This day started off by heading to Reykjavík University for a tour of their campus and some presentations on geothermal energy. Their campus is literally just one building which is not something I am used to. The design is neat because it resembles a solar system with the sun at the center and the different wings of the building representing various planets. During this tour we got to see a lot of the machine shops that they have to offer and how they really emphasize the importance of hands-on learning.
After this tour of their amazing facility, we got to hear about what Reykjavík is doing in terms of geothermal energy production and how they are trying to make it more efficient. We then had a lecture on the various different methods for harnessing the heat of the Earth. I learned during this lecture that the United States has the largest capacity for geothermal energy production. This is especially true in California. Overall, it was cool to tour another university and hear some more about geothermal energy.
Next we explored downtown Reykjavík. I got to explore some stores, see the glorious opera house, and check out a lighthouse. It was neat to be able to just sit by the ocean with the wind bearing down on me and admire the mountains off in the distance. Sure it was a tad bit chilly and uncomfortable, but I don’t get to see views quite like this back home. Therefore, I’m going to make the most of it and enjoy the view while I can. For dinner we had some cod with vegetables, and some dessert. Everything was very fancy and also very delicious. I am sad that this is our last day. Iceland was such a cool country to visit and it is definitely somewhere I would want to go back to in the future.
Swanson School of Engineering 