While most students see spring break as a time to relax and get away from school work, a group of West Virginia University engineering students used the week to learn about international engineering in Munich, Germany.
The trip was part of an engineering study abroad course taught by Todd Hamrick, teaching assistant professor of freshman engineering in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Hamrick holds a bachelor’s degree in German, as well as three degrees in mechanical engineering, all from WVU.
“Munich is a technical and cultural hub, which really gave students a well-rounded trip abroad,” said Hamrick. “Nearly every site we visited had a technical component that our students learned from, and many included exclusive tours that aren’t available to the general public and wouldn’t be an option on a recreational trip.”
“I have traveled abroad many times, but this trip provided opportunities I would never have had if I went on my own,” said Michael Conroy, a sophomore mechanical engineering major from Cincinnati, Ohio. “The engineering perspective of the trip made it a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Students participated in exclusive tours of the Rehau Group plastics facility, the Karwendelbahn cable cars and the BMW factory. Also on the itinerary were trips to the Deutsches Museum, the world’s largest science and technology museum; the Max Plank Institute, Germany’s premiere research organization; and the Dachau concentration camp.
“I tried to put all of my experiences on the trip into words, but truly I’m speechless,” said Erin Brooker, a freshman civil and mining engineering dual major from Wilmington, Ohio. “I gained tremendous insight on how other cultures operate and how societies can change over time and develop because of engineering.”
To prepare for their visit, students spent the spring semester immersing themselves in German culture, history and language. But the course isn’t just about Germany.
“This course teaches within the larger context of working with people in all cultures,” said Hamrick. “Having worked for an international company, I know the challenges that go into this unique work environment and how important it is for our students to be prepared to work in this atmosphere.”
The course counts toward the Statler College’s Certificate of Global Competency, which endorses a student’s ability to work effectively across cultural and linguistic barriers while focusing on engineering issues that transcend culture.
“Studying abroad helps students become more culturally fluent, a skill that will help them understand the diversity and needs of people around the world, which will ultimately make them better engineers,” said Hamrick.
“Seeing engineering in another country proved to me that the skills I am learning at WVU can serve me anywhere and I can end up working wherever I want,” said Conroy. “When I have a job somewhere down the line and my boss asks me if I am comfortable traveling for work, I feel confident saying yes, knowing that I will be able to perform any task in another country and not feel out of my element while doing so.”
-WVU-
bmd/4/6/15
CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4086, Mary.Dillon@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.