This blog was originally written by Ryan Wu in Chinese on Dec 28, 2017: https://catalium.net/my_2017-cn/

In August 2017, I resigned from my position as a product manager in Beijing. Subsequently, I relocated to the United States to pursue a master’s degree. It was a remarkable year, and I believe it warrants a comprehensive summary. I am currently writing this reflection in my apartment in Bellevue, Washington. My friend, who works at Microsoft in Redmond, remarked, “Reflect on the days of my secondary school years in China, and then compare our living experiences here in the US. It feels like a completely different lifetime.”

Due to various reasons, I did not write a summary for 2016. However, considering the highly challenging and transformative nature of the past two years, I have decided to include 2016 in this 2017 summary.

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2016

2016 was an exceptionally significant year for me:

• I launched the product I had meticulously worked on for six months, followed by eight iterations.
• I also learned how to drive and embarked on a journey of over 1,000 kilometers.
• Additionally, I gained clarity about my career path and made the decision to pursue higher education in the United States.

The Job

In 2015, I continued my work. The first priority for the beginning of 2016 was to develop and launch the Niu App. When I joined the team, the existing online 1.x version was no longer satisfactory to users and the company. The back-end required significant work. I conducted internal investigations and research, clarified the upgrade target, wrote the requirement specifications, and coordinated with sales, after-sales, and development teams to confirm the product release dates (PRDs). I worked with leaders and the outsourcing company to schedule the agenda. By February 2016, the front-end of the App was complete, but design and development issues remained unresolved. The company planned to launch the App 2.0 alongside the debut of the new scooter type M1 in April.

On April 21st, the App was released on time. However, validation errors derailed the App, and other unprecedented problems emerged during the simulation tests. In the following half year, I spent 80% of my time dealing with customer complaints, analyzing their causes, and collaborating with colleagues to resolve the issues. My primary focus was on fixing design defects and developing new features.

Niu places a strong emphasis on quality. Unlike other hardware products, vehicles like e-scooters operate in diverse and challenging environments. Our users are spread across the nation, from cold to hot climates and from urban to rural areas. This complexity presents significant challenges for both mechanical and electronic components, further impacting our smart services. For instance, the App’s core functionality relies on data sent to the cloud from the ECU. This data can be affected by environmental or engineering disturbances, leading to potential disruptions in App functionalities. Unusual occurrences, such as a single ride consuming 126% of the battery or a fully charged battery having an estimated range of only 2 km, have been reported. To address these issues, Niu conducts weekly company-wide Quality Control Meetings and provides an internal Customer Complaint Statement daily. At the beginning of my tenure, my App had over a hundred issues. When my boss inquired about the situation, it was quite embarrassing. Throughout the rest of the year, I worked closely with cross-functional colleagues to gradually resolve these defects. By the end of 2016, we had successfully provided stable and reliable App services to Niu scooter riders in the domestic market.

Previously, I worked at EICO, where I provided UX consulting services to client firms. However, at Niu, my role took a different turn. I was responsible for the entire product lifecycle, from design and development to final launch. This included acting as the product manager, interaction designer, copywriter, and half of a visual designer. I was fully involved in the entire workflow, from ideation to delivery. The design was just a link in the chain, and most of my energy went into testing and development coordination. In the later stages, I also had to manage the daily operational tasks. After going through this, I truly understood the challenges of operating a real-world product. This was the first time I realized that behind every convenient or pleasurable product or service, there are teams of dedicated individuals working hard. Conceptual design requires a good vision, but the real product also needs to be practical, feasible, and reliable. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

The Life

Another memorable event from that spring was getting my driver’s license on April 18th.

The 2015 business trip to Italy made me realize I needed to learn how to drive. We were working at the EICMA show in Milan and rented a car, but since I couldn’t drive, we lost some flexibility. Milan was close to the Alps, and I could see the vast range in front of me. I wanted to go hiking there, but I couldn’t get there because I couldn’t drive, even though I had a car in reach.

