PhD students win gold at 'Challenge Cup' in China
Congratulations to Elsie Clarke and Georgia Wells, PhD students from the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, who recently won a gold medal at the 14th 'Challenge Cup' QinChuangYuan Platform National College Students’ Entrepreneurship Competition in China.
The competition, one of the largest of its kind, saw 839 shortlisted projects from 412 Chinese universities and 14 international universities compete in the final at Xi’an Jiaotong University.
The University of Liverpool team, which included Elsie Clarke, Georgia Wells, their supervisor Dr Xiaoli Meng, and Dr Xiaofeng Wu from the Department of Chemistry, presented an eco-friendly project developed by Dr Wu. The project uses novel materials to remove environmental toxins.
As part of the experience, Elsie and Georgia visited cultural and historical sites, such as the Terracotta Warriors, and explored Chinese industries. They also spent time at Xi’an Jiaotong University’s campuses and attended the Belt and Road Key Technology Achievement Trade Fair.
Elsie Clarke said: "Taking part in the Challenge Cup competition and travelling to China was an amazing opportunity. We really enjoyed it and found it fascinating to learn about a field outside our current research."
Georgia Wells added: "Although presenting to a panel of experts was daunting, it greatly improved our communication skills. Winning the gold medal made the experience even more rewarding, and we are really proud of our work."
Dr Xiaoli Meng said: "I’m incredibly proud of their achievement. I’m also grateful they had the chance to immerse themselves in Chinese culture, meet people from diverse backgrounds, and develop invaluable skills for their future."