Aerin Krebs, a junior pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Engineering with a minor in Humanitarian Engineering, studied abroad through the Humanitarian Engineering and Culture in Guyana program during winter break 2023.

My education abroad class opened my eyes to the possibility of using my degree for humanitarian work. I learned a lot about human-centered design and what it means to include your stakeholders in development. The class was extremely memorable, as it was my first engineering course that was all women. We had a lot of fun exploring the blended cultures of Guyana through dance, music, art, sports and, most importantly, food.

The chef experiences we had in country were truly unique. Chef Delvin met us at the market to teach us about local produce and introduced us to the different preparations of meat that were common in Guyanese food. We also had a tremendous time traveling to Aliki and meeting the families we were working with. It was enlightening to learn about their community structure and common practices.

It was important to me to gain an understanding for global and low-resource engineering practices around the world. I think we are very fortunate to have the resources we do as engineers in the United States and it is important to ground ourselves in the realities of other environments. It is great practice to be exposed to new situations and gain skills that you would not have sitting in a classroom.

I have learned the importance of being a well-rounded engineer. We get so focused, especially in the tech world, on our career paths and technical abilities that we lose sight of practicing our basic skills. This minor has been so influential in shaping my critical thinking skills and giving me new perspectives when coming up with solutions.

Being a global citizen means immersing yourself in the worlds cultures and learning from their practices. It means finding ways in which you can make a difference in others lives by utilizing your own skills and strengths.