2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

It is incumbent upon the next generation of engineers to address the issues of climate change. With this, there are many challenges including understanding our current technologies and the viability to implement them on a global scale.
This student paper addresses the evolution of a five-week sustainable energy intensive in Brazil. The ‘Dialogue of Civilizations’ aims to increase the global competency of XX University students by immersing them in a foreign culture through language, food, and education from the student perspective. Through engineering curriculum, culture classes, and tours of various energy infrastructure facilities around the country, students gained knowledge on major climate issues. Visits included a tour of CTE, a company that works to make LEED certified buildings; a biomass landfill; energy storage laboratories of the University of Sao Paulo; Zambianco, a sustainable sugar and ethanol plant; Angra, the only nuclear power plant in the country, and others.
Incorporated in the trip was a project where students were split into groups and paired with Brazilian students from local universities and an employee from a local segment of a company, CPFL Energia. CPFL is the second largest non-state-owned electric energy generation and distribution company in Brazil. The goal of the program was to problem-solve real issues that the company faces. Solutions were required to be analyzed for economic, political, and social viability.
The main takeaway from this experience can be categorized into two groups: sustainable energy goals and cultural enrichment. Through classroom learning and experience, the prominent barrier to overcome with renewable sources stems from the lack of storage options. Currently, there are no means for on demand energy in a sustainable, economically favorable, and practical manner. With respect to cultural enhancement, the authentic program allowed each student to see the world from a different perspective. The combination of travel, classes, and applied learning expanded the knowledge of the traveler past academia.

*Note: This is a student paper