Beyond Fulbright: Bethany’s Next Chapter in Iceland

What happens when a year of research abroad turns into an opportunity to stay and continue your education?

For Bethany Bronkema, coming to Iceland as a Fulbright scholar in 2022 was the beginning of a longer academic journey. What started as a research project on the environmental impacts of aluminium production eventually led her to pursue a master's degree at the Iceland School of Energy (ISE), Reykjavík University.

Along the way, she discovered new approaches to sustainability, developed her engineering skills, and became part of an international research community.

A Fulbright Opportunity in Iceland

Before coming to Iceland, Bethany studied engineering at Swarthmore College in the United States, where she also completed a minor in Environmental Studies.

Her interest in sustainability led her to Iceland through the Fulbright programme, which supports international exchange through research, study, and teaching.

Bethany's research focused on aluminium production, one of Iceland's major energy-intensive industries. Although Iceland produces nearly all its electricity from renewable sources, aluminium manufacturing still generates carbon emissions through the production process itself.

She investigated how these emissions could be reduced through emerging technologies, including inert anodes, which could replace the carbon-based materials traditionally used in aluminium production.

Her project also involved life cycle assessment, a method used to understand the environmental impacts of a product or process from beginning to end.

The research gave Bethany an opportunity to apply her engineering background to an industrial challenge while learning from researchers working on sustainability in Iceland.

When One Opportunity Leads to Another

Bethany's Fulbright experience introduced her to more than a new research topic. It also gave her the opportunity to explore Iceland's energy sector and work with people approaching sustainability from different technical and environmental perspectives.

“Sustainability is certainly a global issue, and every country or region is going to need to employ different solutions to meet climate goals,” Bethany shared.

Her time in Iceland helped her see how the resources, industries, and priorities of different countries influence the solutions they pursue.

When her Fulbright year came to an end, Bethany decided to continue her education at Reykjavík University, joining the MSc Sustainable Energy Engineering programme at ISE.

Building on Her Research at ISE

At ISE, Bethany could build on the environmental modelling and research experience she had developed during her Fulbright year while expanding her knowledge of sustainable engineering and energy systems.

Her studies brought together engineering, environmental analysis, and broader questions about how industries can reduce their impact.

Working with faculty from different technical backgrounds also gave her opportunities to approach sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives.

For Bethany, continuing at ISE meant taking the next step in a field she had already begun exploring through her research.

Beyond the Fulbright Year

The Fulbright programme creates opportunities for researchers and students to exchange knowledge, experience another culture, and build connections across borders.

For Bethany, that exchange continued beyond her original research year.

What began as an opportunity to investigate aluminium production in Iceland developed into further studies in sustainable energy engineering, allowing her to deepen her knowledge and explore new questions about industrial sustainability.

Her experience shows how an international research opportunity can open doors that extend well beyond the original project.

Sometimes, a year abroad is only the beginning.