From Braves to manufacturing, 24 students from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (China) and the Tunghai University (Taiwan) had the full Georgia Tech experience last month thanks to a joint effort between the university’s manufacturing and language institutes. The three-week Language, Culture and Advanced Manufacturing Summer Immersion Program offered the students an opportunity to improve their English skills, experience American culture, and learn more about advanced manufacturing research at Georgia Tech.

“Not only did the program expand on the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute’s education efforts,” said GTMI’s John Morehouse, Coordinator for Education and Workforce Development, “but it will also help increase matriculation of talented undergraduates from partnering universities into manufacturing-related graduate research at GTMI. At the same time, a key goal of the program was to establish the foundation for the development of similar manufacturing-related exchange programs in which Georgia Tech students will travel to international universities, learn a new culture, form collegial relationships with students from around the world, and gain a crucial global manufacturing perspective. As a result of the relationships created with NUAA and THU in this program, we have already initiated conversations about sending Georgia Tech students to their respective universities as early as next summer.”

The program included a non-credit English language course, a technical training program that provided an overview of manufacturing-related research at Georgia Tech, and research experience for those participating in the research track. The technical training program included nine seminars relating to a variety of manufacturing topics, as well as tours of five research labs and the Manufacturing Research Building.

“The lectures and group meetings with the professors and seeing the labs were very special for me,” said student Annie Lo. “It was really nice to see and work with some of the [Georgia Tech] students.”

Student Brian Kuo agreed: “The lab tours, for me, were the best part. It was really cool to see all of the equipment and talk to the staff and researchers. It all correlates to what we’re learning in Taiwan.” 

The nanomaterials research lab made the biggest impression on student Yao Yi. “In Taiwan, we need a day to create buckypaper, but here, we only need two hours. I learned a lot on this trip,” he said.

The trip, however, wasn’t all work and no play. The cultural experience allowed the students to see the Atlanta Braves play the Cincinnati Reds at Turner Field, spend a day a Six Flags, tour both the World of Coke and CNN, enjoy the aquarium and also take a weekend trip to the North Georgia Premium Shopping Outlets. And in true Georgia Tech style, the visiting students raved about local pizza joint, Antico Pizza.

All in all the students expressed that the visit was meaningful and would recommend it to other students. They also noted that they were highly impressed with the campus, from swimming in the Olympic pool at the Campus Recreation Center to the overall look and feel of the grounds. Student Jhang-sian Cai summed it up best, “The Georgia Tech campus is really beautiful. I took several photos, and each one is absolutely beautiful.”

GTMI and GTLI expect to conduct the program again next summer with the key addition of Georgia Tech Students having the opportunity to travel abroad and participate in similar programs. “We’re very pleased that the students from NUAA and THU enjoyed their visit, and we look forward to making improvements to the program and hosting more students,” said Morehouse. “We are also very excited about sending Georgia Tech students to our partnering universities.”

 To get involved or for more information, please contact John Morehouse at john.morehouse@gatech.edu or (404) 385-0895.