From Butte to the Outback: Montana Tech students create their own study abroad experience in Australia

When Cooper Cervelli (B.S. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, ’26), Daniel Ziesing (B.S. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, ’26), and senior Carson LeLacheur sat down for lunch between classes at Montana Tech two years ago, they started talking about something many college students dream about but rarely pursue.

What if they studied abroad?

For students hoping to graduate on time in Montana Tech’s rigorous engineering programs, international study opportunities can be limited. But instead of letting that stop them, the classmates decided to create their own study abroad program.

Months of planning ultimately led the group halfway around the world, to Western Australia School of Mines in Kalgoorlie, one of the world’s most prominent mining regions. The group approached Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department Head Dr. Jerry Downey to ask whether the idea might be possible. Several potential partner schools surfaced, including universities in Sweden and Japan.

Ultimately, the students chose the Western Australia School of Mines, part of Curtin University.

“It really boiled down to which location fit our interests the most and which options were realistic for us academically,” said Cervelli, a student from Spokane, Washington.

Because a formal program did not already exist, the students and faculty essentially had to build the experience from scratch. Over the next year, they worked through course approvals, visas, housing, and travel logistics.

“We had a lot of meetings with our department head and staff just planning everything out,” Cervelli said. “It took a lot of effort.”

By February 2025, the Montana Tech students were boarding a plane bound for Australia.

The students spent a semester studying in Kalgoorlie, a historic mining city located in the heart of Western Australia’s gold fields.

Despite being more than 9,000 miles from Montana, the town felt surprisingly familiar.

“I like to say Kalgoorlie was almost identical to Butte, just much flatter,” Cervelli said with a laugh.

Mining is central to both communities. Kalgoorlie sits in one of the most productive gold mining districts in the world, surrounded by large-scale mining operations and mineral processing facilities.

“There are a lot of mineral processing operations going on in the vicinity and even some rare earth processing plants in the area,” Cervelli said. “It was really cool to see.”

Academically, the transition was smooth. The curriculum closely mirrored Montana Tech’s metallurgical engineering courses, allowing the students to continue progressing toward their degrees while studying alongside Australian students.

“We just had to rearrange a few things to make the classes fit our schedules,” Cervelli said. “But overall, the curriculum lined up really well.”

Outside the classroom, the students explored as much of Australia as possible.

They visited Perth, traveled to the coastal town of Esperance, and explored the surrounding region. Cervelli also took a trip to Sydney, where he spent time hiking in the nearby Blue Mountains.

Even the everyday environment left a lasting impression.

“The whole Outback environment is beautiful and different,” Cervelli said. “Seeing kangaroos out in the wild and being woken up by the notorious ravens and magpies was rather unique. It’s a completely different world.”

The group also embraced Australian culture.

“It was my first time overseas,” said Ziesing, who is originally from Idaho. “It was really exciting. Experiencing a different culture made me want to explore the world more. My favorite thing was the people. They are very genuine, hardworking, give-it-to-you straight kind of people.”

Cervelli developed a taste for Vegemite on toast and even tried his hand at Australian rules football, a sport that combines elements of rugby and American football.

“It was pretty fun,” he said.

For Cervelli, one of the most valuable parts of the experience was seeing firsthand how interconnected the mining industry is around the world.

“Mining and metallurgy are obviously global industries, but it’s also a very small world,” he said.

Australia is one of the leading countries in mining innovation, with many processing technologies and industry practices originating there.

“Being able to go there and understand their perspective on things was really important,” Cervelli said.

“Having that shared experience and knowing those places makes it easier to connect,” he said.

Ziesing said he also would be open to work in Australia after studying there.

The group hopes the efforts they put into organizing the experience will create opportunities for future Montana Tech students.

“It was really satisfying to work on something for so long and see it come to fruition,” Cervelli said.

The experience also demonstrated what Cervelli believes is a defining trait of Montana Tech students: the willingness to take initiative.

“I really hope underclassmen take advantage of the opportunity that we created,” he said.

For students considering similar experiences, Cervelli said the rewards extend far beyond travel.

“It changes your worldview and exposes you to life in a different place,” he said. “That’s always beneficial.”