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Engineering for Global Development Research Forum

IDETC/CIE/AM3D

theme in her work is conducting research in and developing engineering
LIGHTNING TALKS
projects that can create positive change for under-served communities.
Amy Bilton
At Wellesley College, Banzaert teaches introductory courses in engineer-
Design of Appropriate Water and Energy Technologies
ing with an emphasis on simple technologies for local and international
for the Developing World
development. Her PhD research involved study of emissions associated
with cooking fuels, including a novel charcoal made from agricultural waste
Abstract: The lack of reliable access to water and energy is at the heart of that can be used as cooking fuel in regions where poverty and deforesta-
health, social, economic, and climate challenges in remote communities. tion are severe.
Technologies designed for the developed world often don’t account for
important local factors, resulting in failure in the developing world context.

This talk will discuss the challenges associated with the design, validation, Kendra Sharp
and manufacturing of water and energy technologies in the developing
world. Experiences from projects in Bangladesh, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Developing Data-Based Tools for Data-Scarce Regions
Vietnam will highlight these challenges and the potential impact of
appropriately designed water and energy technologies.
Abstract: We are constantly bombarded with data of all
kinds, and when using science or engineering-based modeling tools,
Biography: Dr. Amy Bilton is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical many of us rely heavily on the fact that so much information is at our
Engineering and the Associate Director of the Center for Global Engineer- fingertips. In the climate and hydrological sector, for example, we often
ing at the University of Toronto. Her research group, the Water and Energy count on a site such as waterdata.usgs.gov or the National Land Cover
Research Laboratory, uses systems engineering approaches to develop Database to provide input data over U.S. domains. However, over much of
appropriate water and energy solutions for remote communities in the the globe (particularly in the developing world), obtaining comparable data
developing world. She partners with NGOs and businesses in the is extremely challenging because these data do not exist, are politically
developing world to address developing world challenges and deploy sensitive, are unreliable, or are simply difficult to track down. This talk will
technology. discuss how science or engineering can be used to enable global
development even in data-scarce regions; example free, open-source
tools will be discussed including tools we have developed to ascertain
Amy Banzaert
climate change impacts on water availability and perform assessment of
Global Development, Introductory Engineering
hydropower potential in data-scarce regions with a focus on Northern
Education, and Women
Pakistan.
Abstract: Women's representation in U.S. bachelor's degree programs in
Biography: Dr. Kendra Sharp was named the Richard and Gretchen Evans
mechanical engineering in 2014 was only 13.8%, up just a few percentage
Professor of Humanitarian Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU) in
points in a decade, and one of the least-chosen engineering fields by
2015 after founding the humanitarian engineering program. Following
women. Simultaneously, the import of gender equality for global develop-
completion of her PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in
ment is widely recognized: the World Bank reports countries increased
Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, she was a AAAS Congressional
prosperity for countries with greater gender equality.
Science Fellow in the U.S. Senate and a faculty member at Penn State. She
Introducing appropriately scaled, human-centered design projects linked received an NSF CAREER award in 2004. She has been working on
to global development, and women's rights specifically, into welcoming small-scale hydropower with a focus on Pakistan since 2010, and leads
introductory engineering classes and associated fieldwork experiences OSU’s participation in a USAID-funded Partner Center for Advanced
can provide one approach to addressing these disparities. Introductory Studies in Energy with Arizona State University and two Pakistani
classes with low barriers to entry can offer a window into engineering for institutions. She is active with the MIT-led International Development
students who might otherwise be uninterested, inspire those who have a Innovation Network and teaches at the associated International Develop-
passion for the discipline, and inform the thinking of all students, important ment Design Summits including a two-week summit in Lahore, Pakistan in
for incubating leaders who can engage with the technology crucial to 2016. In addition to working to advance engineering for global develop-
addressing the world's most wicked problems. The speaker's experiences ment, she works hard to advance diversity and inclusion in engineering
in doing this type of teaching at Wellesley College and MIT will be higher education. Her diversity roles include serving as the U.S.-based
discussed, including an exploration of best practices and common pitfalls. gender equity specialist for the US-Pakistan Partner Center.

Biography: Amy Banzaert is the Director of Engineering Studies and
Lecturer in Engineering at Wellesley College, an elite all-women’s liberal
arts college located in a suburb of Boston, MA. Banzaert received her
PhD, as well as her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, in mechanical
44 engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The common