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Undergraduate ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from around the world have been taking part on our 2015 Summer School programme

Our 2015 programmes are now well under way and we are delighted to welcome ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from around the world who are embarking on programmes designed to expand their knowledge outside traditional term time and specifically constructed for groups from overseas academic institutions.

In each of the programmes the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ are offered world-class training in a tight and demanding schedule combining teaching, laboratory experiments, and a unique experience in our state-of-the-art carbon capture pilot plant.

“The summer school provides a capstone experience for our ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½” says Professor Joseph Schork (School of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology), who is accompanying and tutoring the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from Georgia Tech, “In my opinion the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial is the best in Europe, highlighted by its pilot plant facility which provides a unique experience for our ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½. Moreover the cultural, social (and language) experience of working in a different country is more important for our ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ than they know – when they go to industry they will end up on at least one assignment overseas and the programme perfectly primes them for this.” 

This year we are running four concurrent, bespoke programmes:

28 ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ join us from the  on a 6-week programme; they are accompanied by  who has also been tutoring the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½. (via Notre Dame International).

Notre Dame summer school ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

11 ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from  are on a 5-week programme and are accompanied by whose involvement with the summer school stretches 40 years.

Georgia Tech summer school ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

11 ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from  are on a 5-week programme. , Senior Lecturer in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University, will also be visiting the Department and engaging in some of the Summer School’s activities.

Cornell University summer school ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

On 20th July, 18 ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ started our . This 4-week intensive course is for ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ from around the world who have been accepted onto the Cornell University M.Eng and gives them an opportunity to fast-track their studies which commence formally in August.

Summer School ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ on our Foundation Course for Cornell M.Eng

Educational programme

Pilot Plant

Our carbon capture , which is the most advanced educational facility of its kind in the world, allows ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ to acquire a practical experience of many of the key aspects of design and operation of a large scale process plant controlled using a full industrial control system, including cutting-edge instruments provided by the sponsors .

After significant training on safety, carbon capture theory, reading piping & installation diagrams (PIDs), the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ start up a carbon-capture pilot plant, bring it to steady state, and then simulate a shift turnover.  The incoming shift operates the plant, and then shuts it down. This gives the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ a real-world industrial training experience which is uniquely available here at Imperial.

Teaching

Teaching activities include tutorials, lectures  and problem-solving classes, on topics ranging from typical academic Chemical Engineering modules to lessons which enhance their wider skillset e.g. on writing and delivering presentations, and writing up clear and detailed lab reports.

Experiments

In our well-equipped undergraduate laboratories, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ have been carrying out on topics including thermodynamics, reaction engineering, heat and mass transfer/transport, analytical chemistry, process instrumentation and chemical synthesis. . In addition, this year the teaching labs were fitted out with a number of brand new bespoke rigs including a heat exchanger trainer, which provides ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ the opportunity to determine the efficiency of a variety of types of heat exchangers under varying flow patterns.

Rig building challenge

In small teams the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ design and build a closed rig to independently control the depth of water and flow rate to a small tank. Over the course of the exercise the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ become familiar with process equipment, develop practical project management and problem solving skills, gain experience in producing standard documentation (i.e. standard operating procedures (SOPs) and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs)).

Cultural experience

In addition to the formal curriculum, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ are exposed to an authentic experience of life in and outside London. Several social events are organised, such as a visit to Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge, and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ are encouraged to explore the UK and its surrounding countries in their free time. To cap the cultural experience we also hold an annual summer school five-a-side football (a.k.a. soccer) competition – congratulations to this year’s winners the Notre Dame B team who scored 4 goals (including the goal of the tournament; a cheeky back heel by Peter McGrane) and remained undefeated on their way to claiming the Inter College five-a-side trophy!

The winners of the 2nd Inter College 5-a-side football tournament, Notre Dame 'B'

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