Dr. Todd Freeborn, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, recently led a group of six UA students to the Czech Republic as part of an NSF International Research Experiences for Students initiative focused on fractional-order circuits and systems. Now in its fifth year, the program combines full-time research with cultural experiences designed to help students develop as engineers in an increasingly global workforce.
“The driving goals of this project are to introduce undergraduate students to fractional-order circuits and systems, raise their interest in circuits and systems careers, with an emphasis on the semiconductor and microelectronics workforce, and to increase students’ intercultural maturity through interactions with international faculty and living abroad,” Freeborn said.
The students left for Brno at the beginning of May and returned to the United States at the end of July. Before traveling, they spent the spring semester learning about fractional-order circuits and systems and preparing for the experience of living and working in another country.
Once in Brno, the students lived in student accommodations at Brno University of Technology and worked full time with faculty mentors on research projects. Their work involved studying electrical circuits, developing mathematical models to describe their behavior, simulating circuit performance, and building and testing circuits to evaluate their operation.
The research experience also required students to troubleshoot problems as they arose — giving them an opportunity to experience the iterative nature of engineering research firsthand.
“It has always been a goal of mine to try living outside of the U.S., and this seemed like a great opportunity for me to do that,” said Dylan Meersman, a student participant. “The stipend for this program makes it competitive with industry opportunities and has given me the resources to travel around Europe. I didn’t feel like I would be missing out financially if I chose to do this program. Additionally, the field of fractional circuit theory research is very fresh and innovative — it has gained a lot of momentum in the past 10-20 years. The idea of working toward advancing electronics and circuit theory really drew me in.”
Brno University of Technology has a particularly strong concentration of faculty expertise in fractional-order circuits and systems, providing UA students with access to research groups that span multiple departments.
“At UA, I’m the only faculty member working in that area, but at BUT there are larger groups across multiple departments researching these topics,” Freeborn said. “This provides a unique opportunity for students to learn from world leaders on these topics and to observe research collaborations at a local and international scale.”
Students worked with faculty mentors including Dr. Jaroslav Koton, Dr. David Kubanek, Dr. Jan Jerabek, Dr. Jan Dvorak, Dr. Norbert Herencsar, Dr. Roman Sotner and Dr. Pavel Seda.
While the students’ primary focus was research, the experience extended beyond the lab. During the first month of the program, Freeborn helped students adjust to their new surroundings, including learning how to use public transportation, navigate a country where they did not speak the native language and establish relationships with their faculty mentors.
The group also visited museums and cultural and historical sites throughout Brno, with weekend trips providing opportunities to explore destinations including Prague, Lednice and Valtice. After Freeborn returned to Tuscaloosa in June, students continued their research with their mentors while traveling independently throughout the Czech Republic and neighboring countries.
The cultural component has become an increasingly intentional part of the program during its five-year history. Freeborn said the program has evolved to place greater emphasis on building a strong cohort, encouraging active listening and communication among students, and reflecting on the cultural experiences they encounter.
“Czech students have to take two different types of final exams: a written exam and a one-on-one oral exam where they explain how to solve a problem in front of the instructor and walk through their method,” said Cayla Shipman, a student participant. “Also, in the lab where we worked, I can see students’ previous class projects, and I really like how much the program focuses not only on understanding the material but also on applying it through interesting projects.”
The international component of the program is designed to prepare students for the realities of a globally connected engineering profession. Working with international faculty and students exposes participants to different approaches to problem-solving while also requiring them to communicate across cultural and language differences.
For Freeborn, that combination of technical and intercultural development is central to the program’s value.
“International experiences help develop a diverse, globally engaged workforce with world-class skills,” Freeborn said. “It allows engineers to network with foreign-born students and professors, learn about different cultures and countries, and learn how engineers from different countries approach problem-solving.”
After three months of research, cultural exploration and life abroad, the students concluded the program by presenting their work and progress to the broader research team at Brno University of Technology.