Study Abroad Student Reports: Engineering in London

I vividly remember feeling extremely nervous as I was stepping onto my flight to London, just five short weeks ago. Now that I have completed my time abroad, I am closing on one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences of my life (so far).  My study abroad experience drove so much personal and academic growth. Through this program, I had the opportunity to engage in engineering coursework while exploring a completely new environment. The fast pace and smaller class sizes pushed me to interact more with my professors and classmates, granting me a greater understanding of the topics we covered while building relationships with my peers. Our hands-on labs at the University of Sheffield were extremely enjoyable and only deepened my understanding of circuits and thermodynamics.  

In addition to taking thermodynamics and circuits in the classroom, I had the opportunity to go on excursions to learn about the many ways that engineering has transformed the city of London. Getting to visit historical landmarks and museums truly changed my perspective on engineering. I always knew that I wanted to be an engineer, but I had no idea the span of what all I could do in the field. My favorite trip was to Richmond and the London Museum of Water and Steam. Inside, there was a huge room of steam engines. Each machine was started for us one by one so we could see how they worked. At that point in the trip, we had already learned a lot of the thermodynamics coursework and were able to connect the concepts we learned in the classroom to real life works of engineering. It was one of my most memorable moments of the program. 

Despite EIL’s rigorous academic schedule, I was able to immerse myself in the culture of the United Kingdom. I traveled around the different parts of London, got to enjoy the countryside near Sheffield, and spent a weekend exploring the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. Throughout all of these experiences, I connected with some of the other amazing UTK students in my program.  The Engineering in London program gave me exposure to more adventures than I could have imagined; I am so glad that I took that flight.

My time during the EIL program has been an unforgettable experience that allowed me to grow both as a student and as a person. Throughout the program, we visited multiple engineering landmarks and museums that brought concepts we learned in class to life. Seeing historical steam engines and visiting sites like the Thames Barrier and Bletchley Park gave me a much greater appreciation for the impact engineering has had on society. Being able to connect classroom topics to real-world applications made the material more meaningful and strengthened my understanding of how engineering solves complex problems.

Outside of the classroom, living in London challenged me to become more independent and adaptable. Navigating public transportation, exploring different neighborhoods, and experiencing the city’s rich history and diverse culture pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best possible way. Balancing coursework with traveling and exploring taught me valuable time management skills while creating memories that will last a lifetime.

In addition to the engineering centered experiences, I enjoyed exploring all that England had to offer. Visiting Chatsworth House gave me the opportunity to admire its stunning architecture, and beautiful gardens. Back in London, I loved being able to immerse myself in the culture and see all there was to offer. I was able to explore the amazing food at Borough Market and experience the city’s theatre scene by seeing Hadestown in the West End and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe. These experiences made my time abroad even more memorable and allowed me to appreciate London’s unique blend of history, culture, and innovation.

I have always known that I wanted to pursue engineering, but I wasn’t sure which fields I enjoyed most until very recently. I am interested in the aerospace field, but I decided to do mechanical rather than aerospace engineering because I believe it is more suitable for a greater variety of engineering. However, seeing the aerospace elements in the British Science Museum has reignited my interest in aerospace engineering. 

The most intriguing installments that I saw were the parachute which returned the Soyuz-TMA-19M safely, as well as the giant J2 rocket engine used on the Saturn V rocket. The scale of these were incredible, and I loved getting to see objects that played such an important role in the advancements of aerospace technology. Most importantly, this experience deepened my passion for both aerospace engineering and engineering as a whole, and I am excited to apply the knowledge that I have obtained during this program throughout the rest of my engineering career. 

In the summer of 2026, I had the opportunity to study abroad in the United Kingdom through the Engineering in London program. This 5-week faculty-led program was where I completed accelerated coursework in thermodynamics and circuit analysis. In addition, we were able to experience additional hands-on lab work that would not have been available through traditional coursework. These labs not only helped me gain a greater conceptual understanding but also gave me new technical skills such as soldering.

Outside the classroom, our program visited a variety of museums, historical landmarks and tours around the city. These allowed me to immerse myself in some of the city’s rich history and culture that were vastly different from my own. In my own free time, I enjoyed trying local food gems, testing out all the public transportation, and exploring the local neighborhoods. My favorite experience has to be slowing down and talking to the people I met along the way. With how busy a city like London is, taking a moment to just listen allowed me to gain just a little bit of a new perspective on everyday life.

