Bloomington Leader

Arya Karumanthra, a doctoral student in curriculum and instruction at the Indiana University School of Education, recently conducted research on sustainable energy education in diverse cultural contexts. The research was supported by a Primary Partner Graduate Student Grant and involved travel to Germany and India.

In Germany, Karumanthra collaborated with partners at the University of Hamburg. The grant allowed her to enlarge her research scope, enabling her to interview and survey teacher candidates at the University's School of Education. In her research, Karumanthra focused on sustainable energy education from a global competence perspective, aiming to enhance teacher preparation programs.

Karumanthra emphasized the significance of mindset alongside technological shifts, stating, “Education plays a key role in shaping that mindset, and teacher candidates — who will educate the next generation — need to be part of this shift.”

Her interest stemmed from observing greenhouse gas emissions among democratic nations, notably the United States, Germany, and India. In India, she independently engaged university facilities to share her project and gather data.

In Hamburg, Karumanthra engaged with teacher candidates over three weeks, conducting multiple interviews and surveys to align their understanding with global competence perspectives on sustainability. Besides data collection, she formed substantial connections with faculty and students, describing shared meals as moments that fostered a strong sense of community.

Karumanthra acknowledged the welcoming nature of her German colleagues despite her language apprehensions, noting, “My host professor, Dr. Sandra Sprenger, was extremely helpful, and one of my colleagues even volunteered to translate during an interview.”

She advised future grant applicants not to be deterred by the application process, remarking, “Don’t be intimidated by the application process; reach out to the contacts listed and ask questions.”

Reflecting on her time in Germany, Karumanthra described it as a highlight of her academic journey, academically successful and personally rewarding.