Surveying for bird mortalities at a wind farm near Morella

Author: Jesse Morrison | Major: Biological Engineering

This summer I was fortunate enough to participate in a renewable energy internship with Indyca Engineering in Valencia, Spain. I chose this program because I wanted to gain more biological engineering experience, help with sustainable development, and learn more Spanish. This program built upon the skills that I gained from my classes and projects in biological engineering. With Indyca, I visited and inspected solar and wind farms and I took part in wildlife surveys at these locations. I was able to see the sustainable energy systems in person that I studied at the University of Arkansas. It was interesting to see the manner and scale in which these systems were implemented in Spain. Spain is the largest wind power producer in Europe so there were many diverse wind farms throughout the country. At the wind farm, I helped to survey for bird mortalities due to propellers. On the solar farm, I assisted in a population and biodiversity survey. I learned that solar farms can provide habitat for many species of bird including some raptors. I also helped to research and create figures for a company report on a site for a potential solar farm. This allowed me to hone my skills in writing and excel. By putting the knowledge from my degree into action with an engineering company, I believe I have become more prepared for any future work I undertake. I learned more about the function and impact of renewable energy and ways to mitigate the impact. During the surveys I learned more about wildlife conservation and expanded upon the skills I developed with my deer survey honors project. I believe this will allow me to be an attractive candidate for jobs that I am passionate about with conservation fieldwork.  A lot of this is thanks to my coworkers at Indyca. They were excellent and they helped me to practice Spanish, gain new skills, and write more effective reports.

During this program I also had the opportunity to learn more about Spain’s nature, history, and culture. Every weekend I went on trips to see historic and cultural sites or to enjoy Spain’s natural beauty. Before coming to Spain, I expected that the country would mostly be urban, but I was very wrong. Spain is full of beautiful mountains, canyons, and wilderness. At work and in my free time, I was lucky enough to see many beautiful animals such as an Iberian ibex. I also had the opportunity to visit many castles and old towns. Learning about the history of Spain helped me to understand the world better since Spain had a huge impact on the Americas. During my travels and at work, I also met many friendly and interesting people who I learned from. Speaking to lots of people allowed me to understand some of the perspectives of Spanish people and to learn the language better. The food was also excellent everywhere that I went. I don’t think I ate anything that wasn’t tasty while I was in Spain. My favorite dish was Albufera Eel soup.

I would advise all student to look into going abroad and interning abroad is an excellent way to learn more about your career field in a different setting. This program with ISA was excellent and I would definitely recommend the Valencia internship to other Biological engineering students. As a graduated senior, I also want to advise students that it may be possible to do a program the summer after senior year. It is important to apply to as many scholarships as you can and spend time crafting your application essays. You never know which ones you will get and the extra money can help to make programs affordable. I would also advise giving yourself as much time abroad as possible. If you can schedule your time abroad so that you will have extra time before or after your program, you will be able to see even more and further immerse yourself. Also, travelling solo is okay. I know several people here in Spain that will only go on weekend trips if they had someone with them. Seeing things on your own gives you more freedom and you might learn something about yourself. Finally, I want to say that it is impossible to see everything. With each destination you experience, you will hear of several others that interest you. It is fun to have an itinerary and see lots of famous amazing places, but it can also be rewarding to spend a while in a place without a plan and just see what you discover.