During the previous study tour to Japan I was impressed by the many facets of technology that Electrical Engineers are able to work on. This helped me to tackle my Masters with even more enthusiasm. Now I have almost finished my Masters I want to see the different aspects of Electrical Technology in Canada and the United States before starting a job.

After studying for quite some years in our little country, I want to see more of the world. Besides meeting different cultures it would also be really instructive to experience the culture of different companies in other countries. Both Canada and the USA are pre-eminently the countries to visit and experience the company's culture in the field of Electrical engineering. Besides the already sometimes large culture differences between our countries they still are home to plenty of high-tech companies that provide innovative and cutting-edge solution to the top of the market. Furthermore it would be a great experience to organize such a trip with 23 people. The (tackled) organisational challenges will provide me an advantage as an young professional on the job market. All with all, enough reasons to be part of this awesome project and I am looking forward to enter my flight to Canada and the Unites States!

Already during my first week at the University of Twente I was notified about the concept of Scintilla's study tour project - on how a team of over 20 students works together to fund and organize a once in a lifetime study tour to countries situated at another side of the globe. It is a large project that does not only provide the participant with a variety of international experiences, but the road towards the tour is an important aspect as well as it involves a lot of organizational skills which are not a part of a regular student's curriculum. Now finally my time has come to join one.

In the technology sector, Canada and the USA seem to include an interesting mix of business cultures. Not only are they home to many large and fundamental engineering companies, they also give rise to small and innovative start-ups. Together with the great amount of nature and cultures this marks an opportunity I did not want to let go.

After I was rejected for the previous study tour because there were too many candidates and I had the possibility to apply for the next study tour, I knew it for sure: I was going to organize the next tour to ensure my position! So here I am, part of the study tour committee, managing the complete process of the study tour. I've only been outside Europe one time before, which by coincide also was in the United States. That was however in Florida, which is off course completely different from the locations we're going to visit now. I look forward to visit both great countries and to learn a lot from the companies we're going to visit, which is a great opportunity for every student.

The study tour of Beyond Frontiers, travelling to both the United States and Canada , will be a journey to the forefronts of science and engineering, travelling to both the tech Canadian tech-hub in the Toronto area and to Silicon Valley. I have never been outside of Europe, so I think this will be an excellent opportunity to experience the American and Canadian culture. For instance, what are the differences and commonalities in business and work-attitudes? Another interesting part of the study tour is organizing the study tour together with the rest of the participants. I think that together with those people we will have a great time in the "New World"!

I have been interested in travelling all my life, enjoying the exploration of different countries and cultures all over the world. Now, as an electrical engineering student, I want to reciprocate these interests into my field of study. I hope that by organizing and going on a study tour like this I expand my horizons on a technical, cultural and organisational level.
North America is truly on the forefront of academics and engineering, and I am very happy to investigate this up close on this study tour.

Gaining insight in other cultures, that's what traveling is all about.
After having spent four months in Sydney for my internship, I already have learned loads about the Australian way of life. My experiences there were not limited to locals though, meeting a few Americans there already changed the view I had of Americans from the media. To continue my investigation, this study tour is a great opportunity to learn what the culture there is really like. It also serves as a nice holiday from my Master's assignment, which I started two and a half months before the study tour.
Most importantly, joining Beyond-Frontiers will hopefully help me find out if everything actually is bigger in America.

The moment I heard the destination of the study tour I wanted to come along, since it is a great opportunity to visit Canada and the United States. Although these countries may have similar cultures as our own, I am also very interested in getting to know the differences. Furthermore, in these countries also some of the biggest high-tech companies of today are located, take Silicon Valley, as an electrical engineer I think it is a must-see. Of course visiting these companies is very useful for orientation and organizing this study tour for a large group of students will also be an interesting experience, so I have no doubt all this will result in an amazing trip.

Travelling to a different part of the world, visiting many interesting locations and companies that work with exciting new technologies in my field of study. Of course I wanted to join this study tour. It's a great experience to organise such a trip with a large group of students, all contributing to make the journey to North America a success. It enables me to get more experienced with electrical engineering, by working on different cases, while also learning of the newest inventions from large companies that we have heard of many times. I am looking forward to the journey in May and, never even having been out of Europe before, hope to see and learn many new things!

Ever since the invention of the transistor by Shockley, Bardeen and Brattain, North America and especially Silicon Valley have been the birthing ground to the most and most progressive technologies in the past 60 years. When the Scintilla Study Tour announced they were going to visit the Toronto and Silicon Valley areas, my decision to sign up was made: I had to take this opportunity to visit these places. This study tour, I hope to get an insight in the developments at these world leaders in the high tech industry and return with new knowledge and inspiration.

After missing out two study tours at row to the eastern part of the world, I really wanted to join this time. The people coming back from previous study tours told me it was amazing and much fun. When I heard the study tour was going to go to North America, I applied for participation immediately and without question. I am very interested in the cultural differences and similarities between us. I want to learn about the great and well known companies in Silicon Valley and other parts of North America. Furthermore the study tour will be a great opportunity to get to know my fellow students and have fun.

