Artificial Intelligence expert Dr Susan Zhang’s bold futuristic outlook for UOW

Looking back across the last 15 years, Dr Zhang reflects that her story and the University’s are deeply intertwined.

“It’s a journey where neither is fully understood without the other, marked by shared highs and lows, opportunities and setbacks, and endless possibilities,” Dr Zhang said.   

From first stepping foot on Wollongong Campus as an international student in 2009, more than 9,000 kms away from home for the first time, to graduating with her doctorate - her third degree from UOW, and having just completed her tenure on University Council, both Dr Zhang and the University have matured a lot in their shared time together.  

“UOW and I both experienced growing pains, like the old saying ‘no pain, no gain’. But we always pick ourselves up and aim for better and higher. 

“Similar to UOW’s growth, my career trajectory isn't linear. I've made a series of choices that at first look might not be obvious, but the reward and experience gained were invaluable. The only constant in my life is change.”

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Computer Science and Software Engineering in 2010 and a Master of Information and Communication Technology in 2011, Dr Zhang helped TikTok go global from China and worked in leadership positions at Google, Canva, and Amazon in the UK and Australia.  

She is a published author, a TEDx speaker and mentor to young entrepreneurs. The diversity and intensity of her life experiences serve as a testament to the “transformative power of stepping outside one's comfort zone”.

_{Dr Susan Zhang celebrates her graduation at UOW Wollongong in 2010, 2011 and again in 2024.}

Limitless ambition

Remembering her time at UOW as one of the few female students in her software engineering cohort, Dr Zhang said she was determined to push boundaries. 

“I wanted to prove I could excel in this male-dominated class environment and later in the technology industry, especially as there were only a handful of girls in the faculty and only two others in my year. 

“As an international student I was acutely aware of my English proficiency. To push myself beyond my comfort zone, I volunteered with various student clubs, helped organise leadership conferences, and led international student trips to the Blue Mountains, Canberra, and Jervis Bay. Through these experiences, I not only improved my English but also forged lifelong friendships and developed invaluable social skills, which significantly accelerated my career.”

An entrepreneur is born

It was during Dr Zhang’s first year as an undergraduate student that she started her first business while living in Gwynneville, to pay for her international student tuition fees.  

"After scoring an 8.0 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), I found myself inundated with requests for advice from fellow international students. I began tutoring my friends, and eventually, groups of students from over 12 nationalities. Word quickly spread, and local business owners also approached me for Mandarin lessons and advice around opening businesses in China. I couldn’t cope with the growing demand; I had to scale. That was when I recognised my first entrepreneurial opportunity.”

  _{Dr Zhang's undergraduate years at UOW were spent setting up her first entrepreneurial venture that provided translation services for UOW and UOW college, and volunteering with various student clubs. Photos: supplied.}

Dr Zhang demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit by founding Dragon Translating and Interpreting Services, a company with employees in both Australia and China. Her business not only empowered students to succeed in their IELTS exams and support local businesses to make and source products from China but also secured UOW as a significant client. Her company provided years of translation services for the University and UOW College and played a key role in UOW's 2015 rebranding for the Chinese market.

Trailblazing the future

Dr Zhang is an international expert and researcher in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and currently works as the Head of Creative and EdTech, Digital Trade for the British Government, based in Sydney. She launched and led the UK Government’s pilot Future Entrepreneurs Programmes to bring trade and investment opportunities to Australia. She completed her PhD at UOW last year, receiving the Examiners’ Commendation for Outstanding Thesis and is now an Honorary Fellow in the Centre for Artificial Intelligence.  

“I believe my research can play a key part in Higher Education by harnessing the capabilities of AI-driven smart education at the intersection of Educational Technology and Campus Digitalisation.” 

For Dr Zhang, pressure is fuel and curiosity is her secret weapon. She credits these qualities as the driving forces behind her achievements as both a student and a leader.

University Council

“Having just completed my two-year term as a University Council member, my experience as an international student has given me a unique lens to view UOW through.”  

Dr Zhang admits that her tenure was a humbling experience and came at an interesting time for the tertiary sector amidst the changes to international student caps, Generative AI policy and digital transformation. 

"Think of UOW as a flagship vessel, the Wollongong campus anchoring a fleet of strategically placed outposts across the globe – India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai. It's not just sailing to nearby shores; it's establishing a powerful international presence unlike any other Australian university." 

Waiting in the wings

Since being recognised as the UOW 2021 Young Alumni Award recipient, Dr Zhang has participated in the Alumni Award Selection Committee for several years, a duty she cherishes. 

"The Chancellor, Christine McLoughlin, sparked a dream within me in 2023 after I delivered the Vote of Thanks. She said, 'one day, you will be a Chancellor'. Now, I dream of returning to UOW as Vice-Chancellor when I'm 50, making history as the first international student and Asian woman in that role. I know I have a lot to learn, but I'm determined, like always.”

_{Dr Susan Zhang delivers the Vote of Thanks during the 2023 UOW Alumni Awards Gala Dinner. Photo: supplied.}

Nothing can slow Dr Zhang down, having given birth to her second child the day after her PhD graduation in October last year, she is looking forward to the next chapter.   

“Maybe in 16 years, they'll be following in my footsteps at UOW.”