In June I travelled with 15 other engineering students to Chennai, India for two weeks, where I attended an international summer school at Anna University. This summer school focused on advancements in engineering and global development. The trip was organised by the School of Engineering as part of the “Go Away” scheme.

During our time at Anna University we attended both lectures and laboratory sessions which explored many various disciplines of engineering such as food technology, ocean technology and urban development. These branches of engineering are not widely explored in my undergraduate Chemical Engineering degree so this experience provided me with an invaluable chance to enrich my engineering knowledge.

Anna University is situated by the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean and so conduct extensive research on ocean technology. Whilst we were there we visited the National Institute of Ocean Technology. Here we learnt how India copes with its severe draughts and lack of fresh water supply by producing purified water from the seawater (desalination). This institute also uses buoys to monitor the sea and also to detect tsunamis. Alongside the academic enrichment of this course, this was an amazing opportunity to explore the colourful culture of India. Before I left I was quite worried to fly on my own into the notoriously hectic city of Delhi. I was also feared that I would find it hard to communicate as India has so many different languages and dialects. Before the course started myself and four other course friends spent a week travelling the “Golden Triangle”. During this time I found myself mesmerised by the place. India truly is a feast for the senses.