Glasgow - Study Abroad

On Thursday December 14, our group woke up earlier than normal to take the train to Glasgow. After the hour train ride from Edinburgh, we first met up with the University of Strathclyde to listen to multiple professors speak about their experience with all things sustainability. The University was strikingly similar to UC in both looks and atmosphere!

From Dr. Elsa João, we learned about the concept of the circular economy, which is using products in every stage of its lifecycle instead of tossing something out. This presentation showed some of her research into using different materials for reuse, such as coffee grounds for producing palm oil instead of using it for compost or throwing it in the trash. The idea of a circular economy, she urged, should be used by both consumers and businesses to reduce overall waste and many times, cut costs.

Dr. Grainne El Mountassir dove into the topic of using bacteria, fungi, and plants for ground engineering. This was a topic that many of the students at the University of Strathclyde were actively doing research on, which we later saw their testing in the labs. This practice would allow for existing infrastructure to be strengthened on a level that is currently impossible, which would allow for much less waste and disturbance of an area due to construction. Unfortunately, this method is still in the testing stages.

Dr. James Dixon presented on a topic of his personal research, "Green on 2 Wheels". This presentation covered how low-carbon energy could be translated into low-cost mobility in East Africa. Boda bodas, or motorcycle taxis, are commonly used in East African society and Dr. Dixon examined how to make these forms of transportation both more cost effective and more sustainable.

After a short break, we headed down to the labs at the University and were able to hear firsthand what some of the student tour guides were working on.

Our next stop on our trip was Arup, a consulting group in Glasgow for sustainable projects. From the few presenters, we learned about some of the hurdles that designers and consultants have to jump in order to create a project that is both sustainable and economically viable.

Our academic visits ended for the day after Arup, in which some of our group headed over to Glasgow Cathedral. The cathedral was originally built in 1197 and it was awesome to see the fantastic detailing in every part of the building.

After visiting the cathedral, some of our group decided to see some of Scotland's famous highland cows. This was an awesome way to spend the end of the fleeting daylight hours! We headed back into the city afterward to celebrate one of our classmate's birthday with some karaoke before heading back to Edinburgh to close out the day.