Meet our graduates: Siming Chen – blending culture, policy, and sustainability for a better tomorrow

 

Growing up surrounded by the scenic mountains and flowing rivers of Hunan province in China, Siming developed a love for storytelling, a fascination with the world around her, and a desire to uncover the ‘why’ behind life's intricacies. Her professional path—spanning cross-cultural arts programs, advocacy for inclusion and sustainability, and research—eventually led her to the Crawford School, where she pursued a Master of Public Policy.

During her time at Crawford, Siming sharpened her skills and passion for governance while serving as a beloved student representative for the Department of Policy and Governance. She has built strong connections and left a lasting mark on the Crawford community. Her powerful vote of thanks at last year's student farewell event showcased both her leadership and the deep appreciation for her amongst her Crawford peers.

In her own words, Siming gives an inside look at her journey, what drew her to Crawford, and her hopes for the future.

 

Hello Siming, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Hengyang (衡阳), Hunan province (湖南省). In China, many cities have ‘yang (阳)’ in their names, which usually means it is located on the south side of the mountains. So I grew up with mountains (衡山) close by and a river (湘江) running through the city. One of my fond memories was the morning walk alongside the river on my way to primary school, seeing landing crafts and fishing boats, often just their silhouettes in the mist and the sound of their engines. After I finished a master’s degree in the UK in 2012, I moved to and settled in Shanghai, where I also call home now. Part of it was the homey feeling of strolling alongside the Huangpu River in the evening, watching bigger landing crafts passing through, and knowing the two rivers are connected.

Growing up, I’ve always been curious, wanting to know more and why, and perhaps asking too many annoying questions. I am amazed by people who know their craft and can tell their stories, whether its farmers telling how they grow food, artists talking about their journey of making their pieces, professors explaining phenomena or people sharing their lives. It is fundamentally that shared curiosity and creativity that intrigue and motivate me.

Why did you decide to study for a Master of Public Policy at the Crawford School?

A big chunk of my professional life was working on cross-culture arts programs. For seven years, I worked with artists including artists from disability communities and arts organisations on programs mainstreaming sustainability, equality and inclusion. At one point I thought that many of the issues we were grappling with were a result of policies underpinned by a particular idea. I was intrigued and wanted to know more. Coming to Crawford was an easy choice after that. I was working with the East Asia regional team on some projects and was fascinated by the different cultures and artists my regional colleagues shared, so I wanted to stay in the region to learn more about it. Crawford came across as a diverse community that offers different specialisations, which means I can learn from professors and peers. Plus, ANU has a gardening initiative, Canberra is full of nature, and I’ve always wanted to grow food and learn more about flora.

What topic area are you most interested in and why?

I studied social policy and economic policy as my specialisations. I’m interested in both as I believe the way we organise our economy has a social impact. Sometimes, a planned highway through a town would mean there is not enough space on the footpath to make it accessible for people with disabilities, while it generates economic opportunities and benefits. I wonder what influences the dynamic relationship between economic development and social commitment if that’s how we decide to understand them. This not only concerns marginalised communities but more generally whether people are motivated, valued and cared for. I wanted to learn the theories, the assumptions and the contexts to inform myself of the debates and build my understanding from there.

How would you describe your experience at Crawford?

It’s been a challenging yet rewarding journey. I have had times when I found myself not convinced by the literature but failed to come up with rebuttals to turn the table around. But those frustrations were washed away by the generosity, kindness and intellectual stimulus from the Crawford community. I know I’m not alone when I talk to my peers. I learn from discussions with professors and their feedback. I am grateful to the academic skills team for listening to many of my messy ideas and giving clear guidance. For someone like me not coming from a policy background, Crawford has provided a healthy learning environment that allows me to think more critically with care and support.

 

it would be great to see more integrated thinking in policymaking to leverage economic development to deliver social commitments, especially for communities on the margin

 

Did you participate in any of the research projects, or did you undertake an internship as part of your studies?

Not for my units. I worked in a disability peak body for a year, which gave me a real sense of on-the-ground challenges and resilience and worked as a research assistant afterwards.

Crawford is focused on ‘From local to global: a journey in public policy’. Can you share your thoughts on how your experiences in local policy issues have shaped your perspective on global policy challenges? How will this perspective guide your future endeavours in public policy? What do you think policymakers in Australia and the region should focus on?

I studied linguistics and languages before, and I remember there is this concept of untranslatability, linguistically and culturally. At first, I saw this as a limitation in understanding others. In recent years, the more I reflect on this, the more I realise that this is just a testimony of the diversity we have in this world. It also suggests to me that language is one way of understanding and there are other ways to complement the understanding through experience and senses.

 When it comes to the local and global dynamics in policy, I wonder whether local diversity could be fully explained and understood at the global level, and how relatable different global challenges are to people at the local level. My experience of working with people with disabilities in different countries and sectors showed me the very different realities and priorities in each sector, town, city and country. To address this untranslatability issue in the policy world, it is important to have long-term engagement between local and global to foster that two-way understanding, and critical to empower people and analysis on the ground. The challenge is to have institutions, formal and informal, that would make the two approaches complementary and somehow feed into each other.

On many global challenges front nowadays, we do see some tensions in governments to balance the different priorities at home and with global communities, as well as challenges manifested differently at national and local levels. Our region has great cultural diversity and countries with different levels of development. Therefore, to mobilise resources and efforts for common challenges, acknowledging the diverse priorities and being willing to engage with the different realities would be key to unpacking the local and global dynamics. In this process, it would be great to see more integrated thinking in policymaking to leverage economic development to deliver social commitments, especially for communities on the margin.

What is the most memorable experience from your time at Crawford?

This has to be food. I’m sorry that I might be a little unconventional on this front, but you probably saw this coming. I love our potluck gatherings when people bring the most authentic and flavourful homemade food, which would just make Canberrans jealous. I would also remember the conversations we had in the pantry debating issues and sharing cultures and food. We had fun!

What advice would you give to prospective students considering studying this course at Crawford?

Go through the degree specialisations list and see whether you would be able to craft a study plan that would suit your interests and stimulate you and be open to possibilities.

What’s next for you after graduation?

I’m building my research skills and plan to pursue a PhD in governance.