In May 2019, nine UNL students in the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Research Traineeship (NRT) program traveled to The Netherlands, France and Spain to participate in a two-week course to compare ancient and modern water structures in the three countries with those in Nebraska.
The program dates back to 2012, when the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and DWFI established a biennial two-week field course in Nebraska for students studying water- and food-related topics. The course emphasized hands-on learning, including laboratory work and field research. The partnership has evolved to include an annual field course each year, hosted in Nebraska in even-numbered years and Europe in odd-numbered ones.
UNL students in the NRT program began their trip in summer 2019 with a few days of instruction at IHE Delft, where students from Africa and Asia joined them as they journeyed first to France and then to Spain for seven days each.
Participating students said the program will help them with their future careers, bringing a more well-rounded perspective to solve complex problems related to the water, energy and food security nexus.