As our trip to Brazil gets closer, my anticipation and curiosity regarding what lies ahead continues to grow. As a student within the electrical and computer engineering department, I have always been fascinated by the role that energy plays in our everyday lives. The idea of visiting a new place and meeting new people also excites me, as putting myself in unfamiliar situations challenges me and sparks personal growth. For these reasons, participating in a program focused on energy production and distribution in Brazil seemed like the natural next step in my undergraduate engineering career.
Even before arrival, we were able to learn about how Brazil is both similar to and different from the United States in terms of energy production and overall culture. One thing that stood out to me was how dominant hydroelectric power is in Brazil’s electric grid. While the United States does utilize hydroelectric generation, it only makes up a small fraction of our overall energy production. Brazil, on the other hand, has built much of its energy infrastructure around rivers and hydroelectric dams due to their abundance of massive bodies of water. Brazil also uses renewable sources such as wind and solar energy, allowing the country to maintain a much more renewable and sustainable grid overall. I am interested in seeing how technology, automation, and grid management support such a large renewable-based power system and how elements of their energy system could be adapted into our own.
I have also enjoyed hearing about some of the cultural aspects of Brazil, like how it actually shares many traits with the United States despite its distance. Similarities include the size of both landmasses, the populations, and the structure of the political systems. Something else that intrigued me was hearing how much cheaper things like food and Uber rides would be, which is mainly due to the roughly one-to-five exchange rate between a U.S. dollar and a Brazilian real. Since Brazil is such a large and diverse country, I am interested in seeing how culture varies between the different cities and regions we will visit throughout the trip.
I think this experience will help me grow both technically and personally. From an engineering perspective, I am excited to see in-person how Brazil approaches renewable energy challenges differently than the United States and to learn how companies and utilities operate within that system. Personally, I am looking forward to experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, and gaining a broader perspective on how other countries approach sustainability, infrastructure, and everyday life. Overall, this trip already has me thinking differently about energy systems and how engineering decisions can have long-term environmental and societal impacts.
Swanson School of Engineering 