Munich Summer Research Experience for Trainees in the Sustainable Grid Integration of Distributed and Renewable Resources IGERT

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 12:04:19 -0400

What do Munich, Germany and Austin, Texas have in common? Three IGERT affiliates, Sean Wood, Kristina Tajchman, and Robert Crawford, graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin spent eight weeks in and around Munich, Germany as interns at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). As an international partner with the IGERT program, UT graduate students are invited to attend seminars present academic papers, visit industries/businesses involved with sustainable energy and the smart grid. Included in the students’ itineraries were participation in conferences in Prague, Czech Republic, tours to the Munster Electromechanical Energy Technology (MEET) facility, and tours to hydroelectric power plants in Munich. Kristina stated that her networking with other students was invaluable, “My meetings with the students will result in future coordination with respect to conferences and publications in our shared areas of interest.” To add to the excitement, it was reported that Germany was experiencing a 50-year rain that required alerts and evacuations due to flooding. The University of Texas at Austin requires traveling students to register with the International SOS – students stated this was an invaluable service to monitor weather and ensure safety of the students and their families.