When I first received confirmation of my summer school placement in Malaysia, my excitement was immediate — but so was a quieter, more pressing question: what is the true cost of getting there?
As an electrical engineering student, I am trained to think in systems. Every circuit has consequences; every current must be accounted for. It did not take long to apply that same logic to travel. Aviation contributes roughly 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, and long-haul flights carry a significant carbon footprint per passenger. For a placement that is fundamentally about growth and global engagement, I felt a responsibility to ensure that my journey aligned with the values I want to carry into my engineering career.
My first and most deliberate decision was to book a direct flight. This was not simply a matter of convenience — it was a calculated choice. Aircraft consume disproportionately more fuel during take-off and landing, meaning that each additional stop compounds the environmental cost of a journey. By flying direct from the UK to Malaysia, I am minimising my flight’s overall emissions as much as the route allows. It is a small act, but one grounded in evidence and intention.
This thinking connects directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals — particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). As someone preparing to work in a field that will shape the energy systems of tomorrow, I believe it is not enough to pursue sustainability only in the lab or on the job. It must begin with the personal choices I make today.
Once in Malaysia, I intend to extend this mindset. I plan to rely on public transport and walking wherever feasible, reducing my local carbon footprint during my stay. I will be conscious of single-use plastics, which pose a particular environmental challenge across Southeast Asia, and I will seek to engage with local sustainability efforts — whether through conversations with peers, observing local renewable energy infrastructure, or simply being a respectful and low-impact visitor.
There is something fitting about travelling to Malaysia with sustainability on my mind. The country is home to some of the world’s oldest rainforests, extraordinary biodiversity, and communities already navigating the effects of climate change. To arrive as a future engineer — someone who will one day design electrical systems, possibly including solar infrastructure, smart grids, or EV networks — and to do so carelessly, would feel like a contradiction I could not justify.
International experience is invaluable. But it should not come at an uncalculated cost to the planet. My placement in Malaysia is an opportunity not only to grow professionally, but to practise the kind of thoughtful, responsible global citizenship that engineering — and the world — urgently needs.
The journey begins with a single, direct flight. But the commitment it represents is much longer-range than that.
