Schlagwort: ‘Molecular and Applied Biotechnology (MA)’
Researching Abroad: My 9-Month Experience in Canada
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology M.Sc.
- Canada, Edmonton
- University of Alberta
- 04/2025 – 01/2026
How It All Started – Motivation and First Steps
Having already spent time in Canada during my Bachelor’s studies in Vancouver, I initially planned to pursue my Master’s research in a different country in order to gain new perspectives and challenges. However, the long-standing partnership between RWTH Aachen and the University of Alberta (UofA) changed my plans, and the opportunity to return to Canada ultimately felt both natural and exciting. Supported by the RWTH Aachen Junior Research Fellowship and subsequently the UARE Scholarship from the UofA, I was able to complete my Master’s thesis in Edmonton. This gave me the chance to experience a completely different side of Canada compared to my earlier stay on the west coast.
Finding My Place in Edmonton – Campus
After arriving in Edmonton, I focused on settling into my accommodation, opening a bank account, and becoming familiar with the university campus. While many students go for shared flats or studio apartments, I chose to live with a host family, a rather uncommon option, but for me the best decision. Living with a local family offered valuable insights into everyday Canadian life and culture. Thanks to the UofA guidance handbook and the advisors for international students, the administrative process was surprisingly smooth. Whenever questions arose, reliable support was available. The International Office played an important role during this initial phase and throughout my stay. The staff were helpful, even beyond regular office hours, ensuring that potential issues were resolved quickly and efficiently.
©International Office
Compared to RWTH Aachen University, the campus in Edmonton felt like a small town, with its own libraries, cafés, sports facilities, and green spaces. Finding my way around this environment was an adventure itself. Over time, however, it became familiar, and certain places, such as my lab, the Student Union Building (SUB), the gym, and the swimming pool, became anchors in my daily life.
Integrating into my research group was another key step. Although English was the working language, the team was highly international, bringing together students and researchers from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. This created an open and dynamic atmosphere, while also requiring initiative and independence. Learning when to seek guidance, when to work autonomously, and how to communicate effectively in this environment became an essential part of my integration.
Learning, Struggling, Growing – My Research Experience
Working in a research laboratory at the UofA was both exciting and demanding from the very beginning. The first weeks were dedicated to orientation and training, including mandatory safety courses, laboratory inductions, and equipment certifications required before conducting independent experiments. During this period, I also familiarized myself with ongoing projects in the group, observed other students’ work and assisted in experiments. This helped me understand the broader scientific framework of our research and how individual experiments contributed to the overall goals.
After the training phase, I was given a high degree of freedom to develop my own project within the group’s overarching research goals. While this autonomy was highly motivating, it also became one of the greatest challenges of my stay. Aligning academic expectations from both Germany and Canada, establishing a realistic timeline, and coordinating communication across time zones required careful planning. Additionally, assessing available equipment and resources to design feasible experiments demanded a high degree of organization. Compared to my previous academic experiences, the level of autonomy was significantly higher. Although supervision was readily available when needed, my day-to-day progress depended largely on my own initiative, organizational skills, and problem-solving abilities.
As time passed, I learned how to manage the responsibility of working independently while seeking feedback when necessary. This balance between autonomy and guidance became one of the most valuable elements of my stay and marked a significant step in my development as an independent researcher.
Beyond the Lab – Life in Canada Outside of Work
While my research represented a significant part of my daily routine, life outside the lab was equally important to make my stay truly memorable. Spending time in nature, exploring new places, and sharing moments with friends provided a valuable balance to the intensity of academic work.
The university’s International Office organized a wide range of social and cultural events that made it easy to connect with other students and build a supportive network. One particularly enriching opportunity was joining the Language Club, which brought together students interested in practicing different languages. These informal meetings were a relaxed way to engage in cultural exchange and helped me maintain and expand my language skills while making new friends from diverse backgrounds.
Over the course of the year, I noticed seasonal differences in campus life. While the summer term was relatively quiet, the fall term brought numerous new events, student initiatives, and opportunities to join sports clubs and societies. I personally joined the university swim club, which allowed me to register as a Canadian swimmer and participate in local competitions, a fantastic experience! Beyond sports, I also found moments of balance through music. Several pianos were freely accessible across the campus, and I often used them in the early morning hours, when the university was still calm and nearly empty. Additionally, attending Edmonton Oilers ice hockey games and spending time in nature, particularly in the Canadian Rockies, were memorable experiences that balanced the intensity of my research work. The hiking trips to the Banff and Jasper National Parks with their breathtaking landscapes, were among the most impressive experiences of my stay.
