Ma Nan
Year 2013 UF Graduate
University of Melbourne, BA in Environment Science
University of Melbourne, MA in Architecture
University of Pennsylvania， PhD in Architecture
During her postgraduate studies, Ma Nan not only successfully graduated from the Graduate School of Architecture of the University of Melbourne with a high score, but also engaged in teaching and scientific research at the school, cooperating with scholars in various fields of scientific research projects, and has published journals and received several patents.
In March 2018, she received doctoral offers from the University of Melbourne in Australia, the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. In the end, he chose to study for a doctorate in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania on a full scholarship.
Now she is a researcher at the Environmental Architecture and Design Laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on building environment analysis and data-driven modeling based on human comfort and health, indoor air monitoring and ventilation control and other related building technology scientific research.
Ma:
A year and a half in the UF program was the starting point of my entire journey. The ignorant little girl packed her bags and went to Nanjing to start her days away from home. From then on, her days back home can be counted clearly. My days in the UF program in HANNU Jiangning have made me gradually become independent. Dorms, classrooms, cafeterias, playgrounds, simple but fulfilling times, it seems that the journey after that is no longer so pure. One and a half years of pure foreign language teaching in the international high school allowed me to gradually integrate into an all-English learning environment. The thesis writing methods, literature citations, etc. mentioned in the professional English course have benefited me a lot until now. At the same time, it also provides more opportunities for students who have not entered foreign universities to practice oral English.
Study in the University of Melbourne
Architecture is an inseparable place for human beings, 90% of our time is spent in the house designed by the architect, or on the way from one building to another. Architecture, in fact, has become closely related to human comfort and health. The education at the University of Melbourne revolves around the core knowledge of architecture, advocates interdisciplinary, and encourages students to become in-depth interdisciplinary research-oriented talents. It educates students that architectural design is not an instant inspiration but a pattern of long-term logical thinking ability. So, I learned the basic theory and knowledge of architectural history, architectural design, urban development planning, architectural engineering technology, etc. at the undergraduate level. I try to understand the responsibility and charm of architecture. Like the X-Y coordinates that we are familiar with, in order to have the ability and potential that others do not have, our knowledge must have both the breadth of the X-axis and the depth of the Y-axis.
Many people think that architecture is art and philosophy, and break through to imagine what space is, thinking that the ability to draw and enrich the space is what architecture is all about. But it’s not. A good design needs to do a lot of related research to position your own design. Studio almost occupies the study time of most architecture students, with high intensity, short time and high pressure. Unreasonable time management and almost perfect requirements for their own designs make many architecture students must stay up all night to produce drawings. In such environment, I have met many excellent people. I learned a lot from them and saw some qualities that I didn’t have.
Life in UoP
There is a lot of ranking data showing that the academic pressure of Penn ranks among the top universities in the United States, which is true. There is pressure and motivation, and it also motivates me to get up early and fight hard. Penn has more than 20 libraries, each with its own style and story. Penn and other Ivy League schools have sharing library system. For example, a book I saw was at Harvard University. Simply apply online and get it the next day. Doctoral students also have their own carrel, where they can put their books directly, so that they can be checked in a timely manner without worrying about the books being borrowed by others. I rarely allow myself to be idle, and I wish I could fill every time gap and be a person with a high-density life. The learning atmosphere of the school, everyone accelerated the pace of walking, which made me more convinced that I want a future that is related to beauty, and a beautiful life will never come to a thin life. What I can do is Don’t let life be lonely, fight with passion every day. I have studied architecture for many years, but doing scientific research can not only understand architecture. This is an interdisciplinary age, and failure to understand multiple fields will sooner or later be eliminated. I went to computer science to study programming, medical school to study epidemiology, engineering school to study thermodynamics…I want to be a multidisciplinary person, even if it is difficult. But if you have not passed through the long darkness and experienced hardships, you will never understand the joy of seeing the stars, and naturally you will not understand the meaning of dawn. I yearn for this kind of lively life, and the voice that boils in my soul seems to be a kind of energy, and it sounds very solid.
Words to younger alumnus
“Many people will ask me what I have gained from studying abroad? Let me tell you, the most important thing is not English or academic qualifications. For me, there are two things: “First, put me in any country, anywhere, and I can survive. Second, a luxury car and a luxury house can’t shake my willingness to take the bus every day to pursue my dreams and keep moving forward. “And I think those two are enough to benefit me for the rest of my life.