9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
Developing Entrepreneurship Curricula for Sustainable Development
9 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Interest in technology entrepreneurship aimed at solving the most intractable of global problems in the developing world is at an all-time high. A vast number of education programs, especially in engineering- and design-related degree programs, focus on developing appropriate technology solutions to Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) challenges in sectors such as food, water, energy, health, education and global connectivity. For many years, funding organizations have underwritten such efforts, only to see successful technologies that ultimately failed in the adoption cycle. The global community has largely come to the conclusion that technologies often fail because of they were never turned into sustainable enterprises. The authors have significant experience creating ventures in a developing world context (Africa, Mexico, American Indian, etc.) and in developing for-credit and non-credit technology entrepreneurship curricula for sustainable development. This session will discuss their experiences and offer suggestions for implementing successful ventures and curricula.
Tags Thurs 1A2
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Humanitarian Engineering Projects
6 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
The engineering profession must embrace a new mission statement: to contribute to the building of a more sustainable, stable, and equitable world. Recently, engineering students and professionals in the US have shown more interest in directly addressing the needs of developing communities worldwide. That interest has taken the form of short- and medium-term international trips through Engineers Without Borders-USA and similar organizations. There are also several instances where this kind of outreach work has been integrated into engineering education. This paper addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with balancing two goals in engineering for humanitarian development projects: (i) effective sustainable community development, and (ii) meaningful education of engineers. Guiding principles necessary to meet those two goals are proposed.
Tags Thurs 1A1
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
PIET: Building a heuristic, interdisciplinary program focused on commercializing clean energy technologies in the developing world
8 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
In 2008, the University of California, in partnership with NCIIA, created the Program for International Energy Technologies (PIET) in order to accelerate the dissemination of low cost, clean energy, energy efficient solutions into the market in developing countries. The main objectives of this initiative are to: build an on-going program that will educate and engage UC Davis students in energy-related issues in developing countries; bridge the current gap between the need and existing technologies by creating market-based, entrepreneurial dissemination strategies; and allow student teams to create an impact on partner communities. The program's founder, Kurt Kornbluth, will talk about the PIET approach as well as curricula, the challenges and successes in development of the program, and highlights the current projects.
Tags Thurs 1A3
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Credit Well Deserved: Strengthening the business case for Corporate Social Responsibility and poverty alleviation
4 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
We provide a new conceptual model that has the potential to bridge the capacity of companies and the needs of the underserved by harnessing the opportunity of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Analysts have suggested that CSR initiatives have the potential to effectively address global poverty and economic development issues. This paper makes a business case for corporations to align their CSR strategies with core business activities, such as design, development, and dissemination, to encourage the availability of products to people in developing countries. While some companies are on the vanguard of the CSR movement, the majority of firms are seeking some form of tangible, convincing measure of the return on investment of CSR before moving forward with such activities. This report suggests a quantifiable solution to this end.
Tags Thurs 2C2
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Open Design-based Strategies to Enhance Appropriate Technology Development
9 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
The appropriate technology (AT) movement is being driven by inventors and innovators who are interested in designing technologies that are culturally, environmentally and economically appropriate, and feasible to construct and use for people anywhere in the world. This paper examines how open sharing of designs, specifications and technical information can enhance effectiveness, widespread use, and innovation of AT. This commons-based open design method has been highly successful for software development (e.g. open source), and has also begun to be used in other fields through unique partnerships, and using new information-sharing technologies on the internet. This paper critically demonstrates key examples of open design successes that can be applied to development of AT. It also identifies potential barriers to open sourcing AT designs, analyzes business models for open design in the context of AT, and outlines practical solutions with examples currently underway.
Tags Thurs 2C3
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Social Entrepreneurship
6 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
This study examined social entrepreneurship in the context of the academic field by looking at forms of implementation at universities across the country. Thirty-two universities were selected to be contacted about their respective programs. The goal of contacting universities was to create an easily viewed and comprehensive database featuring key information about each SE program. The included universities were chosen based on various sources, including Ashoka rankings, AACSB information, national university program rankings and articles on the subject. The surveys of the universities provided insight into established SE curricula and program structures. The findings of this study have shown that many universities have varied programs in both offerings and size, and while the programs are typically popular with students from a wide variety of majors, popularity is impacted by the way the university defines SE.
Tags Thurs 2C1
2:30 PM
to 4:00 PM
For Whose Benefit?
3 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Engineering student projects that address problems in the developing world are becoming increasingly common. Difficulties that arise from collaboration with remote communities and academic institutions raise important ethical questions, e.g, the degree to which meaningful input from the stakeholders is incorporated into the technical component of the project and the quality and duration of the interaction between the constituent groups.
To ensure maximum benefit to both parties, this panel believes that searching questions need to be asked that specifically address these issues and the question of for whose benefit is the work being undertaken.