I enrolled in a driving school in Beijing and took their shuttle bus to the campus in the Daxing district every weekend at noon. I got my license in less than two months—the fastest pace allowed by law. The excitement I felt when I got my license reminded me of the day I learned how to ride a bicycle.

During my time at EICO, I gained some experience with the by-minute car rental business through the EVCard case. I registered on all the major car rental platforms available in Beijing and drove over 1,000 kilometers using those services. My community had two car rental parking lots, so I could usually reserve a car. The experience was similar to being a car owner.

Thinking About the Future

In the meantime, I began contemplating my future. Industrial design was my undergraduate major, encompassing mechatronics, manufacturing, styling, and product study. After graduation, I transitioned to design for digital experience, leveraging my knowledge base to handle product design and user experience. However, as I took on the role of Product Manager (PM) at Niu Technologies, the job became increasingly stressful. As a PM, I needed a comprehensive understanding of business strategies, user requirements, technological limitations, and management approaches. Unfortunately, I lacked knowledge in these areas. This knowledge gap hindered my performance. Without a structured methodology, I lacked strategic planning and positioning. My product requirements were solely based on the “User-Centered Design” concept, which lacked vision. Since I lacked a technological background, I constantly consulted development colleagues about the feasibility of my proposals. This not only slowed down progress but also restricted my colleagues’ creativity. If they couldn’t implement my ideas, I offered architectural advice. Without management skills, I struggled with accurate schedule estimations, leading to lost control over the project’s progress. When working with an outsourced development company, I imposed strict criteria and pushed them to re-develop modules multiple times. This resulted in a contract overrun, causing our company to incur additional costs. I still feel regretful about this incident.

Another challenge I faced was the air quality in Beijing. My body was sensitive to air pollution, and frequent AQI readings exceeding 200 caused me to suffer from asthma symptoms. One morning, I woke up choking and feeling suffocated. I used a laser particle-matter counter to investigate the issue and discovered that the PM 1.0 index at the gap between my window exceeded 5 figures. This overwhelmed my air purifier, so I resorted to placing paper tissues in the gaps to alleviate the problem. I would cancel outdoor activities if the AQI was too high, making it difficult to schedule clean weekend meetings with friends.

In 2015, when I arrived in Beijing, my apartment was priced at 3-4 million RMB ($530K). By 2017, it had skyrocketed to 7-8 million RMB ($1.2M). Even if I had worked at Google HQ for years, my savings wouldn’t be enough to cover the substantial increase in apartment prices over the past two years. Considering the challenges I faced as an outsider of Beijing, such as household issues and other limitations, it wasn’t the ideal place for me to reside. (I had previously worked in Shanghai for three years, where I encountered similar problems.)

Therefore, I decided to seek a change of environment and return to school. The most suitable option was to pursue graduate studies in the United States.

The Road of Application – 2016

I approached the application process with a program management strategy. Initially, I spent several nights thoroughly reviewing the necessary materials for the application. Subsequently, I allocated a time budget for each document. Finally, I created a schedule.

In fact, I was uncertain about what to learn even in the final months before the mainstream deadlines. One reason was my lack of familiarity with various master programs offered by different schools. Another reason was that my requirements for the desired program were not well-defined. As an Industrial Design major with extensive UX work experience, particularly in interaction design, it was reasonable for me to apply for an HCI aspect program. At that time, the programs listed in my bucket were:

• MHCI, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
• MS, Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington
• MHCID, Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington
• MS-HCI, Cross-Discipline, Georgia Institute of Technology
• MSI in HCI, Information School, University of Michigan

Another Canadian school, Simon Fraser University, which was also influential in HCI, was considered. However, I was not ready to pursue an HCI master’s degree after years of working on it. In the meantime, I explored non-MBA programs in business schools and computer science-related master’s degrees. I was aware that these options would not significantly impact my competitiveness or future prospects. This decision was made only at the very last moment.

