International Challenges in Water Resources

Location of Program: Dominican Republic      Year: 2015
Program Director(s): Jim Nelson
Participating Major(s): Civil and Environmental Engineering

Summary:

In this program, BYU students have the opportunity to put the technical skills they have been studying into practice by collaborating with engineering colleagues who work at the Instituto Nacional de Recursos Hidricos (INDRHI) in the Dominican Republic.  Together they evaluate national water supply, hydroelectric power generation, and flood control. 

Recap of the Year:

Leadership Development
One of the most valuable aspects of this program is the opportunity to develop leadership skills.  Students are provided opportunities to interact with and lead teams of exceptional diversity.  They learn how to pool their talents and perspectives to find innovative solutions to difficult problems.  They develop confidence in their leadership skills as they work and connect with students from a different culture.  

Global Agility
Students are exposed to the severity of the problems facing communities across the world.  They recognize that everyone can contribute to making the world a better place.  They spend their time developing and implementing ideas and designs that enable them to contribute to problems beyond their own communities.  This global perspective can then be a motivating force as they continue on in international settings. 

Technical Experience
Students recognize there are challenges with water resources and infrastructure throughout the world.  They are required to solve problems that are more complex than anything they have seen in their academic experience.  They gain confidence as they collaborate with other students, professors, and professionals to create solutions that have a direct effect on the quality of life of thousands of individuals.  Students are more well-rounded technically as a result of their participation in this program.  

Student Experiences

"I learned that there are endless uses for engineering in the world. It was cool to work on a real world problem and see how classes in school helped prepare us. It was also a great to have a fun cultural experience."
-Kevin Kofford