Throughout my study I've been an active member of the study association. I've watched three study tours go and return with great stories. The last two tours were to Asia and even though the trips were undoubtedly epic, I'm more interested in the American culture than the Asian culture. I'm very glad this year's tour is to the Canada and the united states. When the tour starts, I should be just about done with my Master's. I'm looking forward to learning about the differences in culture and also to the outings to national parks.

It didn't take long for me to decide that I wanted to join the study tour. The concept of our study tour is just so awesome. First of all I would get the chance to go on an epic journey with a group of people with the same interests. Furthermore I would get to take a look inside some interesting companies and get a peak of the widely propagandized American culture. To make this all possible, I would have to do some educational and interesting case studies and improve my organization skills by helping to organize the tour. It's was a great deal that I do not regret.

One of the reasons I wanted to join this study tour is the unique opportunity to organize an intercontinental journey with an ambitious group of students and visiting interesting companies which relate to our study electrical engineering. Moreover, the fact that the duration of the study tour will be several weeks appealed me. In this way, one is able to be for a noticeable time in another culture. The areas of the tour are going to be Toronto and Silicon Valley, where we will visit companies and universities. I am enrolled in the master study Integated Circuit Design, so especially Silicon Valley will lead to experiences to see closely what is happening in this fascinating research area. We are going to the place where technological revolutions were set in motion, speaking among others of the invention and further development of the transistor. This enabled an evolution in electrical engineering still influencing the (electronic) world.

As a member of various committees during my career as a student I always enjoyed organizing and participating in events. When I first heard about the study-tour I was immediately triggered and excited to organize the biggest and longest event of them all in which I could participate myself! The destination of the tour made me even more excited and made me see it as a golden opportunity to have a sneak peek at the coolest companies which I was also able to select myself. Besides the company visits the possibility of seeing and doing a lot of cool stuff at another continent along with a super-sized Coke made me sign up!

After the last study tour to Japan, I heard a lot of great stories about this study tour. When I heard about this study tour to Canada and the USA, I did not hesitate at all and joined. After nearly five years of studying, I think this tour will really provide me with insights that I would not get with just working on courses. By visiting many big companies, universities and start-ups, I think I will learn a lot about North-American culture and industry.

During my time as a student in Enschede I heard a lot of cool stories about study tours. So when I found out that Scintilla was organizing a study tour, I did not hesitate to apply. With Canada and the United States as desitination it is a really nice opportunity to find out more about the American and Canadian (business) culture. Since most of the worlds leading tech companies have their headquarters in Northern America this is a big change to find out what they are up to. I hope to gain some insight on how my theoretical knowledge can be applied in different companies in different countries. Besides visiting all the exciting companies, I am also looking forward to explorer the American and Canadian culture!

When I got the opportunity to join the study tour I didn't have to think long before I decided I wanted to join. To be able to visit North America and go to the places where a lot of electronics originated is a great opportunity to learn something about history and culture, but also about current and future developments. Always curious to the world around me, I think it will be lots of fun. Being able to learn something while working on case studies with electrical engineering friends only adds to this. Helping with organizing the tour and raising money with fellow students to get the adventure going really makes it "our" tour.

From the beginning of my studies, I was inspired by the study tours taking place. Doing a project with a large group of students, taking care of the finance and planning and having a lot of fun seemed like a grand experience. Now it's my turn to participate, almost halfway my Master's, and the journey will go to a set of countries I always found mystic. I've visited the east coast of the United States in the past, but I'm really excited to experience many other parts of the North American continent.

America! The land of opportunity, at least that is how the saying goes. When I was younger I visited America once, however now that I´m older I couldn´t pass up the opportunity to organise this studytour, with my fellow students, to this awesome continent. With a double master in electrical and biomedical engineering I´m looking to be on the frontier of technological innovation, and what better place to start looking than Silicon Valley. Both America and Canada have a lot to offer in terms of well known established tech giants but also cutting edge and innovative start ups. I´m sure that I´m going to learn a lot from all the bussiness visits, will have a great 5 weeks abroad and with a little luck be inspired to start for myself once I´m done with being a student.

When the previous study tour was being organized, I wasn't far along enough in my studies to participate. After hearing all the amazing stories from this study tour, I was positive I wanted to participate in a study tour as well. When the destination for this study tour was revealed, I became even more enthusiastic. I have been wanting to go to Canada for some time now. I have already visited the United States a couple times, but I'm excited to learn more about the corporate culture.

A couple of years ago I visited the USA and I was amazed by its beauty. After enjoying the American culture for a couple of weeks I knew I wanted to experience more of the USA. The study tour Beyond Frontiers provides me with an unique opportunity to experience the North American culture in a different way. During the study tour several technical companies in both Canada and the USA open their doors for us. This will allow me to experience the organisational culture in all it's variations. I'm really looking forward to the tour, but for now, I'm enjoying the journey to organise this amazing chance.