Industrial and Systems Engineering Study Abroad Story: Pamplona, ES

Kinley Thompson

Industrial & Systems Engineering

What country did you visit while studying abroad?

Pamplona, ES

What type of study abroad program best describes your experience?

Faculty-led program

What motivated you to study abroad?

• To learn a new culture
• Complete projects abroad within my major
• Complete core curriculum courses abroad
• To enhance my appreciation for cultures, backgrounds, values, and experiences different than my own

How did you find this opportunity? What was the process like?

Through program advisor – fill out very short application

Tell us about your study abroad experience. Did you complete coursework or a project while abroad? What did you learn? Was there a particular part of the experience you learned the most from?

My study abroad experience in Spain was different from usual programs. We completed most of our coursework before heading to Spain, and once there, we collaborated with local companies on projects they provided. This gave us a lot more time to explore the town we were in during the afternoons, as we didn’t have homework to do. I also was able to explore other parts of Europe on our free weekends.

My team worked with Viscofan, a manufacturing company. Our task involved calculating quality metrics for specific equipment and product combinations in their plant. During our project, we were able to visit the Viscofan manufacturing plant with our company representative to tour the facility, observe production lines, and understand the practical aspects of our project. One notable challenge we faced was using Python for data analysis, a programming language none of us were familiar with. Overcoming this required a lot of collaboration, but we were successfully able to meet the company’s expectations by the end. Throughout the project, we gave weekly presentations to our faculty advisors and the other groups. This held us accountable, ensuring we made tangible progress each week. We also gave a final presentation with the results of our project to our company representative on the final day. 

Ultimately, this experience allowed us to integrate academic knowledge into practical applications, see the ins and outs of how companies work on a day-to-day basis, and explore a new culture simultaneously. 

Did you have coursework while you were abroad?

The majority of the coursework was completed the month before leaving, with a few assignments assigned while abroad. We also received credit for our international projects. 

Do you have any advice for other students looking to study abroad?

I would definitely recommend studying abroad sometime during college! It is not as scary as it may seem, I did it after my freshman year, and was more than capable of contributing to our group’s project.