Telling the human story through photography is a lifelong passion that Yazan Hasan carries with him everywhere. From his showcases in London, documentaries made for a variety of non-profit agencies, and the compelling shots of people, places and things you can find on his Instagram—Hasan isn’t just telling the world to care about the global issues that impact us all, like climate change and global conflict, he’s imprinting us with images we can’t forget.
“I do environmental storytelling, I’ve made films for the National Park Service, the Maryland Sea Grant, the Chesapeake Conservancy…photography and filmmaking just happen to be my favorite mediums, but I just like telling stories,” said Hasan.
During UMD’s spring break in 2023, he packed up his camera and traveled to Reykjavík to investigate and photograph the global story in Iceland. Short-term programs like the one Yazan participated in, UMD-Spring Break: Iceland: The Land of Fire and Ice: Sustainability, Climate Change and Renewable Energy Systems (ENME), stand out as unique opportunities to bond with professors in your field and to reap the same cultural immersion and impact on personal growth one would gain from a semester or year long experience. Further, Hasan’s trip was fully funded by the Gilman Scholarship Program. As part of a campus-wide initiative to increase student participation in global learning regardless of economic background, Education Abroad invested an additional $225,000 in Pell Grant and Gilman-eligible students to launch the Gilman Guarantee, helping other students like Hasan go abroad.
“I’m very happy with what I’ve been able to make out of my college experience. I’m a fully self-sufficient student, and I receive Pell Grants…I think that every student, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to study abroad,” said Hasan.
During his week in Reykjavík, Hasan spent time hiking glaciers, touring geothermal and hydroelectric power plants, and seeing the northern lights—winning our Maryland Pride photo contest in the Fall 2023 semester. As a dual environmental and data science major, Hasan’s scholarship not only funded his time overseas and supported his photography—but allowed him to explore new regions for climate investigation, see new approaches to renewable energy production, think through the varied uses for geothermal energy, and grow to understand Iceland’s culture and green economy.
“Being in one place for a long time, regardless of where it is, you’re inevitably going to develop blind spots…being able to leave the country and travel is really liberating and good for one’s personal enrichment. It allows them to understand things in ways that they might not have been able to before,” said Hasan.
In addition to his time in Iceland with the Gilman Scholarship, Hasan served back-to-back summers in 2022 and 2023 as a Critical Language Scholar in Turkey following an unusual start to his undergraduate career at Maryland.
“I actually did my first year at UMD from Istanbul, Turkey. I had transferred while school was indefinitely online—I fell in love with the culture and the language…I speak fluent Turkish now” said Hasan.
For Hasan, he looks forward to continuing his work in photography and environmental science after his graduation in 2024, and continuing to travel the world to gain new experiences, perspectives and relationships abroad.
“I’d really like to do climate research in the Middle East and apply to be a Fulbright Scholar, and see how I can incorporate storytelling into these big research questions as I always do,” said Hasan.
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The U.S. Department of State offers a wide variety of opportunities to get involved internationally, and our Education Abroad office is ready to connect you to the resources you need to get involved. Each year, EA provides $850,000 in study abroad scholarships, whether that be Gilman, the UMD Education Abroad Scholarship, and more.