- Overview
- Location and Housing
- Academics
- Experiential Learning
- Faculty and Staff
- Costs
- Dates
- Additional Information
- Passengers arriving on Guam will be required to have a negative PCR COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to arrival.
- Participants in the program will be required to do a 14-day symptom monitoring via Sara Alert and will be required to download and follow the Guam COVID Alert App.
- Gain an understanding of the chanellges that Pacific islands face and meeting the UN Sustainable Development goals
- Develop insight on Guam’s economic, cultural, and social structure
- Learn how to use sustainable design (i.e. biomimicry) to balance natural resource management with economic development
- Collaborate with local entities and learn to research and develop contemporary engineering sustainability solutions
- Learn how to cook a local Chamoru dish (and eat it!)
Island nations provide a unique learning opportunity to evaluate the complex task of engineering for sustainability. On small islands the connections between social, economic, and environmental impacts are more easily traced and the scale of the processes more readily tracked.
They often also present a unique and constrained set of material resources that have shaped indigenous cultural practices often spawning rare adaptations/designs.
By studying abroad you will explore the context of engineering challenges/opportunities/tradeoffs for sustainability in Guam by considering social (culture, history, governance), environmental (natural resources, built infrastructure, environmental impacts of industry), and economic (socioeconomics/economic development) perspective.
Students will be a part of multiple “workshops” where they will put into practice sustainable practices in Island living.
Dr. Diane Hardy Saran

Buna! That’s hello in Romanian. After returning from being a Peace Corp volunteer in Transylvania- I decided to work in the field of international education helping international students. Life took me back to Buffalo, NY (where I grew up- land of chicken wings)- and I worked for SUNY Buffalo for many years assisting international students and scholars. In 2010, I moved to the ‘Burgh- and am now assisting engineering students to study abroad. For fun I enjoy my two kiddos, yoga and fitness, international films, and travel (of course). Come talk with me about studying abroad! dmhardy@pitt.edu | 412-624-9823 | 152 Benedum Hall -https://www.instagram.com/ssoeinternational/ | www.facebook.com/SSOEIntProg
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Dr. David Sanchez
David Sanchez, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the University of Pittsburgh’s Civil & Environmental Engineering Department. He is also the Assistant Director for the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation where he oversees the Sustainability Education programs such as the Undergraduate Certificate, Master’s in Sustainable Engineering and John C. Mascaro Faculty Fellows program. As an investigator Dr. Sanchez directs the Sustainable Design Labs where they look to enhance the sustainability of the natural and built environment on a local/regional scale. Current projects include converting Waste-to-Energy via bio-electrochemical systems, designing and deploying real-time sensors to identify uncertainty in water quality trends, and optimizing vertical agriculture/aquaculture systems. Dr. Sanchez is the recipient of several awards including a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, IGERT Traineeship, Alfred P. Sloan Scholarship, Pittsburgh Business Time Energy Award, the Pitt Faculty Sustainability Award and, the Best Mentor Award for Pitt’s Excel program. He actively leads international engineering trips on behalf of the Swanson School of Engineering and is excited about our new Jamaica program.
Items Billed by Pitt |
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---|---|---|
In-state | Out-of-state | |
Program Fee & Tuition | $5,300 | $5,500 |
Study Abroad Fee | $300 | $300 |
Total Billed by Pitt | $5,600 | $5,800 |
Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs |
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---|---|---|
Airfare estimate | $2,100 | |
Visa costs if applicable- If you are not a U.S. Citizen there might be costs associated with applying for a visa
|
$500 |
Program Start Date: July 28, 2021
Program End Date: August 15, 2021
Application deadline: Rolling Admissions through Sunday, April 25. Decisions will be sent out the next week- and we will ask you to attend a program agreement meeting May 3 or 4 and you will decide if you want to commit to the program by Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
Admissions Requirements:
- Must have a 2.75 GPA or higher
- Good academic and behavioral standing
- Must have finished your second year engineering or higher level at the time of application