When I first received the invitation from my supervisor to attend the School of Information Technology & Systems seminar on 18th August, I was both surprised and excited.
In fact, it felt like a special moment to mark the beginning of my academic journey. I accepted the invitation both verbally and through the official channel, and even marked the date in my calendar so I'd not miss this opportunity to listen to senior research students sharing their work and milestones—the most important one being "the Confirmation of Candidature".
Having just begun my research study under the guidance of Dr. Hamed and Dr. Ellisa, I'm still at the stage of figuring the "whats, whys, hows and whens" of this long learning journey.
While I've undertaken research-related units in my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, and even carried out small action research projects, I still consider myself a beginner.
Real-world research requires much more as it takes time, commitment, countless cycles of reading and rereading, unlearning and relearning, as well as collaboration with peers and supervisors.
To make this seminar a priority, I set aside everything else and even took leave from work. I wanted to ensure I could attend, because I knew this event would lay an important foundation for shaping my topic.
Indeed, I was clueless when I entered the room (7B56). However, luckily I found a seat next to a fellow Bhutanese student. Exchanging quick greetings with a friend from my home country gave me comfort and helped me settle in.
The first two presenters, both from China, spoke about their research in advanced technology (,,,) and Robot(,,,).
Their work made me reflect deeply. I found myself thinking about how much of our daily life is connected to products “made in China”—from the clothes I wear to the utensils I use. Beyond this, I realized that China’s dominance in technology, AI and innovation stems not just from manufacturing but from a strong research culture supported by sustained investment in education.
Listening to these presentations was eye-opening. It was as though I was revisiting my high school physics and mathematics lessons, but this time seeing them transformed into real-world applications such as robotics and machine learning. I understood that such breakthroughs are not accidental but rather the result of systemic effort, discipline and a thriving culture of research and innovation.
At the same time, I appreciated the diversity of the seminar. Some presenters showcased highly technical innovations, while others contributed through theoretical or policy-focused work. This balance reminded me that research takes many forms, but its essence lies in creating knowledge that is rigorous, transparent and meaningful.
For me, attending this seminar was not just about observing others; it was also about reflecting on my own journey. I realized that research is more than abstract theories. It is about building facts, connecting ideas logically and building new knowledge.
In fact, this session have deeply widen my understanding of how to systematically conduct a research. It gave me both direction and inspiration to prepare well not just to meet milestones but to gradually grow into an independent researcher.
