Sugarcane and corn: Biofuel-based study abroad programs in Brazil

This paper discusses observations and affective qualities of student experiences in a three-week (short-term) study-abroad program in Brazil entitled "The Biofuels Puzzle: Exploring the Food, Water, Fuel Triangle." In this 2009 study-abroad course conducted through the University of Washington (UW) Exploration Seminars program, a team of four program leaders, from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, led a group of 21 students (14 in engineering) to south-central Brazil. The 6-credit course and the description provided in this paper look at academic, cultural, and field aspects of the program, observations of student experiences, and affective self-report from students in the program. Student survey data for connection to community and individual capacity were analyzed for this paper to compare (1) students who participated in this program with those who did not go abroad and (2) engineering and non-technical students in the program. Engineering students, in their written work, show more and deeper consideration of the broader impacts of a chosen technology in the global picture while studying off-campus (compared to on-campus work). All of the results support the positive benefit of enabling engineering students to study abroad, especially if the content of their study emphasizes technology and its impact on society.