Tianshu Qin

Tianshu Qin graduated from Kent in 2020, amidst the global pandemic, which led him to temporarily teach A-level Physics online at his former high school. In 2021, he pursued a research Master's degree at Lancaster University and is now a second-year PhD student at the University of Hong Kong, focusing on space plasma and planetary science.

He credits his time at Kent, where he studied Astronomy, Space Science, and Astrophysics, with helping him develop a scientific mindset rather than memorizing facts.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

I graduated in the summer of 2020, and it was just the time when the global pandemic disrupted everybody's plans. So, I returned to the high school I went to in my home town and started giving online tutorials in A-level Physics. In 2021, I went to Lancaster University for a research Master's degree and am now a second-year PhD student at the University of Hong Kong. My current research is related to the magnetospheres of gas giants, in the field of space plasma and planetary science.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

My research does not involve lab work or field trips, so I don't necessarily live a point-to-point life between my flat and the office. Instead of just sitting in front of my desk, I would always start every day's work in the garden of a café near where I live. It's now past the hottest time of the summer so I actually find it very refreshing in the morning. I rely quite heavily on plans and I do feel free of distractions while I am there, so I can make a good start to tackle the things at hand. Depending on the schedule, I would either return to my flat or go to the office to continue research in the afternoon. I have brought new plants into my flat recently, so I quite like working in it. It only just stopped being that hot and humid at the same time in the evening these few days that I would voluntarily go for a jog or a walk in the park nearby. For the last couple of months, I have been overwhelmed by the unbearable weather, so I have either stayed in or driven up to a mountain on the outskirts of the city with friends when there happens to be a meteor shower.

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

I wouldn't be so sure there has been a huge highlight up to this stage since I am still on my way to qualifying as a proper researcher, but I will not forget it when I published my first-ever research article in 2022. I was very proud that what I had worked on for more than a year could be viewed by the research community and the world's public. It engendered a rewarding satisfaction of knowing my effort was acknowledged and a motivation to carry on and keep challenging myself.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

The research I am doing now is not exactly the same as what I learnt through the Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics (ASSA) course at Kent. In fact, for most graduates including myself, I believe we would be directly using mere small fractions of what we have learnt during undergraduates. I think the course trained me to form a proper science mind rather than memorising those laws or equations. I love physics as a student because I like and enjoy it when I can find science questions in life. But the course didn't directly tell me the answer to most of those questions, it taught me the way to solve them and the mindset of always questioning myself "how I know what I believe is true".

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

As a student and although now still a student, the most important factor for me to keep in the field is interest. At the beginning of the physics course, I was taught very broad physics modules, which then helped me to lock into the things I was most interested in. Interest is the biggest source of motivation, and whenever I am hesitant I would always listen to the voice deep down "Is it really what you like?". I think it's a blessing to work on things I enjoy doing, especially when there is a choice.

Did you get involved in any extracurricular activities as a student?

I frequently go to play football friendlies and I have to say Parkwood is such a beautiful place. I visited London many times as several friends of mine are based there and I went to football games there as well. I also did some hiking or travelling with friends to different places in the UK like Dover, Margate, Liverpool, and Yorkshire. After all, I had to make the most use of my time there. I even regret it now that I didn't get a driving licence in Britain, otherwise we could have driven to the Lake District, Scotland, or Wales.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I believe if I ever had an actual graduation ceremony in 2020, I would have said it was the graduation ceremony. However, it sadly never physically took place that year. I am going to say that my favourite memory is the Chinese New Year Gala in 2020. It was the year that we had a nearly full audience in the Gulbenkian Theatre, and we also invited children from a local kindergarten who brought an amazingly lively performance. The reflections were out of our expectations and I couldn't be happier that people all enjoyed it, particularly as a special way of celebrating the Chinese New Year with Chinese students and local children, students and people in Kent. Kent was then gradually affected by the pandemic not long after the gala took place, so that was naturally the last piece of memory which I would like to experience over and over again.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

To be honest, I have always wanted to repeat my time at Kent, but certainly not because I didn't enjoy the way I did it back then. Coming to the UK for the first time at the age of 18 and not being an outgoing person actually stopped me from socialising with people for at least a year. But then I slightly changed, and started to get involved with society activities. As much as I value how my time at Kent has shaped me into who I am, I have always been thinking of what I would have done or achieved if I had a completely different personality. This is probably why I feel the 4-year time at Kent was too short.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Although not very frequently, I still get in touch with academics to share the good news of my latest research publication. At the end of May this year, I took the opportunity to visit the University of Kent and the School of Physical Science. It was a great trip back to Kent after 4 whole years, everything was familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. I met many academics and current PhD students and had a great time chatting with them.

What are your future ambitions?

I wish to stay in academia because doing research and teaching are my biggest goals of my lifetime. I see myself as a very lucky person as I have met so many likeable and inspiring teachers/academics throughout my education journey, and this has heavily inspired me to become one of them in the future.