Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Thesis Advisory Meeting last August 2, 2025
Quick recap
The meeting began with Jen congratulating participants on their timely concept note submissions and outlining key graduation requirements and timelines for upcoming activities including proposal preparation. Jen emphasized the importance of academic writing and research skills, providing detailed guidance on structuring academic papers, presenting data effectively, and connecting research objectives to results. The session concluded with discussions on thesis proposal finalization, team coordination, and task management, with Jen expressing her commitment to supporting the team's development.
Next steps
All students to read and gather literature daily for 30 minutes to 1 hour
All students to avoid social media distractions during thesis preparation
All students to start data gathering and catalog survey from August 1st
All students to prepare 10-slide PowerPoint presentations for proposal defense
All students to write abstracts connecting problem, method, and results
All students to write coherent paragraphs connecting background, rationale, and literature review
All students to include theoretical framework and conceptual diagram
All students to write results and discussion connecting to objectives
All students to write summary, implications, and recommendations sections
Summary
Graduation Journey and Proposal Timeline
Jen welcomed the participants and congratulated them for submitting their concept notes on time, emphasizing that it marks the beginning of their journey towards graduation. She outlined the main goal of completing all tasks on time to graduate, and discussed the timeline for upcoming activities, including proposal preparation and submission deadlines. Jen encouraged the group to contribute 30 minutes daily towards achieving their weekly targets, aiming to submit proposals by November, well ahead of the December deadline.
Academic Research and Thesis Planning
Jen discussed the importance of reading and writing in academic research, encouraging students to allocate time for meaningful activities like reading literature instead of social media. She outlined a timeline for thesis preparation, with August set as the month to start gathering data and writing concept notes, aiming for a completed proposal by September. Jen also planned to conduct a workshop on effective presentation skills, drawing parallels between public speaking and thesis defense. The group agreed on the proposed timeline, and Jen congratulated them on their improved proactive attitude.
Academic Paper Structure Guidance
Jen provided guidance on structuring academic papers, focusing on the abstract, background, and rationale sections. She emphasized the importance of coherence and cohesion in writing, suggesting a subject-object sentence pattern to connect ideas smoothly. Jen also discussed the need to connect the rationale to the background and highlighted the significance of addressing research gaps and proposing solutions. She advised students to review published papers for structure and content, and to clearly state the study's objectives and contributions.
Academic Paper Writing Guidelines
Jen discussed the structure and organization of academic papers, emphasizing the importance of clearly defining research gaps and contributions. She advised on how to present methods, results, and discussions in a logical sequence, with a focus on connecting objectives to results. Jen also suggested using tables and summaries to enhance readability, and provided guidance on describing figures and conclusions concisely.
Data Presentation and Analysis Techniques
Jen discussed techniques for describing trends and presenting numerical data, emphasizing the use of varied vocabulary and adverbs to enhance clarity and avoid plagiarism. She provided tips on interpreting graphs, summarizing data, and writing conclusions, including the importance of summarizing objectives, reflecting on study goals, and highlighting the significance of findings. Jen also advised on structuring recommendations and areas for further research, stressing the need to avoid introducing new information in the conclusion.
Thesis Proposal Finalization Discussion
Jen discussed the need to finalize a thesis proposal by the end of August and provided a template to ensure unnecessary parts are removed. She emphasized the importance of originality and proper referencing in academic work. The group also talked about scheduling and managing tasks, including using Google Sheets for tracking progress.
Project Updates and Team Coordination
The meeting focused on project updates and team coordination, with Jen emphasizing the need for timely progress and documentation. Team members provided updates on their tasks, and Jen encouraged collaboration and continuous improvement. The group discussed upcoming deadlines and the importance of maintaining momentum, with Jen expressing her commitment to supporting the team's development.
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Monday, July 28, 2025
Finding the light from darkness
When was the darkest moment of your life? How did you overcome that situation? How long have you been in the light?
Our lives are full of challenges and heartaches. Sometimes we are at the zenith of growth, and afterwards we stumble and fall deep into the ground. At the lowest point in our lives, we thought that there was no hope anymore.
I remembered the time when I was so down. In 2008, my grandmother died, and I also knew that I was pregnant. I was so ashamed of myself. I just graduated, and I failed my family. I was not able to give them the life they truly deserve. I got married early and had three kids. It wasn't easy to have a family at a young age of 22 years old. I received a lot of judgment from my family and friends. I was a failure. I was ashamed of myself. I was in darkness.
As I ponder the word of God from the bible, I realize that it gave me hope and meaning. I slowly redeemed myself. I ignored criticisms and harsh judgments from people. I focused on my family. I need to work hard and have some side hustles. I graduated with my master's in 2014. I was promoted to Associate Professor IV with a salary grade of 22 in government service in 2023. And now, I will graduate with my doctorate abroad on August 29, 2025. After 17 years of struggle, I was slowly seeing the light.
From darkness to light, only God gave me the right direction. There are times when I doubt myself about whether I can do enormous things. But I never doubted the power of God to do marvelous things in my life. I was able to find meaning and purpose with the Lord. I read His word, meditate on it daily, and apply it.
You could redeem yourself from darkness and experience the infinite light from above. It is never too late to find the light you want. The answer is Jesus Christ! Accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and you will experience the true meaning of life!
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Monday, July 21, 2025
Road to PhD Graduation: We already submitted our Dissertation Copies at the Library
With my Fellow HEAT Program PhD Scholars
With my fellow Pinoy Scholars
Me at the Kangwon National University Central Library
2025 Econometric Society Asian Summer School in Econometrics and Statistics , July 14-20, 2025, at Xiamen University, China
The Econometric Society has organized the 2025 Asian Summer School in Econometrics and Statistics at Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, last July 14-20, 2025. The Summer School is a collaborative effort by the following prestigious institutions:
- Paula and Gregory Chow Institute for Studies in Economics, Xiamen University
- Center for Forecasting Science, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Institute for Advanced Economic Research, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
The program is primarily aimed at young faculty members and Ph.D. students in related fields. Lectures was held in person.
Invited Speakers (in Alphabetical Order)
• Jiancheng Jiang, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• Vadim Marmer, University of British Columbia
• Hyungsik Roger Moon, University of Southern California Dornsife
• Whitney Newey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Shuping Shi, Macquarie University
• Zhijie Xiao, Boston College
• Cindy Yu, Iowa State University
All lectures were conducted in English. The topics covered , time series econometrics, panel data analysis, machine learning, and causal inference. In addition to the lectures, workshops were organized, where a selected group of students presented their research in English.
Day 1 - July 14, 2025
Functional Dependence and Functional Time Series Analysis by Prof. Zhijie Xiao, Boston College
Day 2 - July 15, 2025
Functional Dependence and Functional Time Series Analysis by Prof. Zhijie Xiao, Boston College
Day 5 - July 18, 2025
My first international summer school at Xiamen University, China
I was fortunate to be accepted at the 2025 Econometrics Society Asian Summer School of Econometrics and Statistics. I am grateful for the support of my Supervisors, Prof. Yoonsuk Lee and the Higher Education for ASEAN Talent (HEAT) Program for sponsoring my trip.
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