Today we were able to visit Olin College for part of their Tech Day event. While I wasn't able to stay for very long, what I heard/saw was really cool.
Multiple presenters described a certain technology being implement in a developing country, with products ranging from food storage containers to sanitary napkins. The format was great, because I got to hear a bit about every product before I had to leave.
My favorite product that I heard about was probably the "charcoal" briquettes made from agricultural waste. Not only were they developed/ sold by women (snaps to that!), but they recycled material that was just going to waste anyway. I think a lot of engineering efforts must go to the development of products to serve the needs of people in developing countries, but not as much emphasis is placed on the sustainability or environmental impacts (disclaimer: this is an assumption, not a statement of fact). The bottom line is, creating fuel from waste products benefits all involved, and I hope it becomes more widespread until an even better solution is developed.
All in all, I got a taste of a more comprehensive look at global engineering efforts. The program was was great opportunity.
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