The ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science is set to strengthen its partnership with Engineers Without Boarders (EWB) ACT Chapter, with the announcement of funding 40 new scholarships that will see ANU engineering students assist some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Funded under the New Colombo Plan, an initiative of the Australian Government, The College of Engineering and Computer Science is offering scholarships to students to assist rural communities in Cambodia as part of the EWB Design Summit.
Cameron Nelson, President of the Engineers Without Borders ACT Chapter is excited for the continued collaboration with ANU. “With the partnership renewal being confirmed for 2016 I am excited to see how we can continue the growth of our engagement through the continuation of initiatives such as Schools Outreach and nationally organised programs such as the Design Summits, as well as other projects that are in the works.”
The Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering has been a strong supporter of the work of EWB since 2009. “The ACT Chapter of Engineers without Borders was able to achieve some great things last year through our partnership with the College of Engineering and Computer Science” says Cameron.
“One initiative that I am particularly proud of is our Schools Outreach program, where we managed to engage with over 800 students in 2015. We certainly would not have been able to deliver programmes such as this without the continuing partnership with the College.”
Charlotte Watkins, a fourth year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student has recently returned from Cambodia where she participated in the EWB Design Summit, just one of the many global opportunities available to students.
“I participated in the EWB January Design Summit to Cambodia where I worked on an assistive technology design. We created an assistive frame to help the user move around and specifically for stabilising themselves when using their traditional squat toilets.”
“Participation in the summit has given me the opportunity to complete my final year research project, working on assistive technology design.”
Partnering with industry, Charlotte is putting her engineering degree to the test. “My project will explore the ways in which prosthesis can enable confidence in the user experience via creating a means of customisation of the 3D printed limbs. I will be working with a company called Robohand who 3D print upper limb prosthetics.”
Applications for the 2016 EWB Humanitarian Design Summit are open. ANU Engineering students are encouraged to apply for the 2016 round of placements for the Design summits in Cambodia. Applications are open until Sunday 27 March 2016.
If you’re interested in attending an outreach program with EWB applications can be made at the Engineers Without Borders website.