Engineers without Borders (EWB) are gearing up for a second term of activities and events after a great first term. Affiliated to the national charity, the society is one of the many student branches across the UK hoping to raise awareness and to encourage people to consider a career in international development. We are not just for engineers!
This year’s Engineering Design module being run for second year Civil Engineering students has an international development theme to the project (as well as the chance to compete in the EWB Challenge), which has boosted turnout to Monday night meetings - especially for a talk on bamboo structures that was connected to the module. But no matter the reason for coming along, the aim is to get more people involved and so it is with great excitement then that the second term commences for the Birmingham branch.
Already the programme of events is looking to be as successful as last term; there will be a visit from the CEO of EWB, Andrew Lamb, to launch the upcoming summer placements, plus a chance to make bioplastic out of potatoes. Not to mention that many of our members are now STEM ambassadors and are keen to take the EWB Outreach programme to local schools to encourage and enthuse school children of a range of ages about engineering, and the good that it can do for developing countries.
We are always happy to welcome new members, both students and staff: You can find us on Facebook ‘Engineers Without Borders Birmingham’, where you can also find this terms event calendar.
In addition we invite you all to join us for a weekend visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. Staying in eco-cabins, we will be challenged to use only the energy produced from solar panels, wind turbines and a micro-hydro plant. There will be talks focusing on the technologies more suited to developing countries, as well as a chance to look round the visitor centre set in the beautiful Welsh countryside.
For more information please join our Facebook group and come along to any of our Monday night meetings held at 5pm in G36 of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering building. We are not just for engineers; anyone with an interest in helping developing countries with appropriate technology can come along. And just so you know, appropriate technology means no complicated engineering!