Today marks the beginning of a new chapter as I officially embark on my PhD journey at The City University of New York. This moment is not just a personal achievement but also a reflection of the incredible support, guidance, and encouragement I've received from so many people.
今天标志着新篇章的开始，因为我正式踏上了我在纽约市立大学的博士之旅。这一刻不仅是个人成就，也是我从许多人那里得到的难以置信的支持、指导和鼓励的反映。

As I look back on completing my MBA at San Francisco Bay University on August 18, 2024, and starting at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York on August 28, 2024, I am filled with immense gratitude. I would like to express my greatest appreciation to the following people. Without their unwavering support, I would not have been able to successfully shift my career to Computer Science, nor would I have had the confidence to pursue a doctoral degree and secure this opportunity.
当我回顾 2024 年 8 月 18 日在旧金山湾大学完成 MBA 课程，并于 2024 年 8 月 28 日开始在纽约市立大学研究生中心学习时，我充满了无比的感激之情。我想向以下各位表示最深的感谢。如果没有他们坚定不移的支持，我就无法成功地将我的职业生涯转向计算机科学，我也没有信心攻读博士学位并获得这个机会。

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First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, especially to Dr. Raffi Khatchadourian, Dr. Ping Ji and the Admissions Committee.
首先，我要向纽约市立大学研究生中心表示衷心的感谢，特别是 Raffi Khatchadourian 博士、Ping Ji 博士和招生委员会。

It's a bit of a mystery to me why Dr. Raffi took an interest in me. I only transitioned to Computer Science three years ago, so I didn't see myself as a particularly strong candidate for his research. Yet, he was incredibly patient, taking the time to discuss his research areas, future developments, and even offering positive feedback on the gaps in my background. To me, it felt like stumbling upon money just lying around—an unexpected stroke of luck, mine for the taking. The rigorous committee interviews left me anxious and uncertain about my chances, but Dr. Raffi consistently provided comfort. Without his determination to have me as his student, I might not have received this offer.
对我来说，Raffi 医生为什么对我感兴趣有点神秘。我三年前才过渡到计算机科学，所以我不认为自己是他研究的特别有力候选人。然而，他非常有耐心，花时间讨论他的研究领域、未来的发展，甚至对我的背景差距提供积极的反馈。对我来说，这感觉就像偶然发现了散落在身边的钱——这是一次意想不到的运气，我帮忙拿走了。严格的委员会面试让我感到焦虑和不确定，但 Raffi 博士始终如一地提供安慰。如果没有他决心让我成为他的学生，我可能不会收到这个录取通知书。

I am also deeply grateful to Dr. Ping Ji, the Executive Officer (Chair) of the Computer Science PhD Program, and the Admissions Committee. The selection process for this program was rigorous. In addition to Dr. Raffi, I was individually interviewed by another one potential advisor and three other committee professors (whose names I will always keep confidential). We had in-depth discussions covering everything from my past experiences, the reason why I convert to CS, to the current trends in the technology industry. Despite my efforts, I couldn't fully demonstrate my mathematical abilities until March 5th, 2024. Thankfully, the committee gave me an extension to submit the necessary material. This extension was crucial, as verbal assurances alone would not have sufficed. Without the approval from Dr. Ping Ji and all the support from the Admission Committee members, I couldn't get the admission and receive the Graduate Center Fellowship.
我也非常感谢计算机科学博士项目执行官（主席）季平博士和招生委员会。该计划的选拔过程非常严格。除了 Raffi 博士之外，我还接受了另一位潜在顾问和另外三位委员会教授（我永远对他们的名字保密）的单独采访。我们进行了深入的讨论，涵盖了从我过去的经历、我转向 CS 的原因到技术行业的当前趋势的所有内容。尽管我付出了努力，但直到 2024 年 3 月 5 日我才完全展示我的数学能力。值得庆幸的是，委员会给了我提交必要材料的延期。这次延期至关重要，因为仅靠口头保证是不够的。没有季平博士的批准和招生委员会成员的所有支持，我无法获得录取并获得研究生中心奖学金。

