Recently, 30 students from the School of New Materials and Energy at Shenzhen University of Technology arrived at Changi Airport in Singapore to start the third eight day summer exchange program on "Design Energy Systems (DES)" between Shenzhen University of Technology and Singapore University of Science and Design. All project members are undergraduate students from the School of New Materials and New Energy, from multiple grades, and have been selected by the college for exchange and learning opportunities.

Welcome Ceremony&School Visit

On the morning of July 28th local time, the University of Science and Design of Singapore held a welcome ceremony for the Shenzhen University Student Union. Professor Wei Lek, Apple Koh, Maggie Pee, Charles, as well as our professors Zhang Guangye, You Peng, and Zhang Ruishan attended. Professor Wei Lek recalled the online summer program he held with our school a few years ago and gave a brief explanation of our upcoming itinerary. At the same time, he encourages everyone to not be afraid of hands-on practice at the University of Science and Technology of China, and to solve practical problems through design and creation. Next, Teacher Charles will lead the student group to visit the school's infrastructure, including the library, teaching building, and Fab Lab.

library

Under the leadership of two teachers in the library, the student group gained a general understanding of SUTD's library. The biggest difference between this library and the Shenzhen University of Technology Library is that most of the book materials it provides are electronic, so there doesn't seem to be much collection in the library. We only provide students with a quiet place to study or have group discussions. It is worth mentioning that there is a material sample area on the first floor of the library, which allows students to choose materials more accurately when making models.

Fab Lab

"All students can enter our laboratory after receiving safety training," the head of Fab Lab introduced to the student team. This once again demonstrates the school's teaching philosophy of encouraging students to discover problems through exploration and solve problems through practice. Subsequently, the student group arrived on the second floor to visit the laser engraving machine and small finished products. Finally, there is an electric racing car completely created by students themselves. The car utilizes 3D printing technology and the frame connections are welded. It can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5 seconds, achieving the goal of equivalent acceleration time to gasoline vehicles.

course arrangement

Professor Wei Lek introduced the main courses of designing energy systems (DES) to everyone. The courses start from daily life, including how to save energy when making coffee, how to place solar panels to collect maximum energy, and making solar powered boats.

01. Making Coffee

Under the leadership of Teacher Charles, the student group went to the school's coffee laboratory and used a coffee machine to measure relevant data. Previously, we all overlooked that boiling water was the most energy-efficient part of making coffee. After the course, students expressed that they had gained a lot.

02. Remote solar system

On the morning of the 31st, the student group arrived at the SUTD laboratory. Professor Wei Lek introduced the working principle of solar panels and explained to the student team why solar energy is highly utilized in Singapore, starting from climate reasons. After understanding the theoretical knowledge, the teacher led us to the location of the remote solar energy system equipment on campus and showed the students how to measure the absorption efficiency of solar panels on the computer. In the afternoon, Professor Wei Lek introduced the Rhino software to the student group. Through modeling and data analysis, it was possible to obtain higher solar energy utilization efficiency by changing the incident angle. The students also actively shared their data conclusions, and their thinking constantly collided, gaining a lot.

Solar powered boat production

After a few days of theoretical learning, the student group has gained a preliminary understanding of the types of solar panels and how solar panels work. On the last day of the exchange, Professor Wei Lek decided to let everyone start their own solar powered boats!

Design a small boat

After a brief introduction of the materials in the laboratory, Professor Wei Lek stopped speaking and left time and space for the students to act freely. At this moment, the student group deeply realized the differences in education between China and foreign countries. Although everyone seemed a bit at a loss at first, with the encouragement of professors and teachers, they quickly took action. The teachers used incandescent lamps to simulate light sources in the laboratory and built a small outdoor lighting environment model for students to test.

Due to time constraints, many teams encountered problems during the design process and were unable to complete the small boat manufacturing during the end of class. In order to successfully complete the afternoon competition, the students sacrificed their lunch break time and stayed in the laboratory to improve the solar powered boat, making full preparations for the afternoon competition.

Racing competition

At 2 pm, four teachers from SUTD and three teachers from SZTU arrived at the laboratory on time, and each group began to report on their design concept, appearance creativity, and other aspects of the small boat they had designed. Subsequently, each group brought their own boats to the first floor pool for a competition.

Nine small boats are divided into three groups for the group stage, with the first place in the group stage advancing to the finals. Everyone's small boats were evenly matched, making it difficult to distinguish between them, and the battle was very intense.

