Spring break trip to Iceland empowers sustainability leaders of tomorrow

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In contrast to the classic spring break trip soaking up sun on a beach, 12 students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences capitalized on their time off to gain an exclusive educational experience abroad. The students traveled to Iceland, a small country known for its outsized renewable energy resources, to see classroom concepts in real life, while crossing off a bucket-list global experience.

Hannah Chop, a senior majoring in environmental systems engineering, seized the opportunity through the EMSC 299 embedded course, an online three-credit course at Penn State paired with the Global Renewable Energy Education Network (GREEN) Program.

The GREEN program is an international alternative study abroad program whose main focus is to educate college students passionate about the role of renewable energy in finding energy solutions.

Throughout the eight-day trip, Chop collaborated with students from other disciplines and other universities, gaining valuable interdisciplinary insights for dealing with issues around sustainable entrepreneurship and policy, geology, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power and electric power systems.

“I interacted with people in the college that I wouldn't have otherwise interacted with, so learning from what everyone else is doing in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) was valuable,” Chop said. “We met and worked with students from North Carolina, California and the United Kingdom who all brought different perspectives on the same material that we studied.”

After lectures at Reykjavik University, the students toured hydro and geothermal generation facilities and had unfettered access to industry professionals, said Haley Sankey, program coordinator and an assistant teaching professor in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.

“As part of the GREEN Program experience, students are encouraged to examine alternative ways of applying sustainability concepts and renewable energy technologies to experiment with their own ideas through capstone projects,” Sankey said. “The mix of culture, academics, adventure and experiential learning is perfect and can cement a student’s pathway or introduce a new road to be explored.”

Karen Marosi, director of student engagement in EMS, said the GREEN program empowers students to grow personally, while providing them the opportunity to explore the complexity of the planet and expand their knowledge of sustainability.

“The GREEN Program blends expert pedagogy and a keen understanding of how to connect with students to create an extraordinary learning experience,” Marosi said. “Students return transformed as sustainability scholars with a deeper understanding of their own potential.”

Jacob Kaminski, a Penn State alumni and GREEN program ambassador, said the program is an educational experience that can ignite curiosity and passion in EMS students in ways that traditional classrooms or textbooks cannot match.

“The program provides a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in real-world challenges and opportunities related to sustainable development,” said Kaminski, who received a bachelor’s degree in Earth science and policy from Penn State. “Through the program, students gain the knowledge and skills to become active participants in shaping a more sustainable future. Programs such as these elevate a Penn State student’s experience to new levels.”

Kaminski joined the GREEN program in 2018 and immersed himself in the study of nuclear energy and the transition to sustainable energy in Fukushima, Japan. This experience ignited his passion for international travel and experiential learning, and Kaminski sought out two more embedded study abroad experiences: tropical ecology in Costa Rica and renewable energy in Iceland.

The GREEN Program and Penn State had a significant impact on Kaminski’s career path as he is now employed as an academic program manager for the Iceland School of Energy at Reykjavik University. Making the most out of his experiences abroad, he gets to help prepare the next generation of energy leaders as they shape a brighter future for the planet.

“The GREEN program was a turning point in my education and career,” Kaminski said. “My time in the program exposed me to a global network of passionate students and professionals like myself, who have since become colleagues and collaborators in my work in sustainable energy education in Iceland. My experience with the GREEN program has also enabled me to engage with people worldwide and bring a truly international perspective to my work.”

For more information about the GREEN program visit the website.