First UK-Korea Student Exchange, 19th - 23rd November 2012

The Centre for Plastic Electronics hosted 9 Korean students from KAIST and Seoul National University for the inaugural UK-Korea student exchange

In late November 2012 Imperial College hosted 9 Korean students from the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Seoul National University for the inaugural UK-Korea student exchange. A week of lab tours, plastic electronic seminars and Korean bars in Soho: this trip was the beginning of many great academic partnerships and making of new friends. Meeting Donal Bradley within hours of reaching the Imperial campus was like landing in America to an address by Obama for these lucky students. After two days of lab tours of the Chemistry, Physics and Materials departments (who wowed with their Titan TEM) the students headed for an Advanced Molecular Simulation course with Professor Jenny Nelson. Our guests were so impressed with the endless list of notable researchers that they were meeting; it made you truly proud to be part of the Centre for Plastic Electronics. The lab tours also roused exciting discussion on the UK’s approach to science, where discussion and fundamental understanding are of the upmost importance, in comparison to Korea where impressive numbers get you recognition. After a tour of Imperial, including the extraordinary climb up the Queen’s tower, the students met with a group of Korean students at Imperial for an exchange of notes on experiences of studying in London. We all visited the National Physics Laboratory (NPL) where the extensive equipment list and exciting scientists inspired many questions from our visitors, and their Imperial College counterparts. It was really brilliant to see the students consider what they could take away from their visit for use in their own work; whether it was an e-mail address for future collaboration, a spectroscopic technique or a new way to think about a problem.  On the final day of the trip our new friends presented us with their work in a seminar open to all of the CPE members. You’d think half-an-hour to an open floor filled with the big names of the CPE and their students would be daunting, but the Koreans had such interesting data, perfect English and strong similarities to our own work the day flew by. The day ended with a CPE poster session (featuring mandatory Imperial College brand wine) where IC students got to show the guests how we approached Organic Electronics in the UK. During the exchange the Korean’s wowed us with their dedication to London exploration; going to an Arsenal match (not many Londoners can even claim this!), a musical and eating fish and chips in Borough Market.