Projects

Throughout our journey here, each of us will be focusing one subject. Below is a little bit about us, our projects, and what we hope to gain out of this entire experience.


Lexie Babbush

My name is Lexie Babbush and I’m from Los Angeles, California. I am currently pre-business and intending to apply as an accounting major to Eller College of Management in the spring. Overall, I have a positive outlook on life and am excited to learn about myself throughout the course of this study abroad program. Though I am looking forward to everyone else projects, mine is geared toward Jewish history. Growing up in a Jewish household, I have always been fascinated by the history of my ancestors and am looking forward to being in Germany and Holland — two countries with such rich Jewish history. I plan to challenge myself by going beyond tourist traps to truly learn about culture and working with a diverse group of students to make myself a more well rounded person.

Jonny Baham

My name is Jonny Baham and I am a Neuroscience and Cognitive Science major at U of A. I play beach volleyball for the school and I lived in Hawaii as well as San Diego, California. My topic of research for this trip is food and pop culture, which is very interesting and important to me because these two areas alone can speak volumes about a culture and their history. I hope to learn about new cultures not only to make myself a more well rounded person, but also to compare them to my own culture and upbringing in order to get a better sense of human nature. 

Rachel Boullion

My name is Rachel Boullion and I am majoring in Physiology. Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to the field of medicine and am passionate about helping others, even through their darkest times. This is why I chose to focus on the history of medicine while studying abroad. I hope to focus my studies on learning about the abuse of medicine and drugs by Nazi Germany. This is a difficult history, but one worth understanding, as it has brought about several important ethical conversations in the medical field. I also hope to learn more about Holland and Germany’s modern progress within this field. 

Alexis Canez

This fall, I will be a sophomore at the University of Arizona. I am majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering and minoring in Music. If I were to list three of my greatest passions, they would be music, spending time with other people, and traveling. I am excited to have the opportunity to partake in all three of these during this study abroad trip. My project is related to my major, so I will be studying electrical and computer engineering in Germany and the Netherlands, comparing their uses and designs to those in America, and thinking about how we can solve problems in the future. During this trip, I hope to discover a new side of German culture I have not seen before, and I also wish to learn about how the Dutch are different from the Germans. Ultimately, I would like to know more about how history has shaped the Germans and the Dutch into their unique social norms. 

I can’t wait to see what I will discover on this trip. 

Nizhonabah (Niz) Davis

My name is Nizhonabah, but most people call me “Niz.” I enjoy morning runs, eating food, and reading Harry Potter books. My project for the Honors Trip is to analyze the how Engineering developed and changed through history in Germany and the Netherlands and compare similarities and differences of Engineering in Europe to the United States. With the Honors Trip, I hope to eat as much food as possible, bond with my nerdy Honors Peers, and get lost in Europe!

Erin Gautier

My name is Erin Gautier and I'm from Chandler, Arizona. I am currently a pre-business major, but I plan to major in accounting in the future and the ultimate goal is to become a CPA (Certified Public Accountant.) In my spare time, I enjoy working out ans listening to country music. My project topic is Jewish History. From the time I was a kid, I have always had an interest in the topic, since my best friend growing up was Jewish, so I constantly learned new things about the religion through her. I am so excited to be in places with so much Jewish history such as Berlin and Amsterdam. During this trip, I hope to push myself out of my comfort zone, as I have never been out of the country before so this is a completely new experience for me. This includes trying new things and trying to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible.

CJ Horn

I am a student in the college of engineering studying biomedical engineering. Although I am studying biomedical engineering, all other facets of engineering interest me too. My research is on the history of engineering in both Germany and The Netherlands. I am researching the types of engineering each culture is best at and how they evolved over the years. I am also taking a look at how they compare to each other with their strengths and weaknesses in engineering as a broad term. I hope to achieve a deeper understanding of other cultures' engineering styles and skills as well as learning more about the history of these two countries.

Lindsey Koelbel

My name is Lindsey Koelbel. I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering. I chose to focus my projects on art, which has been a continuing interest of mine since high school. I especially focused on graffiti as a form of political and social expression. From this trip, I am hoping to broaden my perspective on the world by learning about the differences in day to day life of other countries.

