UGA Skidaway Institute researcher Julia Diaz recently returned from a visit to Nankai University in Tianjin, China, where she gave a guest lecture and an invited talk.
Julia Diaz at Nankai University
Diaz was invited by a Nankai University faculty member who had been a colleague of hers when they were both post-docs at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
“It was my first time in China,” Diaz said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”
She visited Beijing and the Great Wall of China.
“I was surprised how few people speak English there,” she said. “My friend set me up with a tour guide, so I had my babysitter. She told me what to eat, where to go, how to dress, everything.”
Diaz said that teaching the class was a challenge because of the language difference. She presented in English, and, while most of the students knew some conversational English, specialized technical terms presented a difficulty.
She delivered a guest lecture on “The global phosphorus cycle” and an invited talk on “Marine polyphosphate: linking the global phosphorus cycle over modern and geologic timescales.”
“It was a challenge, but a very interesting experience,” she said. “I learned a lot and will probably go back again.”
skidawaycampusnotes.com 