CCEE students gain civil engineering skills, global knowledge through Irish study abroad experience

July 22, 2024 twanbau

The group visited Cobh, Ireland, and explored St. Colman’s Cathedral.

Thirteen CCEE students spent five weeks this summer soaking up European culture and civil engineering knowledge on the southwestern shores of Ireland in Cork, the country’s second-biggest city that is also dubbed as its food capital.

The group took classes on the University College Cork campus and stayed in the college’s dorms.

In addition to taking CCEE courses CE 305: Traffic Engineering and CE 426: Structural Steel Design on the University of College Cork campus, students had the opportunity to visit Irish and engineering hotspots including the Ring of Kerry, the Staigue Stone Fort, the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Station, the Blarney Castle, and the River Lee Hydroelectric Scheme. The trip was overseen by Teaching Professor Steve Welton and Adjunct Assistant Professor Daniel Findley, who also serves as associate director at NC State’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education.

Students had the opportunity to try local Irish cuisine, which included fresh seafood, at the English Market in Cork, Ireland.

The department most recently had an Irish study abroad program in Dublin in 2024 and Cork in 2019.

The group visited the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Station, the world’s first permanent trans-oceanic telegraph station.

“This time, we reached out to a local tour guide,” Welton said. “And that really made for some incredible experiences. Maire of Activity Days took us to some of the non-touristy places. And we really had some phenomenal experiences — just outstanding.”

“The highlight of the trip was a day where we explored the River Lee,” said civil engineering student Alysha Jarvis. “We started by stopping at Inniscarra Dam and learning about how the dam was built, along with trekking to the top to see the engineering of the gates that control the water flow.”

Civil engineering student Alysha Jarvis said that the experience of studying abroad in a city that dates back to the tenth century is “incomparable.”

The group tested out the clapper bridge at The Stepping Stones located in Ballingeary, Ireland.

“The various modes of transportation, old stone bridges and ruins along the sides of the road, historical sites, beautiful views of the Atlantic, and more, all alongside professors who are passionate and available to answer questions you have, whether it is related to the course material or not — all this ties together to foster an environment to grow, both as an individual and a student,” Jarvis said. “Coming back to the states, I have a stronger understanding of how people create different identities based on where they come from, and feel more inspired to continue my studies.”

The students stopped by the Annie Moore Monument in Cobh, Ireland. Moore was the first person to go through Ellis Island in New York.

Civil engineering student Laiya Davis said the trip was her first time traveling abroad. Though she didn’t know what to expect at first, she describes her time in Ireland as an “indispensable opportunity” that she feels grateful for.

The group visited the Ring of Kerry, a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland.

“I was able to take some classes in a smaller class setting, which I always preferred, and get to meet amazing people as well,” she said. “I was also able to learn some differences between Ireland and North Carolina through their construction and culture. I believe this program is important because you get the chance to see your life in a different perspective. When you learn about another’s values, you reflect on your own. I hope it can let others make less assumptions and appreciate where they may be in life.”

Students had a chance to check out Staigue Stone Fort, built as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king between 300 and 400 A.D.

Civil engineering student Dakota Grosz said she enjoyed “every minute of the experience.”

The group visited the Jameson Midleton Distillery in Cork, Ireland.

“There are not enough words to put into perspective how amazing this study abroad experience was,” she said. “The professors were extremely passionate about the classes they taught, the sights and views in Ireland were breathtaking, and I never had a bad meal while I was there. Classes were long and packed with information but getting the work done and being able to enjoy the excursions that we went on was peaceful. The people in Cork Ireland were so very kind and welcoming.”