Workshop: Implementing an International Sustainable Development Initiative

Motivation: At a workshop that took place at the 2005 AEESP Education & Research Conference, AEESP members requested more information and tools to implement sustainability initiatives (education, research, scholarship) at their universities. One area of interest was issues of sustainability in the developing world.

In the upcoming decades, engineers will play a critical role in the eradication of poverty and hunger and facilitation of sustainable development, appropriate technology, beneficial infrastructure, and social change. During the past decade there has been an increased attention on global sustainability, including the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, with growing consensus that the world faces serious challenges in terms of long-term economic growth, societal prosperity, and environmental protection. While there is an on-going debate on the major challenges to sustainability, most engaged in these discussions would suggest that environmental engineering and science areas of expertise such as those related to water, the built environment, natural system function/services, and energy and their inextricable link to health are at the forefront. This provides a unique opportunity for our professions to contribute to advancing global sustainability, particularly in developing communities where there is a lack of capacity to design, develop, implement, operate, and maintain the necessary infrastructure.

The workshop will provide faculty with the resources necessary to create service-learning and research opportunities for students situated in the developing world so they can explore the technical, economical, and social implications of engineering design and construction. These opportunities and subsequent experiences will contribute to training the next generation of environmental engineers and science professionals that have the skills necessary to address sustainability challenges in a global context.

Workshop Topics

• Curriculum initiatives (serving learning courses, other courses, capstone senior design, minors and certificate programs, modules)
• Resources (web based, books, manuals, project evaluation, design software)
• Partnerships in the developing world
• External funding

Individuals attending this workshop will:

• Exchange knowledge and best practices on education and research initiatives in this area
• Obtain information on tools & other resources to implement activities on their campuses
• Learn about real and perceived professional and institutional barriers related to the workshop topic and importantly, learn how these barriers can be overcome
• Learn about sources of external funding to support their initiatives.

This workshop is about exchange of information. All participants will have an opportunity to exchange their insight with other participants and invited panel members

For more information please contact: James Mihelcic (jm41@mtu.edu), Angela Bielefeldt (angela.bielefeldt@colorado.edu), or Julie Zimmerman (julie.zimmerman@yale.edu)

Schedule

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