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International student feature: Emre Sevgen and Johnny Alfaro-Perez

We’re featuring two of our international students today: Emre Sevgen and Johnny Alfaro-Perez! They’ve shared a little bit about their experiences as a student in PME (both are in Professor Juan de Pablo’s group) getting to know the great city of Chicago. Emre hails from Istanbul, Turkey, and Johnny comes from San Jose, Costa Rica.

Emre Sevgen, graduate student in the de Pablo group

“From day one, living in Chicago has been a blast. Where to begin? I started my explorations downtown: The Art Institute is truly a treasure! It has an almost inexhaustible collection of art, and it's free to University of Chicago students! Furthermore, they host special exhibits several times a year, and I've never been disappointed by one. Then, there are the parks, the riverwalk, even an outdoor climbing wall! And of course, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is always a treat to see. Even after a year, downtown offers plenty of attractions worthy of revisiting often. Of course, Chicago's neighborhoods all offer something different and exciting as well. My favorite has to be Pilsen. Host to innumerable painters, sculptors, graphic designers, and other visual artists, Pilsen hosts open galleries once a month for everyone to enjoy the works of its residents. That would be enough in and of itself, but Pilsen goes further and also provides excellent food options, as well as gorgeous street art. I could go on and on about the other neighborhoods, their coffee shops, countless breweries, concert halls, and theatres that dot the Chicago landscape. Finally, Chicago is host to many, many festivals throughout the summer, bringing food, music, movies, cars, planes, and innumerable other objects from around the world for everyone to see. Suffice to say, there is never a dull moment in Chicago. I've enjoyed every second I've spent in this city.

"Working at PME has also been exciting, and in addition it is very rewarding. I'm surrounded by good scientists and good people, which makes my studies fruitful and enjoyable. Some of the features I like the best about PME, however, have to do with my experience outside of lab. For example, we've partnered with our neighbors, the Museum of Science and Industry, for a two-year program focusing on improving our science communication skills. We have half-day workshops in speech and improvisational skills that we will eventually put to use as volunteers at the museum. We will have the opportunity to reach out to younger kids and get them excited about science using our own PhD projects. It's opportunities like this that make PME feel special.” –Emre Sevgen

Johnny Alfaro-Perez, graduate student in the de Pablo group

“Being in PME has been an amazing experience. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the smartest and most dedicated people I have ever met. The classes that I took were always beneficial for my research, which in other programs is not always the case. Besides the academic component, living in Chicago is absolutely awesome! I have learned that if you are looking for something to do or if you have a specific craving, chances are on your favor that you will find it. As a musician, I have taken the opportunity to enjoy as many operas, musicals, and recitals as possible, for very reasonable prices and close to Hyde Park. Chicago keeps exceeding my expectations, and I am proud to call it my new home.” –Johnny Alfaro-Perez