A Multidisciplinary Experience in Bremen, Germany 34 students study engineering and German culture. By Michael Adelman ’10

Civil engineering major Michael Adelman ’10 (Clarks Summit, Pa.) is currently studying engineering and German language and culture in Bremen, Germany, with 33 other students. The Lafayette faculty-led program at Jacobs University Bremen (JUB) is being headed by Erol Ulucakli, associate professor of mechanical engineering. This is Adelman’s second letter of three this semester.

Things have continued to be interesting and exciting here in Bremen – not to mention the many other places that our Lafayette group has been during the past several months. Between living on campus among students from across the globe, and having the opportunity to see all of these new cities and countries, life at Jacobs University really has been an international experience.

Just two weeks ago, all 34 of us traveled to Brussels, Belgium, as part of our course in German politics and culture, where we visited the headquarters of the European Union and got to discuss the politics of Europe with diplomats, lobbyists, and members of the EU Parliament. It was an inside look at how the European Union actually works, and we even had the chance to attend a committee meeting and see the interpreters all around the room, simultaneously translating the discussion into 23 different languages. I’m definitely grateful for the chance to have experiences like this, and it adds an entirely new dimension to things one learns about from books and lectures. And the waffles in Belgium, as I also found out, definitely lived up to our expectations

There are even a few things outside of the culinary world that I have come to appreciate more since being in Europe, one of which is the public transportation and ease of getting around. The continent is generally very accessible, by whatever means of travel happens to be available – and we have taken advantage of trains that let us go to sleep in Bremen and wake up in Bavaria, France, Austria, and many other places.

The budget airlines have been a big help as well, taking us to a number of exciting places for a reasonable price, even though we’re not quite sure their planes actually have landing gear … and finally, we have access to the buses, streetcars, and local trains of the Bremen area with a semester pass from Jacobs University. Being able to move around in cities and even between countries like this has been great, and it will certainly be an adjustment being back across the ocean where Sweden is no longer just a weekend trip away.

They say going somewhere is half the fun, but the destinations themselves have certainly been very rewarding as well. I have gotten to hike trails in the Alps alongside breathtaking scenery and mountain-goat tracks, and visit many fascinating places rich in history and culture. Our independent weekend trips have indeed taken Lafayette students across the continent, from Prague to Portugal and many places in between.

This semester, admittedly, has flown by so far and does not seem to be slowing down, but a lot has happened not just around the continent, but also on the Jacobs University campus itself. My various involvements in student groups and organizations have let me exchange laughs and jokes with fourth grade kids at a community program; analyze trace metals in the environment on geochemical research projects; and participate in discussions about places from Colombia to Kenya, learning about the important issues from students who were born and raised in these countries.

One great opportunity has been in Students for Sustainable Development, a group I am working to establish here that is inspired by Lafayette’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. There are already a number of enthusiastic students working with us, and we have even identified a sustainable entrepreneurship project in The Gambia in Africa that looks like an exciting possibility to really make a difference around the world. We have already built connections with some German and international organizations, and I know that the Jacobs students will do a great job carrying this into the future.

All in all, this semester really has been the opportunity of a lifetime and I cannot say enough how thankful I am to have it, and to be a part of Lafayette’s group here in Bremen.

Civil and Environmental Engineering
Study Abroad

 



  © Lafayette College - Terms