Enterprise visits

In addition to offering a variety of courses, students also visited well-known energy companies in Singapore for on-site research.

Newater

Singapore is very small, so water is very limited.

On August 1st local time, the student group visited Newater Company for a visit. Through explanation, we have learned that there are four main sources of drinking water in Singapore, namely: collected rainwater, inlet water, fresh water, and desalinated seawater, of which fresh water is an important part. The students learned about the process of water evolution, and one student said, "I can't believe there are so many processes!"!

Keppel Corporation

In the afternoon, students visited Keppel Corporation, the largest multinational corporation in Singapore.

The receptionist here showed the student group the models of several branches of Keppel Corporation in Singapore, and also led us to conduct an on-site inspection of the Changi branch. The student group found that the company's exterior walls and rooftops were covered with solar panels, and a drainage system was also installed on the road surface. We learned from the instructor that these solar panels provide 70% of the company's total electricity usage, and the rainwater collected on the company's roads can meet the irrigation needs of flowers, plants, and trees in the park. Students couldn't help but marvel at Keppel's outstanding contributions in the fields of environmental protection and new energy.

cultural exchange

Visit NUS and NTU

Merlion Park

During this exchange visit, students also visited the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, as well as the Merlion Park and Marina Bay Park, experiencing the local culture and broadening their international perspective.

On the evening before leaving Singapore, SUTD presented the graduation certificate to SZTU's student group and held a farewell banquet. Classmates have expressed that they have gained a lot in these eight days, but the time is too short. They hope to have another chance to meet again next time.

Student Thoughts

Wang Jiasheng 22 Light Source Class 2

The eight day journey to Singapore has come to an end. Looking back on this eight day journey, the new cultural experience is unforgettable. In public places, plates need to be actively collected, and when passing traffic lights, buttons need to be pressed actively, which makes me feel the unique cultural characteristics and living habits of Singapore. During the visits and exchanges, I gained a better understanding of Singapore's garden city construction through distinctive attractions such as Merlion Park and Marina Bay Park. Such green and environmentally friendly construction goals are worth learning and learning from globally. The most unforgettable thing was the last day of making a handmade solar powered boat. This course greatly stimulated our creativity and hands-on ability, and I gained a lot from it.

Chen Fukang 21 New Energy Class 3

In just one week in Singapore, the technological development and local customs have left a deep impression on me. Singapore is a tropical island country, and after visiting its water purification plants, solar power research labs, and various parks, I was amazed by the high-tech ability of wastewater to be purified into drinking water, admired the efficient combination of solar panels and building area, and admired the "garden city" where birds can sing and flowers can be seen everywhere. Here, we also witnessed the diverse cultures of Chinese culture and the collision and integration of various cultures around the world. Local teachers and students were warm, hospitable, and courteous. I also shared various interesting stories and experiences from China and Singapore with a friend Mahata, and during our conversation, we felt their extraordinary design creativity. Even the milk tea machines in school were independently developed by local students. Although time flies like a white horse, the beauty is as bright as a starry river forever. I believe that the exchange of technology and culture between China and Singapore will surely lead to a future of cooperation and win-win.

Ningbo 22 Light Source Class 1

The Singapore University of Science and Design is really beautiful. The teachers are very humorous and lovely, and we get along well. They have prepared access cards with each person's name in advance, which will help us familiarize ourselves with the surrounding environment of the school. It feels very happy and thoughtful, without any unexpected discomfort. It feels comfortable and comfortable! I went to the Marina Bay Garden for sightseeing, watched the Merlion, watched the Singapore National Day rehearsal, and was immersed in people of different skin colors. Looking at the fireworks igniting the night sky, I felt an inexplicable harmony and excitement. This is a diverse and inclusive country. Here, I experienced different cultural atmospheres, expanded my horizons, and realized the implementation of Singapore's concept of conservation and environmental protection. Thank you to the school for giving us such a rare opportunity to participate in this summer camp!

Liu Huiyi 22 Light Source Class 1

During the eight day summer camp, we learned a lot of knowledge, visited companies on site, and gained a deeper understanding of the University of Science and Design in Singapore. In addition to studying, we tasted many local specialties and visited many famous Singaporean attractions. August 9th was Singapore's National Day, and on July 30th, we had the privilege of encountering a National Day rehearsal and watching a dazzling fireworks display at the Merlion Park. Playing in Singapore during my spare time allowed me to experience the unique customs and diverse cultures here, and to appreciate the unique charm of Singapore.