©International Office
©International Office
Looking Back – What I Take With Me
Reflecting on my nine months in Canada, it’s clear how this experience shaped my academic and personal development. While my studies at RWTH Aachen provided a strong scientific foundation, my time at the University of Alberta required me to apply this knowledge in a much more independent and self-directed way. Taking responsibility for my own project, making decisions with limited guidance, and adapting to a different academic culture had a lasting impact on my approach to research. The international environment in Edmonton further broadened my perspective on collaboration and academic careers. Working alongside students and researchers from many different cultural and educational backgrounds reinforced the importance of openness, mutual respect, and diverse viewpoints in advancing research. These experiences strengthened my understanding of what it means to be part of a global research community.
For future students considering a similar path, I highly recommend pursuing international exchange opportunities. Starting the application process early, actively reaching out to supervisors, and being open to stepping outside your comfort zone are key to success. Approaching the experience with curiosity and openness will help you benefit fully from both the academic and personal dimensions of studying abroad.
For me, my time in Canada was far more than just a temporary change of location. It was a formative period that helped shape my academic interests, career aspirations, and personal outlook. The skills, experiences, and friendships I gained continue to influence my path today. I am deeply thankful for this experience.
My Internship at the University College Dublin
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology M.Sc.
- Irland, Dublin
- University College Dublin
- 04/2024 – 06/2024
Finding and Applying to an Internship
Before my stay abroad, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. However, when my girlfriend told me she was offered an internship position at a school in Dublin, my decision became clear. We decided that experiencing our internships abroad in the same city would make things easier, so I started searching for research groups in Dublin that interested me. I explored the websites of known universities, searching for researchers focused on bioprocessing, bioeconomy, and microbiology. I was particularly drawn to one research group, which aimed to utilize microalgae for the valorization of food waste. I directly applied for a three-month research internship, and after a few weeks and two Zoom calls, I was told that I could do the internship.
Accomodation and Living Expenses
Securing an affordable place to stay in Dublin was challenging. The city has a housing crisis, making flats very expensive. Student accommodations on the UCD campus were not a cheaper option, with the lowest price being 800 Euros per month for a shared room, and their application timeframes didn’t fit my schedule. Fortunately, I found a room in a shared apartment for 850 Euros per month on the website “Homestay”. At the start I was feeling very unaccustomed to living with a stranger but that feeling faded away with time when I got to know my flatmate better. The commute to the university was about 30 minutes, and a trip to the city centre took an hour. Despite living outside the city, I enjoyed the greenery, particularly Fernhill Park, which became one of my favorite spots in Dublin.
I usually did my grocery shopping after work once a week, as the smaller stores near my apartment were quite expensive. For example, cheese could cost up to 5 Euros per pack. Bulk shopping at a discount market was essential for affordable food, except for bread, which was inexpensive everywhere but of course not comparable to German bread 😉. I definitely recommend to only shop in large discounter markets in Ireland.
Everyday Live
I felt a bit nervous on my first day, but that quickly faded as I got to know the welcoming members of my research group. The lab environment and research methods were similar to those I was familiar with in Germany, which helped me settle in. Although the general approach was familiar, I still learned new laboratory techniques and tricks from my supervisor, especially regarding sterile work.
My tasks were divided between data analysis of existing literature and practical laboratory work with microalgae, known as wet-, reproducible outcomes. While there are standard practices, each lab has its own tricks lab or bench work. Working with microorganisms requires strict sterile conditions to prevent contamination and ensure predictable to maintain sterility, and I was grateful to learn new methods that were unfamiliar to me from my previous experience in German labs.
One aspect I appreciated about my work was the independence I had in deciding when and how to approach my tasks. Academics often start work later than usual, and this seemed even more common in Ireland. I typically worked from 9:30 am to 5 pm, but some colleagues started later and stayed longer.
In the evenings, I didn’t do much besides going for walks and cooking dinner, with leftovers serving as lunch the next day. Without a bike and with limited bus service in my area, my options for activities were slim. However, I eagerly looked forward to the weekends when I could explore more of Dublin and Ireland.
