Past Trips

The International Experience Program coordinated by the Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE) Department at Washington University is part of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy Global Energy & Environment Partnership (MAGEEP) Program. The International Experience Program is an elective course offered to undergraduate students studying engineering and environmental science. Each year a group of students visit on of our MAGEEP partner universities during the summer session.

The summer 2023 trip was the 14th International Experience class. This year seven Washington University students traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia to visit the University of Indosnesia Depok (UI). 

Coordinators
• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Vijay Ramani, associate vice chancellor & professor

Patricipants
• Jennifer Ton
• Harry Gao
• Raynah Fandozzi
• Nicholas Kim
• Lindsey Feeley
• Sara-Mari Reed
• Olivia Przydzial

The International Experience Program coordinated by the Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE) Department at Washington University is part of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy Global Energy & Environment Partnership (MAGEEP) Program. The International Experience Program is an elective course offered to undergraduate students studying engineering and environmental science. Each year a group of students visit on of our MAGEEP partner universities during the summer session.

The summer 2023 trip was the 13th International Experience class. This year ten Washington University students traveled to Singapore visited National University of Singapore (NUS). Students from EECE, BME, and EECS participated in this trip. Ray Ehrhard and Professor Vijay Ramani of the EECE Department coordinated and attended the trip with the students.

The goal of the MAGEEP Summer Experience program is to gain an understanding in global issues engineers will be facing while engaging the students in engineering studies and research conducted at a MAGEEP partner university. The students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering-related topics including; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Water Treatment and Carbon Capture, Electrocatalysis, Electroceramic and Composite Materials, Catalytic Nanomaterials, Biomass Waste and Food Waste, Advanced Water Treatment, Climate Change and Coastal Protection, 3D Imaging, and other research topics. We toured research labs and heard from NUS graduate students on the many projects they continue to study. A special tour was set up to visit the Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute at Nanyang Technical University (NTU).

The students also conducted tours of local of industries, engineering organizations, and research groups in Singapore. Some of these included Jacobs Engineering, Bayer, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Public Utilities Board NEWater Plant, Smart Urban Co-Innovation Lab, Us2.ai Startup Company Processing Cardiac Ultrasound Images. These companies demonstrated a wide variety of engineering technologies and solutions to being developed and applied in Singapore and around the world.

An alumni reception was held with over 75 Washington University alumni and friends in attendance. Students were able to share their campus experience with alumni and see real examples of graduates in professional careers. Additional talks with Washington University alumni provided an introspective perspective to the students on how they can apply their engineering studies in their future careers.

While the primary purpose of this trip was to learn about engineering in Singapore, students had ample time to experience the culture of and sites of the region. Singapore is known as a City in a Garden built in an urban setting with green space and walking trails for the students to enjoy. There are different perspectives of life in Singapore in terms of culture, religion, food, language, and history. This trip included world class cultural tours the places such as Sentosa Island, the Marina Bay Sands, Gardens By the Bay, Night Safari, and many museums and outdoor attractions. This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history, and future of Singapore. Many international friendships were made and greater appreciations of global issues were realized by the students as they continue their education.

Coordinators
• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Rajan Chakrabarty, associate professor
Undergraduate Students

Participants
• Daran Anand
• Alvin James Bacani
• Riya Bhakta
• Sam Black
• Dillon Colbert
• Jocelyn Epstein
• Siena Lum
• Jenna D. Nguyen
• Charlene Pobee
• Guinter Dame Vogg

View trip presentation

The International Experience Program coordinated by the Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE) Department at Washington University is part of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy Global Energy & Environment Partnership (MAGEEP) Program. The International Experience Program is an elective course offered to undergraduate students studying engineering and environmental science. Each year a group of students visit on of our MAGEEP partner universities during the summer session.

The 12th International Experience class trip was different this time around. Instead of travelling during our summer break, we traveled during the 2019/20 winter break. Nine Washington University students traveled to India and visited the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. Ray Ehrhard and Professor Rajan Chakrabarty of the EECE Department coordinated and attended the trip with the students. The department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Delhi is known to be the finest in the country and one of the best around the world. We are fortunate to have many close colleagues and alumni from Washington University with connections to IIT Delhi.

