Humanitarian Engineering
“Humanitarian engineers are working to make life better for people in the developing world, including helping them coping with disasters such as earthquakes and floods.” Humanitarian Engineering – save lives as an engineer
- ALL
- STEM Club
- Teacher guidance
- Activity sheet
- External link
- Other
STEM Club
Stop the spread STEM challenge
Stop the spread highlights the global issue of infectious disease. Students design, build and test a model of a hand washing device and produce educational materials for children in Kenya to encourage hand washing. It is accredited for the British Science Association CREST Discovery Award and can used to enter the Youth Grand Challenges competitions. Resources include teacher guidelines, a student pack, a presentation, a video certificates and a poster.
Disaster Response: How do Engineers Save Lives?
This suite of student activities, challenges and related resources aims to give students an insight into the roles of engineers following a natural disaster. The short introductory activities increase students’ awareness of the range of types of natural disaster and the kinds of problems associated with them, as well as providing some sense of scale in terms of time and speed of disasters.
Teacher guidance
Beat the Flood STEM challenge
In this resource students use their STEM skills to help them design and build a model of a flood- proof house. Activities to help them with their design include testing materials (for strength and absorbency) and structures. Set on a fictitious island coping with the devastating effects of flooding caused by climate change. This resource is provided by Practical Action.
Design for a better world
Design for a better world is a design challenge for students aged 11-14 years. It offers students the opportunity to: Learn about the global goals for sustainable development. Access a range of global contexts including water and sanitation, food security and climate action in which to identify a design problem. Explore a range of technologies that people are developing around the world to address global challenges.
Activity sheet
Squashed tomato STEM challenge
The problem: In Nepal many farmers living on the mountainside grow fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes. To earn a living they need to sell these at the local market. The problem is getting to market involves a long, dangerous walk down the mountain side and over a river, at the end of which the tomatoes may well be a bit squashed.
The challenge: To design, build and test a way of moving tomatoes that won't squash them!
The activity is flexible enough to be adapted to any length up to a whole day challenge (for which you can gain a CREST in a day bronze certificate).
External link
Helping those impacted by conflict
This video shows how Choung Kyu Ryu, a water and habitat engineer for the British Red Cross manages a water a sewer programme in Yemen.
Other
Water for the World
Water for the World was developed jointly by Engineers Without Borders UK and Arup, a global firm of engineering consultants and specialists. There are three resources, investigating issues of water scarcity, sourcing and supply and showing how engineers can help to solve problems. Although initially designed as part of an outreach programme, each resource pack consists of a presentation, extensive teachers' notes and all classroom materials
