Dustin Grote

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I have been interested in global education programs since participating in two such programs as an undergraduate student including a summer semester abroad in Morelia, Mexico and a service learning program in Nicaragua. Both programs were transformative for me, inspiring a lifelong interest in international travel. Since joining the engineering education department at Virginia Tech my interests have expanded from practice to research, seeking to understand what elements of international education experiences broaden the minds and perspectives of students like me. Global engineering programs play a vital role in helping future engineers understand how context influences the decisions they will make throughout their careers. Thus far, as a member of the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program research group, my research has focused on study abroad experiences for engineers from minoritized race/ethnicity and income groups. I seek to improve opportunities for these students to explore engineering through a global perspective.