Student Networking Session at AALA 2025 Conference
The AALA Student Committee would like to invite you to the annual Student Networking Session conducted at the AALA 2025 conference. The theme of this year’s networking session is “Succeeding in Language Assessment Graduate Studies” In the session, two AALA conference student award winners will be sharing their experiences on helpful resources that can help graduate students gain knowledge and skills, stay updated on different conferences, seek awards and funding opportunities, and connect and discuss with peers or experts in the field. Further details are below:
Mode
Hybrid (Onsite & Online)
Date & Time
13:00 – 14:00, August 24, 2025
Location
Auditorium 1, Sains@USM
Speakers
Chia-Hsin Yin – AALA 2025 Best Student Paper Award Winner
Your Well-being Matters: Navigating Data Collection Challenges and Finding Balance as a Graduate Researcher
Data collection in research is rarely straightforward, often requiring persistence, flexibility, and creative problem-solving. Alongside these hurdles, the PhD journey also brings opportunities for resilience and personal growth. In this talk, I will share the challenges I encountered while carrying out my research and the strategies that helped me overcome them—such as adapting study plans, building supportive collaborations, and managing time with intention. I will also reflect on how maintaining well-being strengthened both my research and perspective. I hope these insights offer encouragement and practical takeaways for peers navigating similar paths.
Xiaoxiao Kong – AALA 2025 Best Student Paper Award Winner
Communicating with Supervisors and Award Applications: Stories and Reflections
In this presentation, I share practical strategies for making the most of supervision meetings and preparing for grant or award applications. Drawing on personal experience, I discuss how setting agendas, reframing questions, and taking ownership of meetings can facilitate effective communication with supervisors and help develop independent research capabilities. In the second part, I outline approaches to understanding and aligning with award evaluation criteria with examples from doctoral research grants and conference travel awards. Through sharing these strategies, I aim to provide fellow graduate researchers with personal perspectives on navigating two essential aspects of our PhD experience.
