Engineers Without Borders:

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Engineers Without Borders
changing the landscape of the developing world
Corianne Hart Engineers Without Borders,
Portland State Chapter Environmental Engineering,
M.S. 2008
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Overview

• EWB-USA
• EWB-Portland State University Chapter
• PSU Past Projects
• PSU Future Projects
• How to get involved!

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EWB-USA Overview

• A non-profit humanitarian organization
  established to partner with developing
  communities worldwide in order to improve their
  quality of life
• Involves the implementation of sustainable
  engineering projects, while involving and
  training internationally responsible engineers
  and engineering students

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EWB-USA History

• Founded by Dr. Bernard Amadei, at the University
  of Colorado at Boulder, in April 2000
• First Project San Pablo, Belize water supply
  system
• Mobilized 8 University of Colorado students,
  forming the founding members of the first chapter
• Demonstrated the potential of professional and
  student engineers working together

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EWB-USA Mission Statement

• To partner with developing communities to
  improve their quality of life through the
  implementation of environmentally sustainable,
  equitable, and economical engineering projects.
• In the process of working to advance developing
  communities, EWB-USA promotes the development of
  globally aware and internationally responsible
  engineers, students, and professionals

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EWB-USA Goals

• To create a system to empower developing
  communities
• To build relationships to meet the needs of a
  community
• To develop a new generation of globally and
  environmentally aware engineers
• To preserve, learn from, and propagate
  information on sustainable engineering practices
• To develop a sustainable organization

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EWB Portland State Chapter Student service
organization

• Founded in 2005
• 30 students
• 4 faculty
• Several professional mentors
• Multidisciplinary
• Civil
• Mechanical
• Electrical
• Environmental
• Economics
• Implemented 2 projects in Nicaragua

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EWB-PSU Partnerships

• Jessie F. Richardson Foundation
• EWB Portland Professionals
• Teamworks International
• Nicaraguan municipality in Jinotepe
• University of Paulo Friere, Nicaragua
• PSU Institute on Aging

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EWB-PSU Events and Fundraising

• EWB-PSU Annual Fundraising Banquet
• Chinook Book Fundraiser
• West Coast regional workshop (2007)
• PSU Student Activity Leadership Program

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EWB-PSU Projects - Nicaragua

• 2006
• Implementations
• Assessments
• 2007
• Implementations
• Assessments
• 2008
• Future Projects

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EWB-PSU Nicaraguan Communities (2006)

• Jinotepe
• Water distribution system
• Matagalpa
• Irrigation system

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EWB-PSU Completed Projects and Assessments
(2006)

• Implementation Matagalpa irrigation system
• Assessments Jinotepe water distribution system

Finished drip system at orchard
Schematic of irrigation drip system implemented
in Matagalpa
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EWB-PSU Nicaraguan Communities (2007)

• Implementations
• Jinotepe
• Hogar
• Assessments
• El Bluff
• Community Schools
• Puerta Cabezas
• Hospital School
• Jinotepe
• School and Huehuete well

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EWB-PSU Completed Projects and Assessments
(2007)

• Water Tank Tower Installation
• Roof Stabilization System
• Electrical System Upgrade Installation

Preliminary foundation design
Installing tank and tower
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007

• Team members
• 9 engineering students
• 1 professional engineer
• 9 health students
• Implementation
• Two weeks in country
• June 2007

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007

• Residents of the Hogar

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007

• Water Tank Tower Installation Goals
• Elevate the 2500-liter tank currently on ground
• Locate tower for this tank  
• Construct the concrete tower footings
• Isolate the current tower for continued facility
  water service.
• Install the tank
• Elevate the new 5000-liter tank
• Construct the concrete footings for the second
  new tower.
• Install the tank
• Connect tanks

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Water Tower Site Assessment First time to see
the site Check physical dimensions Connect to
people at the Hogar
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Water Tower Introduction to Nicaraguan
engineering students Start foundation
excavation
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Water Tower Adjustments to a prefabricated
tower Nicaraguan students brought skills and
equipment
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Water Tower Placement of 5000 L water tank
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Water Tower Setback Leg of tower directly over
an unpressurized water main Solution Rotated
tower legs
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007

• Roof Stabilization System Goals
• Stabilize the roof system to prevent tiles from
  shifting or falling during a seismic event.
• Metal tension strapping to be attached into the
  roof frame and concrete of the exterior wall.

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Roof Stabilization 700 feet of CS16 galvanized
steel tension strapping donated by Simpson
Strong-Tie
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Roof Stabilization Bolted strapping to concrete
wall
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Roof Stabilization Straps must be installed in
tension
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007

• Electrical System goals
• Examine and correct the unsafe existing circuits.
  
• Consider the exposed junction boxes.

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Electrical Nicaraguan electrical contractor
assessed students with electrical work
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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Electrical Students measured and cut all conduit

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EWB-PSU Nicaragua 2007
Electrical Created individual light switches for
each room
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EWB-PSU Active Projects (Spring 2008)

• Jinotepe elementary school flooding project
• Puerto Cabezas hospital water distribution/
  purification project
• Huehuete well design/management

Central clinic in Puerto Cabezas
School flooding project in Jinotepe
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Engineers without Borders Get Involved!

• Become involved in building a better world one
  community at a time, whether you are
• An engineering student
• A student in some other field of study
• A professional engineer or university faculty
  member
• Not an engineer at all!

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Engineers without Borders Get Involved!

• How to Volunteer?
• Join or Start a Chapter
• Be a Professional Reviewer
• Coordinate Between Projects 
• Provide Technical Expertise
• Help as a Non-Engineer
• Support Our Administrative Needs

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• Do not go where the path may lead, go instead
  where there is no path and leave a trail.
• R.W. Emerson

Thank you