Page 34 - Engineering Career Guide for UT Austin

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Engineers Without Borders sends teams of students
all over the world to help communities solve problems.
Engineering offers a rewarding career that combines engaging
work with making a positive impact. The best part? You can start
making a difference even before you graduate. Engineers With-
out Borders (EWB) student chapters are at the forefront of this move-
ment, sending teams worldwide to assist communities in tackling real
challenges related to water, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Take the EWB chapter at the University of Minnesota Duluth, for
example. They embarked on a journey to Nyansakia, Kenya,
where locals often traveled up to six hours round-trip for
water, facing water scarcity during certain times. The
students aimed to provide a sustainable clean water
solution year-round. Their solution involved creating
a gravity-fed water distribution system. Through a
borehole and pump connected to a tank, water will
flow to strategically placed tap stands around the com-
munity, enabling residents to access water within just 30
minutes. Construction started in early 2023.
Students shoulder various responsibilities on university teams,
from securing funding through grant proposals to engaging with lo-
cals to identify needs and survey potential construction sites. Impor-
tantly, this process doesn’t involve imposing solutions from above.
Instead, it begins by understanding the community’s perspective
on what’s needed. This is achieved through collaboration with local
non-governmental organizations and conversations with residents.
Across 160 universities nationwide, EWB chapters collaborate
with communities in 45 countries. At its core, EWB prioritizes commu-
nity engagement and skill development. By actively involving engi-
neering students and professionals, chapter activities foster a sense
of social responsibility while providing hands-on experience. This
approach benefits both the communities they serve and the budding
engineers they cultivate, creating a reciprocal impact that empowers
all parties involved.
Bolivia
Kenya Nuevo Loreto, Peru
GOING
GLOBAL
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