The goal of the MAGEEP Summer Experience program is to gain an understanding in global issues engineers will be facing while engaging the students in engineering studies and research conducted at a MAGEEP partner university. The students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical and Environmental Engineering-related topics including; air pollution and mitigation, mitigation of plastic waste, artificial intelligence, new frontiers for electric vehicles, battery management, and more. We were able to tour research labs and hear from IIT graduate students on the many projects they continue to study. A special tour was set up to visit the Nano Research Facility (NRF) to see the latest equipment being used in Nano research. One of our goals was to see first-hand the effects of localized air pollution and how researchers and government agencies are responding. Washington University has a joint research study deploying modular particulate monitors in the Delhi region as a real-time air pollution monitoring network. We were able to visit the main field site and see a demonstration of the technology while reviewing real time data. Following that site visit we meet at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Center to see all the additional air monitoring efforts being undertaken to collect data and understand the causes and effects of these air pollution problems.

We were able to talk with several Washington University alumni at the university and research facilities which provided an introspective perspective to the students on how they can apply their engineering studies in their future careers.

While the primary purpose of this trip was to learn about engineering in India, students had ample time to experience the culture of India and visit the beautiful historic sites. We took a trip to visit sites in Agra including the Taj Mahal and Red Fort. We learned about Indian food and the many methods of getting around in the city, including bicycle rickshaws in Old Delhi. Some of the many sites we toured included; Humayun Tomb, India Gate, Qutub Minar, Gandhi Smriti, Raj Ghat, and of course the street markets. We were fortunate to have several IIT students and faculty accompany us during our time together.

This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history, and future of India. Many international friendships were made and greater appreciations of global issues were realized by the students as they continue their education.

Participants

• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Rajan Chakrabarty, associate professor

The International Experience Program coordinated by the Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE) Department at Washington University is part of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy Global Energy & Environment Partnership (MAGEEP) Program. The International Experience Program is an elective course offered to undergraduate students studying engineering and environmental science. Each year a group of students visit on of our MAGEEP partner universities.

The summer 2018 trip was the 11th International Experience class. This year eight Washington University students traveled to Taiwan and visited National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Chiao Tung University (NCTU). Ray Ehrhard and Professor Vijay Ramani of the EECE Department coordinated and attended the trip with the students.

The goal of the MAGEEP Summer Experience program is to gain and understanding in global issues engineers will be facing and engaging the students in engineering studies and research conducted at a MAGEEP partner university. The students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical and Environmental Engineering-related topics, including water management, atmospheric aerosol research, biomedical research, nanoparticle research, renewable energy, environmental health concerns, and microfluids. We visited many research laboratories and manufacturing plants including; silicon wafer manufacturing, automobile special parts manufacturing, air pollution control equipment, air monitoring stations, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan. Several Washington University alumni were working at these industries and research facilities which provided an introspective perspective to the students on how they can apply their engineering studies in their future careers.

During our field trip to the silicon wafer plant, the students entered several different cleanroom areas and learned the importance of wearing proper protective equipment from their feet to their head. It was a unique experience to see the entire silicon wafer process from the silicone seed and growth through the final polishing steps. We also meet with a company run by a Washington University alumni developing a non-invasive optical imaging technology for the medical field. Not only were the students able to see how a start-up company is established, they heard how this former Washington University student used campus resources during his time at WashU to help prepare for his future career.

An important aspect of the trip is to experience the culture and people of Taiwan. This trip provided an extra amount of local travel taking us to major cities like Taipei and Hsinchu, and to other remote areas like an air monitoring station on the northern coast and a weekend trip to Yilan County. These trips allowed us to visit a variety of Taiwanese culture. Among some of the sites we toured included; Fuguijiao Lighthouse, TAIPEI 101 Tower, National Palace Museum, temples, night markets, Yilan region, and many restaurants. We were fortunate to have several NTU and NCTU students and faculty accompany us during our time together.

