Recently, Kyle Lusignea and Sarah Hartman joined us in the studio to discuss the University’s chapter of Engineers without Borders.
Kyle Lusignea, a senior Chemical Engineering major, is president of UD’s chapter of Engineers without Borders (EWB-UD), and Sarah Hartman is a project manager on the group’s Philippines project and a junior Environmental Engineering major. We discussed some of their recent projects, the process by which they approach problems, and some of the challenges they face.
We discussed EWB-UD’s two active projects, one in Malawi and one in the Philippines. The project in Malawi was started a few years ago, and it’s goal is to address water quantity in a community in Malawi. Wells, which are the primary source of water, often go dry and get contaminated, so students use resistivity testing to search for more underground aquifers. The Philippines project, which began more recently, focuses on water quality. Water contamination has become a problem in the Philippines because of the porous nature of the limestone on which many communities sit. Contaminants can easily spread throughout the water table which makes access to clean water nearly impossible.
In addition, we discussed some of the human and social aspect of these projects. EWB recognizes that their projects do not exist in a vacuum, so they are sensitive to the political impact of their projects. A project could give an edge to one community which could fuel rivalries between other communities. They invite students of all backgrounds, not just engineers, to join Engineers without Borders.
The Interview
Kyle Lusignea and Sarah Hartman from Engineers without Borders
29:59
27.5 MB
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