E4C Fellowship

Background With his background in Nutrition and Food Science, Bezalel has worked on field and lab projects aimed at food security and food safety in Ghana. He is committed to the promotion of sustainable food production as well as nutrition security. Following this passion, he has written nearly 100 articles on his blog (staywellnow.com) and other media, educating readers on how underutilized crops can be used to improve nutrition and overall health. Bezalel is also a research consultant at PreScouter, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Ghana.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Presently, it is estimated that about 33 percent of food produced (approximately 1.3 billion tons of food) for human consumption globally is lost or wasted annually. My motivation to pursue engineering for global development emerges from the great potential food engineering has in reducing food loses and food waste globally.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship presents a perfect opportunity to further hone my skills and apply myself to providing practical solutions to critical problems in the agriculture sector. This will better equip me to translate knowledge I have acquired to adequately engineer sustainable food solutions. Thus, I can more effectively play a role in meeting the global demand for safe, nutritious food. By so doing, I can better contribute to the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in the agriculture sector, consequently improving the health of consumers.

Background Nishant concluded his MS with a specialization in Manufacturing Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology [IIT] Kanpur. Presently, he is working at the Biomedical Research Lab at IIT Kanpur, intending to develop affordable transradial prostheses considering the socio-economic sphere of the amputees in context to developing countries like India.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Earlier during my graduation at IIT Kanpur, I was not associated with the SDGs. Still, through my research work on the design and development of affordable prostheses to being a Fellow for E4C in 2019, I observed my long term orientation towards engineering for global development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I am aspiring to gain a broader perspective of applied engineering and human-centric design. I diligently want to contribute in an indigenous manner to those fields in a way that is of global significance. The conjunction will be possible through the journey of exploration, which can be feasible with the help of Engineering for Change's initiatives.

Background Sun Hwi is a materials science and engineering Ph.D. candidate at Pennsylvania State University (U.S). He received a Bachelors Degree in engineering from Harvey Mudd College in southern California, and he was actively involved in implementing micro hydroelectric generators in remote communities in Costa Rica. Then he completed a Masters Degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan focusing on adaptive materials and structures. One of his current doctoral research focuses on developing a sustainable composite brick fabrication using locally-accessible materials.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I had the chance to lead a team of engineering students to work on a renewable energy project in a Costa Rican indigenous village, and the whole experience was more than just a real-world engineering experience. I want to reduce technological inequalities, and I realized that the success of technology implementation is not only about how good engineering or technology is. Rather, it needs to be accompanied by close partnerships with local schools and communities to establish training, education, or even entrepreneurship opportunities.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? My intellectual journey has been navigated by three distinct goals: 1) Science -- advance fundamental understanding in low-temperature powder consolidation and contribute to knowledge. 2) Engineering -- develop scientific discoveries into industrial applications and bring impact in many ways to society. 3) Outreach -- utilize my humble knowledge in under-resourced communities for the service of humanity. As the fellowship focuses on developing engineering capacity to solve global challenges and contributing to public knowledge, such opportunity will span my research area and global awareness, which are essential attributes to become a resourceful technical professional who can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Background Grace is a Ph.D student in Design Science at the University of Michigan where her research focuses on improving the ways engineers can design for postivie social and economic impact. She holds a dual MS in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology and has been an E4C Fellow since 2017.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I am motivated to improve the ways engineers design technologies for people who have been historically neglected in engineering design. This emerging field has a wide variety of knowledge gaps that can and should be filled with rigorous research.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I hope to continue to work in the Engineering for Global Development (EGD) research community throughout my career and the E4C Fellowship offers an outstanding opportunity to continue to gain skills and perspectives in this field.

Background Elizabeth graduated in 2017 with a Bachelors (Hons) in mechanical engineering from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. She has worked on projects to provide sustainable energy to developing communities in Peru with the WindAid Institute and has volunteered with local non-profits from a young age. She has recently moved out of her corporate manufacturing role to pursue more development projects around the world.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Engineering is a subject I am passionate about as I see the potential in it to create opportunities, share knowledge, learn from different cultures and improve the quality of life in communities globally. I think it’s fascinating to see how societies overcome engineering challenges, and there is a lot to be learned from the creativity and problem solving when people are faced with different limitations.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Going forward I plan to focus my career on global development. I think this is an excellent way to further educate myself on the sector and help develop the skills needed to contribute my part to the field and to do so responsibly.

Background Thomas is committed to improving the accessibility of purposeful and responsible water and sanitation technologies across the Southeast Asia region. From Sydney, Australia, Thomas is a Project Manager at AECOM and an aspiring humanitarian engineer. This is reflected in his co-founding of Masy Consultants, a social enterprise which works with communities to empower vulnerable groups to uplift themselves from rural poverty through appropriate technologies and capacity-building initiatives. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (First Class Honours) from the University of Technology Sydney. He is looking to undertake a Masters in the areas of natural resources, waste management and sustainability.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? As a lifelong learner, I am always looking to improve my intercultural competence, especially in my pursuit to sync my career with my passions for global development. I practise and advocate self-directed learning and outreach initiatives principled on the "paying it forward" concept to activate thought leadership and local entrepreneurship. My honours thesis deepened my appreciation of humanitarian engineering as an intersection of different disciplines founded by empathy and cultural intelligence. This along with my desire to return to my familial roots and make a difference in the Philippines, ultimately laid the foundations for my aspirations as a humanitarian leader.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Self-motivated to strengthen my project management skills, cultural intelligence and technical aptitude, I strongly believe the E4C Fellowship is an incredible platform for the next stage of my professional development as an aspiring thought leader in humanitarian engineering. The fellowship is in sync with my passions for knowledge-sharing and fostering local entrepreneurship. The prospect of being part of its purpose-driven community excites me as it will provide me with the resources and skills to be at the forefront of innovative water and sanitation projects to meaningfully improve lives.

Background Julio is an architect and academic from Paraguay pursuing a Ph.D. in Architecture at Penn State University with the support of a Fulbright-CAL Scholarship. He is interested in sustainability, craftsmanship, and digital fabrication technologies for architecture and design. His research focuses on developing technology for upcycling waste corrugated into low-cost building materials for housing in developing parts of the world.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship is an opportunity to be part of a unique worldwide network of professionals working on global development. I believe the experience will strengthen my expertise as an architect/researcher interested in organizing, developing, and contributing to projects for underserved communities in developing parts of the world. I am very excited about the paths that this participation will open in the future!

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? My interest in engineering for global development comes from my experience working as an architect and builder in different countries but especially in Paraguay, where the need to improve buildings (particularly housing, schools, and hospitals) for underserved communities is immense. In contexts like this, learning to deal with people’s needs and resources available is critical. To contribute to solving problems like this, in-depth knowledge of local materials and techniques is essential. In addition, researching and learning from other people’s experiences with similar challenges anywhere in the world: this is where the E4C Fellowship weighs a lot. Architectural design and engineering are, I believe, powerful facilitators for advancing the quality of life of underserved communities, and this is what motivates me to pursue this path.

Background Marie will graduate with a Bachelors of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto in June 2020. In September she will be starting an SM in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on bioengineering at MIT. Marie has worked on several global engineering projects, namely improving the efficiency of sandbagging for flood response and designing a compost system for a Northern Ontario First Nation Community.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I want to help improve the quality of life for people around the world and I am driven to solve large-scale and large-impact problems. I also really enjoy working with people and learning about different cultures. All of these factors, in addition to the large potential of innovation, motivated me to pursue engineering for global development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I know I want to continue working on bioengineering and engineering for global development-related projects, but I don’t know the specifics of what I want to work on in the future, especially since I will be in graduate school for the next several years. This fellowship will expose me to a variety of projects and initiatives in the global development space and will help guide me towards my professional life after graduate school. An invaluable aspect of this fellowship is the connections I will make with like-minded individuals from all around the world. I’m a huge proponent of teamwork and am excited at the possible future collaborations that may stem from this fellowship.