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From the bottom of my heart, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to San Francisco Bay University for awarding me a full scholarship and a housing scholarship. These scholarships were pivotal, as a visa delay had previously caused another school to withdraw my admission offer. However, with the scholarship letters as evidence, I was able to secure my visa and come to the United States.
我衷心感谢旧金山湾大学 授予我全额奖学金和住房奖学金。这些奖学金至关重要，因为之前签证延误导致另一所学校撤回了我的录取通知书。然而，有了奖学金信作为证据，我得以获得签证并来到美国。

I would like to express my special thanks to SFBU Student Affairs, Student Life Team, Registration Office, International Student Office, Student Library, Financial Department:
我要特别感谢 SFBU 学生事务部、学生生活团队、注册办公室、国际学生办公室、学生图书馆、财务部：

• Dr. Peter Maribei (Student Affairs)
  Peter Maribei 博士 （学生事务）

• Ms. Judy Weng (Registration Office),
  翁淑娴女士 （注册处），

• Ms. Jessie Dhamrait (International Student Office),
  Jessie Dhamrait 女士 （国际学生办公室），

• Mr. Jason Sjah (ex-Student Affairs),
  Jason Sjah 先生 （前学生事务部），

• Ms. Melanie Mairena (ex-Student Affairs),
  Melanie Mairena 女士（前学生事务部），

• Mr. James Digilio (Student Life Team),
  James Digilio 先生 （学生生活团队），

• Ms. Lea (Student Life Team),
  Lea 女士 （学生生活团队），

• Mr. John (Student Life Team),
  Mr. John （学生生活团队），

• Mr. Chris and Mr. Thai (IT),
  Chris 先生和 Thai 先生 （IT），

• Mr. Ken Lee (Dept. Finance), and
  Ken Lee 先生（财务部），以及

• Ms. Joy Gao (Library)
  Ms. Joy Gao （图书馆）

for their unwavering support during my time at SFBU. They took care of every aspect of my campus life, and made my experience at SFBU smooth and convenient, allowing me to focus entirely on my studies and research.
感谢他们在我在 SFBU 期间坚定不移的支持。他们照顾了我校园生活的方方面面，让我在 SFBU 的经历顺畅而方便，让我能够完全专注于我的学习和研究。

I am also profoundly grateful to my professors for their dedication to teaching and guidance throughout my studies of MBA program at SFBU (By course registration sequence):
我也非常感谢我的教授们在我在 SFBU 攻读 MBA 课程期间对教学和指导的奉献精神（按课程注册顺序）：

• Prof. Gul Maqsood Sabit (Global Trade and Operations, and Agile Project Management);
  Gul Maqsood Sabit 教授（全球贸易和运营以及敏捷项目管理）;

• Prof. James Nysather (Logistics and Operations Management, and Brand Management and Marketing);
  James Nysather 教授（物流和运营管理、品牌管理与营销）;

• Prof. Reginald Duhe (Human Resource Management);
  Reginald Duhe 教授（人力资源管理）;

• Prof. Isa Tuncman (Introduction to Business Analytics);
  Isa Tuncman 教授（商业分析导论）;

• Prof. Arshad Khan (Visual Analytics for Dashboards);
  Arshad Khan 教授（仪表板的可视化分析）;

• Prof. Michael Aquilina (Financial Management);
  Michael Aquilina 教授（财务管理）;

• Prof. Vidhyacharan Bhaskar (Advanced UNIX/LINUX Programming);
  Vidhyacharan Bhaskar 教授（高级 UNIX/LINUX 编程）;

• Prof. Alex Yang (Computer Architecture);
  Alex Yang 教授 （计算机体系结构）;

• Prof. Yasin Ceran (Practical Application of Algorithms);
  Yasin Ceran 教授（算法的实际应用）;

