Briefings in XMUM

This week, I had briefings at Xiamen University Malaysia since I am joining their Physics Department and classes will start next week. The briefings are meant to help us (new recruits) to understand the system that they had there. One important thing that I need to really do quite fast is to make a course request for the moodle platform. But let me backtrack before to the point where I need to find the lecture theatre where the briefings are made. I met a Muslim lady at the International Students Office and asked where the lecture theatre is. She showed me where it was. I took the opportunity to ask her whether there is a surau (prayers place) there. She told me it is on the third floor where the swimming pool is.

Here is the picture of the lecture theatre where the briefings were made. 

As I waited for the briefings to start, I got a nice surprise meeting my former UPM colleague, Dr. Zulkifly Abbas. Apparently, he has already been in Xiamen since last semester (I did not know this and he was quiet about it) and he is a full-time staff in the School of Electrical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence (you can see his name here). Took a snapshot while we were there.

Dr. Zul brought me around to see the Block A buildings where I will be teaching and the library is. I signed my contract at the Human Resource Department there. There is a lot to be done. Given that I'm a part-time staff, I do not have a staff card and each time I have a lecture, I need to get a temporary staff card for use (the facility has a smart card slot to get the system running) in the lecture theatre. After visiting the Block A buildings, Dr. Zul bought me lunch at Kota Warisan nearby.

Later in the afternoon, there was another briefing on Moodle. Received a message then from Dr. Siti Khadijah who was the lab officer there (I guess Dr. Zul informed her of my presence), saying that she was a former UPM student. She told me that they have got some (shared) space in Block A4 for me to do work. I told her that I will try to see her tomorrow since the briefing on that day will only be in the afternoon.

Thus, yesterday I went to see where the Department of Physics is. Met Dr. Siti Khadijah and she showed me where my 'office' is. I'll be sharing the space with her and Dr. Zaidan. Apparently, Dr. Zaidan, who taught Astronomy last semester, returned to teach again this semester. I met Dr. Lim Yen Kheng there. Both him and Dr. Siti Khadijah brought me around to see the department and labs. Met Prof. Teo Lee Peng in the corridor and converse a little.

In the afternoon, it was a briefing by the Vice President, Prof. Zhang Ying and the Academic Affairs Department. All new staff were introduced at the briefing.

After the briefing, met Dr. Peter Zeiner (Head of Maths Department) and we talked about the close collaboration between Physics and Mathematics, which I do look forward to. I have yet to meet Prof. Ong Chong Kim, who is the head of Physics Department since he was not there - should make it a point to meet him sometime next week. Also met Dr. Zaidan and Dr. Zul who were also there at the briefing.

There's a bit of anxiety starting a new job but I do need a change of environment. I hope I can fit in well and perhaps contribute to the university. I already know that students of my class are the bright ones and I hope my teaching goes well. Later in the evening, met Syed Hasibul Hassan Chowdhury online with his student to discuss possible research project. So I guess I'm back to my 'normal' days.