UMD: A Globally Connected University

Barret Wessel

As the first Department of Environmental Science and Technology student to be awarded a Fullbright scholarship grant, soil and watershed sciences Ph.D student Barret Wessel lived in Denmark for the 2016-2017 academic year to study two marine ecosystems and apply soil science approaches to generate benthic (sediment and substratum) maps and conceptual models of the bottom of the Odense Fjord - building on similar work that he has conducted on the Rhode River subestuary of the Chesapeake Bay. 

In addition to his scientific studies, Barret got to explore what it means to live in the world’s happiest country. 

“Denmark is a fascinating country. It is rated as one of the happiest countries in the world, and by many objective measures it is one of the most advanced countries in the world,” said Barret, who lived there for 10 months. 

Read more details of Barret's 2016-2017 academic plans here