Reflection
Our program has come to a close and I am very sad to see it end. The farewell dinner was very emotional, as was saying goodbye to Hilde, Michele, and Oliver. Even though it was very sad to say goodbye to new friends, I am thankful to have made bonds that made leaving so difficult. I am glad to know that I have multiple friends in Ghent if I am ever to return.I feel I am coming out of this program much more aware of the things around me in everyday life that affect sustainability. I have already had stimulating discussions with my sister over topics we covered such as biofuels and GMOs. These are topics I knew very little about prior to our program in Ghent. I find myself already far more impassioned about the need for renewable and sustainable sources of energy than I was before this course.
One thing this course has made me think about is the way we talk about sustainability and the environment back home as compared to here in Europe. I find that speaking about climate change can still be viewed as extreme or controversial in some companies in the United States. Everyone that spoke to us in Ghent, however, spoke of climate change as an undeniable fact. I think this is far more productive when trying to teach, raise awareness, or even just have a conversation about the environment. I hope that some people in the United States will stop denying climate change and embrace the need for more sustainable practices.
Another topic that I noticed had major differences from the United States was the attitude toward genetically modified organisms. While I occasionally see anti-GMO rhetoric in the United States, I feel as though GMO’s are far less vilified there than in Europe. In most European countries, labeling of GMO’s is required. There is a far larger stigma against GMO’s than there is in the States.
My experience in Belgium has not only enhanced my knowledge of food systems and sustainability, but also expanded my view of how my future degree in chemical engineering can be applied. Often when I tell people that I am pursuing degree in chemical engineering, they ask if I will go into the oil and gas sector. The classes on biofuels, biosurfactants, and bioplastics, as well as the tour of the Bio-Based Europe Pilot Plant, opened my eyes to the possibility of working in the field of sustainability and renewable energy as a chemical engineer.
Studying these topics also made me realize how interdisciplinary my future field can be. I could see how I could collaborate with biological engineers, mechanical engineers, civil engineers, food scientists, and agriculture workers on a variety of topics. Studying with classmates that had such a wide array of backgrounds and knowledge helped to show how many different facets there are to all the topics surrounding sustainability. Many different minds will be needed if we want to create sustainable practices and utilize innovative sources of alternative energy.
On a more personal level, my time in Belgium helped to remind me of the universality of the human condition. In many cases, a meaningful conversations had with a Belgian person revealed that we had had similar experiences, emotions, or difficulties at some point in our lives. It was a good reminder that no matter someone’s background, history, or culture, we are all human and there are universal experiences that we all go through. This made the world feel smaller and made me feel incredibly connected to the people I met in Ghent.
I want to thank many people for helping to make this incredible experience possible. Thank you to: my parents and grandparents for helping to finance this trip and supporting this endeavor; my sister, Hannah, for helping me pack my bag being an all-star trip planner; to Dr. Runkle for being a knowledgeable, supportive, and fun faculty leader on this trip; to all the professors from the University of Ghent who spoke to us and enlightened us in many ways; to Oliver for being a friend to all; to Hilde for being a mother to all. That is quite cheesy and I don’t think that sentence is at all grammatically correct, but I am very thankful to everyone mentioned, just the same.
I can already tell that the things I learned during this program will guide my future in my schooling and in my career, and enlighten my everyday life. Additionally, Ghent and the people I met there will be in my heart forever.
–Mary Kate
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Chemical Engineering major Mary Kate studied abroad with our U of A Faculty-Led: Sustainability in the Euro Food System program.
Read more from Mary Kate at https://you.uark.edu/mkfairle/
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