Study Abroad!
It is the goal of the department to offer study abroad opportunities to provide project-based global learning opportunities. Peruse recent trips below for a flavor of what the department has been doing.
Study abroad opportunities have included trips to Austria, Nicaragua/Costa Rica, India, Tanzania, South Korea, Taiwan, Peru, France, Mexico, and South Africa.
Study Abroad in Vienna, Prague, and Munich – Summer 2024
Building Sciences faculty members Chris Schoonover, PE, and Dr. Reza Foroughi led a summer study abroad program across Europe, focusing on sustainable building design and construction through historical and modern lenses. The program took place in Vienna, Munich, and Prague, where students explored a variety of architectural styles and sustainability practices.
The group, consisting of ten students and two faculty members, visited notable structures that exemplify sustainable design in European contexts. These visits provided valuable insights into both the opportunities and challenges of implementing sustainability in historically significant settings.
The architectural sites studied ranged from centuries-old castles to cutting-edge green buildings, including:
Schönbrunn Palace (Vienna): Once the summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty, this 1,441-room Rococo palace stands as a significant cultural and architectural landmark in Austria.
Neuschwanstein Castle (Bavaria, near Munich): With its fairy-tale appearance—complete with towers, turrets, and frescoes—this iconic castle is nestled in the Bavarian Alps. Despite its whimsical design, its history reveals a more complex narrative.
Parkview Building and VISIONARY Offices (Prague): Among the most environmentally friendly buildings globally, these structures showcase advanced sustainable design.
The Dancing House (Prague): A striking example of modern architecture, designed by American architect Frank O. Gehry, this building reflects innovation and creativity in urban design.
Asian Adventures in Sustainable Energy, Architecture, & BIM in Construction - Summer 2019
In May 2019, a group of 11 students from the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment participated in the Study Abroad program “Asian Adventures in Sustainable Energy, Architecture, and BIM in Construction”. Led by Dr. Ok-Youn Yu and Dr. Fangxiao Liu, the team visited Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China, and explored the applications of solar energy, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and sustainable design in East Asia. Trip highlights include visiting Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology (Taoyuan City, Taiwan), Shanghai Jiaotong University (Shanghai, Mainland China), and Samsung Construction model house (Seoul, South Korea).
Media Coverage:
- United Daily News: https://udn.com/news/story/7324/3827633
- Shanghai Jiaotong University BIM Center: http://bim.sjtu.edu.cn/?p=1847
Study Abroad to Peru - Summer 2018
Peru Study Abroad program conducts 2-day workshop on stand-alone PV systems with University of San Antonio de Abad de Cusco.
While many in the world still live without electricity, (estimated at 12% of global population) cell phone reception is often found in even the most remote corners of the planet. Cell phones have become indispensable to people around the world and many people living off-grid literally walk many miles to charge their phones. It is with this in mind that the Peru study abroad program focused on the design and construction of stand-alone PV systems for lighting and cell phone charging. Renewable Energy Technology professor’s Jeremy Ferrell and Brent Summerville along with 14 App State students led a 2-day workshop to build and install two systems working with students and faculty from the University of San Antonio de Abad de Cusco (UNSAAC). One system was installed at UNSAAC, while the other system was installed in the Altiplano community of Pucarumi (13,500’) located at the base of the beautiful glacier Ausangate. This workshop is part of an on-going collaboration between the Renewable Energy Technology program and the Applied Physics program at UNSAAC that focuses on renewable energy technology.
Photos courtesy of Marie Freeman
Another great story about this trip from the Appalachian Today magazine.
Study Abroad to Costa Rica - Spring Break 2017
STBE faculty Brent Summerville PE and Dr. Jeremy Ferrell led a Spring Break 2017 study abroad trip to Costa Rica. 14 students from Renewable Energy Technology, Building Science/Sustainable Building Systems, and Sustainable Development travelled to the remote tropical countryside of Mastatal to attend Renewable Reality's workshop entitled Solar Electricity for the Developing World. Workshop leaders Ian Woofenden and Jason Lerner both live off-grid in the Pacific Northwest and have been running this type of workshop in Costa Rica for 15 years. Our homebase Villas Mastatal, a small, Tico-owned sustainable eco-lodge/farm.
The workshop kicked off with some classroom lectures and hands-on labs to establish a baseline of solar electricity knowledge, focusing on practical application in the developing world. After a free day of hiking and time at the beach, the students designed, built and installed four off-grid solar systems: one to power LED sign lights at Villas Mastatal and three at local homes without electricity. These local residents all lived way off the main road so we hiked in the tools and gear and installed systems that provided lighting for the house and a charging port for mobile phones. These projects were a transformational experience for the students and the homeowners graciously and emotionally received them. These small solar-powered systems, the people of Costa Rica, and our travelling companions made a big impact on all of our lives.