Article by: Liu Qicong

I nearly gave up the dream of studying abroad since I failed the examination on solar energy in the first year of graduate study. However, I was appreciated by the Chinese and foreign professors in the Workshop activities held by the Institute in February this year. As a result, I was offered with an opportunity to compete with others for the six-month internship. Finally, I was accepted by Professor Luarent Fulcheri fortunately and went to MINES Paristech in Sophia Antipolis, Southern France in May to start my long-awaited internship in France.

Sophia Antipolis is located in Antibes, a city on the French Mediterranean coast with charming scenery. Its neighboring city, Nice is the most prestigious holiday paradise in the French Riviera and it's worthy to spend vacation here. When I first arrived in France, there were two points that impressed me most. One was the scene of sea being melted into the sky. Whenever you looked up at the sky or faced the sea, you would be attracted by the clear blue. The other was the friendliness of French people. The drivers would understand your intention to cross the road, slow down and give way from a distance. And French people would like to help you to solve the problems even though they may not fluent in English.

Although the campus of MINES Paristech in Sophia Antipolis covers a small area, it has schools and labs in the fields of energy, economy and materials, etc. The PERSEE lab (Le Centre Procédés, Energies Renouvelables et Systèmes Energétiques) where I work is under the School of Energy. The plasma research team led by Professor Fulcheri is one of the most outstanding teams in the field of plasma chemistry globally. The team consists of graduate students and engineers from different countries such as France, Brazil, India and China. I am honored to join the team for study.

The science lab in MINES Paristech is equipped with efficient experiment management system and well-developed security system. The use status of experimental apparatus is clear in the appointment system. The usage and residual amount of chemicals can be updated on the Internet in real time. All of these make it convenient for arrangement of experimental plan, improving the efficiency of experiment greatly. The sealing and isolation measures, alarm and disconnection systems, etc. for the test object stand could not only prevent the instrument from being damaged and polluted, but protect the safety of experimenters.

Before experiment, I got the special safety education concerning plasma, mastered the basic knowledge of plasma chemistry by reading literature and textbooks, observed the experiments made by the Professor and senior fellow apprentice in different plasma stands and participated in the design, assembly and erection of metal stands. I tasted the fun of learning and pleaure of experiencing something new and was excited to regain the knowledge I thought I would never use again. After the theoretical study, I will begin to follow the senior fellow apprentice to erect and test the stands and carry out experiments.

I will cherish every day I study in France and I hope that I can live up to the trust of my Chinese and European Co-Supervisors and ICARE Institute to finish the research task successfully in the limited period. I also hope that more and more excellent ICARE students can have the chance to study in France and enrich their experience in the big ICARE family.