Humanitarian Engineering in Australia

1. Humanitarian Engineering in Australia Jeremy Smith Australian National University (ANU) Canberra

2. Structure • Humanitarian Engineering in Australia • EWB Australia • Humanitarian Engineering Education in Australia • ANU Context • Humanitarian Engineering at ANU • Future of Humanitarian Engineering Education in Australia • Discussion and Questions

3. ANU?

4. ANU

5. Humanitarian Engineering in Australia • the term first used in 2011 with an Engineers Australia Year of Humanitarian Engineering • a definition was developed for this: Humanitarian engineering brings enhanced well-being, welfare, and comfort to any individual or community in disadvantaged circumstances and is inclusive of research, design, manufacturing and construction. The issues to be addressed in engineering terms might include chronic ongoing conditions for an individual or group, or be associated with high-impact disasters and emergencies which imperil large numbers of people.

6. HE in Australia • generally in Australia taking the widest possible definition of humanitarian engineering • captured in the documentation film ‘The Humanitarian Engineer’ by Sheena Ong • key organisations include • EWB-Australia • RedR • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade • Arup, SKM, GHD

7. HE Definition Survey • survey exploring the understanding of HE in Australia • n = 119 participants • 80% had an engineering background • 55% were students studying for an engineering degree • 40% had completed the EWB Challenge at university • 26% had watched Ong’s 70-minute documentary on humanitarian engineering. • 45% had been involved with what they considered humanitarian work or assistance (paid or volunteer).

8. what areas humanitarian engineers have a role to play in

9. What contexts or locations humanitarian engineers work in

10. Activities that humanitarian engineers conduct

11. Is Humanitarian a Discipline? • Responses for ‘Other’ • A values orientation that should underpin all types of engineering • Each engineering discipline can be used in a humanitarian way • Applying engineering solutions with a major consideration for the social impacts • ‘Supplementary' makes it sound like a cheap add on. But I think that it is not a discipline in itself (like Mechanical) but is definitely its own area of expertise. In a lot of ways, ALL engineering work should be undertaken with a touch of 'humanitarian engineering' in mind”.

12. EWB Australia • EWB Australia is an independent national organisation established in 2003 • EWB-A works in Australia, South and South-East Asia • all projects coordinated by national head-office • internationally provides professional volunteer placements • domestically works through projects and pro-bono engineering • professional and student chapters can support volunteers and projects

13. Humanitarian Engineering Education • EWB-A has formal partnerships with 11 Australian universities (around 35 who have an engineering program) • coordinates a number of education initiatives in Australia • universities then determine how best to implement at their institutional level

14. Humanitarian Engineering Education Outreach Program Student Volunteers Deliver workshop to 4-12 7,000+ students workshops EWB Challenge First year Project-based introduction 7,000+ students 32 universities EWB Design Summit 2-week international experience Facilitated workshops, community visits and prototype development Cambodia and India EWB Research Program Final year research projects Service-learning focus 50 students, 12 universities

15. EWB Humanitarian Design Summits • 2-week in-country immersive experiences • around 45 students and 6 facilitators per summit • includes: • workshops (development and engineering) • community visit (home stay) • opportunity formulation and concept generation • discussion with community partners • support from federal government funding (NCP) which covers about 60-70% of total cost of participation for eligible domestic students

17. ANU • established after WWII by the federal government as a research only university • started taking undergraduates in the 1970’s • consistently in the top 2 ranked universities in Australia • strong research emphasis • single urban based campus • about 12,000 staff and 15,000 students

18. Engineering at ANU • a 4-year single Bachelor of Engineering program • 4 courses per semester, 2 semesters a year • compulsory systems engineering core for all students • six discipline majors in ‘newer’ fields • common to do a double-degree (5 years) • graduate around 200 students a year

19. Engineering at ANU

20. HEE at ANU • largely incorporated into compulsory systems engineering core • supplemented by a specific course and international immersive experiences • provides opportunities for project-based learning • some topics are compulsory others are optional • a mix of international and domestic topics and a mix of service-learning and course-work

21. Year Level Students (2015/6) Year Started 4th 20 (10%) 2008 3 (2%) 2013 35 6 2015 3rd/4th (10%) 2016 36 (9%) 2015 2nd 120 (60%) 2013 200 (100%) 2007 1st

22. Engineering for a Humanitarian Context • first delivered as a winter intensive in mid-2015 • first dedicated non-first year humanitarian engineering course in Australia • main topics are: • humanitarian contexts • humanitarian approaches and methods • personal practice • engineering practice

28. Numbers from January 2015 to June 2016 (ANU Summit Students Only)

29. Student Comments - Work Experience On the trip I learned how a systems engineering approach is needed to solve complex problems, and to apply the systems principles I had learned in class in a practical and unfamiliar environment. […] Participating in the trip has let me meet a wide range of people, both peers and professionals, who I would not have the chance to meet usually. I hope to continue applying what I learned on the trip throughout my studies and professional career. From design courses and engineering knowledge to staying with a family at a homestay (where the mother gave birth overnight and we were shown a 4 hour old baby) and hiking to waterfalls and bat caves … I learnt so much in 2 weeks that I could never learn from a textbook, lecture hall or tutorial no matter how hard I tried.

30. Student Comments - For-Credit Course Doing the course alongside the Humanitarian Design Summit allowed me to more deeply and critically engage with the summit, and ultimately made the experience more enriching Not only was I able to understand the theoretical concepts of designing for vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and communities, but I was then also given the tools to sensitively and appropriately expand my vision as to the role of a humanitarian engineer. By combining the [EfaHC] course with the Engineers without Borders Humanitarian Design Summit in Cambodia, I was able to apply the courses content to a real life situation and develop my community consultation and engagement skills whilst having the opportunity to travel and engage with like-minded students.

32. HEE at ANU • how to structure and formalise • as qualification? • against external framework? • name? • how to evaluate and improve • evaluate student learning and outcomes • evaluate outcomes for partners

33. CQU UQ QUT USyd UNSW ANU RMIT

34. HEE in Australia • how to support development of the area as a whole • need to allow individual institutions to develop programs for their resources and needs without each program being significantly different • confusion for students and employers • how to capture and incorporate best practice • how to share resources and expertise • how to provide student engagement • through projects and across institutions

35. thank you