Yuying He

The story started from a winter holiday two years ago when I traveled to Germany and fell in love with the cities of Aachen and Köln. From then on, I was blessed with a chance of academic stay in Germany. At the beginning of 2021, I submitted the application of the DAAD research grant, and contacted with Professor Rik. W. De Doncker, Head of the Institute for Power Generation and Storage Systems (PGS), E. ON Energy Research Center of RWTH Aachen University. I can’t explain how honored and excited I was when I was informed to be granted with the Asia Scholarship by the DAAD-Stiftung.

The prestigious scholarship then allowed me to conduct my research in Germany and gain precious intercultural experiences away from home. In May 2021, I arrived in Aachen and joined the PGS as a guest scientist. During my research stay, I participated in several group meetings. Although these meetings were mostly held online due to the pandemic, they offered me the opportunities to get in touch with different research topics and exchange ideas with colleagues. Differed from my home institute, the research topics here are with more diversity, including not only the renewable-based power systems, but also the linkage of electricity, heat and gas grid, electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems, etc.

Privat

Yuying He at her workplace at E.ON

These interesting research topics significantly broadened my horizon and enriched my mind. Moreover, I benefit a lot from my hosting supervisor, Prof. Rik W. De Doncker, who is the winner of the IEEE Newell Power Electronics Technical Field Award (the highest IEEE distinction in the field of Power Electronics). I was totally impressed by his extraordinary talents and creative mind. Under his supervision, I successfully finished my research project on the control and stability analysis of the power-electronics-dominant power systems. Based on my research work, I presented two academic speeches in the institute, and now I am also preparing an IEEE peer-reviewed journal paper which hopefully could be published soon.

Although the research visit is going to end, the connection with my supervisor and the colleagues in PGS will not.

Privat

Yuying He exploring Aachen

Besides the academic benefits, I enjoyed a different but fantastic lifestyle. Basically, the pace of life in Germany is slower than in China, and thus I could have more spare time to enjoy life. I like to take a walk or do sports in my free hours. On weekends, I usually spent time on exploring the beautiful and attractive city of Aachen. I was embraced by the fabulous landscapes, enjoyed different culture and tasted traditional recipes. Differed from China with a variety of dishes, Germany’s diet is less diverse. To be honest, I still couldn’t get used to the eating habits now. Mostly, I cooked by myself. But the “döner kebab” and “bratwurst” are my favorite, which I bought almost every week. The yummy goodies at the Christmas market are also particularly stuck in my memory. Sipping a cup of glühwein and tasting the delicious reibekuchen and crepes, it is really a wonderful experience.

Particularly, I was fascinated by the history and culture of this city, which is best known as the capital of Charlemagne’s Frankish empire and its history goes back even further than 8th-century Charlemagne. Honestly speaking, Aachen is truly a wonderful place for an academic stay.

Privat

Trip to the nearby Monschau

I also visited Monschau, a small resort town in Aachen, where I was charmed with the extraordinary beauties of the architectures and gardens. The heart of Monschau is made of row upon row of picture-book timer-framed houses, romantic roads, quaint shops tucked away in obscure corners. The old town is a dreamy place for a stroll and I enjoyed a quiet and restful weekend there.

Furthermore, because Aachen is located at the boarder of Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, it is very convenient to visit the cities in the other two countries. So sometimes, I would take the train to the city of Maastricht in Netherland (about 1 hour one way from Aachen), where I would buy some fresh seafood to home. Yet, because of the pandemic situation, it is a pity that I did not travel to more cities. Through this amazing stay in Aachen, I gained a better understanding and deeper insights on the history, culture, and lifestyle of Germany.

Privat

Visiting Maastricht in the Netherlands

I have to say, this academic stay with the DAAD-Stiftung’s scholarship is a once in a lifetime experience. This experience means a lot to me and prepared myself for a promising career. Now, I have passed my PhD defense, and I am going to be an assistant professor in a college of China. For me, this scholarship is also an encouragement for my future career because it brings more confidence on myself and leads me to be a better scientist. I am very grateful for the help and support from the DAAD team, the donor of the scholarship, and Prof. Rik W. De Doncker. All that I have experienced and the friendship with research fellows and friends in Germany will be unforgettable and everlasting in my mind.