Global Experience (Gold)
My global experience is based on my time ‘studying abroad’ at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I attended this institution from Fall 2010 to Fall 2012. At the university of Lagos, I pursued a baccalaureate in Chemical Engineering. However, I transferred to UMBC to complete this degree.
In my time at the University of Lagos, I experienced first-hand, the need for solar energy. In Nigeria, oil is a major natural resource. However, many oil refineries are dysfunctional, and there are not enough refineries. Additionally, the government is corrupt, so a lot of the energy or power projects have been stunted. As a result, a lot of areas in the country do not have 24 hr. electricity. Therefore, there have been a number of propositions for a lasting solution to the electricity problem. One standout solution that is being explored is the use of solar energy. Most areas of the country have a high solar intensity, so this is a reasonable solution. In my time in the country, I pursued a mini-internship with a solar panel distributor. With this company, I was able to examine data showing the demand for these panels, the costs of the panels, the economic and regulatory restrictions to its acceptance, and the cultural limitations to its growth. Comparing this to my experience in the U.S., I discovered that the limitations to the growth of the solar panel include costs and rivalry from other energy sources. This opened my eyes to the fact that increasing accessibility to solar energy does not have one global solution. Rather, solving this challenge is contingent upon the development of an understanding of the social, economic, cultural, and governmental issues that are specific to each region. My global experience had the most bearing on the realistic vision objective (R). This experience caused me to think about the reality of providing solar energy at cheap prices, and in a sufficient amount to whole countries- A direct connection to my grand challenge of 'Making Solar Energy more Economical'. I have had to think more about the practical side of things such as the regulations, the culture, the population, and the climate. I understand better how detrimental or helpful these components can be to solving this challenge.
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Additional GCSP objectives that were satisfied in completing this challenge include:
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Interpersonal communication – Living in Nigeria and the U.S. has also increased my awareness of how I communicate. Pre-existing cultural habits previously shaped my interaction patterns. For example, in Nigeria, there are little restrictions to name calling and nicknames. However, in the U.S., due to the prevalence of issues such as racism, sexism, classism, more care is taken when people communicate. This was one of the lessons I quickly learned while settling into the U.S.
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Situational awareness: Situational awareness is exactly what I described above when talking about the fact that most solutions cannot work in every region. The context in every region shapes the atmosphere for the kind of solution that can be delivered. This is an objective that I learned from living in two countries.
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The biggest challenge to completing the global experience was a difference in perspectives. Coming in with set perspectives and personal definers that were challenged in my new environment was difficult. However, staying open-minded and flexible helped me to overcome this challenge.