When VU student Sia Shi first arrived in Australia from China in 2022, everything felt unfamiliar. “It felt like I had stepped into a TV show,” she says, laughing. “It was the first time I’d been to an English-speaking country.”
Even everyday conversations took some getting used to. “The accent was a shock,” she says. “Like, ‘What’s up, mate?’ It’s very funny.”
While she had strong written English, speaking confidently in day-to-day situations was much harder. “At first, real conversation — everyday speaking — that was difficult.”
At the same time, Sia was stepping into a new discipline, beginning a Master of Applied Information Technology at VU. Her background was in law and human resource management, and she had worked as a product manager in the technology sector.
“I understood the industry,” she says. “But coding was new to me.” Rather than starting from scratch, she was building on skills and experience she had developed in a different part of the technology ecosystem. The adjustment was intense.
“The beginning was the hardest,” she admits. “There was stress from language, from learning coding, from everything happening at once.”
What helped most, she says, was feeling supported early. Learning advisors supported her with academic writing and communication, while lecturers teaching through VU’s Block Model were approachable and accessible.
“I could ask them for time. I would say, ‘Can I have 30 minutes? I have questions.’ And they were always supportive.” “That kind of support gave me confidence to continue,” she says. As her confidence grew, so did her interest in research.
Within two years, Sia completed her Masters degree. Soon after graduating in 2025, she began a PhD in artificial intelligence. Research had not been part of her original plan.
But through research units and a thesis option embedded within the course, she began seeing a different pathway for herself — one that brought together technology, ethics and the questions that had interested her throughout her earlier career.
“I really liked the research,” she says. “It made me start thinking about what could come next.” Encouraged by her lecturers she began considering a future in artificial intelligence research.
“For me, it felt accessible,” she says. “It didn’t feel out of reach.” After graduating in 2025, Sia began a PhD focused on the use of AI in aged care, exploring both its potential and the ethical questions surrounding its use. “It’s not just about building a technical solution,” she says. “It’s about asking: does it create social good? Is it ethical? Is it efficient in the right way?” Her background in law, human resources and technology has shaped how she approaches the field.
“I see a problem and I want to solve it,” she says.
“But I also think about people and systems.” During her studies, Sia also became involved in student leadership and mentoring programs across the university, taking on roles including Student Ambassador, Student Life team member and IT Program Assistant.
“All of these roles gave me the opportunity to grow,” she says. “To build confidence, to learn faster.”
Through VU’s Women in Tech community, she found opportunities to connect with other students, mentor peers, and speak publicly about her experiences studying in the field.
“In my classes, maybe fewer than one-fifth of the students were women,” she says.
We need more women in these spaces. Different voices and perspectives shape how technology is built.
Most recently, Sia secured a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) Student Experience Initiative Grant to lead a project bringing together students from technology, health and community services to collaborate on solutions for the aged care sector.
“I want students to connect with industry, to hear real voices and understand real problems,” she says. “This is just the starting point.”
For Sia, learning has become less about reaching a finish line and more about continuing to build towards what comes next. “I am always learning,” she says.
“That’s the most important thing. I want to create something that helps people. To do good with technology and leadership.”