This trip has been one of my best and most unique experiences. The many tours, company visits, and experiences I’ve had on this trip will forever change my outlook on engineering and the world. Before this trip, I had no clue to the extent to which engineering affects society. Company tours like Skoda, Eaton, and CEZ showed me the complex systems and methods for generating services and products. From the semi-automated car production at Skoda to the massive scale of brown coal mining at CEZ, I am more aware of how much planning and work go into maintaining our society. The vast city planning and collaboration between water plants to provide water to all regions around the Czech Republic is wildly impressive. After seeing all these things and comparing them to what I know about society and engineering in the US, I feel proud to participate in a field that changes the world in such a massive way. Working for the benefit of society, improving the quality of life, and advancing technology is now what being an engineer means to me.
If I had any advice to give other engineering students, it would be to participate in programs like these and see the true impact engineering has on the world. This experience has changed my outlook on what type of engineer I want to be and how I will act in my profession. I can’t wait to experience more of the world through the lens of engineering in the future.
Swanson School of Engineering 