The application process for North American schools is generally similar. You need to submit your transcripts, TOEFL scores (some MIT programs require IELTS), GRE scores (not mandatory for some applications), a personal statement, referral letters, and a portfolio (not required for some programs). Preparing for English exams was a significant challenge for me. Despite achieving high English scores from secondary school to college, my English proficiency stagnated after high school, almost a decade ago.

Initially, I felt immense pressure when practicing on TOEFL Practice Online (TPO). I struggled to complete the reading section on time. To overcome this, I developed a habit of reading for over 20 minutes before going to bed. This routine allowed me to read books like Steve Jobs, Zero to One, Pour Your Heart Into It, and A Brief History of the United States. As a result, my reading speed improved, and it inspired my daily work. Combining this new habit with TPO practice helped me significantly improve my reading section score on the TOEFL.

For the GRE, the key to preparation was mastering vocabulary and logic. Initially, I assessed my vocabulary size and found it to be around 11,000 words. Attempting a real GRE test was a complete disaster. To address the vocabulary issue, I turned to vocabulary apps. Initially, I attempted to review less than a hundred words per day, which was too slow. Following advice from study forums, I increased my daily word count to nearly 400. This process resembles machine learning; you don’t need to memorize words like cement by heart. Instead, by repeatedly reviewing them daily, your brain will automatically make the necessary memory connections.

In 2016, I faced a significant time constraint and decided to prioritize my studies. To manage my time effectively, I made some sacrifices, such as freezing my social life. I woke up at 7:00 AM, learned new vocabulary after breakfast, and engaged in exercises on the TOEFL Speaking Practice Test (TPO) until 9:00 AM. After work, I dedicated two hours each evening to studying, covering the reading and listening sections of the TPO. I meticulously checked my answers and analyzed my mistakes. By 10:30 PM, I was ready to go to bed and engage in some habit reading.

As my preparation progressed, my vocabulary expanded to 19,000 words. My TOEFL scores in reading, listening, and writing sections were almost perfect. However, I lacked a dedicated practice environment and the time required for extensive practice, which affected my preparation for the speaking section. Consequently, my speaking score reflected this deficiency.

The Personal Statement (PS) is a crucial component of graduate school applications in the Western world. I spent three weeks on it, dedicating nights and non-business days to its completion. During the drafting process, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. I found it challenging to express my true thoughts and interests. If I wasn’t interested in a particular program, I couldn’t even begin drafting the PS. On the other hand, I couldn’t stop writing for a preferred application. The only challenge I faced was managing the length of the PS. My guiding principle was to convey my genuine story and vision.

As an applicant with a product design background, I paid meticulous attention to the quality of the portfolio. I dedicated three months to meticulously curating it, reviewing all the projects I’ve participated in over the past five years. It was an extensive amount of work, requiring me to delve into the details of each project, distill the essence, and assemble them into a coherent document. During this process, I critically examined my past work from a contemporary perspective. Some projects stood out for their innovative design, while others revealed areas for improvement. Additionally, I gained a deeper understanding of the considerations and methodologies employed by my colleagues, which I had previously overlooked.

Many fellow full-time employees might wonder how I manage to juggle all these tasks. I attribute my ability to this fortunate circumstance: I live extremely close to the company. My company, Niu Technologies, even provided me with an engineering version of the N1 scooter. This convenience significantly reduces my commute time. In the morning rush hour, it takes only 7 minutes to ride my scooter to the office. If I leave the company very late, around 1:00 AM, when traffic is lighter, I can reach my apartment in just 3 minutes, assuming the traffic lights are cooperative. In contrast, most people working in Beijing and Shanghai spend a substantial 2 hours commuting daily. In some way, the time I used to spend preparing my portfolio has been saved by my Niu Scooter.

Furthermore, I’ve intentionally limited my social life this year. For instance, when an old friend from Shanghai visited me, after dinner, he suggested we meet his friend in Sanlitun, a renowned film director. However, since I was focused on learning new words, I simply drove him to Sanlitun and left.

