[A sensible way to cope with COVID-19 by the Department of Chemical Engineering]

It is getting harder to have close contacts with others due to social distancing in light of the global COVID-19 outbreak. The campus of POSTECH also has been transformed due to various social distancing campaigns such as conducting all classes online. In particular, we find the most changes in the way we eat our meals such as lining-up while keeping a 2-meter distance and facing one direction while eating at cafeterias.

Amidst these changes, the Department of Chemical Engineering held a ‘Cherry Blossom Lunch Day’ for its members, including graduate students and researchers who devote themselves to research under these challenging circumstances, the cleaning crew and others. 298 lunch boxes with instant cup noodles and fruits were delivered with active support from the department’s professors.

Jihun Choi of the MS-PhD Integrated program said, “I spend most of my time in the laboratory so the lunch time is my only enjoyment of the day. That’s why I was so frustrated that I could not enjoy it due to the COVID-19 situation. However, I am thankful to my department for preparing these delicious lunch boxes – I think I can focus more on my studies.” He added, “I am moved by this gesture even though I cannot sit across from my colleagues or share with them.

Beside this event, the department is also planning various events to revitalize the campus life such as sending text messages to cheer up the students who are taking online-courses at home as well as to the parents, distributing newsletters that include news from the department and stunning scenery of the campus, and holding a student-life photography contest.

The department’s director Beomjin Cho encouraged everyone and said, “We should be understanding and considerate to each other in these difficult times in the ‘spirit of together’ until we return to normal.”