Background Behirah is pursuing a B.S. in Biological Engineering from the University of Missouri. She has worked in an ecology lab and on a soybean breeding research farm. She is currently developing a research seed planter that can be used in low-budget research farms.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have a passion for engineering and agricultural research, as well as an interest in other cultures. I want to do what I can to assist communities experiencing food insecurity. I hope to use the education and resources I have to help others.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I believe this fellowship will give me valuable knowledge and engineering skills I can use in my future career. I want to work as an engineer for the government and develop solutions to agricultural and ecological problems. By working with a diverse group of engineers in this fellowship, I will have a better understanding of working in an engineering group and will be more aware of problems people face in different cultures.

Background Bri is a final year Biomedical Engineering student at the Australian National University, Canberra. As a keen aspiring humanitarian engineer, she has been extensively involved with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in a variety of ways. Bri is currently completing her thesis project in assessing appropriate household water filtration technologies for Timor-Leste context, partnered with WaterAid and EWB.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? My motivation to pursue engineering for global development stems from my passion in using engineering as a tool for positive impact. I enjoy the social and cultural intricacies of the sector and the possibility of developing projects that improve the quality of life. I wasn’t aware of this kind of engineering until my involvement with Engineers Without Borders, and it has inspired me to continue my degree with a focus that is most meaningful to my values.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship is an incredible opportunity to continue developing my understanding of the engineering for global development (EGD) field as well as connect to the EGD network! Through this fellowship I hope to further develop my research skills and apply my classroom skills to these complex global challenges to provide innovative, sustainable, and appropriate solutions.

Background Jonathan graduated with an MSc in Engineering for International Development from University College London in 2018. Since then he has worked for a Malawian NGO called Eagles Relief and Development Programme as Technical Manager on projects involving solar energy, irrigation and water supply. Currently, he is piloting a novel solar-powered irrigation pump designed through a participatory process with Malawian smallholder farmers so that they can construct the pumps themselves using locally available and affordable materials.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Having gone from studying engineering for international development at university straight into work on the ground in Malawi at a local level, the fellowship will provide me with an opportunity to connect with people and organisations working internationally and in a variety of contexts. While I feel I currently still have a lot to contribute where I am working, I hope in the future to move into a more global role for an international NGO. And I hope the connections and the experience I gain during the fellowship will support me in this.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? While visiting Malawi, I witnessed the impact that lack of energy access has on livelihoods and opportunities for people in the poorest communities as well as the tremendous value that technologies can provide. I was particularly struck by the way that the approaches taken (when implementing technology projects) can cause them to fail once external support is no longer available. I devoted my subsequent studies to learning how to do engineering for global development in a way that is effective and sustainable, and now I apply this to my work. I have focused on the energy sector because I believe that having access to renewable energy is vital to enable countries and individual communities to develop in a way that protects the environment and empowers all sectors of society.

Background Pallavi is final year student of Masters in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Seoul National University (South Korea). She is from Kathmandu, Nepal with a background in Environmental Engineering from Kathmandu University (Nepal). Her field of interest is water and is currently doing her research related to water treatment and appropriate technology. She is also passionate about learning innovative methods of water treatment, stand alone, and safe technologies which has the potential to be scaled up.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I am certain that by the end of this fellowship I will become a better professional version of myself. I am hoping to gain some insights and skills on time management, virtual collaborative research, problem solving, technical writing, and virtual meetings. All of these will certainly help me in my professional career in later days. Moreover, through this fellowship I want to discover myself as an engineer, and I wish to find some new interest or a new research topic for my Ph.D. I also hope to get connceted with UN-Habitat as I genuinely want to work for the UN organization in the future.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? My teacher once said if you become a lawyer you may serve hundreds of people, if you become a doctor you will save thousands, but if you become a good engineer you will change the lives of millions. So those words got printed on my heart, and they later motivated me to devote myself to becoming a mindful engineer who will serve the community at its best by bringing about an impactful change in the lives of millions. Having some experience of working with underserved communities in Nepal, I saw how small technological changes (for example, a sprinkler in a garden or a biogas or an improved cooking stove) made a huge difference in people's lifestyles. Technology can bring a huge smile on their faces, and this really encourages me more to pursue engineering for global development.

Background Jang Hyeon is from Seoul, South Korea and is a mechanical engineering Ph.D. candidate at Seoul National University. He received a Bachelors Degree in mechanical engineering from Hanyang University in 2018. One of his research topics is developing a portable vaccine refrigerator based on IoT. He is currently working on projects related to portable vaccine refrigerators in Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Nepal.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? When I was an undergraduate, I became interested in appropriate technology through my first class project. It was painful that the problems that could be solved with simple techniques were struggling in some areas. I thought that appropriate technology was felt as a technology that touched the mind realistically.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? It is possible to get closer to the global problems that are happening now and to find solutions that can overcome them. In addition, various overseas exchanges are possible through this fellowship and many experiences can be gained in the international era. In Korea, there are no large organizations that study global development. Most global companies involved in global development require overseas experience, and this fellowship will be an important experience.

Background Jacob lives in Nairobi, Kenya and is an Electrical Engineer with experience in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He is involved in empowering people to use digital technologies in Kenya, and he actively documents how digital technology is impacting people in the East African region. He is also involved in running one of the biggest Cloud services providers in Kenya that seeks to provide affordable Cloud services to people in the developing world.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The fellowship provides an opportunity for me to learn about various innovations from different parts of the world and network with people who are keen on using engineering to transform lives. It will help sharpen my skills and understanding in order to be effective in employing ICT to transform societies, and it will also improve my research capacity thus enabling me to present information to people in a better way.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always been interested in engineering as a means to transform lives. The field of ICT today offers many opportunities for that, and I have always wanted to see Kenyan and other developing world communities leverage this opportunity to increase productivity and create employment for the young people (who form the majority of the population). To achieve this, there is a need for closer cooperation between engineers, users and platform vendors, and I want to ensure that people are learning about technologies that are out there that can help. This is all while engineers are getting to learn more about the actual needs of people so that they can create what suits each market.

Background Erin is a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering minoring in applied anthropology at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on understanding and modeling the adoption of technology for development (tech4dev). In years past, Erin participated in humanitarian engineering internships in South Africa and Ghana which only helped to fuel her passion to do work that benefits those oftentimes underrepresented in the world of design.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I see this fellowship helping me to grow my competency in EGD by teaching me more about innovations and projects across the sectors while also developing my project management skills. I believe this fellowship will help to expand my network by connecting me with other passionate fellows and EGD practitioners. I hope to use these experiences to learn more about opportunities outside of academia to pursue meaningful work after graduation.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Engineering for global development (EGD) requires skills and ways of thinking beyond just engineering, and I love being able to combine it with other fields such as anthropology and entrepreneurship to effect positive change. EGD satisfies all my interests including, most importantly, being able to use engineering to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. When I discovered engineering for global development during my undergraduate years through the University of Dayton’s ETHOS Center, I knew that’s where I belonged. Since then I have continued to pursue opportunities to learn and develop the skillsets necessary to work in this multi-faceted field.

Background Carolina is from Honduras and is pursuing B.S in Mechanical Engineering at Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. She is a rural communities development enthusiast and an active member of Panama Flying Labs and E4C Corps Panama. She currently works on research projects related to clean cooking technologies, low-cost prosthetics, and autonomous maritime vessels for medical supply delivery.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? In Latin America and the Caribbean engineering for global development (EGD) is a growing field. I would like to have the opportunity to continue developing projects related to this field in Central America and promote its inclusion in engineering academic institutions. The E4C Expert Fellowship will provide me with an exceptional opportunity to gain experience on the many ways appropriate technologies are being used around the world to help improve the lives of communities in need. This is valuable knowledge that, advancing in my career, I will be able to apply to the Latin American region.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Learning that providing access to appropriate technologies could catalyze socio-economic growth in underserved communities changed my perspective of the role engineering plays in global development and motivated me to pursue a career in this discipline.

