In May 2025, Dr. Mary Sheppard from the Department of Chemistry at Saint Mary's completed a five-day visit to the University of Jyväskylä (JYU) in Finland. This visit, supported by ERASMUS+ faculty and staff mobility funding, focused on fostering international connections and exploring collaboration opportunities.
During her time in Finland, Dr. Sheppard met with faculty and international coordinators from JYU’s Department of Chemistry and International Office. She presented a research seminar to the Department of Chemistry and co-taught a course for master's-level education students, sharing active learning exercises and discussing how to best teach foundational chemistry concepts. A key takeaway from her visit was JYU's student-centered approach, which includes hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, and direct access to advanced lab equipment for students.
The trip identified several exciting possibilities for future collaboration between SMU and JYU. These include exchange opportunities for JYU science students, future visits from JYU faculty to SMU, and the highly regarded JYU Summer School as a resource for SMU graduate students. Dr. Sheppard also highlighted the JYU Visiting Fellow program as a beneficial opportunity for SMU researchers to conduct collaborative research abroad.
If you would like more information on opportunities for international faculty exchanges and research opportunities, please contact Miyuki.Arai@smu.ca.
