McKelvey Engineering students travel to Indonesia for International Experience program
Lessons in engineering, culture and history highlight two-week trip
Eleven McKelvey Engineering students recently traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia, to participate in the International Experience program coordinated by the Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE).
Each summer, a group of McKelvey undergraduate students studying engineering and environmental science participates in a two-week visit to an international university that partners with the McDonnell International Scholars Academy. They then register for the elective course (EECE 411) the following semester.
Ray Ehrhard, senior lecturer in EECE, coordinated and attended this year’s trip along with Vijay Ramani, the vice provost for graduate education and international affairs and the Roma B. & Raymond H. Wittcoff Distinguished University Professor.
Ehrhard shares his experience below:
The summer 2025 trip, taken by the 15th International Experience class, marked the second consecutive year that a group has traveled to Jakarta, where the faculty of engineering at the University of Indonesia has been a welcoming host. WashU students from EECE, BME, MEMS and CSE stayed on campus in student housing accommodations along with a group of University of Indonesia “student buddies” who assisted them during the entire two weeks.
The purpose of the International Experience program is to gain an understanding of global issues that engineers will face. This year’s program focused on connecting engineering lessons to practical applications. For the first few days, students enjoyed academic talks and laboratory tours, while the remainder of the program involved case studies and industrial tours that illustrated how engineering principles are applied to solve problems. The tours included facilities such as a major automobile manufacturing plant, large floating solar energy farm, wastewater plants and a unique chicken farm.
The experience is designed to provide participants an understanding of the local culture. Students experienced an impressive array of cultural food, campus tours and a lesson in Indonesian history. A language lesson on Bahasa was provided at the beginning of the week and, by the time they left, WashU students were speaking Bahasa to many of the local people. During a visit to a local, cultural heritage village, the students learned about traditional food, farming and clothes; participated in dancing, crafts and music; and even entered a stream with local villagers to wash a water buffalo. Other cultural stops included entering a volcano sulfur lake and a remote village, but the highlight was a weekend trip to Bali. Students also attended an alumni reception where they met with WashU alumni who shared their campus experience and discussed real examples of how graduates pursued their professional careers.
While the primary purpose of this trip was to learn about engineering in Indonesia, students gained a unique perspective of life in Indonesia in terms of culture, religion, food, language and history. This trip allowed students to see and experience the beauty, history and future of Indonesia, and to make new friendships. They take with them a greater appreciation of global issues as they continue their education.
