Hangyu Lu, visiting PhD student at BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Applied Mechanics (MM) about his research and experiences in Hungary.
Hangyu Lu, visiting PhD student (L), with professor
Gábor Stépán (R)
How
did you decide to come to BME?
It's
not my first time here. In 2019 I have stayed here for 5 and half months while
attending the first year of my PhD studies. Luckily, I received approximately 8
000 $ in funding from the China Association of Science of Technology (CAST)
China, a grant for the international mobility of PhD students. At that time,
our research group was researching on non-linear dynamics of shimmy wheels, and
we met and cited several papers of professor Gábor Stépán and Dénes Takács,
associate professor.
I had
an opportunity also to go to UIUC, but I decided to come to BME. I contacted
Gábor Stépán and Tamás Insperger. They replied within a day that I was
warmly welcome here.
The
second time, after two years, we decided to come again, as we have a lot of
joint co-operations and publications and a collaborative international project
(TÉT-IPARI) with the Hefei University of Technology.
My
current visit is funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). I came in July
2022, although my contract was ready even one year before, I could not depart
because of COVID restrictions in China. I am here for 12 months.
What
is Your research topic?
My
topic examines the dynamics and stability of vehicle handling with automated
control or human driving control. My other topic is time-delay effects in the
control loop of vehicle stability control systems.
How
do You like living in Budapest?
I love
Budapest, except in the winter, the weather is a little cold. For me, the time
zone difference is also a difficulty. What impresses me most is the Budapest
community transportation and traffic systems. The vehicles have a dense
schedule and are super convenient, taking you everywhere you want. Budapest is
merged by Buda and Pest, divided by the river Danube. I live on the Pest side
of Budapest, and every day I come to work by bike across the Danube, enjoying
the spectacular scenery. I experience Budapest as a super safe city, where I
can go anytime, almost anywhere, without worries.
Do
You have any favourite place in the city or Hungary?
I love
the scenery of Saint Stephen's Basilica and the story of the king's mummified
right hand inside the church. I have even been there three times. I have also
been to Esztergom, and Visegrád, Gödöllő; they are beautiful small cities near
Budapest, definitely worth visiting. Esztergom has a large cathedral, Visegrád
has a beautiful, ruined hilltop fortress and castle, while Gödöllő has one of
the royal residences from the times when Hungary was a kingdom.
Do
You find life in Hefei and Budapest very different?
Personally,
in my daily life, the most significant difference is cooking. In Hefei, I don't
cook at all. I only buy food at takeaway kiosks and go to restaurants. When I
arrived here, I started to learn cooking because I missed the flavours of my
homeland. Daily life, in other manners, is similar. Most people are very nice
both in Budapest and Hefei as well. The only difference is that here more
people greet each other. For example, when you enter a small shop, you usually
say hello to the shop assistant, even in a crowd.
In
academic life, there are a lot of differences. As a PhD student in China, you
have a lot of administrative work, but you do not have to teach. However, we
have to be in charge of project finances, costing a vast amount of time. But
now, as a visiting PhD student, I only have a few other tasks, so I can spend
my time working on my research topic.
What
do you do in your spare time?
I love
simulated driving, so I am also connected to my topic in my free time. I love
riding a bike at the weekends.
What
kind of plans do you have after receiving your PhD?
I want
to do the post-doctoral programme. Probably here, at BME.
In
some words, please explain what BME has given to You!
Firstly,
BME gave me the opportunity to visit and be a PhD student here. China is so
large not everyone has the possibility to get grants in foreign countries. I
also attended some lectures and seminars operated by BME. Teachers are very
dedicated and hard-working. I owe a lot from their courses and also personally.
In this
department, researchers are kind and open-minded. It is delightful for me to
have professional conversations which give expansions to my research area.
Laszlo
Benesoczky
