Who We Are
E4C’s mission is to prepare, educate and activate the international engineering workforce to improve the quality of life of underserved communities around the world. We do this by providing resources and platforms that accelerate the development of impactful solutions and cultivate change agents.
Meet Our Team
What’s your real-life superpower?
I’m immune to jet lag. A fantastic superpower for someone who is a frequent traveler.
What’s your favorite underrated technology in global development? Post-harvest preservation systems are some of the most underrated but significant technologies in global development. About 1.3 billion tons food gets lost globally per year, and much of that occurs in low-income countries. Efficient agricultural preservation systems (such as off-grid refrigerators and crop storage systems) can reduce food losses substantially and improve food security around the world.
What’s your real-life superpower? I’m immune to jet lag. A fantastic superpower for someone who is a frequent traveler.
What’s in your go bag for fast getaways? Universal power adapter, camera, running shoes, expandable duffel bag for unexpected souvenirs, sunscreen and Sharpies.
What inspires you?
The thoughtful letters I receive from engineers with a vision for an equitable future.
How long have you been with E4C? Since we were in beta with just three dozen testers and a dream.
What’s on your desk? I work on a lap desk on my porch where I can see the Pacific if I stand on tippy toe.
Cell phones or toilets? Toilets. Because, come on. Phones are great, but toilets.
What inspires you?
Human rights and democracy activists.
How long have you been with E4C? Since February 2016
Cell phones or toilets? Phones, since I am passionate about ICT4D and telecom engineer, I stand for cell phones and I believe they can solve many problems in the world!
What’s your real-life superpower? I am a twin, so I sometimes communicate with her without even speaking.
What inspires you?
People. The dream of a better world. The roles science and technology play in creating our reality.
What is your favorite underrated technology in global development? Paperclips. And I must say I am a big believer in human creativity and imagination as the ultimate tool. So how many users can you give a paperclip?
Cell phones or toilets? Definitely toilets. No cell phone will ever ground you this much and remind you that, when it comes down to the basics, we are just as any and every other living being on Earth! As we embark further into this technological age, we should never forget where we come from.
What is your real-life superpower? Getting into other peoples' shoes and stories, and really feeling how they feel.
What inspires you?
People's excitement when they look at something they've just done or built working successfully.
What’s your favorite underrated technology in global development? Rope-pumps. Used for 1000+ years, they're still a great solution to safe-water supply for rural communities today. They can be constructed and maintained locally, from materials available in almost any trading center across the world, enabling a great degree of local ownership. They also have great adaptability to use for irrigation or to be driven by different power sources!
What’s your real life superpower? My ability to remember and make fast mental time zone conversions certainly comes in handy given E4C’s global reach!
Cell phones or toilets? Toilets. They’re not only dignifying and a vital tool to combat major health risks but also have promising potential for waste-to-energy and to produce agricultural inputs.
Steering Committee
MADIHA KOTB
Director
Madiko Consulting & ASME Past President
MIKE LIGHTNER
Professor & Chair
Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, CU Boulder IEEE HAC
JASON PRAPAS
Research Director
Tata Center for Technology & Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SEEMA PATEL
Division Chief
Innovation Design and Advisory, Global Development Lab, USAID
BOB NANES
Executive Director
D-Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Engineering for Change (E4C) works with partners who share our mission and passion for improving the quality of life. E4C strives to build a multidisciplinary coalition of change agents and invites your organization to join us in helping global development practitioners to design and deploy impactful solutions for underserved communities. Our partners help us develop technical knowledge, advocate for development engineering and multiply our growing network of practitioners. To become a partner, email us at partners@engineeringforchange.org
FOUNDING PARTNERS
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by engineers.
for everyone.
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