• Prof. Flora Chu (Business Capstone Course); and
  Flora Chu 教授（商业顶点课程）;和

• a special thank you to Prof. Henry Chang, who offered valuable advice on course selection, even though I was unable to enroll in his course due to unmet prerequisites.
  特别感谢 Henry Chang 教授，他为选课提供了宝贵的建议，尽管我由于未满足先决条件而无法报读他的课程。

Finally, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the SFBU staff, faculty, and fellow students for creating an environment that fostered the pursuit of our dreams.
最后，我想向 SFBU 的所有工作人员、教职员工和同学们表示衷心的感谢，他们创造了一个促进我们追求梦想的环境。

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Apart from my recent two universities, there are many people I want to say thank you.
除了我最近的两所大学，我想对很多人说声谢谢。

I am immensely grateful to my personal tutor, Dr. Mian M. Hamayun at the University of Birmingham (Dubai). His lectures on Computer Systems and Algorithms were not only highly informative but also deeply inspiring, sparking my pursuit of a doctoral degree. His method of teaching and problem-solving guidance encouraged me to explore and identify my areas of interest within Computer Science. Dr. Mian was confident in my ability to tackle future research challenges, and our discussions often extended beyond the classroom, offering invaluable insights that have been crucial to my career. Even after I graduated, he never hesitated to write letters of recommendation to support my applications for further studies. Without his influence early in my career transition, I might not have developed such a strong interest in Computer Science.
我非常感谢我的私人导师，伯明翰大学（迪拜）的 Mian M. Hamayun 博士。他关于计算机系统和算法的讲座不仅内容丰富，而且具有深深的启发性，激发了我攻读博士学位的动力。他的教学方法和解决问题的指导鼓励我探索和确定我在计算机科学中感兴趣的领域。冨博士对我应对未来研究挑战的能力充满信心，我们的讨论经常延伸到课堂之外，提供了对我的职业生涯至关重要的宝贵见解。即使在我毕业后，他也毫不犹豫地写推荐信来支持我申请继续深造。如果没有他在我职业转型早期的影响，我可能不会对计算机科学产生如此浓厚的兴趣。

I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Eric Zhibo Sun and Dr. Yue Zhang at Drexel University. They provided me with a valuable opportunity to explore Cyber Security, despite my lack of prior research experience. They generously offered their time for discussions, guiding me on how to analyze phenomena, define motivations, and formulate research questions. Often, when my ideas drifted too far from the main focus, they gently guided me back on track, much like gardeners pruning the long branches of a tree. Even when I struggled to find suitable solutions to my research questions, they continued to encourage me, offering both comfort and motivation. Although I could not join their research efforts due to some family reasons, I remain deeply grateful to Dr. Eric Zhibo Sun and Dr. Yue Zhang, who were my first mentors in research.
我还要衷心感谢德雷塞尔大学的 Eric Zhibo Sun 博士和 Yue Zhang 博士。他们为我提供了一个探索网络安全的宝贵机会，尽管我之前缺乏研究经验。他们慷慨地提供时间进行讨论，指导我如何分析现象、定义动机和制定研究问题。通常，当我的想法偏离主要焦点太远时，它们会温柔地引导我回到正轨，就像园丁修剪树的长枝一样。即使我努力为我的研究问题找到合适的解决方案，他们仍然鼓励我，提供安慰和动力。虽然由于家庭原因我无法参加他们的研究工作，但我仍然非常感谢 Eric Zhibo Sun 博士和 Yue Zhang 博士，他们是我的第一批研究导师。