This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history, and future of Taiwan. The students obtained a greater appreciations of global issues that will benefit them as they continue their education.

Participants

• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Vijay Ramani, professor

Undergraduate Students

• Drew Ells
• Justin Nathenson
• Travis Reed
• Skyler Simon
• Julia Simpson
• Pietro Vannucci
• Kento Sasada
• Annabel Shu

Coordinated by Professor Brent Williams, Research Associate, Ray Ehrhard and Lecturer, Janie Brennan, the 10th International Experience class visited Bangkok, Thailand in the summer of 2017.

The 2017 MAGEEP International Experience Program took us to Bangkok, Thailand. This was the tenth International Program trip sponsored by the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering. This year's group consisted of ten Washington University students, two University of Queensland students, and two Washington University faculty and staff. Our MAGEEP host for the two week program was Chulalongkorn University. Chulalongkorn University is a top rated university with a student enrollment of almost 40,000. The group also visited Kasersart University and King Mongkut's University of Technology.

The goal of the MAGEEP Summer Experience program is to gain and understanding in global issues engineers will be facing and engaging the students in engineering studies and research conducted at a MAGEEP partner university. The students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical and Environmental Engineering-related topics, including water management, atmospheric aerosol research, nanoparticle research, renewable energy, and environmental concerns in petroleum production. We visited many research laboratories and pilot plants including; solar cells, biopharmaceutical, ethanol, sensor technologies, aerosols, and others.

One of the industrial field trips included a visit to the Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources Pollution Control Department's automobile emission laboratory. Like many large urban cities Bangkok is overwhelmed with many automobiles and traffic gridlock adding to the regional air pollution problems. The students were able to see how the government is analyzing vehicle emissions and conducting models for improved conditions. The students also toured a petrochemical plant that manufactures purified terephthalic acid (PTA). During that field visit we were not only shown the process operation, but also the complexity of utility processes and equipment supporting the production process. Visits to University and other research labs presented the students an understanding of the focused research each university was pursuing and the common environmental and energy issues we face globally.

An important aspect of the trip is to experience the culture and people of Thailand. We attended a Survival Thai Language class on learning to speak the Thai language which helped us as we toured the city. We had many opportunities to taste the assortment of Thai foods filled with traditional spices. Among some of the sites we toured included; Khao chi Chan Buddha, Pattaya floating market, Thai Art and Culture Village, Bang Pa In Royal Palace, The Grand Palace sites and more. A highlight was a weekend trip to Phuket and touring the Phi Phi Islands. The Washington University and University of Queensland students spent these two weeks learning together. We were fortunate to have several Chulalongkorn students accompany us during our time together.

This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history, and future of Thailand. Many international friendships were made and greater appreciations of global issues were realized by the students as they continue their education.

Participants

• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Brent Williams, assistant professor
• Achariya Suriyawong, alumna

• Sean Fallon
• Brian Gersten
• Ashley Herterberg
• Harrison Holmes
• Tyler Landis
• Michelle Molina
• Maddie Robinson
• Maggie Ruding
• Lia Schattner
• Oscar Tapia
• Christopher Walker
• Vanessa Wu

Coordinated by Professor John Fortner, Research Associate, Ray Ehrhard and Lecturer, Janie Brennan, the 9th International Experience class visited Budapest, Hungary in the summer of 2016.

A group of eleven Washington University engineering students traveled to Budapest, Hungary as part of the 2016 MAGEEP International Experience Program. Also, five students from the University of Queensland joined us during the two week program. Our MAGEEP host was the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). Budapest University of Technology and Economics was founded in 1782, and is the first institute in Europe to train engineers at university level. We were fortunate to have our own Washington University MAGEEP Scholar, Andrea Balassy, with us during the trip. Andrea attended BME and assisted us in coordinating lectures and experiences of a true Hungarian. Professor John Fortner and Ray Ehrhard directed to students during this trip.

