MSc (1999), PhD (2004)
Current Job Title: Lecturer
Employer: Huaiyin Teachers College, China
MSc: Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China
PhD: with Assoc. Prof. Sally Brooker, University of Otago, New Zealand (2000-2004)
Doing a PhD in New Zealand, a country with a very different culture and language to that of China, was challenging but also very rewarding. Along with enhancing my synthetic skills, both organic and inorganic, I have benefited from the opportunities I had to gain experience in a wide range of techniques to fully characterise the compounds I prepared. In addition I have become fluent in English, both oral and written. So far three papers based on my PhD work have been published and several further papers will follow in due course. Sally’s constant enthusiasm, guidance and support throughout my PhD was great, as was the help, support and friendship of the many Brookers Bunch members over that time. Thank you Sally and all those group members!
New Zealand is well known, in China, for its unique, amazing and beautiful nature, like blue sky and white clouds, blue sea and beautiful beaches, fresh air and nice fruits (Kiwi fruits and apples are famous in China)…. Hence based on its unique nature NZ has its other lovely names in China, such as the country of ‘white clouds’, the ‘garden’ country. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to live and study in NZ. Besides cooking my chemistry in the lab I really miss my life and experiences in NZ. I enjoyed fishing at a fishing site in Moeraki (a good site for fishing blue cod), where I also saw penguins, seals, and unexpectedly, a whale. Amazing! Cooking the caught blue cod in a traditional Chinese way and then sharing these fresh and delicious fishes with a few Kiwi and Chinese friends was really unforgettable!! I miss NZ blue cod! Watching dolphins playing and jumping in the Doubtful Sound was great fun. I liked Dunedin’s Botanic Garden, feeding ducks in the duck pond and enjoying beautiful cherry blossom flowers in spring. I also liked Dunedin’s beaches. The list of my fun experiences is endless! Personally the years for my PhD at Otago were indeed valuable and rewarding in every way!!
Contact details:
Dr. Rongqing Li [rongqingli@hotmail.com]
Department of Chemistry,
Huaiyin Teachers College,
Wangying Campus,
121 West Changjiang Road,
Huaiyin District, Huaian,
Jiangsu Province,
P. R. China