My deepest appreciation goes to Dr. Yifan Sun at William & Mary. Although I was not successful in securing a PhD offer from William & Mary due to the highly competitive nature of the admissions process and my own lack of theoretical preparation at the time, which was the beginning of 2023, Dr. Sun remained a steadfast supporter. He continued to offer valuable advice during my subsequent applications to other institutions and encouraged me to persevere in my pursuit of a doctoral degree. He believed that with hard work and proper training, I could become a specialist in my research area. Though he did not become my PhD advisor, we became friends, and I am sincerely grateful for his support.
我深深地感谢William & Mary的孙一帆博士。尽管由于录取过程的激烈竞争性质和我自己在2023年初缺乏理论准备，我没有成功从威廉玛丽获得博士学位，但孙博士仍然是一个坚定的支持者。在我随后申请其他机构时，他继续提供宝贵的建议，并鼓励我坚持不懈地攻读博士学位。他相信，通过努力工作和适当的培训，我可以成为我研究领域的专家。虽然他没有成为我的博士生导师，但我们成为了朋友，我衷心感谢他的支持。

I would also like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Dr. Lei Zhang at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Our discussions about my PhD application were always pleasant and insightful. Dr. Lei Zhang introduced me to his research areas and career path with great patience, understanding that I was transitioning from a non-Computer Science background. He provided me a valuable opportunity to experience a small part of his research and offered guidance on how to apply research to real-life industry scenarios when we were interviewing. Dr. Lei Zhang also imparted his attitudes on integrity and professionalism, demonstrating a peaceful and positive approach to research. Despite the different timelines for admissions decisions at various schools, Dr. Lei Zhang generously extended an admission offer, recognizing that I met the basic requirements for his research area and guaranteed my admission in Eastern Region of US. It is hard to find words to express my gratitude. Instead of describe myself as a person with God blessing, it is more appropriate to say that Dr. Lei Zhang is protecting my dream.
我还要向马里兰大学巴尔的摩县分校的 Lei Zhang 博士致以最诚挚的感谢。我们关于我的博士申请的讨论总是愉快而有见地。张磊博士非常耐心地向我介绍了他的研究领域和职业道路，他明白我是从非计算机科学背景过渡而来的。他为我提供了一个宝贵的机会来体验他的一小部分研究，并在我们采访时就如何将研究应用于现实生活中的行业场景提供了指导。张磊博士还传授了他对诚信和专业的态度，展示了和平与积极的研究方法。尽管不同学校的录取决定时间表不同，但张磊博士慷慨地提供了录取通知书，因为他认为我满足了他研究领域的基本要求，并保证了我被美国东部地区录取。很难找到语言来表达我的感激之情。与其把自己描述成一个有上帝保佑的人，不如说张磊医生在保护我的梦想。

I want to express my big thanks to Mr. Zach Liu, a Senior Compiler Engineer currently studying at The University of British Columbia (Canada). We first met when I decided to transition to Computer Science, and since then, he has provided continuous useful advice and essential study materials to help me quickly adapt. Zach encouraged me to think critically, to avoid blindly following the crowd, and to always maintain my own judgment. He constantly reminded me of the importance of writing my own code after careful thought rather than copying from GitHub, and emphasized mastering foundational knowledge in areas like computer architecture, operating systems, data structures and algorithms, linear algebra, probability, and statistics. His guidance ensured that I approached my studies with the mindset of a true software engineer, avoiding shortcuts or the temptation to simply copy and paste, or rely too heavily on tools like ChatGPT. With his support, I never underestimated the difficulty of transitioning from business to computer science, and I learned to embrace the challenges without deceiving myself. If I can do something, I can; if I can't, I must acknowledge it and strive to learn. His mentorship has been instrumental in my journey.
我要非常感谢 Zach Liu 先生，他是一名高级编译器工程师，目前在不列颠哥伦比亚大学（加拿大）学习。我们第一次见面是在我决定过渡到计算机科学时，从那时起，他一直提供持续的有用建议和必要的学习材料，以帮助我快速适应。Zach 鼓励我批判性地思考，避免盲目地随波逐流，并始终保持自己的判断力。他不断提醒我，在仔细思考后编写自己的代码而不是从 GitHub 复制代码的重要性，并强调掌握计算机架构、操作系统、数据结构和算法、线性代数、概率和统计等领域的基础知识。他的指导确保我以真正软件工程师的心态进行学习，避免捷径或简单地复制和粘贴的诱惑，或过于依赖 ChatGPT 等工具。在他的支持下，我从未低估从商科过渡到计算机科学的难度，我学会了在不欺骗自己的情况下迎接挑战。如果我能做点什么，我就能;如果我做不到，我必须承认它并努力学习。他的指导在我的旅程中发挥了重要作用。

