Attending the most prestigious conference in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (CHI) for the first time was indeed a great experience for me from the following perspectives. It was a great opportunity for me to meet with the pioneers in this field, talk to them face-to-face about their research, and ask for their feedback on my research project. They were very helpful and gave me great feedback on my on going research, and suggestions to improve it. I was also inspired by their research and learn to look at problems differently. In addition, I met with many international students and became friends with them. We were mostly discussed about our research and came up with new ideas. I also found collaborators for my next research project. Moreover, I got the chance to meet with companies’ representatives and exchange contacts and information for future.
Going to Seoul was a whole new experience for me. I was inspired by their culture and overall the design of the city. The way they paid attention to every detail for designing their city was amazing. It helped me to come up with new ideas for my research. People were also friendly and helpful, even though we did not share a common language.
In summary, attending this conference created new professional and social opportunities for me. It gave me confidence that my work matters, and inspired me to focus more on my research. All of this would not be happening if I did not get the ACM-W scholarship. Therefore, I would like to thank you for giving me the chance to experience this journey.