Karam Alkaissy is a freshman chemical engineering student hailing all the way from the Netherlands! This May, he will be traveling to Japan, and exploring the intersection of science and nationalism as part of the Penn Global Seminar: Scientific Nationalism in Japan. As an avid traveler, tech geek and lover of Japanese cuisine all at once, Karam is excited to take us with him on his travels across the land of the rising sun. On campus, he remains involved in the Assembly of International Students, Penn Climate Ventures and Penn Arab Student Society. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the thrifting scene in Philly, going on runs along the Schuylkill River, and people-watching in the sun in the company of great friends and food. Karam is eager to learn more about Japan’s enigmatic dance of tradition of innovation, hoping to deconstruct preconceived notions on science and technology as inherently Western concepts.
During his upcoming trip to Japan, he is particularly looking forward to…
- Watching a live sumo wrestling match
- Learning how to count to ten in Japanese
- Riding the Shinkansen bullet train at 200 mph (!)
- Meeting students and faculty from across the world at the University of Tokyo
- Catching a glimpse of Mount Fuji (if the weather permits…)
- ‘Learning’ how to like matcha
