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Engineers Without Borders chapter comes to NMSU
Engineering students, faculty and professionals at NMSU now have the chance to use their skills to change the world through a newly established chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) on campus.
EWB is designed to bring students, faculty and professionals together with local and developing communities to improve their quality of life through implementation of environmentally sustainable, equitable and economical engineering projects. The organization promotes development of globally aware, culturally sensitive and internationally responsible engineers, students and professionals.
The group will take seven trips to Satevo, Chihuahua, Mexico for their first project. The first trip took place during spring break, said Dorothy Lanphere, president of the new chapter.
“The purpose of these trips is to establish relationships with the people there and get an idea of what they want and need. We will also have to see what we have to work with and set a site for the project implementation.”
The group will be installing things like solar water pumps, solar showers, solar stills, solar-powered refrigerators, waste disposal systems, better toilets, a solar system that will provide a small amount of solar electricity, or a bridge. “It all depends on what the community needs,” Lanphere said.
The next three trips will be implementation trips. “On these trips, we will build the designed devices and teach the local people how to build and maintain them,” said Lanphere.
The final trip is a follow-up trip to see how the devices are working and make adjustments if necessary.
“We also hope to educate the people there on things such as health issues, proper waste disposal, sustainable agriculture techniques and water purification,” Lanphere said.
Elizabeth Myers
July 1, 2008