Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2006

Subjects

Engineers Without Borders USA, Engineering students -- Rwanda -- Service learning, Engineering students -- Peru -- Service learning, Infrastructure (Economics) -- Developing countries

Abstract

This paper provides case studies of two service learning projects that University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) students are integrating into their academic experience. The projects focus on developing communities and are managed under the auspices of Engineers Without Borders-USA (EWB-USA), a group founded by Dr. Bernard Amadei, Professor of Civil Engineering at CU-Boulder. These projects expand students? understanding of the social value of their chosen profession, and expose them to a type of engineering significantly different than what is presented in most of their classes. Specifically, focusing on developing communities provides students with the opportunity to design solutions to some of the problems faced by the five billion people on our planet who are poor. It also challenges engineering students to identify vital non-technical issues which may be the greatest roadblocks to poverty alleviation through sustainable community development.

Description

This is the author's version of a paper presented at the American Society for Engineering Education 2006 Annual Conference and Exposition. Final version may be accessed at http://www.asee.org/.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/9337

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