On the 26^th of April 2025, I left the beautiful city of Lyon, France and hopped across the English Channel to start my very first secondment at the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Leeds, in the United Kingdom (UK). It was my first time setting foot in the UK, and to my surprise the weather was stunning and the sun shone brightly, which gave me a warm, heartfelt first impression of the city of Leeds.

 

Being my first secondment, I spent the early days getting introduced to the various labs and experimental setups. What really caught my attention was how interconnected the different engineering buildings were, it felt like stepping into a giant ecosystem of ideas and innovation, all flowing together.

In the days that followed, I was given a deep dive into how the Constant Composition Reactor works, which is a central piece of the project I’m working on. From there, I got hands-on, creating both 2D and 3D designs of the reactor’s autoclave using SolidEdge software. It was indeed exciting to see the technical side take shape in such a tangible way.

 

One of the highlights of my stay was a faculty get-together that felt more like a global food festival. People brought dishes from all over the world, and the conversations were just as rich. I got to meet and connect with researchers working in everything from corrosion science to fluid dynamics. The vibe was open, inspiring, and full of new perspectives.

 

As my time in Leeds drew to a close, I squeezed in a weekend trip to Liverpool, which is a short ride away from Leeds but with a totally different feel. I spent time exploring the World Museum, where history, science, art, and nature all collided in the best way and I ended my visit with a tour of the iconic Liverpool Football Stadium, where the echoes of legendary games still linger in the air.