Left the US to focus on sustainability

For Peter Bergman, Abigail Kruegle and Meron Wonderad, moving abroad to study at Chalmers University of Technology wasn’t just about getting a master’s degree or the experience of studying abroad. They all wanted to explore a more sustainable lifestyle, from the way people move around the city to how ideas are discussed in the classroom.

All three are recipients of the US Friends of Chalmers Scholarship, which covers full tuition for top academic performers. 

For Peter Bergman, studying Industrial ecology at Chalmers felt like the right step both personally and academically. “My girlfriend’s Swedish,” he says. “That was a big factor of course. But I’d also heard about Chalmers being a good school, the program fit what I wanted to do, and getting the scholarship really sealed the deal.”

Meron Wonderad came to Chalmers after a few years in biotech, where she worked in aesthetic biology. “I realised I wasn’t that interested in being at the bench anymore,” she says. “I wanted to think about the bigger picture, how innovation connects with sustainability.” Discovering the Industrial Ecology programme made everything fall into place. “Europe has always appealed to me, and Sweden’s leadership in sustainability made this feel like the right place.”

After several years working as a systems engineer in medical devices, Abigail Krugel decided it was time to return to academia. “I loved my old job,” she says, “but I wasn’t using as much math or science as I wanted to. My husband’s also studying at Chalmers, and his family lives in Sweden and Finland, so we’d talked about moving here for years.” Now, she’s studying Complex Adaptive Systems and enjoys the mix of theory and collaboration. “It’s hands-on but still deeply academic. You really learn how to connect complex ideas which is so important when you’re tackling global challenges.”

Found a new rhythm of life

The three quickly found their rhythm in Gothenburg’s compact, creative environment. “It’s such an easy city to live in,” says Abigail. “You can take a tram and be by the sea or in the forest in minutes. And it feels safe and open, perfect for students.”

Meron nods. “There’s a great balance here. People work hard but also value their life outside of work. It’s inspiring to see how much that mindset supports sustainable living.”

At Chalmers, they’ve been impressed by how much learning happens beyond lectures. “There’s a lot of collaboration,” says Peter. “Group projects are a big part of the experience, and professors really encourage you to think about real-world applications.”

Not just talking about sustainability 

Looking ahead, their ambitions reflect what brought them to Sweden in the first place. Meron hopes to combine her biotech background with sustainability work. “There’s so much potential  from developing biomaterials to helping companies rethink waste and design,” she says. “I know an engineer who worked with Lululemon to design eco-friendly fabrics, and that kind of work really inspires me.”

Abigail plans to return to product development, integrating the systems modelling skills she’s learning at Chalmers. “It’s all about designing better, more efficient solutions,” she says.

Peter, who previously worked at the US Environmental Protection Agency, keeps his plans open. “I want to work where I can make an impact, somewhere that’s pushing sustainability from ideas into action.”

For all three, studying in Gothenburg has reshaped what sustainability means. As Peter puts it, “Here, you don’t only talk about sustainability. You just live it.”