Background Teresa was born in Porto, Portugal and holds an Integrated Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Porto University. Her final thesis investigation focused on the holistic use of appropriate technologies as a mean to overcome water and food scarcity in rural Mozambique. Teresa has worked in the medical equipment industry for over 3 years, expertizing in LEAN methodologies and production management. Nowadays, she uses analytics and data science tools to research on the improvement of urban mobility in smart cities.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? From young age, I was inspired by all sorts of humanitarian work. The possibility to have a positive impact on people’s lives, and most specifically of those who are at highest risk, has been a great aspiration of mine. However, I feel it is not only the purpose that is great, but also the process of working towards its achievement: the people involved and the perspectives one learns along the way. With my past experiences in this sector, I feel I have gained a new sense of reality and, most importantly, I grew as a human being. This is a neverending process that I am happy to be undergoing now at E4C.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I see this opportunity as me moving one step closer to being professionally fulfilled. Having the opportunity to meet like-minded people, enlarging my network, and learning about what is being done in the field of global development are some of my expectations. Besides, I am also hoping to gain knowledge on how an organization for global development works and organizes. I am certain it will leverage my skills as a global development engineer.

Background Bryan is from Gilbert, Arizona (USA) and is pursuing a MPA in Development Practice at Columbia University. While his background is in water resources engineering, Bryan's current research involves analyzing and developing renewable energy policy for large scale offshore wind policy development with the World Forum for Offshore Wind and understanding the role fossil fuel subsidies play in the OECD with the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship is an amazing opportunity to continue to expand my personal understanding of the connections and web of contacts in the international development engineering space. I am very much looking forward to interacting with and working with a variety of stakeholders from communities all over the globe that will allow me to wrestle with my own beliefs in order to develop a better understanding of the role of development engineering in this day and age.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I strongly believe that an engineering mindset, that is, the way of thinking critically about a topic while taking into account a number of factors, has great potential to make lasting change in emerging market countries. Getting to use this mindset to engage and collaborate with local communities, their cultures, social spheres, and identities, to make lifelong change for myself and the groups I work with is what motivated me to pursue global development.

Background Patrick earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a minor in Humanitarian Engineering and the Global Option Distinction. Then he earned a M.S. from the Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering from The Ohio State University. His research efforts are focused on Sustainable Development Engineering. Patrick has extensive field work in international development working with rural communities on construction and optimization of water storage. Patrick has worked on a variety of projects in Tanzania, Ghana, Guatemala, and Honduras.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Being an engineer, I have always been trained to have a problem-solving mindset. However, it was my involvement in the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars program at The Ohio State University that laid the foundation for my work in international community development. I learned the value of applying my engineering design skills to find solutions for complex global challenges. Through the projects I was a part of, I was able to see the inequality and hardships that people around the world face. I will continue to use my capacity as an engineer to alleviate these hardships.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship will allow me the opportunity to learn from others within the global development space. Upon completion of my Ph.D., I hope to continue instructing courses within this space, and I hope to continue to create opportunities for students to be involved in meaningful and impactful projects. I want my contributions to this space to have a positive impact and aid in the creation of sustainable solutions.

Background Khaoula is from Tunisia and currently lives in Hamburg, Germany. She works as a Customer Provisioning Support Manager at AIRBUS Operations. She graduated as an aeronautics engineer in France after having an exchange year of studies in Germany. She has been working for five years in the aerospace industry, starting as a young engineer at AIRBUS Helicopters and working in the field of System Engineering and Airworthiness. She recently joined AIRBUS operations to work as a Program Manager in the field of customer support and services in Germany.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Coming from Tunisia, I had the opportunity to study in Europe and become an aerospace engineer. I always wanted to see the impact an engineer can have on the world. And as a woman engineer, it was important that I could engage in engineering for global development. I often hear about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and finally seeing myself contribute to these goals is more than a motivation to me. I already contributed as a student by leading activities that promoted engineering in areas where access to education is not easy. This experience was enlightening to me. Now, as an engineer, I want to further pursue this goal and prove that our knowledge and experience will enable us to bring positive impact to the world.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The fellowship will provide me with great insight into engineering for global development, one of the main goals of my career as an engineer. It is also an opportunity for me to exchange with experts in different fields. This will broaden my knowledge and experience. I thrive when I learn and exchange ideas, especially on topics related to engineering for global development.

Background Jonathan is from Glasgow, Scotland (UK) and is undertaking a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He is part of the wider Scottish Government Climate Justice Fund Water Futures Programme, working in partnership with the Government of Malawi, to evaluate the sustainability of rural water supplies. His research works to investigate the sustainability burden on the decentralised management of rural water supply in Malawi. This addresses the need to move beyond coverage as the metric for success in the global goals and national policies.

What motived you to pursue engineering in global development? When I first visited Rwanda in 2010, I developed a great passion for international relief and sustainable development, particularly in improving the livelihoods of local communities. During my MEng in Civil Engineering, I took part in a project with Engineers without Borders (EWB) and realised I could use my engineering expertise for those left served. Since then I have been pursuing engineering for global development, most recently researching the multi-disciplinary challenges of sustainable drinking water supplies for rural communities through my Ph.D. research.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The fellowship aligns with my professional goals as I pursue a career in research, problem solving, and decision making while maintaining my passions for sustainability and engineering for global development. The fellowship will allow me to gain a greater understanding of engineering solutions to water challenges for real-world challenges.

Background Gustavo lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is pursuing a dual M.S. in Systems Engineering and Electronic Arts. He is currently working as a Software Developer at Wingu, an NGO that aims to reduce the technological gap in the social sector. He has two years of experience working with governments and NGOs in Latin America in projects related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? From a young age, I’ve always been interested in engineering, math, and computer science. Over time I became aware of all the global problems that we were going through and I wanted to make a change with the knowledge that I had. Then I discovered Wingu where I started working in different projects related to global development and from this experience, I realized that there is a lot to do and it is what I am really passionate about.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I am focusing my career on global development so I think E4C is a great opportunity to keep improving my skills in this field, participate in the research of important projects, and share my knowledge with other fellows.

Background Pía is a Masters student in Electrical Engineering at University of Chile. During her master program, her research focused on identifying the critical aspects that impact on the degradation of solar photovoltaic modules operating in rural communities of the Atacama Desert. Since 2019, Pía also leads the humanitarian activities group of the IEEE University of Chile student branch.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? When I started working with a vulnerable community of immigrants in Santiago de Chile, I saw with my own eyes how difficult is for people to live when they are deprived of basic services that many of us have taken for granted, such as water, sanitation, energy, or even education and health. I strongly believe it is our duty as engineers and researchers to provide aid to the people who need it most from our fields of expertise. Moreover, I have always been motivated by sustainable development in order to mitigate the impacts of human activity on the environment. To pursue a career on engineering for global development is a great chance to contribute to a more inclusive, and environmentally-friendly future for all.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship aligns with my career as a researcher on photovoltaic technologies, but it also contributes to get me closer with the final objective of research: to improve people's quality of life through more efficient and less contaminant technology. Moreover, working with such a diverse team, with researchers from different nationalities and specialties, will certainly contribute to fulfill my personal and professional profile.

Background Jen lives in New York City and is a Ph.D. student in public and urban policy at The New School where she researches climate, energy, and resilience policy. She holds a dual Masters Degree in mechanical engineering and applied anthropology from Oregon State University.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I pursued engineering for global development because of its interdisciplinary nature and strong focus on people. I am now grateful for the opportunity to build on the knowledge I have gained around clean energy technologies to further explore from a policy perspective.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? My current research involves understanding the relationships between social, technological, and ecological factors in resilience approaches to climate-related extreme events. I am excited to be further exposed to the technological aspects of global development to strengthen my ongoing work.

Background Danna is from Los Angeles, California (USA) and is pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with interdisciplinary honors at Stanford University. Danna’s mission is to help with the development of sustainable, accessible technologies to improve energy and resource equity. For her capstone project, Danna traveled to developing regions of China to research and design affordable solar microgrids. Danna has had a variety of leadership and engineering experiences, and previously worked as a technical program manager at Amazon and an engineer at NASA. She conducted mechanical research through the Stanford SURI program and served as Co-President of the Stanford Space Initiative. Danna hopes to use her engineering and management skills to continue and empower organizations and systems to become more sustainable.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I am excited about engineering for global development (EGD) because of its complex and interdisciplinary nature. Most importantly, EGD allows engineers to expand the boundaries of their understandings. Since my work in EGD extends beyond my immediate community, I’ve learned to truly embrace humility, responsibility, and empathy.

How do you see this Fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship will help me grow my understanding of how to successfully plan and coordinate EGD projects and expand my professional connections within this field. I also hope to gain more sustainable development experience to enhance my learning experience in the fall, as I plan on beginning my M.S. in Sustainability then.

