San Diego Student Experiences

We were treated to a lecture on wastewater treatment and water reuse in Israel. The lecture began with a review of material we learned about in depth when the professor, Yaal Lester, was visiting the University of San Diego. The lecture focused on how treatments are chosen for water treatments based on two qualifications: the quality of the water source and the quality demands of the product water… The examples primarily focused on Israel and the United States, however, the examples given were still able to exemplify a wide range of potential water quality issues. These examples did a great job of bringing the information out of the classroom and into reality. – Michael Sween (USD)

Israel is amazing, and I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to come here with Dr. Katz and meet our counterparts at Technion University. My favorite part of the trip was when we met with Professor Oded and his students in the aerospace engineering facility in Technion to discuss our respective projects. We were already familiar with each other’s work, and we took this opportunity to share our ideas and build on each other’s’ projects… It was very beneficial for both groups, as we learned a lot from our practical experience. We ended the discussion with a group picture and plans to see each other in April! I’ve enjoyed every minute of our trip to Israel and learned so much about its history and its people’s culture. I’m in awe and will tell everyone about my adventures. I look forward to visiting again, soon! – Matthew Jones (SDSU)

The history that fills every crack of the cobble stone in this city [Jerusalem] breathes life into you as you splash through the puddles of this streets in search for the root stories of so many religious traditions. – Lisi Riccio (USD)

The past few days have been truly incredible and we are very privileged to be taking back to the U.S. some of our new knowledge regarding the history of the middle east, the history and culture of Israel, and so much more. We have new insights that I wish everyone could have. – Karl Parks (SDSU)

As part of our water-focused study program in Israel, we traveled to Caesarea and saw ruins from 10 B.C.E., as well as the city’s corresponding aqueduct that provided it with water from 7.5 km northeast. At one point during the sixth century, this ancient port city even became the most fortified in the country. Within the park we wandered immediately into the hippodrome where chariot races and other pastimes occurred… Our overall experience at Caesarea was an interesting way to see the mixing of the past, and it opened our eyes to the deep history that Israel has to offer. – Jayden Yeoman (USD)

After two hours of lecture on water analysis in the morning, we had our first lab. Our team includes four girls from the University of San Diego ( Lisi, Sydney, Zoey and Danielle) and one boy from the Azrieli College of Engineering named Shaanan. Our team was assigned water from the Sea of Galilee. The goal of the lab was to determine different quality parameters of the water. The purpose of testing this water is to gain an understanding of how this water should later be treated in order to bring it up to drinking standards. We started by testing the TSS or total suspended solids in the water, since it was the test that would take the longest. We tested the ammonia level, the pH, TSS, TDS/salinity/ conductivity, turbidity, TOC and Coliforms that are in the water. All of the data collected in this lab will use in tomorrow’s lab when we treat the water.

…it was an experience I will surely never forget and one that I will cherish for many years to come. I look forward to when I will be able to come back to Israel and see even more of the amazing culture and history it has to offer. This is my very first time being out of the country (if you don’t count Tijuana), and I would not have wanted it to go any other way. For the years to come, I hope that the next group of students get to experience everything we were able to in our time here, it was truly once in a lifetime. Though I may just be one individual, there is no doubt in my mind that every single student that was allowed this opportunity is equally grateful to be here, and for that we all offer our most sincere thanks. – Daniel Brookbank (SDSU)

We had the privilege to visit the Netafim Plant and started our tour of the facility with a PowerPoint on the history and societal outreach of Netafim. Netafim is a multinational drip irrigation company revolutionizing irrigation techniques around the world. As one of Israel’s, and even the world’s most influential companies, it was exciting to learn about the social outreach… We then continued to learn about Netafim’s unique location on the grounds of one of Israel’s most successful kibbutzim. Kibbutz Hatzerim, a community of over 400 people, has been an operating partner with Netafim since the inception of the company… As a democratic community, many changes have been made in recent years, but this Kibbutz, as one of the most successful in Israel, was an awe-inspiring way to learn about and experience such a unique concept. – Nathan Sauer (USD)