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Life with supportive friends is also important.
与支持他的朋友一起生活也很重要。

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Jing Su, Dr. Hongda Ma, and Mr. Yuxin Qiao. I deeply appreciate their efforts in involving me in real research programs, which helped eliminate my fear of scientific research. Dr. Jing Su, though rigorous in his thinking, showed great tolerance towards new researchers like me. Even when I misunderstood topics, he would patiently explain the issues in a more specific way, offering respect and encouragement. Dr. Hongda's enthusiasm and willingness to help us solve problems beyond our expertise were crucial; without his support, we couldn't have completed our tasks as effectively. Mr. Yuxin Qiao, a creative and kindhearted friend, provided us with essential resources that enabled our research team to collaborate more smoothly and efficiently. Without Yuxin's contributions, achieving our goals would have been much more challenging. Furthermore, they collectively helped me solve my biggest challenge regarding my future legal stay in the U.S., giving me the freedom and confidence to pursue research in the areas that truly interest me, no matter how difficult they may be.
我还要衷心感谢苏静博士、马宏达博士和乔玉欣先生。我非常感谢他们让我参与真正的研究计划的努力，这有助于消除我对科学研究的恐惧。苏静博士虽然思维严谨，但对像我这样的新研究人员表现出极大的宽容。即使我误解了话题，他也会耐心地以更具体的方式解释问题，给予尊重和鼓励。Hongda 博士帮助我们解决超出我们专业知识范围的问题的热情和意愿至关重要;没有他的支持，我们就无法如此有效地完成任务。Yuxin Qiao 先生是一位富有创造力和善良的朋友，他为我们提供了必要的资源，使我们的研究团队能够更顺利、更高效地合作。如果没有 Yuxin 的贡献，实现我们的目标将更具挑战性。此外，他们共同帮助我解决了我未来在美国合法居留的最大挑战，让我有自由和信心在我真正感兴趣的领域进行研究，无论它们有多困难。

I am deeply grateful to Ms. Alice Wang. During my GRE preparation, I had the privilege of getting to know Ms. Alice Wang, who, like me, transitioned into Computer Science. Having made the switch earlier, she generously shared her experiences, offering invaluable insights from her journey. Additionally, Ms. Wang helped me revise my personal statement, ensuring I could express myself more effectively during my application process.
我非常感谢 Alice Wang 女士。在我准备 GRE 期间，我有幸认识了 Alice Wang 女士，她和我一样，都过渡到计算机科学。她较早地做出了转变，慷慨地分享了她的经验，提供了她的旅程中的宝贵见解。此外，王老师还帮助我修改了个人陈述，确保我在申请过程中能够更有效地表达自己。

Further, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Scott Yu for his continuous support in helping me navigate various daily challenges in North America. Originally, Mr. Scott was a potential client during my time at Sunset Oasis Consultant Co., but for various reasons, we were unable to finalize our deal. However, even if the deal fails, the friendship remains. As a local in North America, Mr. Scott was indispensable in assisting me with numerous tasks, including organizing my schedule, managing banking matters, navigating government paperwork, and solving other challenges. His guidance not only enabled me to lead a smoother and more cost-effective life but also left a lasting impression on me, shaping my expectations for life in US.
此外，我要衷心感谢 Scott Yu 先生的持续支持，帮助我应对北美的各种日常挑战。最初，Scott 先生是我在 Sunset Oasis Consultant Co. 工作期间的潜在客户，但由于各种原因，我们无法完成交易。然而，即使交易失败，友谊仍然存在。作为北美本地人，Scott 先生在帮助我完成许多任务方面是不可或缺的，包括安排我的日程安排、管理银行事务、处理政府文书工作和解决其他挑战。他的指导不仅使我过上了更顺畅、更具成本效益的生活，还给我留下了持久的印象，塑造了我对美国生活的期望。

