I came to China for the first time in July 2019 for a collaborative visit to meet Professor Gu Minfeng at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). As I expected, my two-week visit was pleasant and fruitful. Later that same year I applied for the CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI) with Professor Gu and was very excited when I received the prestigious fellowship from CAS. I moved to Shanghai in December 2019.

During my postdoc period at CAS’s SHAO, I had the opportunity to continue my research and expand my knowledge on AGN astronomy. I am thankful to Professor Gu for his support and for all the insightful discussions that helped me improve my research. He was incredibly kind and helped me expand my professional network with other Chinese researchers and institutes. I am also grateful to my other Chinese and international colleagues who made my tenure interesting and meaningful. The accommodation inside the campus provided by the institute was very convenient, for both my work and personal life. I would like to specially thank the staff of SHAO, who expertly handled the affairs of foreign employees. They were very supportive and helpful.

Shanghai is a vibrant city and one can always find something new and exciting here to do. The city has many museums, art centers, international restaurants, huge shopping malls and an excellently developed transport system. Thanks to long Chinese holidays, I had the opportunity to explore many places and experience local culture and Chinese food. Walking along the Great Wall of China in the autumn sun, the mesmerizing beauty of North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, hiking to the Huangshan Mountain are some of those memories that I will always cherish.

The PIFI fellowship gave me a great opportunity to establish a strong network with Chinese researchers and also, to make some good friends. I look forward to collaborating with CAS in the future.

Source: Nibedita Kalita,

Shanghai Astronomical Observatory,

Chinese Academy of Sciences