Please introduce yourself briefly: Who are you, where did you originally come from, what are you studying, and which university did you attend in China?
My name is Laura and I am originally from a beautiful Catalan city between Barcelona and France called Girona. I am currently studying the Master’s of Subsurface Engineering, and I had the opportunity to attend a two-week summer programme at Tongji University, Shanghai.

What motivated you to spend a summer programme in China? 
In early June, I received an email inviting students to apply for the ILEE Summer Programme on “Resilience and AI-Empowered Earthquake Engineering”, which was taking place at Tongji
University in July. Two key factors motivated me to apply: the topic itself, and my longstanding passion for China. Having studied and worked in Europe, where earthquake engineering is usually not a primary focus, my knowledge of the field was limited. However, in today’s globalized world, where projects might be designed on one side of the world and built on the other, I found it crucial to have a minimum understanding of earthquake engineering. For this reason, I was eager to learn more about it, specially given the resilience focus of the programme. On the other hand, since learning Chinese in my high school years, China has always held a special place in my heart. I have a deep appreciation for its culture, language and people, so I could not miss a chance to go back.

What was your typical day at university in China like? Were there any major differences compared to studying here?
There wasn’t really a “typical” day, every day was different there. Nevertheless, the programme had two main types of days which were alternating: the lecture days and the excursion days. On the lecture days, we had two 1-hour classes in the morning, with half an hour break in between, and two after lunch, also with a 30min break in between. On excursion days, the schedule was less predictable as it depended on the activities programmed for the day. Those days were generally longer and included visits to the the university’s facilities in different campuses, as well as visits to companies and ongoing projects.

Which courses or lectures did you particularly enjoy – and why?
From the lecture days, I really enjoyed the classes from Professor Tony T.Y. Yang, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His lectures and the work that he and his team are doing were truly motivating. They develop cutting-edge IA technologies, not just for seismic design but also for construction in general. From his lectures, I gained a completely different perspective on research, as their approach is not solely about studying a subject but inventing systems and technologies that are then implemented in real-world projects and adopted by the industry. This practical perspective on research was truly inspiring. On the other side, from the excursion days, I really enjoyed visiting the Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, both at the Siping and Jiading Campuses. The facilities there are absolutely mind-blowing: ranging from wind tunnel rooms, where they test structural models against wind forces, to machines designed to simulate tornados, facilities to recreate sea waves, and the famous multi-functional shaking tables, one of the largest and most capable systems in the world.

How did you find leisure activities in the city or on campus?
Shanghai is a very dynamic and diverse city, a mix of history and tradition with technology and modernity. The city has so much to offer, and the transportation is so great, that there is no
time to get bored, there is something for everyone’s taste. The campus itself has numerous facilities such as a football pitches, tennis courts, an activity centre, and even a swimming pool!

How did your stay influence your view of your field of study or your future plans?
My stay at Tongji influenced my perspective of my field of study considerably. Thanks to everything I learnt there, I became very interested in earthquake engineering, especially in the effects of seismic activity on underground structures such as tunnels. In the future, I would love learning more about it and I plan on taking subjects tackling the topic in the upcoming semester. 

What have you personally gained – in terms of new perspectives, skills, or memories?
I had the privilege of learning from some of the most relevant experts in earthquake engineering, and I gained a lot of knowledge on a topic that was previously quite unknown to me. Additionally, it opened the doors to future collaborations, and it gave me a whole new perspective on the ways of conducting research and the incredible impact science can have on the society.

What advice would you give to other students who are considering spending a stay abroad in China?
I would definitely encourage them to learn some Chinese beforehand, even if just a little. I did not experience any issues as I can communicate in Chinese, however, some of my classmates
did have a hard time outside the classrooms. Even though the professors do speak English, the rest of employees on campus such as the gate keepers, the canteen personnel, and also the people outside the university do not necessarily have English language skills.

Why would you recommend others to definitely take advantage of this opportunity?
China is an amazing country, rich in culture, history, food, but also knowledge. The level of knowledge and facilities that they have there is something else. For this reason, I would
recommend to anyone willing to get inspired and expand their horizon to take advantage of the opportunity and go there.