Transcript Slide 1

Saving the World One 4th Year at a Time
or
The EWB Undergraduate Research Program
Jeremy Smith
Undergraduate Research Coordinator
Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB)
engineering a better world
EWB Australia’s Mission
Engineers Without Borders
Australia works to improve the
quality of life of disadvantaged
communities, both within Australia
and overseas, through
sustainable, appropriate
engineering projects.
EWB’s vision is of a world where
every individual and community
has adequate access to the
resources, knowledge and
technology necessary to meet
their self identified human
needs.
What does EWB do?
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS
Volunteer International
Placements (VIPs)
Technical Assistance Networks
(TANs)
Local Initiative Projects (LIPs)
AWARENESS / EDUCATION
Schools
Universities
Companies / Industry
Engineering Profession
EWB Members
Public
EWB Programs
Technical Sectors
• Water & sanitation
• ICT
• Appropriate energy
• Disability access
Nepal
Laos
Cambodia
• Land / Agriculture
India
• Infrastructure
Indonesia
PNG
East Timor
Australia
EWB Education
• Aiming to achieve learning and change
• The Education Team works to:
– increase and diversify the level of information, knowledge and awareness
among its members
– improve the understanding of the role of engineering in sustainable
development and poverty eradication
– educate members on the skills required for sustainable community
development
– create career paths and opportunities for those who want to move into
the area of engineering in development
– focus on community identified needs
– feed back outcomes to communities through the Programs-Community
interface
Undergraduate Research
• In 2006 and 2007 started to engage with final year
engineering students through their individual or honours
research projects
• Undertook a small number of pilot projects with students
working in Australia on topics focused on EWB’s community
work (including 2 at the DE)
• Projects generated outcomes for all partners; students,
communities, EWB, universities
• Decided to develop a complete, structured Program
Undergraduate Research Program
Program Aims
• Research on immediate and long term community needs
• Provide additional resources, experience and research
capacity to community partners
• Facilitate the exchange and transfer of ideas, experience,
skills, technology and resources between EWB, Australian
research institutes and project partners
• Expose undergraduate students to real world issues and
challenges, to further develop their skills and expertise
• Provide a framework for direct implementation of outcomes
• Build the capacity and experience of EWB’s members and
partners
• Inform EWB’s planning, processes and program delivery
• Facilitate university engagement in community development
Case Study - Previous Project
• Design for a solar-powered water pumping system for remote
villages
– identified as a need by EWB community partner in Nepal
– student based here at DE
– developed a series of questions for EWB field volunteer
– student completed requirements, evaluation framework
and concept design
– outcomes delivered to the partner
– one element is now in prototype field testing
– graduate keen to undertaken volunteer position with that
community (application of research and experience)
Project Pipeline
Community
Partners
Returned
Volunteers
TANs
EWB Teams
Chapters
EWB
Undergraduate
Project
Research
Outcomes
Program
Partner
NGOs
Partner
Universities
Volunteers, Presentations, Outcomes, …
2009 Projects
Project Title
Field / Area
Country Focus
Technical Stream
Style
Alternate Energy Storage Technologies for Remote PV
Systems
Mechanical / Systems
Engineering
Nepal
Energy
Research
Improved Design for a Collapsible Solar Cooker for
Emergency Relief
Mechanical / Energy
Engineering
Energy
Design and
Build
Approaches to Knowledge and Technology Transfer for
Engineering Community Development Projects
Management / Systems
Engineering
TBC
Project Delivery
Research
Options for Sanitation and Human Waste for Floating and
Stilted Latrines
Environmental / Civil
Engineering
Cambodia
Watsan
Design
Emerging Technologies for Sanitation and Human Waste in
Developing Communities
Environmental Engineering
Cambodia
Watsan
Research
Disposal and Management of Waste Batteries from Solar
PV Systems
Environmental / Electrical
Engineering
Nepal
Energy
Research
Approaches to Service-Learning with Community-based
Partner Organisations in Engineering Education
Education
Australia
Education
Research
Monitoring and Evaluation of EWB’s Indigenous Australia
Projects
Social Science / Studies
Indigenous
Australia
Project Delivery
Research
Framework to Evaluate Designs for Disability Access for
Floating and Stilted Latrines
Civil / Environmental
Engineering
Cambodia
Watsan / Disability
Access
Design
Refinement of Ecological Sanitation Toilet Design in Nepal
Environmental / Civil
Engineering
Nepal
Watsan
Design
Sand Water Filter Design
Environmental Engineering
Indonesia
Watsan
Design
Improved method for crushing clay bricks and laterite for
use in water ceramic filters
Mechanical Engineering
Cambodia
Watsan
Design
Program Status
• Over the last 6 weeks the projects, covering 4 countries and 5
community partners, have been offered to students and
universities around Australia
• Each project will have a university academic supervisor and
an EWB identified advisor
• Generated significant interest among students and partners
• Students keen to work on a ‘real’ project that can have impact
• Plans to expand the number of projects over the next two
years and offer a small number of travel scholarships
• The Program will be officially launched as a nation-wide
initiative at the EWB Conference later this month
Program Outcomes
• Program provides real learning outcomes that impact on both
the students’ professional and personal life
• Alumni from the Program have or are currently working on
engineering development projects in:
– Mongolia
– Bangladesh
– Indonesia
– Derby, WA
I am proud to be an engineer and be involved with a great
organisation like EWB. [The conference] really changed what
I want to do as an engineer
Questions?
engineering a better world
The 4 C’s to Development
Informed
4.Challenge
1. Become aware
of the plight of
disadvantaged
communities
around the world
3.Comprehend
2.Concerned
1.Conscious
2. Care about
the issues of
sustainable
development
Unaware
3. Understand the
complexities of development
and knowing how to change
good intentions into
meaningful impact
Effective
4. Be challenged to
make a difference,
commit to actions that
will work responsibly
towards a better world
Project Process
EWB Project
Identification
and Scoping
Identify and
Assemble EWB
Resources and
Support
EWB
Resources,
Tracking and
Supervision
Review
Projects for
Resources and
Inclusion
Allocate
Projects to
Universities
and Students
Students
Undertake
Projects
University
Academic
Supervision
University
Project
Identification
and Scoping
Identification
Capture and
Dissemination
of Project
Outcomes
Allocation
Monitoring
Dissemination
Project Roles
Partner
EWB Advisor /
Field Volunteer
EWB
Student
University
Supervisor
Framework
• Project topics directly relate to EWB’s community work
• Enhance undergraduate education
• Provides additional resources, knowledge and benefit to
community partners
• Builds the capacity of EWB members and partners
• Helps to inform EWB planning, processes and program
delivery
Program Outcomes
• Direct research outcomes from students (thesis, reports,
presentations, …)
• Outcomes, recommendations and conclusions for
community partners
• Capacity within EWB
• The students themselves
Outline (slide to be removed)
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EWB Overview
Program Background
Program Aims
Framework
Example
Outcomes
– capturing, disseminating, implementing
– students