Dustin Ruh, a Materials Engineering junior from Cleveland, Ohio also spent the Spring 2001 semester abroad. Dustin traveled to "The Land Down Under" where he studied at the University of New South Wales, one of Australia's finest engineering institutions, located in the suburbs of Sydney. The UNSW Materials Engineering Program has several connections with Purdue. Professor Bowman and Professor Trumble have research collaborations with faculty at UNSW, and Purdue graduate student Robert Moon is currently conducting postdoctoral research there too.


"Studying abroad was the greatest experience I have ever had. While at UNSW, I had the chance to take courses that applied to my materials degree, and courses that stimulated my interest in the country including the history of Australian sports. The pictures above consist of the picturesque UNSW campus and the historic Sydney Opera House. During my visit I was able to attend an opera, along with other theatrical performances and many sporting events."


"Sydney is an amazing city full of historic sites, intriguing museums, sunny beaches, and beautiful parks. During my semester abroad I was able to take complete advantage of Sydney and some of the other wonderful regions nearby. The pictures above were taken on a weekend rappelling trip in the Blue Mountains, a two-hour train ride from the city. The pictures below were taken from my surfing trip to Wollongong and my day trip to the wineries of the Hunter Valley."


"While in Sydney, I lived in a shared study abroad house with five other international students. Living with people from other countries helped to heighten my global awareness and was a fantastic experience. Our house was within walking distance of the UNSW campus, the local beach, a popular commercial shopping district, and was twenty minutes from downtown via the public busses that ran frequently past our house. Sydney was host to the 2000 Summer Olympic Games, and I was able to take a train and visit the grounds at Homebush Bay."


"During my time in Australia, I was able to visit many other costal cities including Arlie Beach, Brisbane, Cairns, and Melbourne. I also had the opportunity to tour and ski the southern alps of New Zealand on my return flight home. Studying abroad was a fantastic experience and I would highly encourage anyone that has a slight interest in seeing the world and a flair for adventure to look into the program here at Purdue."