervisors: Professor Rod Jackson, Associate Professor Katrina Poppe, Dr Romana Pylypchuk
School: Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Funding: CSC Scholarship
Journey to doctoral research
“I first became involved with the University of Auckland through a collaborative research programme while I was completing my masters degree in public health through Peking University. That was how I met Professor Rod Jackson, who is now my PhD supervisor here.
"I’d say that before this I knew nothing about New Zealand, but as the project progressed, I gradually learnt more about the University and about Rod’s research team, who have great knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk prediction. And then I learnt more about the University’s beautiful campus and world-ranking, which made me want to do my PhD in Population Health here. My research is about the prediction of cardiovascular disease risks using national linked datasets."
The best thing about studying at the University of Auckland is the research atmosphere.
Life in New Zealand
"I began my PhD offshore due to the pandemic, before joining the University on campus in May this year. I was really excited to finally arrive in Auckland after preparing and waiting for so long.
“I haven’t got the whole picture of the city yet, but so far I would say that Auckland is a quiet and cozy city. We don’t have as many malls and bars as in China, but there are always many good places to go on weekends: natural parks, beaches, museums, or you can just spend one day on a nearby island.
“The best thing about studying at the University of Auckland is the research atmosphere. We have a very relaxed academic environment, and we have our own time after work. My supervisors and colleagues have fantastic expertise in their specific research fields, and you can feel their enthusiasm towards research, which inspires me to do better."
Advice for other doctoral candidates
“My advice to students considering coming to University of Auckland for their PhD is to get in touch with your potential supervisors as early as possible; It’s never too early to do it, otherwise you could miss out on some very wonderful opportunities!”