Engineering development for humanity

The world is full of opportunities for engineers to make a difference. Follow the links below to explore internships, fellowships, training, and careers in international humanitarian engineering.

3. Build Your Skills

Bioforce Development Institute:

Bioforce offers training in humanitarian administration, logistics, and water and sanitation. Programs are in French and are coupled with long-term field experience.

Engineering World Health (EWH):

EWH's summer institutes in Tanzania and Costa Rica combine a month of technical and language training with a month-long hospital internship repairing medical equipment. Open to engineering, physics, and chemistry students (undergraduate and graduate). A year-long volunteer program is also open to American and Canadian citizens.

Fulbright Grants:

The Fulbright program provides full funding for recent graduates, graduate students, and young professionals to spend a year in one of 140 countries. Projects can focus on university coursework, research, or professional training.

International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA):

The Center for International Health and Cooperation offers the IDHA yearly in New York and Geneva. The intensive, multi-disciplinary course lasts for one months and simulates a humanitarian crisis.

Languages - In the end, your career could be more limited by your language skills than by your level of education.

1. Study Abroad:
   

If your major requires very specialized courses, saving some of your General Education requirements to take abroad can give you more flexibility in choosing a location.

1. Classes
   

Take as many classes as you can in a language likely to be useful in development work. At Michigan Tech, this means French or Spanish.

1. CDs
   

Pimsleur produces excellent lessons in over 30 languages. These are the perfect complement to more formal training, and can be used on their own in a pinch. EWB-MTU has several sets of lessons. If your home library has a special contract with Netlibrary, you can download any Pimsleur lesson for free.

NOHA Joint European Master's in International Humanitarian Action:

Earn a multi-disciplinary master's degree while attending several universities throughout Europe. Scholarships are available to students from outside of Europe.

Peace Corps Master's International (MI) Program:

As you know, Michigan Tech is the only university where you can serve in the Peace Corps and get an engineering master's degree at the same time. If your undergraduate degree is in engineering, you could also consider branching out during graduate school. MI programs exist in dozens of subjects, including Public Health, NGO Management, and International Studies.

Radios:

If you're interested in working in emergencies, knowledge of radios is an asset. The Michigan Tech Ham Radio Club has a wide range of equipment, including HF and VHF radios.

RedR:

The RedR offices around the world offer well-respected training on many topics, including security, shelter in emergencies, logistics, and water and sanitation.

ReliefWeb:

ReliefWeb has an extensive calendar of training relating to all fields of international relief work. Look under the "Professional Resources" tab.

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships:

Rotary provides $23,000 for a year of study in one of over 70 countries.

Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) at Loughborough University:

WEDC has a reputation as a leader in engineering in low- and middle-income countries. Several types of master's programs and post-graduate certificates are offered.

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Information compiled by Elizabeth Myre