(97e) Enhancing Global Understanding of Sustainable Energy Needs By Running a Faculty-Led International Program

Sustainability is of global concern with the increasing awareness of humans’ impact on the environment. Teaching engineers about global sustainability issues and how to produce innovate solutions to these problems can be challenging in a traditional classroom. Leading an international faculty-led program can enhance student learning of important global problems and help drive innovation to solving these critical issues. There are added benefits to students having an international experience by becoming globally aware and global citizens, more personally and socially aware, and strengthening their career and academic choices. This talk will discuss the lessons learned running a successful one-month long faculty-led study abroad program to Brazil seven times.

As part of this one-month program, the students took two second year level courses. Energy Systems which discusses the need for sustainable energies and the scientific and engineering principles on how they work and Impacts of Alternative Energy Technologies which discusses the need to understand environmental and social justice issues related to energy systems. During the program, the students visited multiple renewable energy sites and talked with industrial leaders who pioneered these technologies in Brazil. They are also immersed in Brazilian culture while learning and discussing innovative sustainable energy technologies by developing a sustainable urban development proposal for the city of Fortaleza with Brazilian university students from UNIFOR and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.

Topics discussed during this talk include managing student expectations and preparation before going abroad, impactful service learning projects, and managing working with in-country partners. Anecdotal evidence from students’ blogs about their journey will be highlighted to demonstrate learning outcomes and experiences during the global experience.