Background Nishant has concluded his MS with a specialization in Manufacturing Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India. His research focuses on the development of a low cost and a functionally effective compound finger mechanism to rectify the problem faced by conventional prostheses lacking the capability of adaptive grasp and pinch.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always had an eye for the way things do and don’t fit together. Throughout my childhood, I can recall many instances where I redesigned things with high fidelity prototypes using hand tools. I understand the impact that good design and engineering can have on the products. My recent experience and education make me confident in applying the knowledge to change how engineering solutions are used to improve the socio-economic scenario. This rational furthered my career as an engineer for global development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? During the stints in my career, I learned the importance of every individual in an organization and how each of us plays an imperative role in defining the motto. I believe that we are the average of the people we are surrounded by and most humbly submit that the environment and the work culture I wish to work in, is provided by the people who make things. The fellowship would patently help me in moving from academia to the real-life health sector and will be the first climacteric step in understanding the obscure problems faced by society at large.

Fellowship Outcomes: Nishant worked with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to identify the challenges for dissemination of sustainable technologies in India. Read the report here.

Background Grace is from Beaverton, Oregon, USA and is pursuing a Ph.D in Design Science at the University of Michigan. She holds a dual M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology from Oregon State University and focuses her research on socially-engaged engineering design, particularly in international development contexts.

Fellowship Outcomes: As Engineering for Change’s former Junior Program Manager, Grace was directly involved with the planning and structuring of the 2019 Fellowship program. She supported all Fellows and Expert Fellows, and she collaborated with E4C expert advisors and partners while she supervised and edited all 2019 research collaborations. Check out the interesting reports on the E4C research page.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I am motivated by the global challenges we face, as outlined by the SDGs. I see great potential in researching how technology, infrastructure, and policy intersect to meet sociocultural and economic needs, particularly of those in poverty.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? For me, the most exceptional part of working for E4C is gaining quality research experience, working with outstanding individuals from different backgrounds, and expanding my worldview.

Background Marilynn is a biologist from Universidad del Valle, Colombia with a master in Biotechnology from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. She has been part of the IDIN network since the first International Design and Development Summits (IDDS) in Colombia in 2015. And she is currently testing and improving a low-cost prototype to capture and treat rainwater, which was developed from a co-creative process with FARC ex-combatants at IDDS Peace 2018. She uses her sustainable family farm project as a field laboratory to test this and other alternatives in water purification and sanitation.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? For as long as I can remember, I have been concerned about our interaction with nature and pressing global matters as those described more recently, in the sustainable development goals. I believe it is time we, humans, start living in such a way that, our source of health and wellbeing, the environment that provided the conditions for life on our planet, is respected, protected and cared for. What drives me the most is how science and technology can answer environmental and social needs while empowering people and communities to own and co-create examples of local solutions that can have global resonance.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? In a land of water and immense biological and cultural biodiversity such as Colombia, forests are still being cut down for intensive agriculture and cattle raising and rivers are still being contaminated by industries and domestic wastes, causing serious problems for clean water access, amongst others. There is still a lot to be done to bring together institutions that have power and organizations with solutions and the communities and ecosystems that need them in order to narrow the gap between what is being done and what can be done. I wish to help take knowledge, practices and technology to places where it is needed and prove that there are multiple alternatives that can work. I think that getting experience with the Solutions Library in this fellowship will most definitely grant me the knowledge, training and networking necessary to boost the goals that I share with E4C.

Fellowship Outcomes: Marilynn partnered with the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technologies (CAWST) on a research to analyze the current state of household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) in Colombia. Read it here.

Background Senka holds a PhD in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Aveiro, Portugal. She is based in Cape Town, South Africa where she does research on low cost connectivity solutions for developing countries. She also does research on alternative spectrum policies to enable small scale operators and allow communities to connect themselves.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I believe that technology, in combination with human centered design, policy and sustainable business models, can help achieve SDGs. Particularly in the context of ICTs, reducing the digital divide is essential for reduced inequality.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship combines my passion and interest for technology, design, and community work, and it gives me an opportunity to work on real life problems rather than theoretical research.

Fellowship Outcomes: Senka partnered with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Church Aid, and the Norwegian Red Cross to evaluate dignified ID in cash assistance in East Africa. Read the report here.

Background Joyce will be graduating this semester from the American University of Beirut with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration on Controls & Robotics and a minor in Math. Currently, she's involved in implementing a community-based project about spreading awareness about anti-bullying in Beirut.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Transportation in Lebanon may be one of the worst situations worldwide. Traffic starts from 7am and lasts until 8pm, so if one needs to avoid traffic, he/she needs to go to work/university before 7 and come back after 8 which is very difficult. Usually in rush hour, people spend 3 or 4 times the period it usually takes to go from one place to another. Moreover, the roads are not well designed so that if an accident happened on one of the main roads, all the roads will get blocked and people stay in their cars for several hours without moving. Facing this problem since I was a kid, I want to be a part of making a difference in this sector in countries similar to Lebanon. I believe it is an important issue to tackle.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? In my life, I have developed the affinity for problem solving, research, design and community work. This fellowship combines all of my interests in one. I believe it is a great place to start my career - research, design and problem solving - and at the same time allow me to solve real-life problems and improve people's quality of life.

Fellowship Outcomes: Joyce worked together with the American University of Beirut, Lebanon to develop a high-level overview of women in technological social innovations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Read the report here.

Background Rhys is a Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineer and all-round happy human hailing from Sydney, Australia. He loves seeing tech, innovation and education change the lives of people and shape communities. A systems engineer by trade, he is fascinated with the complexity of human-made problems such as those created by conflict, and he is looking forward to seeing engineers stand at the forefront of the solutions.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I embarked on a journey to Iraq, where I volunteered with the Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation in an IDP camp outside of Mosul in March 2017. I began to think about the refugee camp in systems engineering terms, and whether these principles could be applied to the complexity I saw. The scale of human displacement worldwide and the disinclination of its slowing reaffirms the breadth of this problem.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship would provide a platform for me to combine my technical ability and understanding of project delivery with my passion to develop solutions for some of the world’s most exposed populations, particularly through the application of innovative technologies.

Fellowship Outcomes: Rhys worked with the University of Technology from Sydney Australia (UTS) on analyzing the humanitarian engineering ecosystem in Australia and New Zealand. Read the state of engineering for global development graphic here and the full report here.

Background Kathleen has a passion for innovative water and sanitation technologies, and she is currently completing a Master of Public Policy and M.S. Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. While at graduate school, Kathleen has conducted research on waste management policies, green bond financing for sustainable infrastructure, and solutions to air pollution from crop burning.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I pursued a career in public policy and engineering for global development to work towards rectifying systemic inequities in access to water and sanitation. In addition to public health, WASH interventions have far-reaching consequences in every other goal in international development, impacting economic growth, gender equity, and environmental sustainability.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C Fellowship will continue to develop my research skills while connecting me with a diverse group of engineers striving for solutions that are effective, sustainable, and scalable to meet our global challenges.

Fellowship Outcomes: Kathleen partnered with Think.iT to determine the status of the social innovation sector in Tunisia. Read the report here.

Background Carlos is a Natural Environment Engineer. During his undergraduate studies he started to be curious about sustainability in the management of natural resources and the use of new technologies in management. He has also worked in various international development projects using Geographical Information Systems. He is currently finishing a Master Degree in Strategies and Technologies for Development at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? After traveling and seeing other places, I have seen how globalization unequally benefits all countries, and this relationship is untenable for all parties. I like to feel like I'm doing something to help find solutions to these problems.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? In the moment I saw the E4C fellowship call and I checked the website I thought working in the program would be the perfect way to contact new people in the field of technical solutions applied to development. I am really looking forward to sharing my experience and knowing others.

Fellowship Outcomes: Carlos worked with Autodesk on a report about sustainability D&M. Report coming soon.

