Course Description
Introduction to what you should (or should not) do to come up with transformative sustainable technology-based solutions to problems at the nexus of water, energy, and food, in low-resource settings.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to develop and present to the rest of the class advanced case studies of solution/innovation failures, predominantly due to inattention to what “you should not do.” The case study report and presentation will be graded for graduate credit.
Athena Title
Development Engineering
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in ENGG 4710, FCID 4710 or ENGG 6710, FCID 6710
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Prerequisite
Junior or senior student standing
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will be exposed to a broad range of current topics in sustainable development practice with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Upon completion of this course, students will be better prepared to holistically implement solutions up-take, especially in low-resource settings, and in so doing gain environmental awareness and cultural diversity. Graduate students will be required to develop and present to the rest of the class advanced case studies.
Topical Outline
Topics will include: 1. Indigenous knowledge 2. Land security 3. Water security 4. Energy security 5. Food security 6. Family labor and diversification 7. Transaction transparency 8. Ownership protections 9. Listening/asking 10. Understanding context 11. Connecting the dots 12. Starting with innovators and measuring outcomes 13. Selling and not giving 14. Educating and training low-literacy users 15. Managing pain points