One morning in early December 2016, I was browsing Instagram as usual when I noticed a post from UW’s MHCID program. It was titled “We welcome Michael Smith as the new director for #mhcid.” Since MHCID was on my target list, I was curious to know where Linda Wagner, the founding director, had gone. After searching, I discovered that Linda had participated in founding a brand new master program at UW called the Master of Science in Technology Innovation. After reading the program’s briefing on its website, I jumped out of bed, convinced that this was the one.

Three programs were shortlisted as potential targets.

• MSTI, Global Innovation Exchange, University of Washington
• MHCI, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
• MIIPS, Institute of Integrated Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University

The year 2016 ended with a whirlwind of work and study. By the time the new year arrived, I was frantically trying to export my portfolio file.

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2017

2017 witnessed my great shift in this year:

• I received the dreamed admission offer, came to the US to pursue a graduate degree;
• For the work: I organized the development and launch of the App 3.0 version, had it iterated for 7 times; resolved a crisis; completed the transition work;
• On the life aspect: I learned how to swim; studied the basics of sailing a boat; traveled to Datong in Shanxi Province, and Xi’an in Shaanxi Province; came to the States to start a new life.

The Road of Application – 2017

Among the three master programs mentioned, two focus on product development, while one emphasizes Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The Master of Science of Technology Innovation at the University of Washington was the first master program offered by the newly established Global Innovation Exchange (GIX). GIX was a collaborative effort between Microsoft, the University of Washington, and Tsinghua University. Its objective was to cultivate the next generation of innovation leaders by integrating education in technology, business, and design thinking to address the most challenging global issues. On the other hand, the Master of Integrated Innovation for Products & Services offered by the Institute of Integrated Innovation (III) at Carnegie Mellon University is a highly regarded master program for product development in the United States. The Master of Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute is the prestigious master program in the HCI sector.

In the latter part of the application process, I gradually understood the study orientation: to gain a deep understanding of mainstream and near-future technology, study business and product strategy-making methods, develop and manage teams, and explore design methodologies. This orientation perfectly aligned with MSTI, while MIIPS and MHCI didn’t meet my expectations. MSTI of UW and MHCI of CMU finally accepted my application. I removed MIIPS from my list due to its short 9-month duration and the prospect of months of thesis work on the Advance Study track. Additionally, their portfolio requirements were quite restrictive, limiting me to a few low-resolution pictures. UW exceeded my expectations, while CMU’s MHCI felt like a self-imposed challenge.

During the Chinese New Year, I completed all the application processes. I express my deepest gratitude to my dean at my undergraduate school and the leaders of the companies I worked for during the application material collection period. I am particularly thankful to the leader who diligently worked on the referral letter on the Lunar New Year’s Eve and the Lunar New Year’s Day, despite the fact that these were supposed to be exclusively for family time.

At the beginning of March, I received a rejection letter from the director of CMU HCII. I believe it was due to my TOEFL speaking section score, and my other materials had track codes embedded, which indicated that people at CMU never read them. By far, the MSTI was my last hope.

When March 15th arrived, which UW claimed to be the day to send admission results, nothing happened to my mailbox. I found an Indian student who was applying for the same program and told me that UW had replied that there was a technical problem causing the delay. I had a terrible night’s sleep, filled with different dreams.

The next day, after waking up, I immediately grabbed my phone to check my mail. The preview of the letter showed “Congratulations on your offer for…” It felt like a field of tulips had blossomed. Not only was I admitted to GIX, but I was also unexpectedly offered the GIX Fellowship. I had heard that scholarships is very limited to grad school students and mostly for PhDs, and I had not applied for one. It was a surprise.

I left this sentence on my WeChat “Moments” timeline later:

I AM GOING TO BE BACK ON MY TRACK AFTER A DECADE!!!

Yes, “Be Back on My Track,” the one who was once ranked both first and last, had returned.

