Hilsen fra Doline i Australien

Currently, I am working at the Fertiliser Technology Research Centre of the University of Adelaide (South Australia) for my 6 months PhD stay abroad. Here, my research goal is to conduct a laboratory experiment on the oxidation of elemental Sulphur (S) contained in different S residues from biogas production in soil. In addition, the aim is to compare the results with oxidation rates of S commercial fertilizers. 

My work here started in January 2020 and the plan is to return home by the end of June. In January, the situation here was already a bit tense because of the bushfires that spread across Australia between October 2019 and January 2020. Luckily, South Australia was not affected as badly as the other states. 

Around March, the covid-19 pandemic started and as many other countries, the Australian government responded with rapid border closure and partial lockdown restrictions. Until today, the country reported about 6975 cases and 98 deaths, and from the numbers, 439 cases and 4 deaths were recorded in South Australia. 
The situation however did not influence my research work in the university, and I can continue to use the facilities and perform my laboratory experiment. Still as a precaution, most of the scientists and PhD students were working from home. 

At the beginning of the lockdown in Denmark, a representative from GSST had contacted me to ask if I wanted to go back. At that time, the situation was not yet critical here and it was difficult to imagine how things were in Denmark or France (my home country). Besides, I knew that some airlines were still flying between Australia and European hub cities, which made me calmer and I decided to continue my stay abroad here. In the meantime, I have weekly skype meeting with my supervisors to keep updated of the situation on both side of the world.

The situation slowly come back to normal now. Most researchers have returned to work. Travelling within the state is possible again as tourism facilities have re-opened but borders between states are kept closed.

I do not regret to have stayed here during the pandemic given that none of my PhD initial plan had to be postponed or cancelled.