NEWS Three South Korean researchers, Hye Jin Park, Sang Hoon Lee, and Hyun Woo Lee, visited IceLab at Umeå University at the end of August as part of a STINT-funded research exchange. Their visit was a reunion for some and a new experience for others, but all three agreed on the unique and inspiring atmosphere that IceLab provides and looking forward to more exchanges in the future.
Korean researchers Hyun Woo Lee, Hye Jin Park and Sang Hoon Lee stand outside IceLab during their August 2024 visit
Image GABRIELLE BEANSThis visit was a part of a research exchange between Hye Jin Park, Assistant professor at the Department of Physics, Inha University, South Korea and IceLab’s Ludvig Lizana and Eric Libby, associate professors at the departments of Physics and Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, respectively. The collaboration is funded by the Korea - Sweden Research Cooperation Programme; supported by STINT, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Hye Jin invited Hyun Woo, a master’s student, to join her visit as part of his academic journey, as well as her colleague and collaborator Sang Hoon Lee, who had previously been a member of the IceLab research community and is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics, Gyeongsang National University, South Korea.
I really miss this place. I was one of the early IceLab members 12 or 14 years ago. I know that this is a wonderful place, providing such a great environment for collaborations.
Sang Hoon Lee expressed his fondness for IceLab, highlighting its open and collaborative environment. He recalled his early days as an IceLab member and the positive impact it had on his research. “The biggest motivation for me to visit is that I really miss this place. I was one of the early IceLab members 12 or 14 years ago. I know that this is a wonderful place, providing such a great environment for collaborations. It also has a very warm and natural atmosphere that includes any kind of research, between professors, early career researchers and even very early researchers.”
Visiting researcher Sang Hoon Lee presents in IceLab and shows a slide with photos of his time in IceLab twelve years earlier.
ImageGABRIELLE BEANSDuring their visit, the researchers discussed their ongoing collaboration and plans. They have already held one workshop together and are planning another in Korea in early 2025, focusing on stochastic processes in biology.
Hye Jin explains: “We have held one workshop already as part of this collaboration, and we are now planning the next workshop, which will take place in Korea in the winter, early 2025. Last year, the topic was modeling ecological and evolutionary dynamics because we have a common interest in that area. For the next workshop we want a more methodological focus – stochastic processes in biology. We will invite more people connected to this topic and other collaborators to take part. So, it will be fun! The year after, 2026, we will hold a workshop in Sweden – perhaps in Kiruna. We haven’t decided yet.”
A new joint research project has also emerged from their collaboration, building upon previous work by Eric Libby and Josephine Solowiej-Wedderburn on bacterial cooperation and competition. Hye-Jin explains: “They found that harsh environments can push species to cooperate. What we want to do together now is create a simpler model that can get at the underlying mechanisms, so we can understand what is behind that switch in behavior.”
All three researchers expressed their positive experiences during the visit. Their visit to Umeå provided a fruitful exchange of ideas and a reaffirmation of IceLab’s inspiring research environment as well as the strength of the collaboration. Hye Jin particularly appreciated the open and collaborative atmosphere of IceLab and plans to incorporate similar elements into her own research environment.
Ludvig Lizana, Eric Libby and Hye Jin Park enjoy a cake in IceLab during fika time
ImageGABRIELLE BEANSHye Jin Park summarized her feelings: “I loved the visit. I will miss IceLab’s open living room / kitchen area for discussions and exchange of ideas. I am trying to make my students’ workspaces in Korea match this feeling a little more, taking away doors, separating spaces with shelving, and adding discussion areas. It’s not just the physical space of course, but the spirit of the place, the atmosphere and culture that we would like to spread. We’re going to bring that back with us.”
The university feels more international now.
Sang Hoon Lee, a core member of the IceLab community 12 years ago, reflected on what has changed and what has remained, saying, “The best part of IceLab hasn’t changed – and that is this kind of involved, research friendly environment, very nice attitudes towards other people’s research. One practical thing that is different from 12 years ago at Umeå University is the signs – there are a lot more signs in English than before. The university feels more international now.”
He also highlighted the importance of including early-stage researchers in these sorts of exchanges, saying: “I believe it is really important for the early-stage researchers, especially Master’s students like Hyun Woo, to experience such an open atmosphere and culture. IceLab is definitely the ideal place for that. The research environment in Korea is more rigid, and I would like to see that change.”
Hyun-Woo agreed, adding: “It was an eye-opening experience for me, really nice. I had great research talks and enjoyed Umeå – especially the Iksu climbing wall! I hope to come again during the winter sometime and experience the deep dark. And the snow!”