The goal of the MAGEEP Summer program is to gain an understanding in global issues engineers will be facing and engaging the students in engineering studies and research conducted at a MAGEEP partner university. The students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical and Environmental Engineering-related topics, including waste management, biomass conversion, atmospheric aerosol research, carbene chemistry, nuclear energy, polymer hydrogels, renewable energy, and material science. We also attended a renewable energy mini research workshop and were surprised during our break when a group of students called the “Chemical Singers” entertained us with a traditional and classical musical interlude. Our field trips took us to a wastewater plant, an ethanol plant, a coal mine and power plant, and a brewery. Visits to research labs presented the students an understanding of the focused research each university was pursuing and the common environmental and energy issues we face globally.

One of our first group activities for this program was a team building day to enhance our social relations and understanding of each other. A group facilitator was used to present group challenge exercises for the students to get to know each other and work together. This was followed with a Segway run through the forest and a group dinner. The facilitator observed that as engineers we need to work with each other using our unique strengths in solving problems. We ended this day excited for our time together. The Washington University and University of Queensland students were certainly one group throughout these two weeks.

While the primary purpose of this trip was to learn about engineering in Hungary, students had ample time to experience the culture of Hungary and visit the beautiful historic sites in Budapest. We learned about Hungarian food and the many simple methods of getting around in the city. Our transportation during this trip included; planes, trains, trams, buses, metro trains, bicycles, boats, walking, Segway, and a horse drawn wagon. Among the many sites we toured included; tour of Parliament, Liszt Academy, Castle Hill, Gellért Hill, Heroes' Square, Magnificent Margaret Island, exploring the Danube and its bridges, and of course the thermal baths. One of the most extraordinary visits we had was an overnight trip to the Lake Balaton are. During this trip we were greeted at our destination in vineyard by people dressed in traditional Hungarian clothes where we enjoyed a party filled with music, food, dancing and local entertainment. The students were able to enjoy a part of Hungary most tourists never see.

This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history, and future of Hungary. Many international friendships were made and greater appreciations of global issues were realized by the students as they continue their education.

Participants

• John Fortner, associate professor
• Ray Ehrhard, research associate
• Andrea Balassy, graduate student

• Animan Amit
• Caroline Avery
• Mark Blumenfeld
• Adrian Levitt
• Zhaoyi Lin
• Julianna Portelli
• Gabriella Riek
• Kirby Simon
• Emily Weber
• Jeremy Wojtak
• Brock Workman

The 2015 MAGEEP International Experience trip to Turkey included time at Bogazici University in Istanbul and Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. We were fortunate to visit two top ranked universities in the MAGEEP consortium. This was the eighth year students have taken a summer trip as part of the MAGEEP International Experience Program. The 2015 Program was unique in that, not only were there six Washington University undergraduate students, we also had four students from the University of Queensland join us. This was truly a global experience for the students.
Full version of the video

While at each University, the students attended lectures on a variety of Chemical and Environmental Engineering-related topics, including waste management, groundwater pollution and remediation, engineered biological methods for producing hydrocarbon fuels, bioremediation, landfill structure and operation, and wastewater treatment processes. Visits to research labs presented the students an understanding of the focused research each university was pursuing and the common environmental and energy issues we face globally. While in Ankara, the students had the opportunity to attend the MAGEEP SEES Solar Workshop, where researchers from our partner universities presented their work in a variety of areas related to the development and implementation of solar energy technologies. This was an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to the wide variety of research initiatives and applications for solar energy as well as to see the coalition's goals as a whole for the development of these technologies. At METU, students visited the "Technopark". This is a cultivating center for creativity and innovative ideas. The park reflected the university as a whole as it demonstrated the school's invested interest in forward-thinking and technical novelties, while providing students the opportunity to research these ideas right on campus.

Our off campus tours included a trip to the Ambarli Atiksu Aritma Tesisi Wastewater Treatment Plant. This gave the students a first-hand perspective of the information that was presented to them at during their wastewater technology lectures. Another interesting field trip was the tour of the Odayeri Landfill. Again, this trip was especially engaging because the students were able to see a lecture, given at Bogacizi University come to life. A much different tour was conducted at our visit to the Earthquake Museum and Research Center. The students were able to see how earthquakes are monitored and the devastation they can cause. A real life example was given as the students sat in a shaking room constructed to show what happens during an earthquake.

