26 newly-enrolled doctoral students from 17 PhD programs across 7 NYU schools attended the 2025 First-Year Doctoral Summer Camp at NYU Shanghai on July 12. The annual event helps newly enrolled doctoral students prepare for the PhD journey and connect with peers through icebreaker games, alumni sharing sessions, and other activities.
NYU Shanghai, which has 78 students enrolled in its 11 doctoral programs, offers an international learning environment and cross-cultural exchange opportunities. Incoming PhD students begin their coursework in New York, then transition to Shanghai to conduct research under the guidance of NYU Shanghai faculty. The summer camp fosters international cross-disciplinary connections, laying a strong foundation for their academic and personal development and preparing students for their journey to New York.
The students were warmly welcomed over video conferencing by Pierre Tarrès, NYU Shanghai’s Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Director of PhD Programs, and Elise Capella, Vice Provost for University-wide Initiatives and Graduate Education at NYU. The two encouraged the students to take full advantage of the global opportunities that NYU network offers and seek support from their community throughout their journey.
PhD alumni were also on hand to share their personal journeys and answer questions. Shen Yiqiu and Yukina Zhang, both recipients of NYU’s University-Wide Outstanding Dissertation Award, shared valuable insights and advice about navigating the PhD journey.
Shen, who received his PhD in Data Science from NYU in 2023 and now works at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, advised the incoming students to use their PhD to build connections and collaborate with their peers. “Choose your research direction carefully, focus on work that has real impact, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or build the team you need,” he told them. “This path isn’t just about technical skill - it’s about learning to solve meaningful problems with others.”
Yukina Zhang, who received her PhD from the NYU Institute for the Study of the Ancient World in 2024 and now teaches Asian art at Davidson College, encouraged the students to seek inspiration and build connections in the city beyond campus.
Assistant Director of PhD Programs at NYU Shanghai Lu Congyi also facilitated a panel discussion of current PhD students, who discussed topics such as defining student success and making the most of PhD experience.
Yeji Choi, who will join the joint PhD program in Public Administration offered by NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and NYU Shanghai, flew from South Korea to participate in the summer camp. She said she appreciated hearing directly from alumni and current students about navigating the PhD experience.
“The advice to ‘take care of your mind as much as your work’ especially struck a chord with me,” she said. “It reminded me that this journey isn’t just about who I become as a scholar, but also who I become as a person.”
Nolan Dong, who will join NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s PhD program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, also said he gained a lot from his peers. “I really enjoy every part of the PhD summer camp,” he said. “I learned how to better prepare for the PhD journey through communicating with my peers. The event also helped us build a sense of belonging.”
Choi said that meeting the other incoming PhD students got her excited about taking the next step. “Despite our diverse academic backgrounds, we were all in the same place, about to take the same leap,” she said. “That created a beautiful sense of unity.”