2

Transforming Education
for the Global Engineer
EWB
Engineers will increasingly need both hard and soft skills to effectively Engineers Educationally, a
address critical world issues. The engineers of tomorrow will be called
to manage the problems seen by the poorest 90% of the world, but
Without World of
the seed to address these issues can be planted today. International Borders Benefits
service projects provide a medium for fostering many soft skills while Beverly K. Jaeger and Ethan LaRochelle
building on the foundation of a traditional engineering education. Northeastern University Boston, MA

Action Items Engineers Without Borders Overview

Engineers Without Borders–USA supports community-driven development
Read our paper: 2009-740 programs worldwide through the design and implementation of sustainable
Review your current curriculum. engineering projects, while fostering responsible leadership.

Determine how service learning projects can be incorporated.

• Started 2000, Incorporated 2002
Identify and learn from people you know have been involved with:
• Growth over 50% per year
Peace Corps _________________________________
• Projects in over 40 countries
International service missions _____________________
• Approximately 12,000 members
Local service projects __________________________
• ~300 university & professional chapters
Curriculum development _______________________
Marketing and fundraising _______________________
Form a team and come up with a plan, for service, for education...

Notes

List of Soft Skills: Your ideas

____________________ ____________________ ____________________
Share your thoughts and progress with us! ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
Contact us at ethanlarochelle@gmail.com or bkjaeger@coe.neu.edu
 Areas of Increased Incorporating EWB Competencies
What do you Survey
think?
Awareness Says... Modification of Current Suggestions for Developing
Time management Curricula New Curricula
Focus introductory engineering Develop specific study abroad
Cultural Awareness
design classes on design for programs for engineering students
developing world. to work on service projects
Networking outside your field
Focus senior design classes and Develop a curriculum that prepares
Using problem-solving process Capstone Projects on design for students to work on international
developing world. service projects
Team Tasks/Teamwork
Create a course to focus on
Use an EWB research area as the
engineering through international
Technical Writing/Documentation focus of a Special Topics class.
service projects
Ethics/responsibility as an engineer Incorporate local service projects Develop department-specific
into the curriculum, either ongoing courses and tracks with modules
Analyzing Data (for Decision Making) and/or self-contained. for hard- and soft-skill development

Other Ways? Ideas and Notes

Hard Skills:
Familiarity
Discrepancies Interest
56 Generating safe drinking water 80

48 Energy sources/power production 76

49 Rainwater catchments 75

46 Green building 74 EWB Inspires

“EWB has been the most significant experience throughout my education. It has
45 Water sanitation and supply 72 made me more aware of the needs of the world. … EWB has inspired me to be an
engineer and has made me a more confident, skilled and knowledgeable student/
33 Eco-materials 63
professional.”
43 Transportation options 59
“[EWB] transformed the engineering major from a technical exercise into a vehicle
36 Waste management/removal 53 for engaging and serving the world around me.”

30 Agriculture; food production 49 “[EWB] has helped me stay connected with the purpose of engineering; to connect
science with practical solutions for the benefit of humankind.”
Average score on a scale from 0-100.