Background Benson holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from the University of Nairobi and is now finalizing his Master of Science in Horticulture from the same university, focusing on postharvest management and technologies. Currently he is doing research work with a team from the University of Nairobi on various postharvest tools and technologies which can be employed to curb the high losses in the fruit sub-sector in the country. He is also involved in the development of aggregation centers for smallholder farmers and equiping them with low cost cooling facilities for storage of their produce.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Technology and technology changes have led to a revoltion in the way things get accomplished in various areas of our day-to-day operations. By the year 2050, the world's population will double. This means we'll have to produce more than we are doing at the moment. However, more than 1/3 of the world's food that is already produced ends up in landfiils. To be able to solve this paradox, I believe in the need to develop technologies that will help us produce more but at the same time preserve more than 3/4 to be able to meet the demand. This is why I have chosen to be part of the story; seeking and developing technologies and transfering them to end users and counter this challenge worldwide.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I consider this to be a great pool of solutions to the world's challenges. I will not only benefit from learning what could positively impact my field of interest but also many other solutions that, upon adoption, will cause great change in underprivileged communities. I plan to continue working with farmers by introducing them to innovations that would improve their farming operations and income, as well as other areas such as energy, sanitation, and more.

Fellowship Outcomes: Benson partnered with the MIT D-Lab on the use and barriers of evaporative cooling technologies by smallholder farmers in Kenya. Read the report here.

Background Amartya is a Mechanical Engineer from India who is in the final semester of his BTech degree and will be pursuing an Master of Science in Management, Technology and Economics from ETH Zurich. During his undergraduate studies he worked on Aerial Wind Energy technologies and has conducted research on the Hydrogen Economy during his final semester. Having interacted with renewable energy systems, he is keen on ensuring better deployment and feasibility of clean energy technologies.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Growing up in a developing country, I could trace the climate crisis down to the constant duel that exists between urbanisation and its cost to the environment. For such countries a paradigm shift needs to happen, and it needs to happen pronto. The needs of a growing nation and its millions of people without access to electricity can be satisfied through distributed, well integrated, and variable sources of unconventional energy. The realisation that there is a necessity to manage this transition summarises the foundational aspects of my interest to pursue a higher education and, eventually, a career in the field of Sustainable Development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? My long-term objective is to become a consultant and guide strategic reorientations of business practices and new business models which will play a vital role in the global transition from conventional to renewable sources. Gaining experience in my chosen field of energy and learning and contributing towards better technologies will add great value to my learning curve. Being able to exchange ideas with great minds from diverse backgrounds but with similar goals in mind will be an enlightening experience. I hope to interact with as many people as possible, expand our networks, and work towards bringing about a change.

Fellowship Outcomes: Amartya worked together with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to identify the challenges for dissemination of sustainable technologies in India. Read the report here.

Background Pauline is from Kenya and is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She is an active member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) - Kenya Section and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Her current research is on Hybrid Small-Hydro and Solar PV for power generation in rural areas.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Access of resources is one of the challenges in engineering development. Having seen people from rural areas who are out of reach of resources increases my passion for engineering for global development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Through the Engineering for Change Fellowship, the research will give me the exposure to find different ideas and solutions to enable access of resources, thus providing a solution for people in the rural areas.

Fellowship Outcomes: Pauline contributed with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Church Aid, and the Norwegian Red Cross to evaluate dignified ID in cash assistance in East Africa. Read the report here.

Background Charles is an international development and architectural design consultant with over 10 years of experience ranging from post conflict reconstruction projects in central Africa to public space design in refugee settlements in South East Asia. Newman graduted with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Syracuse University and earned a Masters Degree in Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Having worked in varying emergency contexts, I've found that solutions implemented are often based upon established norms which no longer reflect the state of innovation in the design and engineering fields. Bridging that gap - to bring appropriate, innovative solutions to both implementing organizations and directly to those in need - has been a driving force in my research and work.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Taking some time to step back from field work and being able lean in to research and investigation will ultimately help me improve my work as a practitioner and a professional. By doing this alongside a larger cohort of research fellows will also expand and contribute to a growing network of like-minded professionals.

Fellowship Outcomes: Charlie supported the Energy, Habitat and Transport Fellows. He collaborated with various Fellows and partners to co-author and/or edit the following three research collaborations: One with UN-Habitat on a performance-based analysis of appropriate and available construction technologies for affordable and dignified housing in Kenya. Read the report here. He also worked on another one about the challenges for dissemination of sustainable technologies in India with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Read the report here. And finally he worked on a research collaboration with the University of Technology from Sydney Australia (UTS) on analyzing the humanitarian engineering ecosystem in Australia and New Zealand. Read the state of engineering for global development graphic here and the full report here.

Background Mayarí is a mechanical and industrial engineer from Guatemala. Currently she works at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala as a makerspaces coordinator, promoting innovation and technology.

What motived you to pursue engineering for global development? I think engineering can have a great positive impact when applied to improving quality of life, especially in places like Guatemala.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I think working for E4C has widened my perspective and contributed to my professional formation.

Fellowship Outcomes: Maya supported the Water, Sanitation, Agriculture, and Health Fellows. She worked with the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technologies (CAWST) and the MIT D-Lab to co-author and edit the research collaboration carried out about Household Water Treatment and Safe storage (HWTS) in Colombia. She also worked on the research collaboration on the use and barriers of evaporative cooling technologies by smallholder farmers in Kenya. Read the water report here and the agriculture report here.

Background Fernanda is an architect and urban planner, and she is now concluding her Masters of Science Degree in Urban Planning at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. She is currently doing research work and practice on social housing and alternative technologies for housing construction among social groups from low-income communities in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area.

What motived you to pursue engineering for global development? I believe that technology can improve living conditions all over the world, especially in countries like Brazil, where inequality is prominent and slums / low-income communities that lack a government presence are numerous. This is also the reason why I do my work at the university, through outreach projects that seek to reduce inequality. I believe that professionals and engineers who work in global development can deliver solutions that improve the living conditions in these contexts, and also empower people and communities to develop solutions to improve their own lives.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I believe that this work contributes to enlarge my range of technical solutions that could be developed among people from low-income communities, slums, and occupations in Rio de Janeiro. I plan to continue my work in those territories, which means in the community development field. I believe that this fellowship is a great opportunity to access different solutions from different fields, which can support a comprehension of specific habitat and housing situations. As an architect, it will help me to develop complete solutions that include sanitation, energy, water access, and other relevant topics.

Fellowship Outcomes: Fernanda worked with UN-Habitat on a performance-based analysis of appropriate and available construction technologies for affordable and dignified housing in Kenya. Read the report here.

Background Jen is from Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA and recently earned her Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology at Oregon State University. Her research involved monitoring and evaluation of clean energy technologies using autonomous sensors.

Fellowship Outcomes: Jen supported the ICT and Energy Fellows. She worked with various partners and Fellows to co-author and/or edit four research collaborations. Firstly she worked on the one with the American University of Beirut, Lebanon on a high-level overview of women in technological social innovations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Read the report here. Secondly, she worked on the research collaboration with Think.iT to determine the status of the social innovation sector in Tunisia. Read the report here. Thirdly she worked on the research collaboration with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Church Aid, and the Norwegian Red Cross to evaluate dignified ID in cash assistance in East Africa. Read the report here. Finally she worked on a research collaboration with Autodesk about sustainability D&M. This report will be coming soon.

What motived you to pursue engineering for global development? There are global, systemic inequities, such as lack of access to clean water or energy, that I believe engineering for global development can help to address.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I would like to grow in my ability to mentor and work with others to achieve their goals. I am also excited to collaborate with and learn from people with such diverse backgrounds and interests.

Background Helen is graduating in May with a BS of Mechanical Engineering from Boston University. She has been doing research in global health and medical devices for two years. Through this research she has worked and studied in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Beirut Lebanon.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always enjoyed science and math, so I thought engineering would be a good choice for my degree. During my first two years of undergrad, I took two public health courses and discovered my passion for global health. I chose to pursue this by joining BU's Partnership for Global Health Technology. I am very glad I did because this field is something I truly care about and it is what I plan to continue working in for the rest of my career.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Something I have noticed is that there is often a disconnect between different fields, and I think this is true of engineering and public health. I want to work toward applying the many amazing technologies that have been and are being developed to some of our most pressing public health problems. This fellowship will help me gain a deeper understanding of the field, thus helping me achieve this goal.

