Duke Launches Engineers Without Borders Chapter

Posted June 1st, 2005

Duke University has established a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders with the help of two determined senior civil engineering students, Jean Foster of Boulder, Colo. and Deidre McShane of Longwood, Fla.

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to pairing disadvantaged communities with engineering students and professionals to improve quality of life through environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects. One of the program’s goals is to develop internationally responsible engineering students.

“Engineers Without Borders was something I had been kicking around in my head for a long time,” said Foster. “So I visited the EWB offices during Christmas break and when I got back, I talked with Deidre about it and we decided to start a student chapter here at Duke. We saw this as something that Duke students could really benefit from.”

“I’m proud that this is something we’re leaving behind for Pratt,” said McShane. “We hope that students will become more globally aware. Plus, EWB offers good opportunities for students to do “real” design for their senior year projects.”

Foster and McShane, who graduated May 15, organized meetings and made a pitch to their fellow students. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The email list now includes more than 70 students and faculty. The group is working to get Duke’s chapter is officially chartered by Engineers Without Borders. And, the group has their first community project to tackle.

“Our first project involves a community in Indonesia that was damaged by the tsunami late last year,” said Foster.

Students will create a staking plan as a reference for workers who will rebuild local fisheries. Duke students are partnering with a non-government organization (NGO) in Indonesia. Duke will provide the engineering expertise and the NGO will fund the restoration. Community members will become the labor for the rebuilding project–— keeping them gainfully employed throughout the process. Workers and previous owners will then repay 30 percent of the “loan” for the restoration work, which will then be re-invested back into the community to fund the restoration of other micro-businesses eliminated during the catastrophe.

In addition to developing a staking plan, students will also design mechanical aerators to increase the yield of the fisheries, and design a back-up power source for crucial buildings such as the local clinic. “Our goal is to use native or locally available materials in our designs,” McShane said. “That is an important part of making the engineering solution sustainable–— because it can be repaired and maintained locally.”

“We’re particularly excited about this project because it provides opportunities for mechanical engineering and electrical engineering students to get involved–— in addition to civil engineers,” said Foster.

The group will send several students to Indonesia in August to scope out the technical challenges. But before they get to that point, students will need to immerse themselves in the practical issue of economics. EWB chapters are responsible for raising the funds to support student involvement, including airfare, room and board and materials expenses.

“We are hopeful that Pratt alumni will see the value of integrating EWB projects and principles into Duke’s undergraduate engineering experience,” said McShane. Chapter members also plan to reach out to industry in the Research Triangle Area–— in part to raise funds, but also to stimulate the creation of a professional EWB chapter.

“We would love to have a professional chapter to partner with,” said Foster.

The faculty adviser for Duke’s chapter is Dan Vallero, Pratt adjunct professor for engineering ethics and researcher at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Exposure Research Laboratory.

“The EWB chapter here really says a lot about our students. Jean Foster knew she was empowered to bring her ideas to Pratt faculty and students and that she could make something happen,” Vallero said.

Vallero’s role will span from advisory to active, and he plans to accompany students to the project sites if he is needed. Andrew Schuler, an assistant professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and David Schaad, assistant chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department are also lending a hand.

“EWB is such a logical fit for our Department’s interests. We are already planning to integrate EWB into our curriculum and do everything we can to make it successful,” said Schaad. He said the department will pursue grant funding to help support the chapter’s EWB activity.

“The tsunami has really galvanized interest in sustainable development in engineering,” Schaad said. “EWB encourages students to look at engineering projects and the world in a new way,” he said. “Design engineers have to fit the appropriate solution to the problem, and that’s why low-tech solutions are frequently the best solutions – they are easy to implement and sustainable. Students will have to look beyond the boundaries of the U.S. and preconceived ideas of how technology should be used.”

Visit the Duke EWB website (designed by two Duke EWB student members, Julia
Hubert and Ben Macadangdang) at http://ewb.pratt.duke.edu to stay up-to-date
on the chapter’s activities.