This summer, Dr. Ramesh Yerraballi of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin (UT ECE) led a group of sixteen first-year students on a study-abroad program to Hyderabad, India.

Hyderabad, the fourth most populous city in India, is a hub for innovative technology, and is often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley. The program, “Embedded Systems and Industry Experience,” was the first study-abroad program in India for the Cockrell School of Engineering.

The 10-week program combined cultural, research, and industry experiences for Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering students. The UT Austin students were paired in a lab course with students at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H), and also completed industry projects sponsored by Broadcom, Xilinx, and local start-up companies. Broadcom and Xilinx are both engaged with UT ECE in the Connect Senior Design programs, respectively.

As a native of Hyderabad, Dr. Yerraballi was instrumental in developing relationships with industry partners and faculty at IIT-H in order to ensure an integrative experience for the students. “So much of what is happening in in the world takes place in a global marketplace. A lot of that originates in places like India or Beijing. If one can experience what is occurring on the other side, you can begin to have a culture sensitivity to your counterparts around the world,” said Yerraballi.

The program, which will run again in summer 2016, is made possible with the support of UT ECE, the Cockrell School of Engineering’s International Engineering Education office, UT International Office, and the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).