Germany 2017
Israel Trek
Germany 2022Student and Post-Doc OpportunitiesGlobal Engineering Treks
Applications for Summer 2026 will open soon. Sign up here to be notified, and to receive updates on Treks programs.
Join us Tuesday, November 18th from 12:15-1:50 in Ford 1.230 to learn more about this year's slate of Treks programs! RSVP here.
The Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, McCormick Global Initiatives, The Center for Water Research, the Israel Innovation Project, the Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience, and the Office of the Vice President for International Affairs have convened to organize a series of faculty-led research treks that occur during summer quarter.
Three Treks are planned in 2026, to Chile, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Each runs for about one week long and is organized around themes of sustainability and tech.
In the fields of sustainability and energy, engineers turn abstract ideas into innovative solutions. With this in mind, McCormick Global Initiatives offers weeklong Trek programs in Chile, Taiwan, Türkiye, Germany, and Israel that expose students to real-world advances in water management, hi-tech innovation, and sustainability in energy and the environment.
Chile- Global Engineering Trek: Energy Storage and Critical Materials
Gain exposure to minerals mining at the center of energy storage technologies, the environmental and social effects of mining, and research to develop improved mining and recycling technologies that can reduce them. This trek was supported in part by the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, and in part by the Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience, the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy and by NSF Grant 2330041 SuReMiN. This program will be operating in June 2026, and will be open to Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors.
Costs for all treks are highly subsidized. Please note that completion of each trek does not convey course credit, and is intended as a supplemental learning and enrichment experience.
Taiwan- Global Engineering Trek: Innovation and High-Tech
This joint initiative with the Office of the Vice President for International Relations offers attendees the chance to immerse themselves in the start-ups and industry leaders in Taipei. In addition to touring innovation incubators, global corporations, and meeting peer students at National Taiwan University, participants will gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to computer science, manufacturing, app development, electronic devices, and sustainable supply chain management. This program will be operating in June 2026, and is open to Sophomores and Juniors.
Türkiye- Global Engineering Trek: QUANTUM
Participants in this trek will have the chance to explore the world of quantum research in Istanbul. In addition to touring academic, industry, and government research centers, students will have the unique opportunity to travel with Koç University students for the duration of the trip. This program will be operating in September 2026, and is open to Freshmen and Sophomores.
Germany- Global Engineering Trek: Sustainability and Energy
In partnership with the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, this program sends students to Heidelberg, Germany for a cleantech immersion program. In addition to visiting companies and research universities in Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt, participants gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to biotech, organic photovoltaics, and sustainable production chains. This program is currently on hiatus. Read a profile of the 2022 trip.
Watch a video that highlights a previous trek to Germany, narrated by its hosts student participants:
Israel- Global Engineering Trek: Water
Undertaken in partnership with the Northwestern Center for Water Research, this trek focuses on water desalination, water reuse, and hyper-efficient precision agriculture systems. Students gain exposure to global internships and job opportunities in the Israeli cities and regions of Tel Aviv, Dan region, Haifa, and the Negev Desert. This program is currently on hiatus. Read a profile of the 2022 trip.
Watch a video that highlights a previous trek to Israel, narrated by its hosts student participants: