³ÉÈË´óƬ

This previous summer two Queen’s University Engineering Physics students were awarded Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) Scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The scholarships, sponsored by Queen’s University and Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (Mitacs), provided students Simon Bronkhorst-Ilavsky and Ciaran Byles-Ho with the opportunity to participate in research-based internships in Germany.

The competitive DAAD RISE program brought together over 370 students from Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States for summer research at institutions across Germany. Each participant worked on a project under the supervision of a PhD student and professor for the duration of their three-month scholarship.

The two scholars completed the program last August and will be resuming their studies in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy this Fall.

Simon Bronkhorst-Ilavsky (left) and Ciaran Byles-Ho (right) attending the DAAD RISE Conference in Heidelberg.

Simon Bronkhorst-Ilavsky

Simon Bronkhorst-Ilavsky interned at the University Hospital Shleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in the northern city of Kiel. He worked with a group of researchers conducting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments using the hospital’s equipment. His research focused on developing scaled-up patient specific 3D-printed aneurysm models. The project used these models to acquire high resolution 4D data of simulated blood flow.

This internship was an extremely enjoyable and enlightening academic experience. Learning from a knowledgeable mentor was an incredible educational opportunity and I really appreciated becoming acquainted with a friendly international research group. Seeing the theory from my classes being applied in the world of MRI research has made me excited to resume my studies. I am very grateful that my department at Queen’s made me aware of this opportunity and that they provided me with the support I needed to make the experience possible.

Simon Bronkhorst-Ilavsky using hospital medical equipment to conduct research at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein.

Ciaran Byles-Ho

Ciaran Byles-Ho’s placement involved conducting fluorescence super-resolution microscopy research in the Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Bonn. As part of the Endesfelder group, he helped investigate the structure of critical cellular components during cell division in yeast using advanced physics methods. Ciaran was fortunate to be selected to present his research at the DAAD RISE Conference in Heidelberg to the other RISE scholars.

It was truly a phenomenal experience to be part of this multi-disciplinary research team. I really enjoyed the opportunity to use the learned physics knowledge from my engineering physics degree and apply it in a different setting. Furthermore, by immersing yourself in another culture and surrounding yourself with scholars from different countries, you are really encouraged to think in innovative ways. I am very thankful for the department’s support of students pursuing these extracurricular educational experiences that challenge us to be innovative and push the boundaries of our education.

Ciaran Byles-Ho conducting an experiment in the Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Bonn.