Prof. Dr. Arshad Ali (Pakistan)
PhD (2017), MS (2014), Department of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University. Currently, he is working as a Top-notched Full Professor of Forest Ecology at Hebei University.
Let me start from the end of the story and then explain how I got to where I am today. I am a 33-year-old Top-notched Talented Full Professor of Forest Ecology at Hebei University (HBU), and before that, I worked at Nanjing Forestry University (NJFU) as a Full Professor for 2 years and Postdoctoral Researcher at South China Normal University (SCNU) for almost 1.5 years. So, I am an early career scientist as I researched ecology for almost over 3 years after my PhD graduation from East China Normal University (ECNU) in December 2017. Additionally, I am an Academic Editor of SCI journals for the last 4 years.
My research output and performance at a very young age have proven that with a growth mindset, anybody can achieve progress more than someone ever dreamed. However, being a successful postgraduate (master or PhD) student in a university is a complex situation, and this situation is going harder for international students when there is a language barrier. However, the set of strong supportive roles of ECNU had polished my existing potentials to unlock the amazing hidden abilities that my brain possesses. Through the support of ECNU, I went from being a hardworking student to an academic star (i.e., Full Professor and Academic Editor).
Does someone think it is possible to take a bachelor graduate student from Pakistan on scholarship and teach him how to learn scientific research, and then he can become an excellent graduate (both in master and PhD) in a Chinese university (ECNU), and within 5 years he can become an academic star in forest ecological research? Well, this is my story. I entered ECNU as a Master’s student in Ecology in 2012, and graduated in 2014, i.e., completed my master’s degree one year ahead before the actual graduation time. A general perception is that it is very hard for international students to be graduated on time and even to spend a few years extra. However, the encouraging supports of my master’s supervisor (Prof. Dr. En-Rong Yan), School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, and International Students’ Office have proven it wrong and showed how to produce an excellent international student who could be a recognized young scientist in the world within a short time. The time I spent with Chinese teachers, senior research fellows and classmates of ECNU at different field stations (particularly at Tiantong National Forest Park in Ningbo) was very outstanding and memorialized in several academic and cultural aspects. At ECNU, I was also good at social activities, but I was mostly busy with research activities. However, I must say that ECNU provides a lot of extra co-curricular and social activities which I had ever enjoyed in my life. The International Cultural Festival Activity, arranged annually by ECNU, is one of the unforgettable social moments for me. So, I have decided to continue PhD degree in Ecology with the same supervisor at ECNU, even though a general suggestion from friends was that I should move to western countries for high-level research performance. However, I decided to stay at ECNU because China is leading in the field of scientific research, and particularly ECNU is one of the world top recognized universities. It is worthy to mention here that the Library of ECNU at Minhang campus is well-facilitated, and my many memories are existed behind such as the research publications record that somebody can ever achieve at a very young age. So, all these facilities, motivations and support enabled me to worked hard, and that’s why I published nearly 25 papers for ECNU through my research work and global collaborations. Therefore, I completed my PhD degree in 3.5 years (in December 2017) that is also before the actual graduation time.
How can I express my thanks to ECNU as through their help and training I became a Full Professor and Academic Editor? After my PhD graduation, I got several offers from Chinese universities to join as a Postdoctoral Researcher and even as an Assistant Professor. However, I always like to stay in or near a big city (that’s my nature), and I decided to join SCNU in Guangzhou as a Postdoctoral / Distinguished Associate Researcher. Again, a general suggestion from friends was that I should join a western university as a postdoctoral fellow for outstanding research performance, and then I could return to China. However, I decided again to stay in China as I can see my bright future here. Anyways, I re-used the amazing skills which are polished by ECNU that again enabled me to publish over 20 papers for SCNU through my research and global collaborations, and that’s why I completed my 3-year postdoctoral research within 1.5 years. So, I got the offer of Full Professor at NJFU, and I am highly thankful to them for this great opportunity at a very young age. I believe that I might be among those young researchers around the world who got the title of a full professorship at the age of 31. Again, I would like to give most of my achievement credits to ECNU. After an outstanding performance at NJFU in several aspects during 2 years, I got an offer from HBU as a Top-notched Talented Full Professor and Group Leader of the Forest Ecology Research Group. Today, if I am leading the Forest Ecology Research Group at HBU, but I still remember my initial time (i.e., 2012) in China when I did not know how to say in the Chinese language that I need a cup of yellow-label tea or black coffee. I am glad to say that my Chinese teachers and friends helped me a lot during my stay at ECNU and onwards. So, all these achievements are absolutely due to the friendly nature of the Chinese nation with the Pakistani nation. Anyways, my story of achievements and the supportive roles of ECNU is not ended here but continue. So, I am energetic to continue my research performance and to contribute to Chinese universities where I am working through the use of my amazing polished skills by ECNU.
I am not a genius person but I used study strategies that were also supported and polished by ECNU, and that’s why I became a Full Professor from a hardworking student. My hard work and contributions to ECNU were appreciated through several academic awards including Outstanding CSC Student and Excellent Graduate in Ecology. As such, my overall contributions to ecological research have been recognized by the world, and I am pleased to say that I am one of the top scientists in forestry worldwide. Thank You ECNU for two outstanding highest academic degrees and several awards, that provided and still provide an easy route towards my bright future. Still, I wish to return to ECNU as a Full Professor of Ecology, and to serve my alma meter forever.The fact is that I am missing ECNU a lot, but I am proud to say that I AM A FOREVER ECNUer.Through this story, anybody could believe that ECNU doors are always open to all international students who want to show their abilities through hard work.