Background Marina is a renewable energies engineer with a recently finished Master in Strategies and Technologies for Development at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Spain. For her university thesis, she conducted a technical assessment of the energy efficiency of improved biomass stoves and measurement and evaluation of indoor air quality in three rural communities in Nicaragua. Since then, she has worked designing technical solutions for international organizations, and she is an associate engineer at Colectivo Zompopo, an NGO that improves the quality of living for low-income families in Nicaragua. She is passionate about transferring her academic knowledge to address the energy needs of underserved communities, and to do so with a holistic and integrated vision and sensitivity toward social and gender matters.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? The persistence of multiple forms of poverty, increasing inequality and the degradation of the environment are good proofs of the interrelated world we live in and important challenges for global development. Early in my career and as an engineer, I always felt threatened by the feeling that the chances to get involved in development projects were quite limited. Fortunately, I was responsible for field work planning and implementation for my university thesis, which was framed in the protection of energy access in Nicaragua. As I have always had an interest in social and gender matters, I took pleasure in supporting rural women in technological change and involving them in the assessment by sharing knowledge, concerns and results. It was a greatly rewarding experience on a personal level and very representative that global development requires specialized professionals, capable of working in complex environments with interdisciplinary teams and competent to prove the positive impact of the intervention. That is why I decided to enroll in the Technologies for Development Master at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. I have decided to learn and apply my academic training where it is most needed so as to make this world more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? During my fellowship, I expect to strengthen and develop my knowledge on success cases and ongoing trends that are driving development through technology and engineering, and more specifically, learn updates about technologies currently used in field for the energy for development sector. I would like to effectively contribute with my training and the holistic vision the experiences in field have given me. Due to the organization's remarkable position in the know-how and strategic field, this is a unique opportunity for me to connect with professionals concerned about and working in the global development sector. I am sure I will learn from them all about emerging trends to properly address needs through sustainable and impactful solutions and progressively consolidate my career as a energy for development specialist.

Background Ignatius is a Renewable Energy Researcher at the Strathmore University Energy Research Center (SERC). He graduated as an Electrical and Electronic Engineer from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), in Kenya. He is an active member of the Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). As a student, he took part in many energy audits for different companies, and this developed his passion for the energy sector. He has worked in projects such as the study of the Performance of Solar PV plants in Kenya, Testing the Performance of Solar Home Systems, Solar Thermal Desalination Plants, Smart Metering in Kenya and Small Hydro Plants in Kenya at SERC.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? From past experiences in the projects that I have been involved in, both while in Campus and while in industry I realized that there are a large number of people who still lack basic amenities like access to electricity, water and roads. These are problems that can be solved using engineering skills. As an engineer, I was challenged and realized then that engineering for global development is my life long vocation.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? During the fellowship, I will learn about the problems that exist in the world and the solutions to these problems that exist. I will have a chance to test the performance of some of these products at the laboratory we have at SERC, and add to the E4C Solutions Library. I will connect to a new network of other fellows and experts, from whom we will share knowledge, views and ideas and definitely grow professionaly.

Background Carolina is from Tegucigalpa, Honduras and is currently completing her bachelors degree in Energy and Environmental Engineering at Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. She is a rural communities development enthusiast and believes that having access to an electric power supply system also serves as a critical catalyst for socio-economic growth. Her research interests are both the energy-ICT nexus and the energy-agriculture nexus.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I´ve been called an immigrant since I can recall and my life experience so far has let me have the opportunity to live in both rural and urban areas. These experiences have motivated me to challenge social injustice, class difference, and cultural barriers for which I have decided to dedicate my life to work towards a culture that respects diversity and is inclusive in every way possible. As an engineer, I would like to have the opportunity to combine my skills with those of other experts to work towards a common goal. That is, bringing a technical solution to people in need.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Having the opportunity of working with E4C would provide me with research skills and global development project management exposure, which would help launch me towards achieving my goal of developing technology and studying its impact in rural communities. The way I see it, Engineering for Change presents itself as a platform for development to those who for social or geographical reasons have not been able to eliminate the barriers that separate them from the developed communities. Contributing to E4C’s mission of accelerating the development of impactul solutions would help me visualize how to implement these solutions in Central America.

Background Theodore is from Nairobi, Kenya. He just completed his undergraduate degree in Mechatronic Engineering. He has a passion for providing grass-roots technological innovations geared towards community development. He currently works for a start-up, KOKO networks, which aims to provide an affordable smart commerce platform in African countries. He is also working with a team on a device that will help reduce the high number of maternal-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? During my internship period at a Maker space, I learnt about the Maker Movement. This is basically providing local solutions to local problems using locally available resources. This has been one of my greatest motivations since I was able to see that I can use the little knowledge, resources, skills and experiences I have gained thus far to come up with adequate solutions to most of the problems facing the society. I do not have to re-invent the wheel; all I have to do most of the time is figure out what’s the missing piece in the puzzle and find one that fits. I therefore decided to apply this principle in helping develop the society while using the engineering experiences I gain on my way.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I do believe that the E4C fellowship will offer me the right environment to build on my experience as a young graduate engineer. I also look forward to meeting and working with a community of like-minded individuals who are ready to impact the world with their creative ideas and decision-making skills. Hopefully we will be able to work together and learn from each other, not only during the fellowship period but also on future engineering projects. In short, I think there will be significant professional growth career wise and personal growth as well.

Background Harsh Vyas is from Vadodara, Gujarat, India. He graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and is currently working as a product design engineer at ITT Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. He is a member of the ASME India Group leadership team. As an early career engineer he has worked with three industrial sectors : Energy, Agriculture and Industrial Process (Pump Industry).In the past he has worked as a part of global volunteering team for one of the online UN Volunteer program (For NGO NKA FOUNDATION) for design and development of a low tech wind mill to mechanize a rural water well in Tanzania.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I always believe that the best form of service is when you can use the available resources and knowledge for helping others to improving their standard of living. Sharing brings happiness and it moves the community forward. I have worked with local NGO for sharing basic needs of food, clothes and education for the underprivileged. After that I thought why can’t we use technical knowledge/technology for global development? and that was the moment which motivated me to go forward and pursue engineering for global development.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship is a platform where experts work for common goal of contributing for sustainable development. It will help to make connections with like-minded fellows/experts and learn from their valuable experiences. As members are from various diversified background and countries, this will give idea of real world situations around the globe and will help to provide best optimized solutions as per requirement. This fellowship would provide me a stepping stone to contribute my knowledge, skills & abilities for the society and global development.

Background Anna is an environmental engineer in the water and sanitation sector for international development. She is currently pursuing a MS in Environmental Engineering and Engineering for Developing Communities with a WASH focus at the University of Colorado. She has volunteered extensively with Engineers Without Borders in Ghana, worked for a circular economy and IOT startup called Citizengage in Bangalore, and the water research NGO Caminos de Agua in Guanajuato, México on biochar water filtration. Next, she is headed to Botswana for four weeks for the International Development Design Summit.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I am pursuing engineering for global development because I believe each person has an ethical imperative to use their skills to make a difference and help those in need. I think in the past, passion and good will were considered enough, but I think with true-self reflection on what you personally can offer comes greater responsibility and capacity to help. And the aid industry desperately needs technical knowledge and an understanding of the solvable environmental challenges that are the main causes of global poverty, disease, and starvation.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I want my work this summer to contribute to a conversation about the sustainability of water projects built and distributed by NGOs and agencies, as well as provide an encyclopedic resource for those considering implementing future projects. Ideally, this fellowship would factor into my professional goals by connecting my academic background in water treatement technologies to researchers and developers building the actual products. I would really like to find out what products have the potential to scale, and maybe jump on board with one.

