Outreach-Projects
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS - USA PROJECTS
The
first chapter of Engineers Without Borders–USA
(EWB-USA) called EWB-CU was formed at the University of Colorado at
Boulder in late fall 2001. EWB-USA has now 235 student and
professional chapters across the US and involves more than 10,000 engineering students, faculty, and
professional engineers. EWB-USA
works on about 250 projects in 43 different countries.
EWB-USA is a member of the
Engineers Without Borders
-
International network.
The
mission of EWB-USA is to is to partner with disadvantaged communities
to improve their quality of life through implementation of
environmentally, equitable, and economically sustainable engineering
projects, while developing internationally responsible engineers and
engineering students.
EWB-USA projects are initiated
by, and completed with, contributions from the host
community. They are designed to be appropriate and self-sustaining.
The projects are conducted
by groups of engineering students under the
supervision of professional engineers and faculty. The
students select a project and go through all phases of conceptual
design, analysis and construction during the school year with
implementation during breaks and the summer months. By being involved in all project steps,
students become more aware
of the social, economic, environmental, political, ethical, and
cultural impacts of engineering projects.
Students from the
EWB-CU chapter
have been actively involved in EWB-USA projects in
Muramba (Rwanda), Namsaling (Nepal),
and
San Leon (Peru). Past projects were conducted in
Mali, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Bolivia.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
 Engineering students at CU Boulder have shown a strong interest in working
on community projects
and have been able to integrate such projects into
their overall engineering education.
Most of the projects involve the conceptual, design, implementation
and monitoring phases of typical engineering projects. Students can be
involved in one or several project phases spanning over one or two
semesters. Depending
on their level of involvement, students can
receive
a grade for
their outreach effort counting toward their engineering degrees
(technical electives, independent studies).
Many of the projects have been conducted through EWB-CU or
as part of existing CEAE courses such as
Environmental Engineering Design (CVEN 4434/5434) and
Engineering for the Developing World
(CVEN 4838). The
community projects have been financed through small grants from the
University of Colorado at Boulder (Outreach Committee; Engineering
Excellence Fund; Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program; Service
Learning), foundations, and private donations.
EDC/EWB-CU PROJECTS
OTHER
PROJECTS
- Casa de la
Ezperanza/MESA expansion project in Longmont, CO
- Wastewater
treatment/reuse design for a community in
Sonora, Mexico.
- Sustainable
practices for affordable housing in Palestine
- Integrative
Solutions to Community Development in Kabul (with
A4T)
ARTICLES ABOUT PROJECTS
TRAVEL GUIDELINES
|
|
