Engineering hope for the future
The world is changing and so are the groundbreaking engineers working to make our way of life better. At the University of San Diego's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, staying attuned to the needs of our communities and addressing societal and environmental challenges is critical in developing the next generation of Changemaking engineers to do true justice in the world.
Experiential Learning
The value of engagement
A new Integrated Engineering department was launched to infuse the incubation of new curricula into the school's current offerings. Faculty members with a world of experience are driving the program with vitality and creativity that resonates with students — incorporating stronger sociotechnical and humanitarian principles into the program. Following are examples of classes offered that are having a resounding impact on the way we are teaching and re-imagining engineering as USD.
Engineering for change
Make a global impact
USD's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering strives to help students graduate with a well-rounded perspective as compassionate global citizens and ethical leaders. We offer many opportunities to get involved in community outreach initiatives to develop educational and professional experiences that embrace social justice, humanitarian engineering, sustainability and economic development. Contact our faculty leads below to get involved.
Humanitarian work in the Dominican Republic
Since 2014, Truc Ngo, PhD, has led USD engineering students to El Cercado and the surrounding communities of the Dominican Republic to help teach and implement humanitarian projects for the underserved.
Cultural exchanges in Israel
Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering Frank Jacobitz leads a student trip to Israel over spring break to study Israel's water innovations. The trip is a mandatory component of a semester-long elective course titled, Water in California and Israel: Challenges and Solutions.
Water filtration in Uganda
Professor Frank Jacobitz has led ongoing humanitarian trips, in collaboration with USD campus colleagues and students, to work on improving access to clean water in rural Uganda. The teams conduct research and testing on a filtration device that can help keep bacteria and toxic metals out of the water and ultimately expand to other countries with similar issues.
Engineering Exchange for Social Justice (ExSJ)
The ExSJ is a program through which USD faculty members across the campus, along with students and external volunteers, work collaboratively with diverse marginalized community groups to co-create alternative solutions to problems which are technical in nature. Through this exchange, we are turning community-defined "problem briefs" into actionable student assignments, design projects, research theses or extra-curricular pro bono engineering projects that are supported by local professional engineers.
USD Resources
Changemaker Hub
As a designated Changemaker Campus, USD is a part of Ashoka U — a worldwide network of universities focused on social change and innovation. The Changemaker Hub is a campus-wide manifestation of USD's mission and values, with the purpose of empowering and enabling everyone to be a Changemaker. A main focus of the Hub is developing diverse opportunities for students to learn about themselves, to be inspired, and to practice Changemaking.