Jonas Lejarre, a third year BEng Civil Engineering student, writes about EWB, Engineers Without Borders, a charity that focuses on international development.
“Engineers Without Borders UK inspires and supports people to respond to global challenges using science, technology and engineering”.
We are a student-led branch at Newcastle and are part of a wider national EWB-UK and international network that regroup thousands of members, students and professional alike.
What do we do in our branch at Newcastle University?
Activities are varied and you can always find yourselves interested in one of them. EWB-Newcastle host talks on sustainable cities as well as inviting local charities to tell us more about what they do. Local charities are a great chance for everyone to learn more about their work abroad but it also offers the chance to learn about exciting opportunities with them. If you like talks but also want your voice heard, as part of the global EWB network we go to other universities to participate in debate generally around international development or sustainability. You can also get involved with Outreach, a program aimed at promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to school children. EWB works with the STEM program and local schools by providing activities and small projects, such as building a small wind turbine to demonstrate our need for clean and sustainable source of energy.
Although, only started in the beginning of 2016 EWB-Newcastle is now paired with TONIBUNG, a non-governmental organisation in Malaysia through a Member Led Partnership. An MLP provides students the opportunity to take part in development projects, while working closely with organisations local to the people that are being helped. One project has involved a problem that we have been given to design and develop a piece of equipment that regulates the electrical power generated and delivered to remove communities. It needs to be reliable and yet simple enough so that it can be maintained by village technicians, as our role is to make sure those communities do not rely on us on for its maintenance. Once designed, the solutions will be implemented by some of our members over the summer holidays in Malaysia.
A development project through EWB-Newcastle.
Let’s not forget, this is a student society and as such we have plenty social activity. From going Ice skating, bowling or to just grab a bite at the comedy club. It is also a good chance to meet people outside your course but also for networking as we work with the local professional EWB network here in Newcastle.
BEng Civil Engineering at Newcastle University
Video about Civil Engineering at Newcastle University