Hello everyone! My name is Joe Mollura, and I am a freshman engineering student in the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. I am from Beaver, PA, and I am pursuing a chemical engineering degree. I was also admitted into the Fredericks Honors College and am currently working towards my honors degree.

Outside of school, I enjoy working out, playing my guitar, refereeing soccer games, playing pickleball, going on walks, and exploring new places!

During my academic career, I have been involved in several extracurricular academic activities related to sustainability. This included my participation in the Westinghouse Science Honors Institute, which put an emphasis on creating a more sustainable planet. Through this program, I was lucky enough to see a nuclear reactor in person and learned how these reactors offer a greener and more efficient energy source than fossil fuels. On top of this, a viable path for me to get my honors degree involves obtaining a certificate in sustainability through the Swanson School. Sustainability has been a key factor in my education, so the Plus3 Netherlands program immediately caught my eye.

I am looking forward to all of the opportunities that the Plus3 Netherlands program will bring to me in the coming weeks. Firstly, I have never left the eastern seaboard of the United States, so exploring a new country across the Atlantic is both nerve-racking and exciting for me! I am looking forward to exploring a brand new culture with rich history, new and interesting food, and exciting places to experience.

I am also extremely invested in the sustainability portion of this trip. Due to how intertwined sustainability has been with my academic career, I have a very open mind as to how European countries have developed sustainable systems within their societies. The Netherlands is also revered for its high standards of sustainability, so I look forward to seeing specifically how they stay sustainable. I also look forward to meeting new people both on my program as well as native people–I am always open to expanding my network!