Anecdote: At the beginning of 2017, the Computer Science & Engineering Department received a $80 million donation from Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, and was renamed the School of Paul G. Allen. Subsequently, they invited brilliant minds from Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford to join the UW CSE. Interestingly, the director who sent me the rejection letter was later revealed to be the dean of UW’s i-School from 2018.

The Job

In the first half of 2017, two projects were concurrently developed: the iteration and evolution of the Niu App 2.X and the development and launch of the App 3.0. After over six months of optimization and debugging, most design and technical issues in the App were resolved, allowing me to dedicate energy to introducing new features and making significant modifications. I had been diligently collecting and analyzing user feedback from various channels. Based on this feedback, I organized meetings within the App team to identify new features or improvements, assess the associated costs, and schedule the upcoming shipping. By this time, the team had been established for a year, the initial training period had concluded, and we had achieved higher productivity. Following the launch of the 2.0 version, the team faced criticism from users for a year due to the instability of the data source and server. However, the 2.6.0 version received unanimous positive feedback from our customers, providing a great sense of relief.

The company’s Vice President invited Ark Design in Shanghai to assist in designing the 3.0 version of the product. They believed that our long-term involvement in the project had led us to become “Subject Matter Experts (SME)” who were stuck in our existing thinking patterns. I participated in some of the discussions on the conceptual design and took charge of the landing and implementation of the conceptual design delivered by Ark. This involved tuning the conceptual design to ensure it aligned with the constraints of the users and technology. Working with Ark Design was like a refreshing experience. When I was working as a UX designer for EICO, I would approach clients’ projects like an airborne soldier, conducting user research activities and developing concept designs to help them find the right solutions to their problems. Collaborating with clients to accept consultancy services allowed me to gain a new perspective on the value of consultancy businesses. At a macro level, consultancies can introduce fresh ideas and perspectives that help businesses consider their current strategies from a new angle, especially for mature products. However, clients often have extensive knowledge and experience in specific markets. Consultancies provide a framework for understanding the business, but the accumulation of unknowns at the executive level can hinder the implementation of concepts. For instance, the App I worked on relied on nearly 200 APIs, and the details of each API, including its content, availability, and stability, had a significant impact on the features it supported. This information was only accessible to senior staff within the client company.

As the test procedures for the App 3.0 were nearing completion and its launch was expected, a crisis occurred: the company’s Apple development account was disabled.

The disabling resulted in the clearance of our App Store projects, the removal of our apps from the App Store, and the inability to recover these actions. Communication with Apple was challenging. We officially contacted them, but the operator who handled our inquiry was ambiguous, lacked the ability, and showed no intent to assist us in resolving the issue. I even wrote the Apple HQ’s appeal email address, but it went unanswered. We discovered that Apple had sent two warning emails, but they were automatically archived in my mailbox, so I wasn’t notified. Another colleague, who was authorized to receive mail, was on vacation and missed it as well. Apple nullified our account without making any calls. We still don’t know why we were banned, even today. Over 60% of our users were on the iOS platform, and the removal of our product from the App Store had a severe negative impact on our customers. As an emergency response, we decided to develop a Mini Program on the WeChat platform (the dominant instant messaging app in China, with a significant portion of the population). In the meantime, we initiated the process of registering another enterprise Apple Development Account in the name of our branch company in Shanghai. This process took only 6 hours, and we were able to finalize the design specifications. Two days later, we had a usable engineering version online. We quickly shipped the Mini Program version of our App to the market with limited resources. Weeks later, the new development account was ready, and our native iOS app was restored.

From this experience, we learned that every key factor of a product should have a clear responsible person. After this incident, we added several colleagues to the group with higher authority. We also made sure that all emails from any development platform were treated seriously.

In March, I received an offer from the University of Washington. I had planned to leave the office three months before my departure for America in early September to visit historical sites in China. However, due to the ongoing work, my colleagues expected me to complete some product requirements before my departure. Consequently, I postponed my departure to two weeks before my flight.