While the primary purpose of this trip was to learn about engineering in Turkey, students had ample time to experience Turkish culture and visit historic sites while in Istanbul and Ankara. In Istanbul, we spent a day in the historic peninsula of the city, eating Turkish delight and Baklava, seeing the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the cisterns, and the Galata Tower. Visiting these historic sites allowed the students to learn about Turkey's extensive history and the various influences that shaped the country we see today. We also had the opportunity to spend a day travelling to the Prince Islands, a group of islands in the Sea of Marmara south of the city. There, we interacted with locals, ate traditional Turkish food, and biked around the island taking in the gorgeous views of the Marmara. Throughout our entire time in the city, we explored new neighborhoods and restaurants and met with locals as much as possible. We also spent a great deal of time with METU students in Ankara and had the opportunity to visit the historic section of the city and visit Ataturk's Mausoleum. Our visit to the old city of Ankara highlighted the stark differences between Istanbul and Ankara. This visit made the group even more aware of the cultural differences that can come into play in any work in a given country.

As one student stated, "Overall, my experience was a true Turkish delight—enlightening in both environmental engineering and cultural aspects alike." An especial delight on this trip was to have our own Washington University PhD student, Begum Karakocak with us the entire time showing around in a way that only local people would know and appreciate.

Participants

The MAGEEP Engineering International Experience Program provides students education beyond a campus classroom. The 2014 student trip to Singapore allowed five engineering students the opportunity to enhance and enrich their undergraduate experience and provide a focused international experience looking at global challenges. This two week visit was hosted by the National University of Singapore (NUS), one of our 29 MAGEEP University partners. During the two week visit the students were provided lectures and tours of research project from NUS professors highlighting some of the major areas of interest in chemical engineering on an international platform. A major focus of the lectures included topics on clean energy.

National University of Singapore is a large university with 27,000 undergraduate students and 10,000 graduate students. The Washington University students stayed at student housing on the NUS campus and were able to experience how the NUS students live, including the variety of foods, access to campus facilities, and use of student transportation in a large campus. This trip also included some academic tours outside of NUS including a trip to the Biopolis. The Biopolis is a research campus created to provide space for biomedical research which could promote the collaboration between private companies and public scientific/educational bodies. A WashU alumni working at the Biopolis provided an insightful talk of how he used his Washington University education to obtain a position at the Biopolis in Singapore. Another site visit was to the Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI). The NEWRI was constructed in 2009 with an $849 Million grant from the government for sustainability research. The areas of research at NEWRI include; water production and reclamation, membrane separation, energy use and efficiency, and renewable energy generation. A different but one of the most enlightening experiences for the students was a visit to the Yale-NUS University liberal arts program. A Yale professor discussed the impact of earthquakes on different geographic and socioeconomic locations. Although he is not an engineering professor, he targeted the importance of this topic and the role of engineers in solving problems.

A highlight of the week was our participation in the International Water Week Convention at the Singapore convention center and a tour of Singapore's "NEW Water Facility". The students were able to see the current and future technologies for treating drinking water and methods used for water reclamation in practice at a world renowned water treatment and reuse facility.

This international trip incorporated a constant duality of cultural and academic learning: exposure to new ideas in the students' field of learning while living and understanding a different social and academic culture. Much of the time was also spent visiting the unique social and cultural aspects of Singapore. Some of the local sites visited by students included; Singapore Botanic Gardens, Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island, World War II Museum, Marina Bay Sands, and of course the many restaurants and culture centers.

Washington University students are faced with many technical aspects and a vast option of paths to follow post-graduation. This trip allowed these students to take in the technical, academic, and cultural nuances in the field of chemical, environmental, and energy engineering from a global perspective. As one student wrote; "I am on a constant quest to experience new things so that one of them may inspire where I take my future. This course was a brilliant way to gain insight into the academia of an upper-tier school while simultaneously experiencing a culture unlike anything that I had previously been exposed to."

