I attended the Imperial – Tsinghua Global Fellows Programme 2018 in Beijing with the theme of Climate Change and Energy. The program was followed by a research placement in Tsinghua University. My research placement took place in the department of Hydraulic engineering. The team that I worked with focusses on natural hazards and disaster monitoring and radar remote sensing of multiple hydrologic phenomena. During my visit, I worked with a professor and three post-docs from the department to understand their research, explain my research and explore the possibility of collaboration. The team was keen to assist with any difficulty I might face in terms of reaching different facilities, accessing databases or in communication. It was a great opportunity for me to think about my research from a different perspective and consider the ideas and feedback of others.
Besides the research visit, there was plenty of time for me and my colleagues to discover the Chinese culture and enjoy the city. Beijing is rich in historical sites which each have deep and ancient histories. We were also lucky enough to be located on the Tsinghua campus which is a lovely and vibrant campus with many sport amenities, loads of restaurants, shops and even museums. As we expected, English is not common in China which created some difficulties in travelling, navigating and communicating in the city. However, Tsinghua students were able to speak English and were very kind to offer their help whenever we needed. In fact, the social atmosphere that existed between Imperial and Tsinghua students was a vital element of the program. I believe therefore that every Imperial PhD student should consider the Global Fellows Programme as a memorable and valuable part of their PhD journey!
"It was a great opportunity for me to think about my research from a different perspective and consider the ideas and feedback of others."