Over the past few months, despite the operational work, I took charge of the Internationalization work for the App 3.0 version. I also worked on the architecture of the relationship between the scooters and the users and defined some of the fundamental features for the upcoming products. In the last two months, I often stayed at the company until mid-night, analyzing requirements, working on interaction design specifications, and examining the deliverables of the visual designer.

Having worked in a startup company for two years, I was familiar with all the details and context of the product. Working closely with my colleagues for a long time, we developed trust, effective communication, and a strong rapport. I thoroughly enjoyed and cherished that period of time.

On August 15th, I resigned from my position and posted the following on my WeChat timeline:

I’ll be leaving for my hometown from the West Station on Wednesday at noon. It’s been a fortunate journey, thanks to a group of intriguing individuals who’ve helped improve our commuting experience. Initially, when I rode my engineering scooter on the open street, curious people surrounded me, asking about its price. However, now that Niu Scooters are ubiquitous in Beijing, we’ve created a new category—the Niu Scooters. It was a unique experience that profoundly changed my perspective on the world. As our team grows, I’m confident we’ll continue to deliver high-quality vehicles. As I’ve mentioned recently, it’s not just about electric bicycles or motorcycles; it’s a significant shift in human history. Electric motors will eventually replace internal combustion engines, and I’m certain Niu will emerge even stronger!

My colleague at Niu shared a link with me days ago. It was a documentary trailer titled “Innovative China.” One of the episodes featured Niu, and I even appeared in the trailer three times. I recall holding my colleague’s laptop while we discussed product requirements. It’s hard to believe that my only working image was captured in such a way.

The Life

Starting in 2017, I’ve made it a personal goal to acquire one mental and one physical skill each year. In 2016, I focused on enhancing my English proficiency, while in 2017, I challenged myself with programming and swimming.

I’ve always been fascinated by aquatic sports but never had the chance to try them. In early 2017, I enrolled in a swimming class at the Water Cube and learned the breaststroke from my coach. The Water Cube’s Henry Fok Pavilion had a warm-up pool that was half-raised with wooden structures, creating a shallow area (0.8-1.2 meters deep and 50 meters long) that was perfect for beginners. Even if you inhaled water, you could quickly get out of trouble by standing up in this shallow pool. However, the deep pool at the Water Cube required certifications, and they didn’t offer practice authorities for beginners. Since I wasn’t sure if I could swim in deep water, I decided to avoid other swimming centers.

When I arrived at the swimming pool at UW, I noticed that there was no distinction between “shallow” and “deep” pools. One side of the pool was 4 feet deep, while the other was 8 feet. There was also a diving pool in the 12-foot-deep swimming channels.

The first time I swam in the UW IMA pool, I was terrified to swim back to the 4-foot side halfway through. I noticed that the bottom of the pool was getting darker and darker. I clung to the side in front of the lifeguard for half an hour to practice water threading. After reassuring myself that I wouldn’t drown, I tried to swim to the 8-foot side and succeeded.

I’d like to share two important takeaways for learning how to swim: 1. Overcome your fear of water, and 2. Relax and swim slowly. People tend to be nervous when they’re in the water for the first time, mainly because of the unstable feeling caused by buoyancy. However, once you know how to stand up by bending your body, you can easily overcome this fear. Another fear is the depth of the water. When you see the bottom of the pool getting farther away from you, a mix of nervousness, fear of height, and a feeling of being unsafe can set in. Once you’re afraid, you might lose your rhythm and inhale water. To conquer my fear of deep water, I ventured into the 12-foot diving pool, allowing my body to freely move through the water. Upon returning to the 8-foot depth, I no longer felt apprehensive. I realized that relaxation was the key to mastering swimming. I decided to divide my 12 classes at the Water Cube into six for breaststroke and six for freestyle. Initially, I practiced under pressure, as my coach later informed me that all 12 classes were for breaststroke. Despite my efforts, I struggled to make progress and swam stressfully in the pool, especially when there was no one else present. However, when I let go and swam slowly, I managed to make it after a few strokes. This experience reminded me of a quote I had heard in high school: “Sometimes being slow is the fastest way.”

