Hello! My name is Elena Polar. I am a rising sophomore industrial engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. I hope to complete my bachelor’s degree as well as getting a lean six sigma certification! I hail from Robinson Township, which is about 25 minutes west of Pittsburgh. I love traveling near and far, spending an afternoon reading, and going on all sorts of crazy adventures with my family and friends. At Pitt, I am involved in the Society of Women Engineers and the Newman Club.

Growing up I always knew I’d become an engineer. Some might think this is because both of my brothers and my dad are engineers, with one also graduating from Pitt, but engineering was always my end goal. I knew industrial engineering was the right fit for me during my time working at the PIT International Airport. Not only was I in an environment where I was able to gain personable skills through my experience working in social service with many types of passengers, but I also was immersed in a scene where things were constantly changing to better its efficiency. This is what got me to realize that I was always looking for ways to improve systems to be more efficient. What I hadn’t realized at that time was how much sustainability goes hand-in-hand with industrial engineering.

During freshman seminar, when we were first introduced to study abroad programs, Plus3 stood out to me, and I wanted to apply right then and there. Sustainability was something that I didn’t have much experience with, and I was eager to learn more, so Plus3 Netherlands seemed like the perfect fit for me. It will be very informative seeing firsthand the different techniques and new innovations that a country with such a reputation for sustainable practices like The Netherlands has. I have never been to Europe before so this will also be a great time to try something new while also gaining valuable knowledge of sustainable practices, cultures, and meeting professionals outside of Pitt.