Background Radhika is from India. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Environment Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India. In her undergraduate study, she designed a water distribution network for a rural town and determined the working efficiency of water treatment plants in Bhopal. She has worked on spreading social awareness on issues like child labor, the education system and eye donation through street plays. She has also volunteered with relevant NGOs. As her Masters project, she is working on analyzing the harmful emissions of incense burning- a popular source of Indoor Air Pollution in India, and its heath impact. She believes that the true purpose of engineering is to serve the nature and mankind in a sustainable way.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always wanted to work in a field which gives me an opportunity to give back to society. I could have chosen Humanities or Social Volunteering for that matter, but I chose Engineering. This is a field which gives us an opportunity to not only work on the problems but imparts in us the ability to create solutions by ourselves. Technology or engineering solutions are futile if not used for the benefit of the ones who need them the most. Integration of technical knowledge with a zeal to serve should to be the cardinal motive of every engineer. This motivated me to pursue my desire of social development through engineering.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I am determined to work in the field of environmental and resource sustainability and E4C fellowship is a propitious platform which would enhance my knowledge of the innovations taking place in the field. I'm looking forward for an experience that would help me to explore the technology on a more feasible and accessible ground. Moreover, this will give me an opportunity to connect and exchange ideas with people of different boundaries, cultures and perspectives.

Background Megan is from Cohasset, Massachusetts, USA and is pursuing her MS in Mechanical Engineering through the Peace Corps Masters International program at Oregon State University. The degree combines graduate research with a full service in the Peace Corps, which she completed in Tanzania. Her research, a synthesis of work performed in Tanzania and at Oregon State, is centered on school resource security and focuses on water, sanitation and energy.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? As I pursued my undergraduate degree and had the opportunity to begin research in the field, I was slowly exposed to the countless possibilities for engineers beyond the traditional scope of work set forth by textbooks or classrooms. I had the chance to experience firsthand the challenges that engineers can face when working in unfamiliar settings, which turned into my motivation to continually improve my understanding of the social and cultural contexts in which I would be working. During my graduate studies I had the opportunity to really dive into the field of global development by living and working abroad in a small village for over two years. This period was the ultimate learning experience; through immersion I better understood how to listen and collaborate directly with community members. My goal is to continue to work for and with communities to develop their own initiatives into innovations.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? This fellowship is an amazing opportunity to both strengthen my knowledge of technological solutions for global development, and to broaden my understanding of the global contexts we’ll be working in through collaboration with experts across the solution sectors. I’m most excited about working with fellows from around the world, to collaborate with such a diverse group of experts and further broaden my perspectives in the field of technology for development.

Background Abir Chermiti is a Software Engineer from Tunisia. She has years of volunteering experience, boundless knowledge in computer sciences concepts. Forever in thirst of creativity, she is a proactive team player, a problem solver and has a mastery of interpersonal skills. Her ability to inspire, engage and empower students members around the world is outstanding. She was selected by the IEEE Women In Engineering as the Winner of the Most Inspiring Student Member of the year 2017 award and recently she is leading the first IEEE WIE Leadership Summit in Tunisia.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? During my years at university, I got to know that engineering is the best way that allows you to contribute in reshaping the world and participate in the global development. So I pursued engineering studies and I’ve been an effective member in the community. Also, being affiliated to many non-profit organization gave me a good understanding of what the community needs and how we, as engineers, can make the world a better tomorrow.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The E4C fellowship is a platform that allows you to connect with fellows and experts in your field, and it’s an opportunity to share knowledge and skills and work together to implement technology for a global development.

Background Victor is an ICT engineer specialized in innovation for development. He has worked in projects such as the identification of target countries for social initiatives in the energy sector, the analysis of health initiatives using ICTs in rural areas of Latin America and the design and execution of knowledge networks focused on the Nexus (water and sanitation, energy and resilient agriculture sectors) for the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). He holds an international MBA and a Master in Strategies and Technologies for Development and for the last six months he’s been working with United Nations Global Pulse in Uganda, exploring the potential of big data for development.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always been a very socially committed person and passionate for sustainable development, that’s why, after 10 years working in the private sector, I decided to shift my career and life to give them a more meaningful purpose. Since then I have been focusing all my efforts to help improve social and environmental sustainability in a global level and I’m convinced technology and innovation are powerful tools to do so.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I think collaboration is key to face the great challenges our world. The Sustainable Development Goals try to tackle the biggest problems of our era and organizations like Engineering for Change play a vital role in advancing towards those goals. This fellowship will give me the opportunity to work with E4C, get to know the people behind their initiatives and continue advancing with my career in the sustainable development area.

Background Ceci is a mechatronics engineering senior student at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. She is currently designing and implementing the power subsystem of Guatemala's first satellite as her bachelor thesis. She is also a long-time volunteer at Techo, an organization that fights extreme poverty through transitional housing constructions, social programs, and connecting different social sectors to pursue a common goal. This has given her the opportunity to collaborate on and manage projects in local communities and contributed to her personal growth as she worked with people from all walks of life. This has inspired her to find solutions with greater, long-term impact for the underpriviledged through her academic preparation.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I always knew I wanted to make a positive change in my country. I can't imagine adopting the apathy and indifference so many of my peers have when faced with the harsh reality of poverty in Guatemala. For a while I thought volunteering was enough to make a difference. But then, the underpriviledged stopped being just a fact or a number in my head: no longer a faceless and nameless people that needed saving. They became individuals with hopes, dreams, abilities and the drive to improve their lives, with as much to teach me as I could show them. This reinforced my wish to contribute in some way. Eventually I understood that the only way to make a real impact is to find sustainable solutions that integrate all aspects of development and society. At the same time, I wanted to study engineering, but it took me a while to figure out how it could be applied to development. I knew engineering was all about solving problems, and it finally clicked- it wasn't just problems in an industry, it could be applied to problems in developing communities. It was exactly what I always wanted- combining my passion for engineering with my hopes of helping make the world a better place for everyone.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? One of my passions is learning, and this fellowship is a wonderful opportunity to learn. I believe the best, most creative ideas are usually a combination of concepts that people hadn't considered before. It follows that in order to combine them, you need to know about them! This is why learning a wide variety of topics is one of my goals. The field I chose reflects that- a combination of both electronics and mechanical engineering. This also goes beyond just academic fields- no skill or knowledge is ever wasted, and everything is interconnected in some way. When I decided to enter the field of engineering for global development, the first step was to know more about it. The fellowship gives me the unique opportunity to learn about a wide array of products and agents involved in development- designers, manufacturers, distributors, users- and the tools and skills for better research and analysis. This will all contribute to my personal growth. When I start designing for development, I will have a deeper understanding of everything that it implies and, therefore, create better solutions.

Background Peter is a graduate of BSc. Electrical Engineering from Makerere University and Master of Technology Entrepreneurship, University of Maryland. He is currently working with Kiira Motors, a presidential initiative aimed at championing value addition in the domestic automotive industry for job creation and diversification of the Ugandan economy. He has completed research on: Construction of a low cost induction generator controller using Pulse Width Modulation for off grid micro and pico hydro stations; Feasibility study and analysis of integration of low voltage grid networks onto the national grid; Design and Construction of low cost square wave inverters for mini and micro hydro grids.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? Transportation systems, networks and methods play a central role in opening up new areas for development and are a catalyst for economic activity especially in the growing economies. The aspiration to contribute to the research body of knowledge and create material that can be referenced by decision makers and technocrats as they develop systems, enact policies, practices and guidelines, especially in the transportation sector led me to engineering for global development. My interest in the sector focuses on local innovative transport solutions that facilitate or enhance trade and development of civilizations.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? Fellowship with Engineering for Change offers an invaluable exposure to professional international networks of scholars and practitioners from all over the world while allowing me to inspire my fellow citizenry, by documenting practical ways in which local technology and engineering solutions are being used to solve problems or challenges across the country, region and worldwide. Also, the fellowship gives me an opportunity to learn several attributes across the different sectors through providing access to solutions libraries with vast wealth of information. All these coupled together shall enhance my career in engineering for sustainable development.

Background Grace is from Beaverton, Oregon, USA and holds a Dual MS in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology at Oregon State University. Her current research works to integrate and evaluate improved clean water and cooking technologies for institutions, such as schools and hospitals, in low-resource contexts.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? During my time at University I sought out cross-cultural and international opportunities and became very involved in the Humanitarian Engineering program. Since then, I've been inspired by creative and innovative work done by people of various backgrounds and education levels. Engineering for global development is all about learning from others, showing empathy, and working together to solve some of society's most pressing issues. Engineering for global development is people-centered, which is why I continue to pursue it.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? In addition to the experience of working on the E4C Solutions Library and news pages, I'm especially looking forward to working with other fellows and learning from their experiences and stories. I think that who you collaborate with is just as important as what you are working on. With E4C, I know I'll be working with a fun and diverse group of experts!