Also, I'd like to thank my classmates and friends: Mr. Jize Xiong, Ms. Zongying (Doris) Guo, Ms. Ying (Flora) Xie, Ms. Xiaoling Cui, Mr. Rui Ding, Ms. Tian Miao, Ms. Ziqi Zhou and her family, Mr. Yue Wu, Mr. Mingyang Feng, Mr Hang Chen and his family, Mr. Weiming Chen, Mr. Michelle (Dinulos) Algire Manito, Mr. Keqin Li, Mr. Junhong Lin, Dr. Rong Wei, Mr. Yang Luo, Mr. Haoyu Yang, Dr. Xin Jin, Mr. Tingsong Xiao, Mr. Zhi Jing, Dr. Jiajun Xu, Mr. Zhiming Zhao, Mr. Xiao Hua Li and her family, etc.
另外，我要感谢我的同学和朋友：熊继泽先生、郭宗英（Doris）女士、谢颖（弗洛拉）女士、崔小玲女士、丁睿先生、田淼女士、周子琪女士和她的家人、吴悦先生、冯明阳先生、陈航先生和他的家人、陈伟明先生、米歇尔（Dinulos）阿尔吉尔马尼托先生、李克勤先生、 林俊宏先生、荣伟博士、罗阳先生、杨浩宇先生、金欣博士、肖廷松先生、智静先生、徐家军博士、赵志明先生、李小华先生及其家人等。

Finally, I want say thank you to my parents for respecting my decision to change careers. It's a risky move, and no parent wishes to see their child fail. However, they understand that while I may not achieve success in computer science, as long as it's something I love and truly wish to pursue, they will always be proud of me. Proud of their daughter for being true to herself and taking responsibility for her own life independently.
最后，我想对我的父母说声谢谢，感谢他们尊重我转行的决定。这是一个冒险的举动，没有父母希望看到他们的孩子失败。然而，他们明白，虽然我可能无法在计算机科学方面取得成功，但只要这是我喜欢并真正希望追求的事情，他们就会永远为我感到自豪。为他们的女儿忠于自己并独立对自己的生活负责而感到自豪。

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Today marks the beginning of my new academic journey, and I am reminded of the insightful words shared by my final committee interviewer at CUNY: “Remember, this journey is as much about discovery and growth as it is about hard work and dedication. Embrace the challenges and opportunities that come your way, and never hesitate to reach out for guidance or support.”
今天标志着我新学术旅程的开始，我想起了我在 CUNY 的最后一位委员会面试官分享的富有洞察力的话：“请记住，这段旅程既是关于发现和成长的，也是关于努力工作和奉献的。迎接你面前的挑战和机遇，毫不犹豫地寻求指导或支持。

With profound gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead, I embark on this next chapter, confident that the trust, encouragement, and support I have received will continue to inspire and empower me. This journey is not merely a pursuit of knowledge but a transformative opportunity for personal growth. I eagerly anticipate embracing every lesson, both inside and outside the classroom, that will shape my future.
怀着对未来深深的感激和兴奋，我开始了新的篇章，相信我所获得的信任、鼓励和支持将继续激励和赋予我力量。这段旅程不仅仅是对知识的追求，而是个人成长的变革性机会。我热切期待在课堂内外接受每一节课，这将塑造我的未来。

Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported, helped, and cared for me along the way. I hope that, in the future, we can all continue to find peace, joy, and even greater success in our endeavors.
我再次衷心感谢所有一路上支持、帮助和关心我的人。我希望，在未来，我们都能继续在我们的努力中找到和平、喜乐，甚至取得更大的成功。

Best Regards, 此致敬意

Chufeng Jiang 江楚峰

28th Aug, 2024 28th 8月， 2024

Elmhurst, New York Elmhurst， 纽约