My fascination with ancient Chinese history is immense. Considering my upcoming trip to the United States, I knew that visiting Chinese cultural relics would be challenging within a limited timeframe. Consequently, I dedicated two weekends to exploring Datong in Shanxi Province and Xi’an in Shaanxi Province.

The third grotto of the Yungang Grottoes

Before the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1127-1279), China’s political and economic center was in the north. Provinces like Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, Shandong, and Hebei still have numerous relics. I chose to visit Datong, Shanxi Province, for its Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Temple, Terra Forest, and the Hanging Temple. Datong was the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty (a minor dynasty from AD 386-534). To the west of the city, on the south facade of the Wuzhou Mountains, the magnificent Yungang Grottoes were carved. These grottoes have witnessed the passage of fifteen centuries, but water penetration inside the mountain has eroded the sculptures and statues. During the Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1911), the government attempted to restore the grottoes in an unscientific manner, further damaging them by leaving hundreds of holes. On the second day, I drove to Hunyuan County to visit the Hanging Temple. Initially built in the 5th century, the current architecture was constructed during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. After driving through crosswinds and heavy rain on the mountain road, I was deeply impressed by the ancient determination and encouragement. The temple stood on steep cliffs, supported by 27 beams and dozens of tree trunk pillars. As I walked on the narrow walkway, I could see the posts supporting the beams and the cliffs below.

In July, I embarked on a four-day journey to Xi’an, exploring its rich history and architectural wonders. Among the highlights were the Bell Tower, Forest of Steles, Terra Cotta Warriors, Great Wild Goose Tower, History Museum of Shaanxi Province, and Qian Mausoleum of Tang Dynasty.

Among the ancient Chinese dynasties, the Warring State Period, Han Dynasty, and Tang Dynasty stand out to me. Their literature, calligraphy, and sculptures exude an atmosphere of openness, inclusivity, confidence, and outgoingness. Shaanxi Province, as the epicenter of these periods, has preserved a wealth of evidence.

The Forest of Steles and the History Museum left the most profound impression on me. The Forest of Steles, in particular, piqued my interest due to the legendary Six Steeds of Zhao Mausoleum. I learned about this story from a documentary film, which depicted the brothers Yan Lide and Yan Liben, renowned Chinese artists, commissioned by Emperor Taizong of Tang to create reliefs for six steeds that served Li Shih-min in crucial battles. These reliefs were erected in front of Li Shih-min’s tomb (the Zhao Mausoleum) and have stood there for over 1,300 years.

During the tumultuous Republic of China era, some of the steed reliefs were illegally smuggled, and two of them were taken to the United States (currently housed in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology). Yuan Shih-kai’s son was also involved in this illicit trade. Upon learning that the remaining four steed reliefs were kept at the Museum of Steles Forest, I decided to visit it. The Forest Steles was a treasure trove of nation-level cultural treasures, including the Piety Stele on the Stone Base, Jingyun Bell, the Stele for the Memory of the Christian’s Propagation in China, and the Balkh Stone Horse. Numerous famous steles and carvings adorned the site. The History Museum of Shaanxi Province was even more captivating, as I had seen several of its relics featured in my textbooks. On my last day in Shaanxi, I drove alone from Xi’an to the Qian Mausoleum of the Tang Dynasty, the mausoleum of Empress Wu Zetian, the only top ruler in Chinese history. As I drove along the G70 highway, the traffic signs along the road seemed to indicate various famous ancient cities and mausoleums, making me feel like I was traveling through a space tunnel. Upon reaching the exit for the Qian Mausoleum, I turned my head to the left. It was noon, and there was a light haze in the air. I could see the outline of a gigantic mausoleum mountain, and on the other side of the site, there were two hills topped with towers. It was a scene that seemed almost surreal.