Background Alex is graduating in May with a Master’s degree in Information and Communication Technology for Development from the University of Colorado. He has worked with a social enterprise in Kenya, GreenChar, a biofuel producer and Math and Sciences Academy, a non-profit based in New Mexico.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? I have always had an interest in technology and ICTD allows me to pursue my passions and have a social impact. The multidisciplinary nature of international development allows me to work on interesting projects with a diverse group of collaborators. Having worked in industry, I don't want my projects to be profit driven. Cost is always a concern, but impact and sustainable change should be our motivation.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? The exposure to a wide variety of products and solutions as a fellow widened my perspective and allowed me to focus on projects and areas that I would like to focus. Returning as an expert fellow, I hope that will continue as well as working with the new cohort will add perspectives and areas of expertise. Adding the leadership role will also prepare me for future projects in international development.

Background Elisabeth is an architect in Ontario, Canada and did her Bachelor of Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture at the University of Waterloo. For the past three years she worked on a range of architectural projects with Philip Beesley Architect and Rolf Seifert Architect in Toronto, Canada. She has recently transitioned to serve with the Christian Bilingual University of Congo (UCBC) in Beni, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to assist their Integrated Research Institute with projects related to mapping and land administration.

What motivated you to pursue engineering for global development? My motivation to pursue architecture came from an interest in how built space has the opportunity to have positive impact on the lives of those who live within it. This interest has extended into engineering because problems facing communities today are complex and require interdisciplinary collaboration.

How do you see this fellowship factoring into your professional goals? I see this fellowship giving me an opportunity to practice leadership in the domain of global development, connect with equally passionate individuals in related specialties, and see how solutions are being developed in creative ways around the world.

Background Grace Burleson is from Beaverton, Oregon, USA and is pursuing a dual M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology at Oregon State University. Her current research works to integrate and evaluate improved clean water and cooking technologies for institutions, such as schools and hospitals, in low-resource contexts.

What is one thing that has surprised you about technology for global development? One of the challenges we face in development engineering is integrating systems-based interdisciplinary approaches. I believe that holistic models lead to engagement, long-term use, and sustainable practices in global development. I am interested in tackling global challenges by integrating methods and expertise from engineering, anthropology, and entrepreneurship.

Background Rebecca Ciez holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University, and she is currently a Ph.D. student in Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on energy storage technologies and applications, including electric vehicles, microgrids, and other off-grid energy solutions.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. New, low cost energy technologies are transforming the possibilities for delivering electricity to unserved and underserved communities, but in conjunction with these new technologies, we also need to develop innovative means for implementing these technologies. The business and community organization models need to not only address basic quality of life improvements, but should also align with long-term community improvement goals to be truly transformational to local economies and communities.

Background Alex is working toward a Masters Degree in Information and Communication Technology for Development from the University of Colorado. He has worked with a social enterprise in Kenya, GreenChar, a biofuel producer and Math and Sciences Academy, a non-profit based in New Mexico.

Background Gustav Isaksson has fulfilled a Master Degree in environmental technology and sustainable infrastructure at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. He is an active member of EWB Sweden and has experience from project work in several African countries and the Middle East. At the moment he is doing an internship at the Swedish embassy in Maputo, Mozambique.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. One of the challenges I find interesting in development engineering is the crucial adaptation to the local context, not only technically speaking but also regarding the sociocultural context. I enjoy the necessary interdisciplinary approach and having to consider many aspects; looking at the effects of introducing a technology in a broader sense then making the technology work makes it extra interesting to find smart solutions.

Background Krista Liguori recently completed her Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and is an alum of the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship program at Penn State. She is wrapping up one year of research in Iquitos, Peru where she evaluated a de-centralized dry composting toilet system in the floating communities of the Amazon. She also conducted research on the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance from hospitals into the environment and surrounding communities.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. The engineering challenge that is of most interest to me currently is sanitation! As more cities and countries work on increasing their infrastructure, we see a lot of projects that copy what has been successful in the USA or Europe, with mixed results. For example, Iquitos is one such city that designed a wastewater system based on Western practices, with very poor results. The unique geography and climate in the Amazon means that when it rains, the city center floods with sewage from the new system. To design more sustainable sanitation systems for low-income, isolated, and/or tropical environments is of great importance and an interesting challenge.

Background Trevor Nagaba is pursuing a B.S in Electrical Engineering at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Passionate about leadership, development and social entrepreneurship, he is eager to find out the kind of impact these three ingredients can make.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. The world’s population is growing with about 95% of this growth expected in developing or underdeveloped countries over the next two decades. This will put immense pressure on the transport systems in these countries. Contributing towards tackling this challenge of transportation is exciting to me because an improvement in the quality of transportation has a direct impact on people’s ability to trade, and therefore their ability to prosper.

Background Mayarí Pérez is pursuing a B.S. Degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at del Valle University in Guatemala. She’s a member of Rotary International and likes working with local communities in Guatemala through volunteering and academic projects.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. Causing a real lasting impact. Offering a solution or product that fits the user needs in a way that can actually impact their everyday life. This requires good communication, working up close with the user, thinking outside the box, and coming up with simple solutions. Following up on the project, giving it continuity, and scaling the solution are essential to reach as many communities as possible.

Background Ricardo Santana is an engineer specializing in Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and public policy. He has deployed successfully several projects related to transformation and development through innovation and technology. He holds a Master Degree in Optical Communications by Politecnico di Torino, Italy, and he is finishing a Master Degree in Strategies and Technologies for Development at Politecnica de Madrid, Spain.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. ICT is producing what some may call the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Although humanity is witnessing an impressive progress in this field, its impact in social development has been very modest. The correct use of technology can improve production cost, service cost, monitoring and evaluation procedures, and optimize processes. The correct application of it is the biggest challenge we face ahead.

Background Caroline Soyars is a Global Health Fellow with Baylor Global Initiatives at Baylor College of Medicine. She holds a B.S in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan and was a part of the inaugural cohort of Engineering for Change Fellows last summer.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. Sustainability. In today's world, technology is becoming increasingly accessible from a cost perspective. Consider 3D printing as an example. High quality printers that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a few years ago can be purchased today for $2,500 USD. While this significant reduction in cost makes 3D printing a feasible option for low resource settings, the technology cannot be sustained if it isn't deployed with appropriate educational tools. I am interested in how we can overcome implementation challenges such as education and maintenance to enable sustainable use of appropriate technologies.

Background Elisabeth van Overbeeke graduated with her Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Waterloo in 2015. She has contributed to building design, master planning, and community mapping projects in Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nepal. Elisabeth is currently working on a range of architectural projects with Philip Beesley Architect and Rolf Seifert Architect in Toronto, Canada.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. I am interested in the process of designing and building spaces that improve quality of life, which includes navigating the social and organizational challenges behind it. The process of building a solution involves addressing layers of complex problems (maybe even new problems created by the solution), skill-building and communications, strategic phases of implementation, and the integrated involvement of various stakeholders and users. I am interested in exploring how these relationships are mapped out so that the big picture can be more easily understood and solutions can be more intentionally designed and communicated.

Background Caroline Wolfe graduated from the George Washington University in December with a degree in mechanical engineering. She will enter graduate school for biomedical engineering in the fall at Imperial College London. In addition to E4C, she will be tutoring mathematics and enjoying the outdoors on her road bike this summer.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. One thing that interests me about developmental engineering is the idea in many countries that healthcare is more of a choice rather than a necessity. Due to the lack of resources and wealth, the mindset surrounding healthcare is far different than it is in most of the United States. Recent advances in medical technology have greatly impacted the United States and other developed countries, but the impact of these devices rarely reaches the undeveloped countries. Transportation to health facilities is also a concern.

Background Liz Yoder graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelors Degree in Physics and Women's Studies. She currently works as a Project Manager for Empower Energy Design, building electricity from local resources with a team of Ugandan technicians and engineers.

Tell us about one of the challenges in development engineering that interest you. One of the biggest challenges in engineering development is ensuring local sustainability. Many development projects are formed with good intentions but are not always suitable for the community. Collaboration and a strong focus on eye-level development is essential to success.