A Conversation With...
Dr. Long-zhuang Li

Q: Where did you grow up and how did you get here, (A&M-CC)?

A: I’m originally from Xian, China. I studied for 4 years to receive my BA in Computer Engineering; then another 3 years to receive my MA in Electrical Engineering. I came to the United States to work on my Ph.D., which I received from Missouri @ Columbia. I have a wife and we just had our first baby, a girl. I also have two older brothers and two older sisters. My immediate family came here, Texas A & M University- Corpus Christi (TAMUCC), in the fall of 2002, so we haven’t been here that
long, but we love it here.

Q: What motivates you and has helped you become who you are today?

A: Personally, I got great help and encouragement from my parents. Besides, I really enjoyed going to school and I like to study and do research. Those are the things that keep me motivated.

Q: What makes you passionate about your field and teaching students?

A: Even when I was young, I respected teachers. In China, the salary is low but the teachers work very, very hard to make sure we learn. I knew back then that I was going to be a teacher. However, I like the University level of teaching. What keeps me passionate is remembering the teachers from China and how I want my students to take away something they’ve learned from the class. I want them to grasp concepts from the class that they’ll remember long after they’ve graduated, and perhaps remember me.

Q: What course(s) are your favorite to teach?

A: Sometimes this changes for me, but right now, it’s Intro to Database, because in this class the students study hard. I really enjoy this class.

Q: What co-curricular activities are you involved in, and how can students become involved with you in those activities?

A: The example I have of this is that I’m helping a group of students as they work on projects (i.e. grader database), from another class. I meet with them once every two weeks.In the summer I advise freshmen in the orientation process and I’m a faculty mentor.

Q: Outside of TAMUCC, what extracurricular activities are you involved in; what do you do for fun?

A: The Baptist Church that we go to is an activity that I enjoy. They’re getting ready to have their first Chinese language class. We also enjoy walking, going to the beach and fishing.

Q: Who inspired you the most or had the greatest impact during your collegiate experience which directed you to your field of study?

A: My advisors; the ones I had while working on both my Masters and Ph.D. degrees. We would meet an hour each day per week. He would give me some research to do and we would discuss it. As a matter of fact, we discuss a lot of things, even our personal lives. We were like brothers, even though there was a big age difference. He was older than me.

Q: What is your greatest achievement and whom do you attribute this to?

A: I don’t have a great achievement yet; I’m still working on that. However, I do consider finishing my Ph.D. an accomplishment.

Q: What question does the study of Computer Science Technology attempt to answer?

A: Computer Science can help you with so many things. Computers help you with valuable information that you can use everyday in the real world. It helps clear up many questions in our everyday lives. Computers simply make our life better.

Q: Wouldn’t be caught dead wearing?

A: Ladies clothing