Newswise — Homework for engineering students at Colorado School of Mines makes a difference in the world. Mines offers a newly developed Humanitarian Engineering minor, supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. So far, 16 projects have been undertaken, from the Mines hometown of Golden, Colo., to communities across the globe.
Here's how Mines describes Humanitarian Engineering: "In the past, engineers may have asked, 'How do I generate electricity most efficiently?' The humanitarian engineer asks, 'How can I help to reduce poverty?' The answer to the question may include generating electricity, but more importantly, Humanitarian Engineers will try to balance technical excellence, economic feasibility, ethical maturity and cultural sensitivity."
One project in the new Humanitarian Engineering minor program has recently won an award. A team of engineering students from Colorado School of Mines and Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana in Honduras received an $18,000 prize at the DaimlerChrysler and UNESCO Mondialogo Engineering Award presentation in Berlin, Germany, on May 30. Competing against 110 international teams, the students' design for a water and sanitation system in Colinas de Suiza, Honduras (a village of 1600 families) earned them one of 21 cash awards.
The Mondialogo Engineering Award is a DaimlerChrysler and UNESCO initiative aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue among young engineers around the world. The initiative calls on students from industrialized and developing countries to work together on proposals for sustainable engineering applications to aid underprivileged people of developing countries.
"We are honored that our students' work has been recognized on an international stage through the Mondialogo Engineering Award program," says Mines President John U. Trefny. "The effort of Colorado School of Mines and Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana to improve the quality of life for people in this developing region of the world affirms the far-reaching value of an engineering education."
Currently Colinas de Suiza residents spend 25 percent of their income on water, which is hauled by trucks in 55-gallon barrels from wells located over a mile from the town. The village's wastewater system is rudimentary and threatens to contaminate their water supply. The Mondialogo Award will help the team fund the installation of a comprehensive solar-powered water pumping and sanitation system, which will significantly improve the standard of living and environmental conditions in the village. Estimated total cost of the project is $1.3 million.
David Munoz, faculty adviser to the Mines students, notes that the award demonstrates the important connection between technological advancement and building a global community. "By providing developing nations with essential infrastructure like water and sanitary systems," he remarks, "we can help to eradicate poverty, allowing humans to peacefully reach their life potential."
The Mines engineering students, Emily Allen, Maricela Johnson, Michael Devloo, Ellie Key, Brendon Pettit, Geoffrey Johnson, Luz Falcon and Heidi Bauer, traveled to Honduras for an initial assessment in October 2004. They plan to return in August with Munoz to present their design and develop a project implementation schedule. The Honduras project is one of 16 that the school has undertaken through a newly developed minor program in Humanitarian Engineering sponsored by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Colorado School of Mines is an internationally recognized university with expertise in educating engineers and applied scientists in the development and stewardship of the Earth's resources.
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