Internship and Exchange Program for Youths of University of Oslo at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

From April to June 2025, with the support of the special fund under the International Young Talent Exchange Program (CEP Program) of the China International Talent Exchange Foundation, four doctoral students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo in Norway were invited to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (SSTM) for an internship and exchange program. Together with Chinese researchers, the interns carried out in-depth collaboration in fields such as zoology and ecology, gaining fruitful results in biodiversity conservation research and innovative ecological monitoring methods. Amid rich cultural immersion, they also embarked on an unforgettable journey of exploring China.

The interns participated in multiple academic seminars and visited venues including the Shanghai Astronomy Museum (SAM), collection storage and laboratories of the Shanghai Natural History Museum (SNHM), where they systematically studied techniques and methods related to paleontological specimen preparation and preservation, as well as wildlife monitoring. Under the guidance of their mentors, they were deeply involved in fossil specimen replication work, learned about digitization technologies for collections, and developed a systematic understanding of the specimen preservation system for characteristic species at SSTM. They also conducted several field surveys in Pudong New Area, Chongming District, Jinshan District, and Fengxian District, gaining first-hand experience in habitat monitoring of the Chinese alligator and ecological assessments of urban green spaces. Through these field studies, the interns learned from China’s well-established practices in urbanization and biodiversity conservation.