On the flight back from Xi’an, I pondered the transformation of a once open and confident nation into a closed and lagging one.

A week before departing Beijing, I visited the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall. I stayed there until the night fell, when I was the sole person in the entire section. Standing atop the Great Wall, overlooking the ancient walls covered in weeds and trees in distant ridges, which were constructed in the 16th century, I was profoundly moved by the enduring spirit of the ancient ancestors.

Study in the United States

On September 1st, I left my hometown on an ANA flight from Wuhan to Seattle (via Tokyo). When the North American continent and pinnacles of the Cascade Range appeared in my sight, I realized the new experience was really about to begin.

Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), UW’s latest institution, had not yet opened when I arrived. On September 14th, a grand opening ceremony was held. The event was attended by the presidents of the University of Washington and Tsinghua University, two former and current CEOs of Microsoft (Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella), Microsoft president Brad Smith, three governors of Washington State, the Consular in the General-Consulate of China in San Francisco, and other celebrities from the Greater Seattle Area. The first building of GIX was named the Steve Ballmer Building at the ceremony. That afternoon, I attended the Innovation Summit hosted by UW and listened to talks from industry leaders like Harry Shum.

As I learned more about GIX, I discovered that it had more ambitious goals than I had anticipated. The tech industry in the Seattle region needed another academic institution beyond the current framework of the University of Washington. This institution would be distinct from most graduate schools worldwide. It would leverage UW’s resources and collaborate with top universities globally. GIX aims to grow into a 3,000-student graduate school on the east coast of Lake Washington within the next decade. Additionally, the enterprise consortium would provide funding, advice, and research opportunities. On the opening day, GIX announced that several other universities, including EPFL, UBC, and KAIST, would join its system. Furthermore, ARM, Boeing HorizonX, Baidu, and Hainan Airlines were announced as members of the consortium.

The MSTI program’s curriculum is divided into three sectors: technology, business, and design, supported by the UW CSE School, Foster Business School, HCDE Department, and the Law School. The first quarter covers Design Thinking, Essentials of Entrepreneurship, and Interface Development. The second quarter focuses on circuits, sensors, data management, machine learning, the history of technology and hardware/software labs, and prototyping. The latter two quarters include finance and accounting, user research and evaluation, cooperative and intellectual property laws, building effective teams, management of software/hardware development, visual/industrial/interaction design studios, and a three-month launch project. The project’s success is evaluated by representatives of our sponsoring consortium.

MSTI is an intensive program. In the second week of the first quarter, we had our first overnight experience of homework. I spent the entire quarter reading tech documents, business cases, coding, drafting reports, and conducting research.

Outside of the school, GIX established a mentorship platform for us. My mentor for the first quarter was a director at PwC Seattle with extensive experience in the semiconductor and product innovation sectors. He mentored me beyond product management, focusing on developing soft skills that would help me better adapt to the culture in the US. He made me feel like a big brother.

Apart from studying subject matters, my most significant learning was the importance of communication. During the Design Thinking Studio class, I lost mutual trust with a fellow student due to communication issues, which plagued our team throughout the quarter. A disagreement over the content of my summary website revealed the root cause of all the problems. Before that moment, I had never realized the significance of communication.

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Vision for 2018

In the coming year, I aspire to develop a more efficient study method and master techniques for extracting insights using Machine Learning applied to sensor data. Simultaneously, I aim to enhance my skills in hardware/software development management and team-building.

In December 2018, I will graduate from the University of Washington. My goal is to join a leading technology company and dedicate myself to research and development for cutting-edge products. I particularly hope to make a meaningful contribution to the application and commercialization of Machine Learning technology, which aligns with my aspirations for the next five years.

Recently, I embarked on a hike along the Heather Lake Trail. As I returned to the parking lot one night, I was struck by the sheer number of stars I had never seen before. These unseen stars had been present for millions of years, and the clear sky allowed me to witness their beauty. This experience taught me that stepping into new environments enables us to discover the unseen.

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