Australia, BSc Chemistry, FHNW School of Life Sciences

What made you decide, what motivated you to go abroad?
I’ve always wanted to go abroad, travel, and see other countries. Combining this with my studies was the perfect opportunity.

Why did you choose your host institution/country?
I’ve always loved Australia and wanted to come back (as I’ve already been in Australia a few years ago). Additionally, Monash University is a high ranked University worldwide and offers nice projects for bachelor’s and master’s thesis.

What does a typical day at the host institution look like?
I usually bike to school. Once I’m there (around 8-9 am), I set up some reactions, and work-up and purify other reactions from the days before. I usually leave school around 6 pm. In the evenings, I cook dinner, work on my report and protocols or watch a movie on my laptop. On Fridays, we usually go to a bar and have a drink (with friends from other labs).

Tell us about your research during your residency.
My aim was the synthesis of a specific fluorophore. For that, I tried different reaction routes and optimised all the steps until I was finally able to get the desired product. The product was tested with fluorescence measurement and LCMS.

What surprised you the most about your stay abroad?
How different the labs in Australia are compared to ours at FHNW. We didn’t have much equipment, and always needed to take care of how much solvents etc. we used.

What tip would you like to give to future exchange students?
Start to plan REALLY early! Talk to the supervisor you would like to have and let him know about your plans. Apply for your visa early, plan a budget (it’s expensive to live abroad for 6 months) and what accommodation you want to have.

You have to organise everything on your own, so plan enough time and be aware that it’s a lot of effort.

What were the highlights of your stay?
I went on a 1 week holiday to Tasmania, which was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to.

Also, I really liked the students organisation which organised a lot of events like free tacos, pizza or a trivia night.