Engineering For Developing Communities: Integrating Education, Research And Development, And Service/Outreach Into Engineering Education
- Conference
- Location
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Chicago, Illinois
- Publication Date
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June 18, 2006
- Start Date
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June 18, 2006
- End Date
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June 21, 2006
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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International
- Page Count
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10
- Page Numbers
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11.566.1 - 11.566.10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--134
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/134
- Download Count
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605
Paper Authors
Bernard Amadei University of Colorado-Boulder
Bernard Amadei is Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of Engineering for Developing Communities Program at CU Boulder. He is the founder of Engineers Without Borders-USA and co-founder of EWB-International.
Robyn Sandekian University of Colorado-Boulder
Robyn Sandekian is Associate Director of the Engineering for Developing Communities Program and the Service Learning Program Coordinator for the College of Engineering and Applied Science. During spring semester 2006 she taught the appropriate technology focused section of Freshman Engineering Projects.
R. Scott Summers University of Colorado-Boulder
Professor Summers is a Professor of Environmental Engineering. His teaching and research interests are in the area of drinking water quality and treatment. He is working with other faculty to start a new emphasis in Engineering for Developing Communities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels
Angela Bielefeldt University of Colorado-Boulder
Dr. Bielefeldt is an Associate Professor and a licensed P.E. in the State of Colorado. She teaches Civil and Environmental Engineering courses for freshman, seniors, and graduate students on topics including design, hazardous waste management, solid waste management, and bioremediation. She is a co-faculty advisor for the Engineers Without Borders student chapter at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU) and is working with other faculty at CU to start a new emphasis in Engineering for Developing Communities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Engineering for Developing Communities: Integrating Education, Research and Development, and Service/Outreach into Engineering Education
Abstract
Students in the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science have the opportunity to participate in a unique, hands-on program where they can apply their skills to solving the needs of developing communities worldwide. The Engineering for Developing Communities (EDC) program educates globally responsible engineering students and professionals who can offer sustainable and appropriate solutions to the endemic problems faced by developing communities worldwide. It presents a unique opportunity for educating a new generation of engineers who can contribute to the relief of the endemic problems faced by developing communities worldwide. The program contributes to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and involves all three components of engineering education, research and development, and outreach/service. The EDC program serves as a blueprint for the education of engineers of the 21st century who are called to play a critical role in contributing to peace and security in an increasingly challenged world.
Introduction
With a current population of more than 6 billion, the world is becoming a place in which human populations are more crowded, more consuming, more polluting, more connected, and in many ways less diverse than at any time in history. There is growing recognition that humans are altering the Earth’s natural systems at all scales from local to global at an unprecedented rate in the human history. The question now arises whether it is possible to satisfy the needs of an exponentially growing population while preserving the carrying capacity of our ecosystems and biological and cultural diversity. Another related question is what needs to be done now and in the near future to allow all humans to enjoy a quality of life where basic needs of water, sanitation, nutrition, health, safety, and meaningful work are fulfilled. The eight Millennium Development Goals set forth by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 represent a major effort by all world’s countries and leading development institutions to meet the needs of the world’s poorest1.
In the next two decades, almost 2 billion additional people are expected to populate the Earth with 95% of that growth in developing or under-developed countries2. Such growth will create demands on an unprecedented scale for energy, food, land, water, transportation, materials, waste disposal, earth moving, health care, environmental cleanup, telecommunication, and infrastructure. The role of engineers will be critical in fulfilling those demands at various scales ranging from remote small communities to large urban areas (megacities), and mostly in the developing world3. If engineers are not ready to fulfill such demand, who will? As remarked by Bugliarello4, the emergence of
Amadei, B., & Sandekian, R., & Summers, R. S., & Bielefeldt, A. (2006, June), Engineering For Developing Communities: Integrating Education, Research And Development, And Service/Outreach Into Engineering Education Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--134
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