On the dates of May 16, 2023, to July 17, 2023, we completed an internship at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden (SLU).

Working at the SLU enabled us to deepen our knowledge of the latest technologies and practices related to low-emission agriculture, as well as to participate in scientific projects concerning the rehydration of formerly drained peatlands. Collaboration with experts in the fields of land reclamation and agriculture inspired us to advance our own research and expand our horizons within our scientific disciplines (Agriculture & Environmental Engineering).

Fieldwork. Measurement of gas emissions and groundwater levels.

During the internship, we worked both in the field and in laboratories. Our responsibilities included, among others:

• Fieldwork: measuring greenhouse gas emissions using GASMET FTIR equipment; measuring soil temperature, humidity, groundwater table height, and collecting soil and water samples for laboratory analysis;
• Laboratory work: analyzing groundwater quality using the Hach DR5000 spectrophotometer;
• Working with data obtained during field and laboratory measurements.

SLU scientist ID enabling access to laboratories and workspaces.

At 12:00 each day, all SLU employees have lunch together. This is an ideal opportunity to make contacts and share your interests. A traditional form of meeting in Sweden is the ‘fika meeting’ – it’s a casual break where you have coffee and eat traditional Swedish buns (or cake) while chatting with colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.

Outdoor lunchroom.

Katarzyna Kuśmierz
Third-year Ph.D. student, Environmental Engineering, Mining, and Energy

Sebastian Kuśmierz
Fourth-year Ph.D. student, Agriculture and Horticulture