Graduation celebrations for the EACH 2020 intake – Excellence in Analytical Chemistry

At the end of June 2023, the students of the EACH 2020 intake could finally take part in the graduation celebrations in Tartu after earning their Master’s degree in 2022. Noemae, Yu-Yen, Naela, Angelo, and Bojidar reflected more on the graduation celebrations and EACH programme.

From left to right: Raegan, Viktoriia, Bojidar, Noemae, Naela, Paulo, Yu-Yen, Majid and Angelo.

Noemae: Returning to Tartu for the graduation ceremonies and reuniting with my fellow EACH alumni was an experience I will forever cherish. As I reflect on my first year in Tartu back in 2020, I can’t help but recall the countless hurdles we faced due to the COVID situation. Nevertheless, I triumphed over these challenges and embarked on an unforgettable EACH journey. Beyond academic advancement, the EACH program taught me invaluable lessons in resilience, adaptability, and tolerance by allowing us to fully integrate in a new environment and culture, fostering a holistic personal and professional development. I extend my gratitude to all the professors, scientists, and administrative support staff I had the pleasure of meeting and working with, for their guidance and generosity in sharing their expertise. I am genuinely thankful and proud to be a part of the EACH program.

Yu-Yen: My decision to participate in EACH and the choice of my career after EACH are definitely two of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. The professional abilities I gained are well-applied and respected in my career. Seeing most of us were able to make our way back to Tartu for our graduation ceremony (where the rest of the group had other business at the same time period) makes me realize that this relationship of this Covid batch babies is strong. I really enjoyed seeing everyone satisfied with their current life as we share the project we are working on as well as our future plans. To my fellow friends, I wish you all achieve the dream you set for your personal and professional life.

Naela: Attending the graduation ceremony and meeting my dear EACH friends again after a long time was heartwarming. Now that we are pursuing different things and are living countries apart, it was amazing to see how we have grown without drifting apart. I am ever grateful to be a part of this programme.

Angelo: The transformative journey provided by the EACH program has brought us not only valuable knowledge but also introduced us to remarkable individuals, exposed us to diverse experiences, and nurtured personal growth and competence. I am profoundly grateful to the entire EACH program for shaping the trajectory of my life. Despite the brevity of our time together, it will forever hold a cherished place in my heart as one of the most remarkable periods of my life.

Bojidar: It was my first graduation ceremony since high school. It was great to reunite with some of my colleagues and celebrate our graduation and Jaanipäev (Midsummer) together!

Almost all of the EACH 2022 graduates have continued their studies by starting PhD in different universities: Noemae Lim – Vienna University of Technology, Austria; Naela Delmo – University of Turku, Finland; Viktoriia Turkina – University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Raegan Danielle Chambers – University of Tartu, Estonia; Angelo Robiños – Åbo Akademi University, Finland; John Paulo Samin – University of Tartu, Estonia; Bojidar Mandjukov – University of Tartu, Estonia; Majid Al-waeel – University of Turku, Finland. Yu-Yen is working at YAGEO, a passive component manufacturing company in Taiwan.