Participants

‘Seeing it in practice’: Engineering students learned around the world in summer experiences

By Beth Miller

At Washington University in St. Louis, students in the School of Engineering & Applied Science learn more than how to be an engineer. With opportunities to go abroad to get hands-on experience beyond what they learn in the classroom, they also learn to be leaders in a global society.

Sixteen WashU students went to Brisbane, Australia, for the International Experience program, sponsored by the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering and the McDonnell Academy Global Energy and Environment Partnership (MAGEEP).

The International Experience visits a different country each summer, in collaboration with MAGEEP partner universities, providing students with opportunities to learn how other countries handle energy and environmental challenges. The international trip is part of course EECE 401, International Experience in Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, which includes pre-program seminars in the spring, the summer trip, and a fall course to complete follow-up projects and presentations.

The trip included lectures at the University of Queensland (UQ) in aquatic engineering, solar and geothermal energy, wastewater treatment, carbon dioxide sequestration, biofuel development, electricity market and the economic and social impact of energy and environmental development.

In addition, the group visited the UQ’s solar array; a biofuel generation lab, including algae ponds; several labs; the Rio Tinto Boyne Smelter; and a coal mine, in addition to some recreational trips. The students also prepared a presentation on what they learned.

Pratim Biswas, department chair and the Lucy & Stanley Lopata Professor, who accompanied the students on the second half of the trip, said it was a great opportunity to see things in full scale.

“Here, the students are in a classroom learning all the theory, but they got to see it in practice,” he said. “They could see the entire supply chain in the energy domain, from the mines where the coal comes from, how it is transported, how it’s shipped internationally, then in use at the power plant. They also got to see some new technology-based power generation that we don’t have here in the United States.”

Hanna Newstadt, a junior majoring in chemical engineering, said she was interested in learning about chemical engineering from a different perspective.

“One of the big things I came away with was the different resources available in Australia,” Newstadt said. “They are very dependent on coal, and they have a lot of uranium that they don’t use. It was very interesting to see the energy profile compared to that in the United States.”

Jessica Rudnick, a junior majoring in environmental earth sciences, in Arts & Sciences, said she was impressed by some of the technologies she saw in use.

“I really liked the algae ponds at the UQ research facility,” she said. “They plan to couple the open algae reactor with an agriculture system, and that’s something I never thought of.”

Rudnick said the visit to the open strip coal mine left a lasting impression.

“I’d never seen anything like that before – it ripped open my heart,” Rudnick said. “It was an amazing sight – it gave you a sense of the scale and the size of energy production. It was terrible, but really amazing as to how powerful humans can be to create these canyons and mountains.”

Newstadt, who this summer worked in the lab of Jay Turner, PhD, associate professor and director of undergraduate programs, through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program, said the trip was a great experience.

“It’s very different from learning in the classroom,” she said. “I feel like I have more direction in what I want to do after college.”

The course and the trip are led by Ruth Chen, PhD, professor of practice, director of the International Experience Program and of the master of engineering program in Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering. Chen, who has led five prior International Experience trips, says this year’s trip had high-quality classroom instruction coupled with site visits related to the lectures.

“We try to learn from the strength of each school and each country and take home how they solve their energy and environmental challenges,” Chen said. “The students bring home different perspectives that will be useful pointers for working in energy and environmental challenges in the United States. They are going to be very good engineers and world citizens.”

She credited Chris Greig, director of the University of Queensland Energy Initiative, for the successful outcome of the 16-day trip.

“He has tremendous experience and connections, he understands our curriculum, and he was able to stretch the students in a direction that’s comfortable for them,” Chen said.

Grieg works closely with Richard Axelbaum, the Stifel & Quinette Jens Professor of Environmental Engineering Science, on an international network of universities collaborating to develop innovative ways to cleanly burn coal for energy. Axelbaum also accompanied the students on the first part of the trip.

Grieg said he was so impressed by the group that he is considering developing a similar program for the University of Queensland.

“I think the students gained a new perspective on global energy markets and environmental challenges through both their lectures at UQ and the industry site visits,” Grieg said. “They would have been particularly struck by the level of investment in energy commodity export capacity, which is very different scenario to the USA.

