Guest Students from Ecuador and Colombia

NORHED II

NORHED is Norway’s national flagship programme on higher education and research for development. The aim of the NORHED-programme is to strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions in the global south to produce higher-quality graduates, more research, higher quality research, and more inclusive higher education. The programme is based on a collaborative partnership model between higher education institutions in Norway and the global south.

NOK 250 million were awarded to 13 University of Bergen (UiB) projects, in which one of them is “CO2-EOR for CCUS in Colombia and Ecuador- Norwegian energy initiative," coordinated by the Department of Physics and Technology (IFT).

- The project focuses on educating the workforce needed to contribute to the ongoing shift in the energy sector. This semester we have four aspiring energy engineers from Colombia and Ecuador as guest students, and during the project's duration we will have many more, says previous researcher and project coordinator Bergit Brattekås from IFT. 

Researcher Jacquelin Elizabeth Cobos Mora has since taken over the project coordination. 

- Enriching studies

Maria Camila Benjumea and Edgard Frank Viveros Acosta were two of the guest visitors who came to Bergen through the NORHED II-project. They are both from Colombia and stayed in Bergen for four months. Both were welcomed by the research group Reservoir Physics at IFT, receiving their own desks and partaking in both social and research activities offered by the department. 

- My studies at IFT were very enriching. I took some courses, which helped me strengthen basic and more specific concepts in my area of interest and did experimental practices in the laboratory that helped me better prepare myself to use the set-up for research. In general, the experience at IFT assists you in your studies, says Benjumea.

Under the assistance and supervision of the research group, Benjumea conducted research for her master's thesis on "CO2-Foams for EOR potentiated with nanotechnology," while Viveros Acosta focused on "Pore-scale investigation of hydrogen storage in porous media." 

- Now I have more theoretical and practical tools to continue delving into the topics of interest for my master thesis. The research group received us very well, they integrated us into their projects, events, meetings, and dynamics, Benjumea adds. 

- I really enjoyed my time in Bergen. I enjoyed the tranquility, security, and nature that this beautiful city offers. I think here I learned to also enjoy the cold, which is not very common in my city. I am also glad to have made some friends from Norway and from different countries.