D80 Blog

The Field Guide to Environmental Engineering for Development Workers: Water, Sanitation, and Indoor Air, with a forward by President Jimmy Carter, is now available from ASCE press (http://pubs.asce.org/). Several MTU faculty and more than 30 Michigan Tech Master’s International and other graduate students are contributors to the book. This book is a valuable resource for engineering students, faculty, and practitioners involved with programs like Engineers without Borders and Engineers for a Sustainable World, as well as those affiliated with government groups, international agencies, and charitable organizations working in developing communities.

This annual meeting, held September 22-25 in 2009, features several internationally noted speakers on development. All sessions are now available as free video streams via the CGI website: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/ourmeetings/meeting_annual.asp?Section=OurMeetings&PageTitle=CGI%20Annual%20Meeting

An excellent lead-in to the D80 Conference!

Avery Bang, Director of the non-profit Bridges to Prosperity, will be featured as keynote speaker at the 3rd annual D80 Conference in Houghton, Michigan. Bridges to Prosperity is a volunteer based charity that seeks to empower poor African, Asian, and South American rural communities through footbridge building thereby advancing personal responsibility, community public works, economic prosperity, and access to schools, clinics, jobs, and markets.

The D80 Conference will be Saturday October 17, 2009 this year, in the Ballroom of the Memorial Union Building on the campus of Michigan Tech.

Conference registration for attendees closes on September 30, 2009. If you would like to attend this free conference, please register.

Submission of presentations closes on September 18, 2009. If you are presenting as part of a group, only one person in the group needs to submit the presentation information, but all speakers still need to register to attend the conference.

Follow this link for registration. See you in October. Go. Learn. Contribute. Repeat.

This new hands-on curricular option, catalyzed by a U.S. EPA P3 (People, Planet, and Prosperity) grant (www.epa.gov/p3), will focus on Enhancing Performance and Social Acceptability of the Ventilated Improved Pit Toilet for the 2009-2010 academic year. This course is meant to engage students in real prototype design, testing and deployment all in the hopes of solving critical world challenges. In subsequent years, project topics may change and be different among participants. The  inaugural two-semester long project starts in August 2009 and culminates in a competition with 40 universities on the National Mall in Washington, DC in April 2010. This year’s opportunity is limited to 12 students, roughly 2-3 each in the following majors, although other majors may inquire: (a) mechanical engineering, (b) civil engineering, (c) environmental engineering, (d) social sciences, and (e) technical communication. Seniors and graduate students only, instructor permission required.

To facilitate easy participation for 2009-2010 several course pathways exist (6 credits total over Fall and Spring semesters):

1. CE4990/CE5590 Special Topics: Design for the Poorest 80%
2. Baccalaureate Thesis + Independent Study (see course numbers for your department)
3. Senior Design I and II (see course numbers for your department)
4. CE4915 International Senior Design + CE4990 Special Topics: Design for the Poorest 80%

Course leaders: Profs. David Watkins (CEE), Donna Michalek (MEEM), and Kurt Paterson (CEE), plus James Dumpert (Ecology + Environment, Inc.).

For more information contact Prof. Watkins (dwatkins@mtu.edu)

Michigan Technological University Remains the Nation’s Top Peace Corps Master’s International (MI) School,with approximately 34 graduate students serving abroad in the Peace Corps as part of their master’s degree program at MTU.  For the fourth consecutive year, MTU has maintained its position as one of the most robust Peace Corps graduate programs in the country in terms of students enrolled coupled with programs offered.  (MTU ranks above 62 other institutions; University of Washington is ranked second with 19 Peace Corps MI graduate students currently serving overseas).  Offering six distinct programs within six distinct departments or schools, MTU also has the largest number of Master’s International programs in the country. Full Press Release from Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C.: http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1423

Spend 10 weeks in the Summer of 2010 conducting Appropriate Technology research with Tanzanian partners to solve critical public health problems.  Application deadline is December 1, 2009. More information can be found here: www.d80.mtu.edu/DGSE.html

Want to help design our next international program? Fill out this student survey to help us identify factors to add, delete, or modify in the various international programs currently at Michigan Tech.

For more information, please visit the survey.

Keep informed of international sustainable development opportunities. Join the D80 email list by sending an email to majordomo@mtu.edu with message text “subscribe d80-L@mtu.edu“.

Mark your calendars! The 3rd Annual D80 Conference is set for October 17, 2009. More information will become available as we approach the date. Until then check out our 2007 and 2008 conferences for more information.