University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, Unites States
CETYS Universidad – Campus Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Engineering Together Sustainable Solutions
Through the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Grant, the University of Texas El Paso developed a study abroad program with CETYS University in Mexico focused on sustainable engineering. This program highlights the benefits that students receive through a study abroad program and involvement in humanitarian engineering through community sustainable projects. Representatives of the University of Texas argue that there is currently a dearth of American engineers with global skills. Therefore, this program was established to provide students with the challenge of connecting their engineering skills with the societal needs and limitations of the community directly impacted by their designs. In addition, the “Engineering Together Sustainable Communities” program incorporates a community driven development project in which UTEP and CETYS students work together along with local communities to design and implement sustainable engineering solutions. A total of eight students from CETYS had the opportunity to study abroad in Texas, while 17 students from University of Texas El Paso studied abroad in CETYS. This exchange opportunity turned out to be an academic and cultural success. Academically all the proposed activities were accomplished and exceeded, and culturally students were able to apply their engineering skills through a humanitarian process in different communities.