Free Time and Tips
Although my work group was friendly, social interactions outside work were limited to a monthly movie night. Luckily, I was part of a group of interns from the school where my girlfriend worked. Together, we made the most of our weekends by exploring Dublin’s pubs, restaurants, hiking trails, sightseeing spots, and local markets and art scenes.
Ireland’s pub culture is something special. On weekends, it’s common to go out, have a few pints, and dine at restaurants. Everyone is relaxed and enjoying the weekend atmosphere. Most pubs have live music, and the crowd cheers and sings along, creating a sense of unity and merriment that I have yet to experience in Germany. I personally loved the more traditional “Porterhouse” in the temple bar quarter but also the modern “bonobos” where tabletop games were played and who had a wide variety of all sorts of drinks. Dublin’s culinary scene is also diverse. I enjoyed Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, and occasionally Irish food.
Apart from the bustling city, I loved Ireland’s nature the most. Green hills and meadows are everywhere, often contrasted by steep cliffs overlooking the sea. I often visited the peninsula of Howth, close to Dublin, taking all my visitors there because it is a must see for everyone visiting Dublin. It is a 50-minute bus ride from Dublin city center, but only 30 minutes from my girlfriend’s place, where I stayed most weekends. Two highlights at the end of my stay were trips to Galway and Belfast, where I experienced other cities in (Northern) Ireland and took a bus tour along the coast, where I could again awe the nature and the rougher northern coast line. When traveling Ireland, I would recommend taking the train if possible. Train tickets between the big cities cost only 8 Euros and the trains are very clean and spacious making the ride very pleasant. The best thing is: while driving you can view the beautiful landscape.
Conclusion
All in all I can say my internship in Dublin was a remarkable experience, both professionally and personally. I gained research skills, made new friends and could experience the culture of Ireland first hand for 3 month. Especially living and working in a foreign country is an experience that is hard to come by easer than with an Erasmus internship. I am happy I could have that experience and I am sure I will never forget it.
My experiences in Oslo
- Molecular and Applied Biotechnology (MA)
- Norway, Oslo
- University of Oslo (UiO)
- 01/10–30/11/2022
I completed a two-month research internship at the Department of Biomaterials of the University of Oslo (UiO). In the following, I would like to tell you about my experiences before and during my stay.
Finding an internship and an accommodation
Although my home university, RWTH Aachen University, does not have an Erasmus partnership with UiO, I came into contact with the institute through my student assistant supervisor, who completed his Bachelor’s thesis there. After a lot of back and forth about the date and topic of the internship, writing a project plan and applying for accreditation of the internship at my home university, the big challenge of finding a place to live began. Unfortunately, my application for student accommodation with SiO, the student organisation in Oslo, was rejected – probably because of my short period of stay – and I had to look for accommodation on the private market. I sent many requests on finn.no and hybel.no, most of which I didn’t even get an answer to, but in the end I had found a room in a 2-person shared flat and nothing stood in the way of my internship. To get there, I decided to go green and first took the train to Copenhagen, where I had a one-day stopover, and then continued by Flixbus through Sweden to Oslo.
The internship and my working environment
My workplace was the Department of Biomaterials at the Institute of Clinical Dentistry, which is part of the University of Oslo. It was essentially a research laboratory of the dental clinic, and most of the research conducted there had to do with dental implants in the broadest sense. I was warmly welcomed and integrated into the team from day one. We were an international research group with a few Norwegians and many scientists from all over the world. Apart from me, there were two other interns, a German and an Italian, and both were Master’s students just like me.
Compared to my experiences in Germany, the hierarchies at our institute were quite low and hardly noticeable, and social interaction was very important: Not only did we have lunch together every day, but we also had many nice conversations, especially on the days when someone had brought a cake or something typical from their home country after visiting or receiving visitors. Sometimes we also organised social events – for example, an international lunch on United Nations Day on 24 October: Everyone was assigned a country from which they had to cook and bring something typical. My country was Tanzania and I made vitumbua (coconut rice pancakes), a popular street food. Before Christmas, socialising became even more important, so on the last day of my internship, I sat in the lunch room with my supervisor, my professor and some other colleagues and folded paper Christmas stars while eating homemade gingerbread.
