Second joining CAMPUS Asia in KAIST is one of my best campus living and studying abroad experience

Zhang Jiantao from Tokyo Institute of Technology

The motivations behind my joining 2024 KAIST CAMPUS Asia program are mainly composed of two parts. Firstly, my supervisor in KAIST, Prof. Kim, is one of the pioneering researcher in the field of fluid-structure interaction of elastic sheets, in which I have been doing my study. Participating in the program offered me an opportunity to join his lab and work under his instructions again. To be more specific, studying and working with Prof. Kim allowed me to get to know how to possess a deep and thoughtful insight into the front of the research on fluid physics and how to find the intriguing but important questions among it. Moreover, the Applied Fluid Mechanics Laboratory is known for its high-quality but productive research work. Working with the students and colleagues in the laboratory helped me unveil the mask of the management of a top-rate research group.

My second main reason for participating in the program is my curiosity about the relationships between young Korean researchers, such as newly graduated Ph.D. students, and the rapid growth of the Korean economy. Korea is one of the most developed countries in Asia, despite its small population and national area, which means a small size of domestic market, and a relative lack of natural resources, it still holds a high GDP per capita (PPP) ranking, higher than Israel and Japan. The primary contributions to the Korean economy comes from high tech manufacture, such as integrated circuits and ship industries. Seizing this change, I am trying to figure out how is the role of young researchers in the Korean economy, which may guide me to plan my future career.

The whole program last for two months, which can be seen as short, considering the normal period of a scientific project. The program itself is completely research-oriented, before which the research topic is decided based on the discussion with supervisor. In my case, the research is about the wrinkling dynamics of retracting flexible sheet on a free surface, which combines the advantage of advanced experimental measurement and visualization techniques in the Applied Fluid Mechanics Laboratory with the capability of my in-house code for simulation of fluid-structure interaction and my experience in modeling of various physical problems in this field. For students from all grades, from undergraduates to senior Ph.D., joining the program let them have access to socialize with other researches from different academia and cultural background. Except for conducting a research project during the program, it also kindly offers various approaches to the participants to get intrigued and familiarized with Korean culture. For example, it offers a free one-to-one basic Korean course once a week. Moreover, it provides a chance to travel to other places in Korea to know the local Korean life with full financial support.

There is no doubt the study of the fundamental knowledge of buckling dynamics of retracting elastic sheets on a free surface and updated scientific discoveries in the literature help progress my research. Besides that, I have known much interesting facts or phenomena about the education system and new graduate job marketing information, which broadens my sights on a multiculturalism and may also holds an effect on my decision on future path options. As I have heard before I visited Korea, the whole of Korea values the significance of education. It is reflected not only by its fierce competition in selection in the educational system but also in the high quality of students produced by this system. The students shows good level of physical and mathematical skills and English communication, which are all the prerequisites for scientific research. In graduate schools in both China and Korea, it seems that universities take on more responsibilities of research which generates new knowledge instead of education where old knowledge is taught. Regarding the job market of new Ph.D. graduates in STEM, there are some similarities and dissimilarities between the three countries, China, Japan, and Korea, in East Asia that in recent years both industries of information technology and consulting have become the prior choice for new graduate in Japan and Korea while in China manufacture in electronic devices and electric vehicle is their option. On the other hand, there is no attraction in salary in Japanese companies that Ph.D. employees are treated the same as employees who only have Master's degrees while Ph.D. graduate has earned their reputations both in payment and in fame in society.

The part of the program that I like most is the fruitful preparation of all events during my stay in the program and its special organization with humanity and personal style. Several different events were arranged throughout the whole duration of the program, they brought much more tastes and flavors in the campus life apart from the sole research life. Otherwise, it could just be as same as before the exchange program that only the place of the conduction of research is changed. Moreover, it is sincerely grateful that the Campus Asia office and the coordinator put invaluable effort and energy into the organization of the event with a warm, comfortable, and interesting atmosphere. All the events could have just been like a routine without any feeling, it is because of the meticulous preparation from the office where the connections between people were seen everywhere that made all the segments so different and unforgettable. This is exactly the reason I like and enjoy the whole program.

The establishment of connections and collaboration between me and Prof. Kim in the Applied Fluid Mechanics Laboratory through this program guided me into a new research field of wrinkling dynamics of elastic sheets floating on compliant substrates which is novel and intriguing. Through this program, I intimately appreciate the strengths and advantages of research and development both in academia and industries which make Korea an appealing destination to seek future career potentially.