Humanitarian Engineering
World Class Engineer Project-Based Intrinsic Motivators
Building a Culture of Humanitarian Engineering
Awareness of the World
Solidly Grounded
Technically Broad
Team Oriented
Versatile
Effective in Leadership Positions
Embraces Diversity
Realistic
Justice
MoralityCollaborative
Interdisciplinary Compassion
Rigorous
Relevant Culture
Values
Community
Courage does not always roar;
Often times it is the quiet, determined whisper in the night saying,
‘Tomorrow will be better’
“Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.”
- World Bank, World Development Indicators
“90% of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest
10% of the world’s customers. - Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises
1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.
Nearly 2 million people die each year due to waterborne-related disease. - World Health Organization
Only about a tenth of the domestic wastewater in developing countries is collected.
Only about a tenth of existing wastewater treatment plants operate reliably and efficiently.
- UNESCO, 2005
The number of people living in urban areas willdouble to more than 5 billion between 1990 and 2025.
- World Bank, 2005
Another Piece of the Puzzle:
Training World Class Engineers Through Humanitarian Engineering Efforts
Project implementation/Sustainable follow-up
Technical design/Vertically integrated
Cultural awareness/ Ethics/immersion
Multi-disciplinary/ Collaborative teams
Social entrepreneurship/Long-term partnerships
Humanitarian Engineering: Design Under Constraints to Directly Improve the Well-Being of Underserved Populations
Historically, engineers have asked: How do I generate electricity most efficiently?Clean the local water supply?Treat wastewater?Produce more widgets?
The Humanitarian Engineer and the Traditional Engineer Begin with Different Questions
The humanitarian engineer asks:
How can I help to enhance the lives of others?
Note the overlap with:– ABET Requirements– Broader Goals of Higher Education– Penn State’s World Class Engineer Program
What is Humanitarian Engineering?
Economic Feasibility
Technical Excellence
Ethical Maturity
Cultural Sensitivity
The Humanitarian Engineering Seeks to Provide an Environment for Students to Create a Culture of
Service through Use of Their Academic Skills.
1998 Inception
Ecuador5 Students1 Project
El Salvador63 Students12 Projects
Jamaica46 Students6 Projects
Kenya45 Students3 Projects
Tanzania22 Students2 Projects
Kentucky11
Students1 Project
Engineering and Community Engagement Certificate
Engineers in Community Outreach
to Schools(ECOS)
OutreachHigh School
Benefits of Humanitarian Engineering?
Projects are developed and implemented to address ABET criteria– with a strong emphasis on cultural aspects.
Design within Constraints – Social Economic, Environmental, Political, Ethical
Understanding of Professional and Ethical Responsibility
Broad Education to Understand Impact of Engineering Solutions in a Global and Societal Context
Knowledge of Contemporary Issues
Why Humanitarian Engineering?
Social Benefits:
Academic Benefits for Students:
Recruitment and Retention:
•Exhibit higher academic achievement• Greater persistence through graduation• Better high-level reasoning and critical thinking skills• Deeper understanding of learned material
[Felder and Brent, 2003]
• Cognitive Complexity• Social Competency• Perceived Ability to Work with Diverse Others• Personal Development/Interpersonal Development
[Osborne, Hammerich, and Hensely,1998]
A powerful tool for attracting students to and retaining them in engineering programs. [Wood and Craft, 2000]
World Class Engineer: Aware of the World
Strawbale Housing Construction Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation
Kenyan Windmill Power Systemand Business Development
Sensitive to Cultural Differences, Environmental Concerns, and
Ethical Principles
Alert to Market Opportunities (Both High- and Low-Tech)
World Class Engineer: Solidly Grounded
Research on Anaerobic Digestion in Jamaica
Design of HVAC System in El Salvador
Thoroughly Trained in the Fundamentals of a Selected Engineering Discipline
Prepared to Continue Learning Throughout a Career
World Class Engineer: Technically Broad
Design of a Mustard Seed Village in Jamaica
Bridge Construction in El Salvador
Understands that Real-Life Problems are Multidisciplinary
Is Conversant in Several Disciplines
Is Trained in Systems Modeling and the Identification of Critical Elements.
Is Psychologically Prepared to Embrace any Field Necessary to Solve
the Problem at Hand
World Class Engineer: Effective in Group Operations
Project Teams Discussing Village Design in Jamaica
Students and Community Members at Alternative Waste Treatment System in Nicaragua
Effective in Written and Oral Communication
Able to Work on Multidisciplinary and Multifunctional Teams
Cognizant of the Value of Time and the Need to Make Efficient Use of Time
World Class Engineer: Versatile
Special Olympics Para Olympic Shot Putt & Javelin
Kenyan Agricultural Utility Vehicle
Innovative in the Development of Products and Services
Sees Engineering as Applicable to Problem Solving in General
Considers Applying Engineering Beyond the Typical Employment
Focus of Engineering Graduates to the Much Broader Economy
World Class Engineer: Customer Oriented
Winning Penn State SocialEntrepreneurship Team in Kentucky
Social Entrepreneurship - Sisal Decorticator in Kenya
Realizes that Finding and Satisfying Customers is the Only Guarantee of Business
Success
•Understands that Products and Services must be Cost-Effective in
the Global Marketplace
Innovative
International Social Entrepreneurship
Engineering and Community Engagement Certificate Program
US/International Cultures (3 Cr)
EDSGN 496 (1 Cr)ePortfolio
Community Engagement (3 Cr) EDSGN 352 (1 Cr)
EDSGN 452Capstone
Design Assistive
Technologies
EDSGN 301/395 (2-3 Cr)Travel For
Data Gathering and/or Project Implementation
Real-Life Collaborative Design Project (2-3 Cr)
EPICSAmerican Indian
HousingSocial
Entrepreneurship
CED 152 Community Development Concepts and Practice
CED 230 Development Issues in the Global Context
HDFS 287 Intercultural Community-Building
CEDEV 470 Comparative Community Development
CEDEV 420 Women in Developing Countries
Geog 123 Geography of the Developing World
Geog 425 Geography of Race, Class and Poverty in America
NUTR 430 Global Food Strategies: Problems and Prospects for Reducing World Hunger
AAA S 409 Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America
Design Build of Appropriate Technology
With Discussions of::
Service LearningCommunity Assessment
Social Entrepreneurship
Sustainability
EssentialDesign in Kenya
Appropriate Technologies for “Street Children” of Kenya
-- Housing-- Water-- Wastewater-- Energy-- Agriculture-- Education
Economic Sustainability –Job Creation
Children’s Health
Identify a Need – a Market Opportunity:
1. It is estimated that the greatest health risk to children in the developing world under the age of 5 is caused by smoke inhalation from indoor cooking.
2. The use of certain biofuels for cooking purposes often leads to deforestation.
Our Task
Design a low cost, sustainable, and culturally appropriate cooking system for use by poor and marginalized people in
the developing world (Kenya).
Some Options
Sample projects involving cooking systems might include:
• design of a locally produced skin for the Envirofit cookstove• a low-cost charcoal briquette maker for existing “Jiko” biomass stoves in Kenya• gassifier stoves• vegetable-oil-using stoves• solar cookers• solar heated grill
Questions?