Studying abroad has given me some of the most eye-opening moments of my life. It pushed me so far out of my comfort zone, making me take initiative each day, or else I could miss out on something incredible. I’ve come back to the States with a new mindset to life, and so many new connections than I could’ve ever imagined. I cannot state how thankful I am to this program and the people supporting it, and I hope to return one day!

Through my participation in the Engineering in London program this summer, I was able to explore the history and culture of London through the lens of engineering. During our time in London, we were able to visit multiple locations where the principles we were learning in our thermodynamics and circuits classes were being applied to solve real life problems and support actual infrastructure. Some of these locations included Tower Bridge, the London Steam and Water Museum, Bletchley Park, and the Thames Barrier. One of the most academically impactful locations we visited was the London Steam and Water Museum because we got to view thermodynamic systems similar to the ones we had been studying in class in action.

During our time in Sheffield, we were able to complete labs through the University of Sheffield that also applied to thermodynamics and circuits. The labs taught us how to apply what we had learned on paper technically through the construction of actual circuits and thermodynamic processes. During one of the labs, we were able to go through the complete process of building our own circuit using a schematic diagram, much like the ones we had learned how to decipher in class. Once we had completed the circuit, the lab staff taught us how to solder the circuit.

The program provided me with the experience to explore the beautiful culture of this city while getting to know my peers. Through the program, we travelled to many different locations throughout the city including the London Eye, Borough Market, and the Globe theater to see Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In Sheffield we also visited Chatsworth house, which was one of my favorite experiences due to the beautiful gardens and intricate interior. On our own time, we visited places such as Notting Hill, the Sky Garden, and Westminister Abbey.

Overall, participating in this program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Being able to see how the coursework I have been completing applies to the real world made me even more passionate about my decision to become an engineer. By being able to explore London, I formed a great appreciation for the city, culture, and exploring new places in general. Through our many adventures outside of class, I built relationships with my peers and created lasting memories that will stick with me throughout the rest of my time at UT.

To be completely honest, I didn’t know exactly what I was signing up for when I decided to study engineering in London, but I knew it was an experience I didn’t want to miss. Both personally and academically, it has changed my outlook on engineering. It offers many aspects of learning that are lost in large lecture halls, including personal relationships with professors and other peers, as well as hands-on lab experience with experts in their field. During our time abroad, we had a great balance of direction and learning and free time to explore the cities and have fun.

London was amazing to experience because of the cultural differences of living in a big city with so many different activities and places to explore. Sheffield was an amazing, slower-paced, and refreshing change from the busy life in London, but we still had plenty of things to do and see. Some highlights for me included Bletchley Park and cycling in the Peak District near Sheffield. Bletchley was cool to see for the history of code breaking and how engineering has been used in major historical moments. Additionally, cycling in Sheffield was beautiful and a great break from the classroom.

After being back for a short time from the program, I often get asked the impossible question of my favorite part. While it may seem cliché, I am most grateful for making so many close friends and connections with people whom I’ve only known for a short time, and I only hope to make new memories when returning to Knoxville. Engineering in London was a great way to find community in engineering while also experiencing a different culture, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in college!

Having arrived at our housing in London at AES Hoxton, I knew the very first thing I wanted to do was go out for a run and explore; however, my bunkmates and I came to a consensus that having fish and chips as our first meal would be phenomenal. Thankfully, there was a fish and chips shop around the corner from our housing, and we decided to give it a try. The shop itself was run by a father and his son, a local business called “Simply the Best Fish Bar Haggerston.” We each ordered our preferences, and there was something in the air that I just had not quite figured out yet; it was most definitely not the smell of breading in the fryer. We took our food home, ate, and began our excursions around London. 

As our classes in Circuits and Thermodynamics began, I came to the realization of the importance of balance. As a student who had normalized a routine back in the United States, balance came naturally to me, whether that meant setting aside time for my studies, runs and workouts, or applying for internships. Unlike back home, creating a routine in the United Kingdom meant incorporating weekend adventures, socializing with friends outside of class, getting my daily run in, and cramming for classes; my organization and accountability skills were truly tested. 

