Josh Carey, senior in energy engineering, said both the course format and the chance to collaborate with other students was beneficial to him.
“I gained two things in particular from taking this course. First would be the broad understanding of energy in general. At the beginning of the course, before the trip, we researched and gave presentations on all types of energy, both renewable and non-renewable,” he said.
“It really helped us learn about various energy sources and also improved our communication skills. That gave a good base going into the trip and helped us focus on what to look for when we visited the energy sites in New Zealand.
Second, would be the interactions with my classmates. I would say that I gained many best friends through this course, including the professors. We had a great time and l have lots of great memories.”
Jake Simon, a junior with a double major in meteorology and geography, echoed that sentiment.
“With a small group of students in the class you get to know everyone. Plus, this is the first time that I had one-on-one interactions with professors; I had the opportunity to interact with them in the classroom, outside of the classroom, and in the field. I really think that experience helped me grow as a student.”
Alexander Tankou, a senior majoring in energy engineering, said “The whole trip was fantastic! We all had a great experience. It was the first time I had the opportunity to visit a geothermal plant. Each student was tasked with leading a discussion on a specific energy topic – there we were sitting in the hot geothermal pools discussing geothermal energy – it was amazing!
The beauty of New Zealand, the setting for the “Lord of the Rings” movies among others, was not lost on the students.
Carly Hinton, junior in environmental systems engineering, said “The best thing we got to see beyond all of the really cool site visits was the dramatic landscape of New Zealand. Driving down the coastal highway and seeing a snow-capped volcano on your left and the beach with surfers to your right was probably was my favorite scenic memory of the trip.”