UMD-Winter: Italy: Sustainability, Infrastructure Condition & Safety (ENCE)

With the rapid world’s population growth and the transition from rural to urban living over 50 percent of the population is now living in cities. By 2050, it is predicted that nearly 70 percent of the world’s population (about six billion people) will be living in urban areas. Large cities represent only two percent of the world’s surface area, yet are the economic drivers of the world’s economy accounting for over 80 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). Turin is a unique sustainability example since over recent years several of the major city infrastructure components have been redesigned with sustainability principles. It has unique case studies areas for suitability design projects and is close to Milan a major metropolitan area with unique sustainability examples as well. Turin has been the first capital of Italy and is rich in Italian culture, history and heritage. The city currently hosts some of Italy's best universities, and it is considered the automotive capital of Italy. 

By participating in this program and through the wide variety of (i) learning activities, (ii) technical and (iii) cultural site visits and (iv) field excursions, students will explore, witness and experience firsthand the innovative sustainable and resilient strategies implemented in Turin and Milano and the surrounding areas, and including:

• Explore Sustainability & Resilience for specific infrastructure case studies addressing many of the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals; 
• Analyze “large scale system” strategies for neighborhoods and cities;” 
• Examine “project level” specific interventions; 
• Learn & apply life cycle analysis methods and sustainability metric ratings at project and network level interventions. 
• Learn about alternative sustainable energy options in urban and remote regions of Italy, and analyze regional plans for demand and consumption.

Following such direct “hands-on” and “on the go” learning experiences students will develop their own sustainable solutions for specific projects pertinent to such city initiatives.

INFO SESSIONS: 
Tuesday, September 6; 3:00pm
EGL0120 (Engineering Lab Building)

Thursday, September 15; 6:00pm
Zoom (https://umd.zoom.us/j/95175908853)
 

You must be in good academic and judicial standing and you must not have any registration blocks to participate in this program. The minimum GPA for this program is listed above.

Open to all majors since sustainability and resilience are multidisciplinary topics. Past participants includes students from: AGNR, ARCH, ARHU, BCHM, BIOE, BMGT, BSOS, CHEM, CMSC, ECMA, ECME, ECON, ENCE, ENEE, ENMA, ENME, ENMP, ENSP, ENST, GVPT, HLTH, KNES, LARC, LTSC, PLCY, other.   

UMD and Non-UMD freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students are eligible to apply. 

If you are interested in this program but do not meet the eligibility requirements, reach out to the program director (listed in the Contacts tab) to discuss your interest in the program.

After you commit to the program, Education Abroad will enroll you in the following three (3) credit UMD course:

• ENCE489I Special Topics in Civil Engineering: Sustainability, Infrastructure Condition & Safety

The credit you earn during this program will count as resident credit.
This course is approved for the Sustainability Minor and may double count for major tech elective* (check with your department), and triple count for "Internship-and Practicum."

ENCE489I is approved for the following: 

• BIOE: Breadth Elective
• CHBE: Contact academic advisor to review program
• ENAE: Contact academic advisor to review program
• ENCE: In-major Technical Elective
• ENEE: General Technical Elective (EE) or Category F elective (CE)
• ENFP: Technical Elective
• ENMA: Contact academic advisor for permission
• ENME: Out-of-major Tech Elective
• Sustainability Minor: Social and Human Dimensions elective
• Other Majors: Contact academic advisor to determine how this course applies to your major

 
To view the program syllabus: Winter 23 ENCE489I Italy Sustainability, Infrastructure Condition & Safety Syllabus 2023.pdf

Students will be housed at a hotel in downtown Turin, and attend lectures/ workshops in conference setting rooms with audiovisual equipment and other IT support, either within the hotel settings or alternative conference center location.

Please refer to the following resources for funding study abroad:

Financial Aid
Scholarships
Financial Commitment, Withdrawals and Refunds Policy

*This program qualifies for eligible Pell Grant recipients to apply for the Gilman International Scholarship. Online applications will open in mid-August and are due Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 11:59pm PT.

 *Non-UMD graduate students will need to pay a $75 application fee to the UMD Graduate School to participate in this program.

PLEASE NOTE: All University of Maryland study abroad programs are financially self-supporting and, therefore, subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

Professor Dimitrios Goulias, Program Leader, has already lead more than 10 successful study abroad programs related to Sustainability and Infrastructure in Czech Republic, Greece, and Italy. His expertise, research and teaching are directly linked to sustainability and infrastructure condition assessment and design, use of recycled and reclaimed materials and techniques. Prof. Goulias has a BS/MS degree from Italy, and MS and PhD degrees from the US. Over the years Professor Goulias has established strong interaction and cooperation with faculty from European Universities as well as professionals with similar interests. 

For course, itinerary or in-country information, please contact the Program Leader. For general questions or assistance with applying, contact EA Short-term Programs.

As a part of this program, you will engage in the following activities: 

• Review of large scale systems of Green & Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (Buildings, Urban Neighborhoods, Rural Alpine Mountain Areas, other);
• Visit unique sustainable showcase infrastructures like the Fiat Lingoto Industrial Building, Porta Susa Metro Station, Foster Building, Verde 22 (residential complex), and other green buildings and roadway examples;
• Technical Field Trips day visit(s) to Milano including: Commercial complex with Porta Garibaldi/ Porta Nuova/ Isola District, Bosco Verticale, Unicredit Tower, Unicredit Pavilion, Palazzo Lombardia, Torre Diamante, Pirelli Tower; “Milano CityLife” modern skyscraper complex with residential, commercial and business district;
• Guest lectures by leading US and Italian faculty and experts in Sustainability & Infrastructure;
• Learning and applying sustainability metrics;
• Developing design alternatives for sustainable infrastructure components;
• Cultural Immersion Site visits: City walking tour & cultural marvels of Turin ;
• Visit cultural marvels in the city of Milan, including the Cathedral (Duomo), Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Scala di Milano opera house, Parco Sampion
• Culinary immersion of authentic Italian food and delicacies.