I'm professor from university in the field of Chemistry Engineering, and I'm now doing part-time R&D in China.

I'd like to share a few things that stood out to me.

First, what cross-border collaboration actually looks like.

I had collaborated with Chinese companies and universities before—co-authored a few papers, made some mutual visits. At the time, I thought cross-border collaboration was fairly straightforward: video calls, data sharing, distance didn't seem like much of an issue. But when I actually joined a Chinese team on a part-time basis through this Plan, I found there was some adjustment needed—mainly around communication styles and work habits. For example, the pace of work is a bit different on each side. In the early stages, I had to double-check timelines and expectations more often than I was used to. That said, the adjustment period was shorter than I expected. After a few rounds of collaboration, we understood each other's habits and things became smooth. It's just a normal part of any international collaboration—not a big deal.

Second, the document preparation went more smoothly than I expected.

Li Xin gave me a clear checklist and told me there was no rush—I could take my time. She also mentioned that the more thoroughly I could prepare my materials, the stronger my application would be (though that was her speculation; she just wanted to do her job well). She first contacted me in September 2023 and told me I could apply for the 2024 Plan cycle, so I had several months to get everything ready. After I sent her the compiled materials, she replied to me very quickly, hoping that I would supplement some documents and explain the reason.She's really meticulous about her work, and I genuinely appreciate her professionalism.

Third, the pace of part-time work.

I'll be honest—I used to think part-time would be more relaxed. But in practice, I found that Chinese teams are very driven. Everyone has clear goals and moves fast, which I actually found motivating. During technical problem-solving phases, it does get busier than usual, but that's normal for anyone in research. What's more, the team is highly collaborative. When I'm remote in Canada, they often stay late to accommodate my time zone, and we support each other. Taking a technical challenge from discussion to a working solution—that process itself is one of the most exciting parts of this field.

Fourth, daily life adaptation was quicker than I expected.

Before going, I had some concerns—language, food, transportation, mobile payments—all quite different from what I'm used to in Canada. But once I actually got there, I found that everyday things are surprisingly easy to pick up. The first couple of trips required some getting used to, but it was actually enjoyable—like learning new skills one after another. Now I'm quite comfortable using my phone for most daily tasks, and I can settle in quickly each time I visit. The local talent office also made thorough arrangements and helped coordinate many practical details in advance, which saved me a lot of effort. Li Xin was also a great help throughout this process.

Overall, I have no regrets about this decision.

The work I'm doing in China has broader application scenarios and more opportunities to test ideas. And the things we develop there are much more likely to be put to actual use than what I was doing back in Canada. For someone in applied chemistry, that's the most tangible reward you can ask for.