Mary Hassan

Since her experience abroad in Iceland as a member of the 2014 Cohort, Mary has gotten the amazing opportunity to return to Reykjavík as a graduate student at the Iceland School of Energy. Since starting graduate school in 2018, she has travelled to seven countries, gotten an amazing opportunity to perform research work and live in Glasgow, Scotland, and met amazing people from around the world.

Because of the VIH Program, Mary's love of travel and exploration has grown exponentially through the years, most recently culminating in a solo trip around Iceland, which was spent hiking, exploring, and seeing countless waterfalls. At the root of Mary's studies and work, is the importance of nature in everyday life and how engineering and infrastructure can be designed to mimic and aid the natural environment, rather than hinder it. This interest culminated in her thesis work in offshore wind turbine production in the Scottish North Sea. Outside of academics and work, she enjoys kayaking, drinking a crisp pale ale, and discussing her favorite lip syncs from RuPaul's Drag Race.