Govs Go Abroad: Josh Rye

By: Colby Wilson August 19, 2024

APSU engineering physics majors Josh Rye, at left, and Jair Martinez visit Rennes, France on a summer research trip offered through the National Science Foundation.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — International experience has become a valuable asset for college students like Josh Rye, a senior engineering physics major at Austin Peay State University (APSU). His summer research trip to Rennes, France, offered more than just academic experience—it provided a glimpse into potential career paths, European culture, and personal growth opportunities.

Rye spent seven weeks in Rennes as part of the National Science Foundation’s International Research Experience for Students (IRES) program. His research focused on chalcogenide glass, a material with potential applications in fields ranging from optical devices to medical imaging. This hands-on experience in an international lab setting proved invaluable.

"We did the entire synthesis process, which is making the glass, and did different characterizations," Rye said. "It was exciting to take skills we'd learned over here and take them into that professional setting in a new lab in a different country."

A Professional Research Environment

APSU senior engineering physics major Josh Rye conducts research on chalcogenide glass, which has potential applications in areas from optical devices to medical imaging.

The lab in Rennes was different than what Rye had encountered at Austin Peay.

"They had a lot more resources," he said. "It also felt a lot more like a job because there were a lot more time shifts, and scheduling had to be done because professors from different universities would come to do research."

This professional atmosphere provided Rye with insight into the day-to-day realities of a career in research. A typical day began with the team arriving at the lab between 8 and 9 a.m.

"We'd take the bus to work, which was only about 15 minutes away,” he said. “We'd arrive, see if our research team leader needed us to do anything, and take some notes for the day. Then we'd check the scheduling board to see if we could book any machines or stations we would need for our work, especially if we knew a few days in advance we'd need a machine. Then it was time to get to work."

Adapting to the new schedule and work environment wasn't without its challenges. The structure of the workday and week in France was different from Rye’s customary week at home, with no 24-hour shops or place to get an early cup of coffee for an early riser.

"I usually wake up pretty early, and it took me a while to get used to European culture," he said. "I usually get up at 5 or 6 in the morning, and nothing in Rennes would open until 8 or 8:30. I felt counterproductive if I woke up early; like, the gym wasn't even open, so I couldn't even do that."

Despite these initial hurdles, Rye quickly adapted. He learned to navigate not just the research environment but also life in a foreign country.

"My patience definitely increased over there,” he said. We [Rye and APSU student Jair Martinez, who also worked in Rennes] had to figure out a lot of things on our own."

Despite initial concerns about language barriers, Rye found the collaboration with international researchers rewarding.

"It was a fun experience working with everyone,” he said. “We had a little language barrier but they were pretty fluent in English."

For Rye, the experience in Rennes was more than just a summer research project—it was a chance to explore potential career paths.

"Since I didn't have a reference point for industry life, I wanted to get a good viewpoint of the research world,” he said. “[That way] I can start thinking about whether I want to go directly into grad school or directly into industry and then work toward my masters while I'm working.”

Cultural Immersion and Exploration

APSU senior engineering physics major Josh Rye visits the Eiffel Tower during a research trip to France offered through the National Science Foundation.

The research trip wasn't all work. Weekends and free time provided opportunities to explore Rennes and beyond.

"I loved being in Europe, and I loved the food," Rye said. "And public transportation, with buses and trains, is so different than here. I live out on the other side of the Cumberland [River], so I have to drive no matter what I'm doing. And I enjoy hiking, so being able to walk just about everywhere in Rennes was really nice."

Rye also took advantage of their location to visit other European destinations.

"We got to travel a bit,” he said. “The best parts were Paris and London, those were just cool experiences. We got to Paris right before they put the Olympic rings up on the Eiffel Tower, but we saw a lot of that set-up."

Rye offered advice for future students considering similar opportunities, reflecting on his experience: "Don't sit inside all day. You won't get a cultural shift. It will just be like being at home. Go out and just walk a mile in one direction, you'll see things you might like that you would never have expected to find."

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation International Research for Students (IRES) grant (Project No. NSF OISE-2106457).

About the Austin Peay College of STEM

The College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) provides studies for students in the areas of agriculture, astronomy, aviation sciences, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, engineering physics, engineering technology, information technology, mathematics, medical laboratory sciences, radiologic sciences and physics. Our outstanding, discipline-based programs are student-centered and designed to prepare students for responsible positions at all levels of research, industry, education, medicine and government positions.