In the fall of 2023, Washington State University sent its first cohort of students to Sweden under the National Science Foundation-funded Student Training and Research Semesters in Sweden (STARS.SE) program. Organized by WSU engineering professor, Joseph Ianelli, the program will send eight WSU students to Linköping University in Sweden each fall semester and eight Swedish students from Linköping University to WSU the following spring. A memorandum of understanding between the universities allows students at both universities to attend the other by continuing to pay tuition at their home institution. The STARS program provides living expenses for the WSU students during their semester in Sweden.
Mathematics major Liam Crofton was among the eight students who spent the fall 2023 semester at Linköping University. The eight students who will study in Linköping University in fall 2024 have been chosen and includes mathematics majors Melissa Matteo and Maryn DeGraff.
While in Sweden, WSU students attend classes and work on research projects, supervised jointly with a professor at Linköping University and a WSU professor. This also creates a connection between researchers at the two institutions that may result in further collaborations.
Funding through this program was obtained through the National Science Foundation’s International Research Experiences for Students program, which seeks to develop the international research community and establish international networks of researchers.