The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest (GACCoM) was thrilled to conduct the third Transatlantic Program – Young Technology Leaders (TAP-YTL) with the delegation focus on “Water Management.” The 12 delegates were selected following an extensive three-week application and screening process. The “Young Leaders” visited Germany from October 30 – November 7, 2011 for an intensive delegation program to get an introduction to Germany as a water industry visionary. Delegation members represented eleven different US states from Maryland to California and feature various professions and areas of study within the water management field, as well as different levels of German proficiency.
Get to know our delegation and their itinerary!
The delegation members selected for the program were able to explore Germany as the worldwide leading exporter of sustainable water technologies. In Düsseldorf, Germany, the delegation learned about efficient industrial manufacturing processes for treating waste water on a very large scale. At the RWTH Aachen, one of Germany’s leading technical universities, participants learned about the newest research efforts in waste water treatment, such as phosphorus recovery and micro pollutant removal strategies. They learned about Hamburg’s efficient drinking water treatment, distribution and infrastructure, as well as the energy neutral waste water treatment at Germany’s largest waste water treatment plant in Hamburg. Through a presentation at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, delegation members gained an understanding of the country’s conservation driven mindset and the supporting legal and public policy frameworks.
The TAP-YTL series is designed to bring future decision makers from the US and Germany together at the beginning of their professional careers, or late in their studies, to build networks and promote transfer of know-how through content-driven encounters and experiences. Past TAP-YTL delegations focused on “Sustainable Architecture & Urban Planning” and “Logistics & Transportation”. After the trip, participants are integrated into the TAP Alumni Network to stay connected with each other and to the broader German American business community.
2011 TAP-YTL Eligibility Requirements:
Young Professionals and Students in the field of Water/Wastewater Management, Water Resources Engineering, Integrated Water Management, and Environmental Engineering
Basic knowledge of German – German majors and minors are welcome!
Interest in modern Germany
Program fee $550 per person plus individual flight costs TAP-YTL covers all overnight stays, meals, cultural programming and transportation while in Germany