On the afternoon of July 5, the Micro Wind Turbine Fabrication and Testing Project was officially launched in Room S311 of the Clean Energy Building. Dr. Georgios Karalis, European supervisor of ICARE, together with Chinese supervisors Li Xuemin and Shan Feng, provided guidance throughout the activity, with more than 30 Chinese and international faculty and students taking part.

At the project kick-off meeting, Dr. Georgios Karalis briefed the participants on the practical tasks, timelines and expected outcomes of this wind-energy project. He encouraged students from different countries to form cross-cultural teams and translate theoretical knowledge into hands-on practice.

Subsequently, hands-on fabrication and testing sessions for the group projects were carried out on July 11 and 13 under the supervision of Prof. Shan Feng and Li Xuemin. The two instructors provided detailed guidance and explanations on operational essentials and theoretical aspects throughout the practical work. After each group completed its initial wind-turbine prototype, they conducted one-to-one optimization reviews of every model across multiple dimensions, including structural design, wind-energy utilization efficiency and real-world testing performance. They helped students refine their fabrication logic, correct design deviations, fine-tune prototype details and address practical challenges encountered during the activity.

On the morning of July 15, following collaborative prototyping in groups and multiple rounds of tutor-led optimization, all teams proceeded to the final prototype testing and results-summary session. The wind-turbine models submitted by each group were placed under identical experimental conditions. With a constant wind speed maintained, the wind-energy conversion rate of every prototype was tested and recorded individually, providing objective and accurate data for the final evaluation.

This activity not only helped international participants gain a better understanding of HUST’s research strengths in energy disciplines, but also laid a solid foundation for cross-cultural teamwork in subsequent summer school projects. Chinese and international students demonstrated strong engagement and provided positive feedback, fulfilling the dual objectives of academic exchange and cultural integration.