While exploring London on my usual 12–14-mile runs, one of the routes I frequently took always passed that little fish and chips shop. Each time I passed, I would catch the delicious scent of crisp fried fish in the air alongside a sight that humbled me. Despite the hardships of running their small shop in the corner of Hoxton, this father-son duo managed to genuinely appreciate and smile during every customer interaction. Seeing this made me realize that the feeling I had sensed there all along was balance: the ability to pursue your ambitions while appreciating the people and moments around you.

Amongst our many labs in Sheffield, hangouts, museums, and tours, I constantly held myself accountable for finding balance while reserving energy for both my career pursuits and personal growth. Our journey through London and Sheffield has not only taught me about the endless possibilities of engineering through grit and achievement, but also the importance of staying grounded, appreciating others, and valuing the moments we find ourselves in. Whether that meant running through the streets of London, desperately cramming for Thermodynamics and Circuits, or passing by that little fish and chips shop in Hoxton, I learned that balance is what allows meaningful experiences to last.

My experience in the EIL program has really changed me as a student and as a person. In class, working closely with the professors and other students helped me understand the topics in thermodynamics and circuits better than I would in a typical semester. Our labs in Sheffield allowed us to be hands-on with the topics in a fun way. We also visited many places in London that applied what we learned in class to real life. I really enjoyed going to Bletchley Park and learning how they applied engineering to code breaking. Connecting what we learned in class and in the labs to what we saw at these sites made the topics more meaningful.

Outside of class, I really enjoyed exploring the city with my friends and experiencing the cultural differences. We did all the typical tourist things like visiting Big Ben and eating fish and chips but, living in the UK for 5 weeks, we were able to experience London and Sheffield the way locals might. We shopped in local thrift stores and ate amazing street food at Leather Lane. I was also able to talk to some locals and learn about their favorite places in London and Sheffield. I loved learning about the diverse cultures in these cities.

I also loved being able to get to know my classmates during this trip. I made so many good friendships with people who I might’ve never met in my regular classes. Overall, this trip allowed me to make friendships, learn about engineering, and experience a new city and was one of the best experiences I’ve had in college!

This summer, I had the incredible privilege of studying abroad for five weeks with the University of Tennessee’s Engineering in London program. This program has been unforgettable, and I was able to have so many unique experiences and opportunities that I would not have gotten in my standard engineering curriculum. From getting to visit incredible museums and landmark feats of early engineering, to hands-on thermodynamic and circuitry lab experiments, coming out of this program, I am even more passionate about my chosen field of study. It was also impactful to get to share these experiences with a cohort of fellow engineering students, who have all grown into close friends throughout this program. 

If I had to choose just one excursion or activity that had the most impact on my studies and experiences studying abroad, I would point to the London Water and Steam Museum. It was remarkable to get to witness some of the very first steam engines running, and particularly how their function and design were able to evolve over time. It was so fun to watch our thermodynamics problems come to life before our eyes, and see the inner workings of power from the 19th century. It was also very interesting to observe the change in how the engines were supplied steam, from coal-fire boilers to modern natural gas boilers. The museum was very hands-on and interactive, and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about his work with the museum. The museum experience was like walking through a time-capsule and I walked away from this experience with a newfound sense of duty in my engineering career, to continue developing and evolving technology for the betterment of society. 

The Engineering in London has drastically increased my understanding of Thermodynamic cycles and steam engines. During our lab time in Sheffield we created a mini engine by using an air chamber, hot and cold reservoirs, and a piston to move a weight up. This process really helped put the theory into practice, and it was amusing to see that the efficiency of the cycle was to a factor of 10^-6. 

We also had the opportunity on this trip to see several stream engines at the London Museum of Water and Steam. Seeing them actually operating, with some of them being from the 19th century, was a very cool and rare opportunity. Also observing how the water reservoir changed during the cycle of the bigger steam engine was pretty interesting to see. 

One day we visited the Brunel museum and learned about how the first underwater tunnel was created. In order to get to that museum we had to take a tube line through that tunnel. Learning about all the struggles of creating the tunnel and seeing the old entrance after actually using it made it all the more fascinating. 

There were many, many, more excursions and experiences that I learned a lot from. The impact this program had on my understanding of Circuits and Thermodynamics is hard to overstate, as my understanding of them would be considerably less without all the experiences.