Engineering and Community Engage

Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship

Improving the Lives of Those in Marginalized Communities

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Mission and Objectives

This site seeks to disseminate information and provide opportunities for students:

        - To apply academic skills and training in order to solve the problems of the poor and
            disadvantaged.
        - To assume leadership and project management roles on real-life projects.
        - To study and experience difference cultures as well as to travel to those communities as part
           of solving that communities real-life problem.
        - To better understand the political, economic and social aspects of engineering projects to
            better assist the community.
        - To engage communities in the problem-solving exercise.

Overview of Resources

Academic Programs

Engineering and Community Engagement Certificate Program
Integrating Culture, Service and Outreach into the Engineering Design Curriculum (12 Credits)

Civic and Community Engagement Minor Program
Integrating Culture, Service and Outreach into the Engineering Design Curriculum (18 Credits)

Project-Related Courses

Community Service Engineering
Long-Term partnerships with host universities and underserved communities in different cultural settings - both domestically and internationally. Design and construction of sustainable solutions to community-based problems. Open to all students from all disciplines.

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)
Focus is on long-term partnerships while providing engineering solutions to local, non-profit organizations. Open to all students from all disciplines.

American Indian Housing Initiative (AIHI)
Explores solutions to housing challenges faced by American Indian tribes. Focuses on the design and construction of sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings on American Indian reservations. Projects open to all students from all disciplines.

Team MEDS: Multidisciplinary Engineering Design Students, Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities
Senior-level capstone design course focusing on assistive technologies to benefit those with disabilities. Open to senior engineering students.

International Social Entrepreneurship
Couples technical design solutions with entrepreneurial ventures to ensure economic sustainability when empowering others. Open to all students from all disciplines.

Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering and Development in Africa (AESEDA)

Builds the strategic human capacity needed to promote economic vitality and enable effective stewardship of georesources in Africa

Philadelphia Project
Uses Philadelphia as a case study for an interdisciplinary research initiative on urban poverty in the United States

Learning Factory
Multidisciplinary student teams develop engineering leadership skills by working with industry to solve real-world problems

Student Organization

Engineers in Community Service (ECOS)
A Learning Community of Students Involved in Networking, Awareness-Raising, Outreach and Social Activities

Publications

International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering (IJSLE)
Journal for Students to Publish Research, Design and Entrepreneurial Work

Objectives

The programs and courses described on the site seek to provide students with real-life projects and problems and resources to address those tasks while addressing the ABET 2000 criterion 3a-3k. These criteria are as follows:

          3a. Ability To Apply Knowledge Of Mathematics, Science, And Engineering
          3b. Ability To Design And Conduct Experiments, Analyze And Interpret Data
          3c. Ability To Design A System, Component, Or Process To Meet Desired Needs Within
               Realistic Constraints
               such as Economic, Environmental, Social, Political, Ethical, Health and Safety,
               Manufacturability and Sustainability
          3d. Ability To Function On Multidisciplinary Teams
          3e. Ability To Identify, Formulate, And Solve Engineering Problems
          3f. Understanding Of Professional And Ethical Responsibility
          3g. Ability To Communicate Effectively
          3h. Broad Education Necessary To Understand The Impact Of Engineering Solutions In A
                Global/Societal Context
          3i. Recognition Of The Need For, And Ability To Engage In, Life-Long Learning
          3j. Knowledge Of Contemporary Issues
          3k. Ability To Use The Techniques, Skills, And Modern Tools Necessary For Engineering
                Practice