Although the working atmosphere was quite relaxed, we not only took breaks and drank coffee (which, by the way, was free for all employees, including interns), but also worked in the lab and were very productive in conducting experiments. My project was about validating a method to study cell adhesion to different surfaces. Since my internship was comparatively short, I already started to conduct my experiments independently after a one-week introduction. I had quite a tough schedule and on some days I had to give up my lunch break for the sake of the experiments, but my colleagues always supported and motivated me, so I was able to overlook this and very much enjoyed going to work. In the end, I had a lot of useful results that hopefully contribute to the progress of research on this topic. However, I did not only work on my project alone, but was also part of a project group in which my internship project was embedded. We had weekly meetings and one week we even had a two-day meeting with partners from other countries, where we shared results of previous research as well as ideas about future research tasks and planned the next steps. Of course, social events were also part of it, and so it happened that we not only played minigolf together, but they also took me to a fine dining restaurant, which was the first time in my life.
Financial considerations
The cost of living in Oslo, as in all of Scandinavia, is quite high. My room rental was only two-thirds covered by the Erasmus+ funding, and the costs for daily needs such as food had to be paid on top of this, of course. At first I was a bit shocked by the prices in the supermarkets, which were sometimes twice (or even more) as high as in Germany. I didn’t go to restaurants often, which would have been even more expensive, and I didn’t buy alcohol – thanks to the high taxes on alcohol (and sugar) in Norway. But I have also found some ways to save money in everyday life: In the supermarkets, “Tilbud” is the word that indicates special offers. The weekly offers are often already sold out at the beginning of the week, but if you have the opportunity, it is worth taking it and getting groceries as well as cosmetics and other products much cheaper. Another insider tip is Grønland Frukt Og Grønt (located in Smalgangen 2), a shop where you can buy fruit and vegetables, but also spices and other foodstuffs at reasonable prices.
Free time in Oslo
At the beginning of the internship, the weather was still quite nice and I often explored the city after work and at the weekends. I had a student travel ticket that allowed me to drive all around the city and explore the city centre, the many parks, the harbour and lots of other sights. Since I love sports and play tennis in Germany, I didn’t want to give it up in Oslo either. There was a Facebook group to find tennis partners – which I made use of. Since the court rental was quite expensive, I often played in the morning before work, because then the prices – especially for students – were considerably cheaper. Although my institute had a small gym that I could use, I signed up for SiO Athletica, the student organisation gym that has several locations all over the city. I participated in some courses and on Sundays sometimes in walks that started in Kringsjå, the part of Oslo where the largest student housing is located. There is a beautiful lake there called Sognsvann with many hiking trails around it.
As my internship progressed, the days became noticeably shorter and the weather no longer invited me to spend too much time outside. These times were perfect for sauna visits. Together with some colleagues and friends, I booked a private group sauna that swam in the Oslo Fjord, with a beautiful view of the opera and the possibility to jump into the fjord if it got too hot inside.
Sognsvann © Friederike Götz
Sauna in the Oslo Fjord © Friederike Götz
Our weekend trip to the Nærøyfjord
One weekend, I went on a trip to the fjord scenery of Norway together with some of my internship colleagues. We rented a car (which was more difficult than expected, as we needed either a credit card or a Norwegian bank account, which neither of us had) and drove almost 8 hours to Voss, a municipality near Bergen. The drive took longer than expected because there was heavy rain that day and several times we came to places where a Norwegian stood next to a car with hazard lights on in the dark in the rain and told us that the road was closed and we had to take another route. In the end, we arrived at our accommodation right on the lake – which was now more or less in the lake, as our basement was flooded. Fortunately, the water had not damaged much and the upper floors were enough for us to sleep. So we were able to enjoy our weekend including an acquaintance with the unpredictable strength of Norwegian nature and a ferry trip on the Nærøyfjord, one of the two UNESCO fjords in Norway. The ferry went from Gudvangen to Flåm, a village famous for its railway, and was pleasantly empty as we were there outside the main season. Although the weather was not the nicest, the view was fantastic and I took many impressive photos that will always remind me of this unique experience.
On the ferry in the Nærøyfjord ©Friederike Götz
View of the lake at our accommodation in Voss © Friederike Götz
View of the Nærøyfjord from Stegastein viewpoint © Friederike Götz
Waterfall in Nærøyfjord © Friederike Götz