“I found the Wash. U. students to be very enthusiastic, engaging and eager to learn both in relation to the energy and environment content but also in relation to the cultural and geographic characteristics of Australia,” Grieg said. “I was particularly struck by their politeness and genuine appreciation of everything UQ arranged for them.”

On some of the longer bus rides between locations, Biswas and Chen gave interactive lectures to the students on topics such as career options and choices. Also, after each visit to a facility and on the ferry to classes, the students and professors discussed what they saw.

Seven students stayed in Brisbane until mid-August in internships, working on supplying solar energy to the outback, water treatment, biofuel, seam gas extraction, environmental remediation and nanotechnology.

Participants

International Experience Brazil 2012 focused on the success of bio-fuel technology, research, manufacturing, and distribution in Brazil.

The students and faculty visited: UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE CAMPINAS (UNICAMP) and four national laboratories which specialized in nanotechnology, synchrotron, bio-ethanol fuel, and molecular biology, and touring bio-fuel processing companies.

In this program, the students were taught jointly by UNICAMP and WUStL professors. In addition to learning about biotechnology, aerosol applications, nanotechnology, research and development in sugar can ethanol sector, biomass pyrolysis, metabolic engineering, bio-process engineering, electro-chemical systems, environmental health, and risk assessment; students were able to study Portuguese and take Samba dance lessons. They also participated in soccer and other cultural activities with UNICAMP students.

Participants

In Hong Kong, the students learned about solar energy, biofuel, electrochemical and materials technology for clean energy/wastewater treatment, polymer opto-electronics, and wind energy. Lectures included air pollution and health, sustainable energy policy of Hong Kong, performance-based building green energy code, green business practices in the financial industry, and Hong Kong as an international financial center. The students also assembled solar cells in class. They also toured China Light and Power, Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Corp. (HSBC), and China Light and Power.

Participants

• Assistant Professor Cynthia Lo
• Assistant Professor Venkat Subramanian
• Ruth Chen, professor of the practice
• Will Backus
• Nicole Carlson
• Melanie Driscoll
• Jeff Gerold
• Jennifer Grant
• Christopher Holt
• Hsi-Sheng (Derek) Lin
• Stephen Maldazys
• Amy Maurer
• Karen Mok
• Jay Seman
• Taylor Soulis
• David Yang
• Junye Zhang
• Andrew Crothers
• Bethany Klemestud
• Ryan Lago
• Erica Levine
• Amy Miller
• Meron Negussie
• Sean Reisch
• Andrew Spitz
• Samantha Yang

STUDENT PROJECTS

• Eastern Dragon by Junye and Derek (.PPTX)

Students received a broad exposure to energy and environmental projects, and learned about active collaborative projects underway in areas of energy and environment, materials engineering, transport phenomena and reaction engineering, between Washington University in St. Louis and IIT Bombay. In addition, they visited multinational corporations, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a rural village to participate in field experimentation. Students also had a socio-cultural experience, and the opportunity to visit landmark tourist sites such as the Taj Mahal. The two Universities are partners of the McDonnell Academy Global Energy and Environmental Partnership.

Participating Students: Kwabena Adjei, John Coveyou, Katelyn Disterhoft, Williams Ferriby, Peter Glaser, Chloe Greenberg, Jennifer Head, Michal Hyrc, Craig Jacobson, Anne Joiner, Williams Koury, Lauren Krone, Kelly Leung, and Sarag Paleg.

Undergraduate students visited Seoul and other cities in Korea during the Summer of 2009. This program was coordinated by Professor Pratim Biswas and Professor of the Practice Ruth Chen. The focus of this trip was nanotechnology, and energy & environmental technologies. Visits to National Laboratories in Daejon and several Industries were organized. Each student had an opportunity to meet with counterpart students at Korea University, Seoul National University and Yonsei University.

Participating students: Michael Craig, Lauren Shuler, Yueyang Fei, Ryan Gill, Daniel Eicholtz, Anca Timofte, Salvatore Ruffino & Kristen Schlott

STUDENT PROJECTS