Andrew Lum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Source: BAM
At the beginning of 2024, BAM signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), which forms the basis for a student exchange between the two institutions. In the summer of 2024, several UIUC students were in Berlin for an exchange in the Materials Engineering and Materials Chemistry departments. Following the first successful exchange, the agreement was extended indefinitely. Andrew Lum, one of the first participants, tells us about the experience.
Mr. Lum, could you tell us a bit about your previous experience and your work here at BAM?
I have previously interned at various companies, working in fields ranging from agriculture to semiconductors. Through these experiences, I contributed to developing sustainable plastic packaging for P&G and advanced semiconductor mold compounds with Texas Instruments. I also am a research assistant at my home university, the University of Illinois, under Professor Nancy Sottos, where I focus on developing recyclable thermosetting polymers. These jobs have been exciting, allowing me to develop everyday products and learn techniques like NMR and 3D printing.
To explore if research would be right career for me, I applied to intern at BAM. Here, I build data processing methodologies to analyze X-ray spectroscopy data to aid in the study of kinetics in metallic glasses under Professor Robert Maaß. Coming from a polymers background, I find it fascinating to observe similar structure property relationships in metallic glasses to those in polymers. This project is also an opportunity to deepen my understanding of computation data analysis techniques. It is engaging to see the new ways I can process and interpret data with computational analysis, and I am inspired to pursue computationally focused materials science in the future.
How do you perceive the collaboration between BAM and UIUC?
I feel fortunate to have this opportunity. This collaboration is great because it gives US students more opportunities to engage in research and study abroad, an experience that is often cost-prohibitive in the US. The collaboration lays out essential groundwork, making the experience more accessible. Working abroad is often challenging; on top of having to find opportunities to do so, there are hurdles in navigating various bureaucratic systems and visa regulations. In addition, joining a project with a professor that is familiar with my education system and background ensures the work is well aligned to my education background. This collaboration creates a unique opportunity to engage in rigorous scientific work while also gaining valuable cultural insights from the experience of studying abroad.
What insights or experiences will you take back to the U.S. that will be useful for your scientific career?
Something I noticed about research here in Germany is the importance of a slower, more precautionary approach to research and development. In the US, there is a constant pressure to move onto the next new idea and to work faster than others. I think this attention to quality makes for good science and may be a contributor to why Germany has been the home of the biggest names in science. I realize how important it is to take a slow and controlled approach to research to ensure progress is made correctly, and I plan to take that lesson to heart for the rest of my scientific career.
How would you assess the importance of such international collaborations for students and scientific institutions?
I think it is very important for students pursuing international collaborations like this one to learn about how the world is much bigger, that there are many cultures, customs, and ways to do things through experiencing it firsthand. This cultivates scientists that are more open minded and adaptable. These international collaborations also bring diversity of thought to research institutions, and it is a two-way street. Not only is the student exposed to different research topics and ways to conduct research, but the institution benefits by gaining different perspectives and scientific approaches that are unique to the student’s upbringing, skills, and interests. It also helps with the exchange of ideas and connections. International collaboration creates a network of scientists that can work together on difficult challenges.