Greece: Zhaoyue Chen
Program: Perrotis College, Summer
Zhaoyue’s Major: Nutritional Sciences
Describe your internship, research, or fieldwork and how the experience helped advance your career or studies?
My research focused on alginate-based edible coatings enriched with Greek honey or thyme to extend the shelf life of chicken meat. The project involved microbial testing and measuring antioxidant levels using DPPH and Folin–Ciocalteu assays. It was both interesting and valuable to learn, closely connected to my major—nutrition—and will be useful for my future career. I’m also glad I gained more hands-on lab experience through this project.
What is the moment you are most proud of?
At the end of the program, all students in the research internship are required to give a public presentation of their work to students from other classes and college staff. I felt proud to share what I had done and the results of my research. After the presentation, people praised my work, and I felt truly proud of myself.
The six-week stay gives you time to really explore Greece and feel like a local.
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
During the program, I had the chance to travel around Europe beyond Greece. I visited Austria, Switzerland, and France on the weekends. I’m really glad it was a six-week program because it gave me more time to explore. I discovered that I’m actually very independent and productive, and capable of doing solo trips to new countries. I’m proud of that. This experience broadened my horizons, made me more confident, and more grateful to UW–Madison and Perrotis College for giving me the opportunity to study abroad.
What is your advice for someone considering your program?
If you’re looking for a chance to travel around Europe with new friends, this is a great program. The six-week stay gives you time to really explore Greece and feel like a local. You’ll get to know the city well, make new friends, and have a lot of fun. There are plenty of activities and excursions, like a sailing trip, and it’s easy to balance your classes with free time and weekend travel.