From Athens to Paris, Huiru Wang studies corrosion around the world

Ph.D. candidate Huiru Wang was a visiting scholar at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, when US borders were closed during the coronavirus pandemic. She had planned to return to Ohio University to complete her studies, but her pandemic extended her stay in Paris, allowing her to learn from leading experts and experience art, culture and history in France. I have more time to do it.

In 2017, Wang received his Ph.D. He holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from Ohio University. Corrosion Multiphase Technology LaboratoryAfter completing the initial coursework requirements, she had the opportunity to study and collaborate with Professor Alain Pailleret at the Sorbonne University in Paris. This relationship between corrosion researchers at the Sorbonne and Ohio Universities was fostered by a Distinguished Professor who was an adviser to the King. Surjan Nesich.

“This center is very famous in the field of corrosion. Under the supervision of my advisor, Dr. Nesic, we have done a lot of good work and have had the opportunity to learn new techniques in atomic force microscopy.” said Mr Wang.

Wang collaborated with Pailleret, an expert in atomic force microscopy (AFM). This technique creates high-resolution 3D topography images of him in situ in aqueous solutions, which can be used to study corrosion inhibitors.

“I wanted to learn these techniques from real experts. ICMT has very good equipment, but there is a shortage of AFM experts. I was able to bring it back to ICMT and share what I learned,” said Wang.

This experience provided Wang with important knowledge on which to base his Ph.D. When she couldn’t return to Ohio University on schedule due to the pandemic, she worried about how to keep up with her degree.

“Dr. Nesic is a very good advisor. He told me not to worry. The ICMT family will help me get through this pandemic period. My mood I went from anxious to calm, and eventually found a way to balance my research work between the two labs so I could continue my degree and enjoy my journey,” said Wang. increase.

While traveling abroad, Wang learned more than just corrosion. She soon discovered that the culture in which she worked and studied in Paris was very different from that in the United States. She noted the emphasis on doing her research at a slow pace. This allowed me not only to learn more thoroughly from her peers, but also to enjoy moments of camaraderie with her peers.

“Every day at lunchtime, we would knock on everyone’s office door, have lunch with a view of the Seine, and talk about the progress of our research.

She doesn’t pride herself on being an artist, but she also loved exploring the local art, museums, and the city’s rich history in Paris. She also quickly realized there was no shortage of delicious desserts.

When the U.S. border reopened, Wang was able to return to Ohio to complete his doctorate. Her knowledge she gained as a visiting researcher formed her dissertation focused on using AFM to characterize corrosion inhibitors. Her dedication to research and scholarship is recognized by the AMPP East Asia and Pacific Young Researcher Award, the AMPP Graduate Student Book Award, first place in her Mars Fontana category at the CORROSION 2021 conference, and the Ohio Student’s Fair. her department.

Today, Wang has successfully defended his PhD and continues working as a researcher at ICMT. Once his studies are complete, he plans to work in industry as a corrosion or materials engineer.