Gabriel Carlosena, Class of 2019: From Fulbright Argentina to Civil Engineer

• May 3, 2019

As a child, Gabriel Carlosena was always fascinated by the intricacy of structures such as buildings and bridges. His curiosity eventually led him to choose civil engineering as a career path. His enthusiasm for problem solving and learning is what brought him from Argentina to the Cockrell School of Engineering as a Fulbright student. 

“I want to be part of those projects,” he said. “I like the challenging part because you always have to face problems and to come up with a solution to that problem. It also gives you the opportunity to work always in a different project and in a different location, so you always keep learning.” 

The school’s world-renowned research centers and expertise from faculty members are a great fit for Carlosena, who will graduate this May with a Master’s in civil engineering. 

“The best thing about attending classes here is to be able to have contact with professors who really are professionals in their fields,” he said. “You realize that you are learning the latest from the right people.”       

But the reputation of UT Austin’s engineering school isn’t the only thing that attracted him to pursue a Master’s degree at UT. Carlosena first stepped foot on the Forty Acres four years ago while he was an undergraduate student at the National University of Cordoba in Argentina.  

In 2015, Carlosena was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to participate in a one-month customized English language and culture program coordinated by the English Language Center. 

 

"Making friends in Austin is one of the easiest things of all of the overall experience. From outside the class or inside the classroom, everyone is really friendly. So, you start making friends from day one you arrive in this city."  

He came with the goal of improving his English and learning about American culture, but his time here had a far greater impact. 

“I was not interested in graduate school at that time, but thanks to the program and my experience here, I became interested in pursuing a Master's degree,” he explained. 

After realizing his interest in graduate school, Carlosena applied for another Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in engineering. The scholarship, which aims to support students in the field of science and technology, played a big part in his decision to pursue a Master’s degree in the U.S.  

“Without their financial support, I wouldn't be able to study here,” he explained.  

His summer with the English Language Center carved out a special place for Austin in his heart and was a big part of why he chose to come back to the city. He especially loved the friendliness and diversity of the people he met. 

“One of the most memorable experiences was the last day when we wanted to say goodbye to all the people that we met,” he described. “We were in a room with 50 plus people all from different backgrounds, all from different cultures and countries. So, the amount and strength of the connections that we made only during one month here, I think it was pretty amazing.” 

For Carlosena, making friends in Austin was not hard. “Making friends in Austin is one of the easiest things of all of the overall experience,” he said. “From outside the class or inside the classroom, everyone is really friendly. So, you start making friends from day one you arrive in this city.” 

During that first month in Austin, Carlosena also participated in cultural activities not just in Austin but also in other cities in Texas. “We visited some of Austin’s main landmarks and museums,” he described. “We had the opportunity to go to San Antonio for a Spurs game and to Houston for NASA. And then, of course, we had free time to do sports and to hang out with friends.” 

His English Language Center program also helped to prepare him for graduate school in the U.S. Through the Academic English Program, Carlosena gained new skills that were essential for graduate school, such as presenting in English, reading research papers and writing his thesis. 

"The way that things are done here in the U.S. is different from how we do things in Argentina," he said. "When you have a multi-disciplinary team and people from different backgrounds, the outcome will always be better because you have more perspective, more differences of opinion, and the overall outcome is better."

As a matriculated student, Carlosena was surprised by the level of hands-on experiences that graduate students at UT can have. “Coming here and realizing that grad school classes are much smaller was a nice surprise,” he described. “The student-professor interaction is greater here, and you have access to these professionals that can help you improve your education and solve your questions.” 

“You have exams, you have lectures, but you have hands-on projects that really give you the opportunity to go to the field, to go to the industry and to have some real-life experiences that can improve your overall education,” he added. 

Now, as a graduate student, he is making an impact through his research by providing improvements to actual projects. Being at UT gives him a chance to be a part of something that will improve the industry, he said. 

“Besides the overall experience and besides learning from classes, you have access to some research opportunities that can have a real impact in the industry or in the real world,” he said. 

His background and perspective as an Argentinian are also valuable to his research team.  

“The way that things are done here in the U.S. is different from how we do things in Argentina,” he said. “When you have a multi-disciplinary team and people from different backgrounds, the outcome will always be better because you have more perspective, more differences of opinion, and the overall outcome is better.” 

After receiving his degree in May, Carlosena plans to go home to Argentina and be involved in managing energy infrastructure projects. He will also continue to share his experiences and be an inspiration to all potential Fulbright students. 

“My UT program provided me with a combination of the technical education of engineering with the financial, legal and administrative skills of business management, and that is something that is really hard to get in another program,” he said. “In terms of Fulbright Scholarship, I will always encourage students and professionals to apply and to study in the U.S., since the development of human capital is key for our country’s development.” 

 

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