Student gets second home in Beijing

Doha Fares has fond childhood memories of Ramadan dinners held at the Chinese embassy in Cairo — long tables where Chinese diplomats and Egyptian families broke fast together, her father talking animatedly with friends he had known for decades.

Those evenings planted the seed that eventually took her 7,000 kilometers from home to begin a new chapter. Now 28, Fares is a doctoral candidate in chemical engineering at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, applying artificial intelligence to optimize industrial chemical processes.

Her connection to China is rooted in her family history. Her father spent 38 years working in public relations at the Chinese embassy in Egypt and visited China frequently.

"He always talked about how friendly the Chinese people are," Fares said. She added that her father constantly highlighted the similarities between Chinese and Egyptian cultures, noting their shared foundations as ancient civilizations and strong emphasis on family.

One story stayed with her. Fares had a brother who had a disability, and one of her father's Chinese friends went out of his way to help find medical resources. Although her brother eventually passed away, the gesture left a lasting impression on her.

When it came time for graduate studies, her father's recommendation was clear. "He knew I would be safe. He also saw the future in China," she said.

Fares was originally due to arrive in 2021 but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her by two years. She completed her master's coursework online while in Cairo and published a paper on liquefied petroleum gas separation using machine learning before beginning her doctoral research.

When she finally arrived in Beijing in March 2023, she didn't expect the chilling cold. Luckily, on her first night, a fellow student helped arrange her dormitory room, lending her a pillow, a quilt and a heavy jacket she had not thought to pack.

A more heartwarming welcome came from her father's old friend, a Chinese man she had not seen for years. He reached out immediately and has since invited her to his home for every holiday. "I hadn't seen him for 20 years, but when I saw him, I felt like I had just seen him yesterday," she said.

Fares' doctoral research is focused on implementing AI and machine learning in the chemical engineering industry. During her summer and winter programs in Shandong and Guangdong provinces, she toured laboratories and industrial facilities, observing that the equipment in China was more advanced than what she had access to in Egypt. But what surprised her most was not the technology but the work ethic. "I saw how hardworking Chinese people are. Maybe that is why China has developed so fast," Fares said. Inspired by this environment, she often stays up late in the lab herself.

The family's bond with China is expanding. Her father also encouraged her younger sister to study Chinese literature. Looking ahead, Fares hopes to work for a company with operations in both countries, allowing her to move between what she considers her two homes.

Guo Yuhe contributed to this story.