Julia Lisk

I am a student studying Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. I've always had an appreciation for sustainability, health, and environmental policy so I saw a trip to Europe as an excellent opportunity to see policy in action overseas. I hope to glean ways America could move towards becoming a more sustainable nation, as well as recognize obstacles still present as a global society.

Meghan McGrath

As a focused STEM major, studying a broad range of topics in Berlin and Holland is a really exciting opportunity. While I look forward to learning about everybody’s subjects, my focus is on the history of medicine. I would like to explore a range of topics under this subject, from Nazi medical experimentation, to how the Dutch healthcare system came to be what it is today. Currently, I am not as familiar with European medical history as I would like to be. I am very thankful for this chance to explore my interests in cities so far from home, and in such a collaborative group environment.

Kimberly Miller

My name is Kimberly Miller and I am a chemistry major. On this trip I hope to learn more about the history of science in Germany and the Netherlands. I want to look at past experiments and see how they succeeded and failed and what discoveries were made, as well at look toward the future and what is happening on the cutting edge of science in these countries.

Elise Peters

Hello! My name is Elise Peters, and I am double majoring in Business Management and Equine Science at the University of Arizona. For my project, I am comparing the experience of conducting business on a personal level in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, as well as evaluating each of these country's large-scale economies. In doing so, I hope to gain insight into the world of business on an international level. I am also looking forward to increasing my cultural competency and independence from my time on the trip. I can't wait to tell you more through my classmates and I's blog posts!

Anjali Ramohalli
I am a student at the University of Arizona pursuing a degree in Architecture. I’m particularly interested in ancient architecture and how their architecture is more intricate in terms of design than modern architecture, even though they had less tools and less resources. My project in Berlin focuses on how the architecture there has evolved through all the different ages and civilizations it has been a part of. In the Netherlands, I’m more focused on how the architecture differs from the rest of the world, and is more slim, vertical and not to mention on top of water. With this trip, I hope to gain a more in-depth understanding of how history, culture, and environmental conditions can influence architecture.

Ben Schneider
Art in Berlin and the Netherlands

Gwyneth Smith

My name is Gwyneth Smith. I am an MCB and Pre-Physio double major. I have travelled with family a lot in the past, but wanted to study abroad in hopes that I would be able to learn more about the world we live in and the progress being made throughout it. During our trip, I am joining with two other student to research the history of science and climate change in Berlin and The Netherlands. I don't think there are any countries better than these two for what I hope to learn from a Study Abroad trip.

Mikala Teramoto

I am going into my second year of college, studying both public health and political science. While I am in Europe, my goal is to study German and EU politics, and comparing the way past political movements have influenced the culture we see today in both Germany and the Netherlands. I want to gain a different political perspective as well as exploring different political climates. 

Liam Thibeault

My name is Liam Thibeault, and I am an Acting major at the UA. My biggest passion and interest is in the theatre, and so I did my project on this as well. Theatre in Germany and Holland is more of a right than a privilege, and the art is seen as more of a service. Knowing this, I hope to gain insight into a culture of art-loving people that will hopefully influence the creation of my own art. 

Will Twehous

My name is Will Twehous, I am a physics, astronomy, and math major with also a minor in philosophy at the University of Arizona. On this trip I am focusing on the history of science in the Netherlands and Germany. While it is hard to narrow down a long list of innovations from two countries over several centuries, I hope to present that history well and inspire more individuals to follow in the footsteps of these innovators.

Raven Wentworth

Hi! My name is Raven and I’m a military brat triple majoring in biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and Italian with a language emphasis. My concentration for this trip is on art. In Berlin I’m focusing on the art the government puts up in the subways, most predominantly Notes of Berlin, to compare with Lindsey’s focus on graffiti. In the Netherlands, I am focusing on my preferred mediums: ceramics and fused glass. On this trip I hope to become a more competent traveler and enjoy exploring many new beautiful cities.

Alexa Wilder

My name is Alexa Wilder, I'm 19 years old and an Arizona native. I am studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Arizona through the College of Engineering. For my research project I am researching the history of aerospace engineering in Germany and the Netherlands and how it has impacted the modern world of aerospace engineering around the globe.