These enquiries extend to every aspect of the project, from the possibility of exploitation of the communities in the developing countries to the perception by North American engineering students that technical projects can be formulated without a deep understanding and assessment of the environment within which the solution is to be implemented.
To ensure maximum benefit to both parties, this panel believes that searching questions need to be asked that specifically address these issues and the question of for whose benefit is the work being undertaken.
These enquiries extend to every aspect of the project, from the possibility of exploitation of the communities in the developing countries to the perception by North American engineering students that technical projects can be formulated without a deep understanding and assessment of the environment within which the solution is to be implemented.
Tags Thurs 3B
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
NCIIA Grants and Resources
6 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Type Tools and Resources, Panels
Through the stories of three students and faculty, learn how to fully leverage NCIIA grants and resources for success. This session will provide an update on current and future NCIIA programs and participants will be able to query NCIIA staff on programs, including: grants for student teams and faculty (in the $20,000-$50,000 range) to support technology innovation, entrepreneurship and social impact; student venture competitions; creativity, innovation and venture development workshops; NCIIA mentoring services for qualified student teams; Venture Well advisory services for venture development and raising investment.
Tags Fri 1B
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Coordinating Product Development Across Widely Different Age Groups and Disciplines
2 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Our student program to conceive, prototype, and potentially launch products--particularly in the medical technology arena--spans a wide range of age groups and subject areas. Student levels range from middle school to graduate school (including medical school) and cover disciplines as varied as physics, history, and business. Part of the glue holding the program together is an adaptable curriculum to teach both the technical aspects of prototyping and the wider range of issues (needs assessment, market analysis, etc.) associated with product development. The goal is to create a unified community of purpose and mutual instruction, where students at different levels feel that they make an important contribution both to a product itself and to the knowledge shared by members of the project. Major challenges to this approach include maintaining continuity and focus, but these challenges are offset by large benefits in learning and creativity.
Tags Fri 2D3
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Creativity and Innovation in Business 2010
4 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Success in business requires innovation. Today's model calls for a more intuitive integration of creativity throughout the decision making process: the application of design thinking to business. There is a great opportunity for design to improve one's ability to increase a firm's value offerings. While goods are traditionally embedded with value, there is currently a paradigm shift occurring in marketing and goods are being viewed as operant resources that produce effects for customers. Thus, the good really becomes a service provider. While design is still critically important in product development, it is becoming more important in how marketers design strategy successfully. This presentation will look at how to integrate design thinking into the business model, debating the pros and cons of design thinking integration, and the importance of teaching innovative thinking in academia.
Tags Fri 2D2
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Cultivating Innovation
6 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Looking back at the history of science and technology over the last few hundred years, we can identify people such as Thomas Edison, James Watt and Graham Bell as innovators, due to the outward result of their endeavors. However, it is harder to recognize Isaac Newton as an innovator, even though he was able to develop the concept of calculus, almost overnight, to overcome the hurdles to the mathematical problems he was trying to solve. Fast forward to the 21st century. What makes an innovator? How do we cultivate innovation? Do we teach them? Train them? In this session, the author will share his experience of the last twenty years in Singapore, where he started promoting innovation as a binder that can hold concept with reality, art with design, form with function, abstract with concrete, fuzzy with focus and idea with business.
Tags Fri 2D1
2:30 PM
to 4:00 PM
IdeaBounce as a Pedagogical Model
8 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Type Tools and Resources, Papers
IdeaBounce is a website and event used to facilitate idea creation and collaboration. Budding entrepreneurs post information about their ideas (without giving away too much) at www.ideabounce.com, then deliver a two-minute elevator pitch to solicit additional feedback. This allows for virtual and in-person connections. In the classroom, faculty can require each student or groups of students to post and pitch. At the institutional level, public IdeaBounce events can be held to encourage cross-campus participation.
Tags Fri 3B1
2:30 PM
to 4:00 PM
Implementing a Design Value Matrix for the Industrial Design Process
5 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Type Tools and Resources, Papers
This session presents a new design user value-measuring matrix that can be highly beneficial in the industrial design educational environment. This value-measuring matrix provides a system to analyze user and market characteristics to direct appropriate design solutions. Developing a successful product is the key goal in any design development process. This innovative new value matrix enables students and beginning design practitioners alike to make informed decisions in design development phases, particularly in initial planning. The matrix will help them identify important design variables prior to starting a new design or redesign for a different market and user. The matrix addresses important aspects of a successful product: language/design semantics, functional requirements, the user experience, and environmental responsibility. Initial trials of the matrix have proven to be effective in improving design efficiency in student projects.
Tags Fri 3B2
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
Creating Supply Chains for New Ventures in Developing Countries
3 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Supply chain development is critical in starting up new business ventures in both the developed and developing worlds. Supply chain modeling can help optimize profits and product quality. However, several modeling assumptions must be re-defined for developing countries. In the process of starting a business in Ghana, it became obvious that supply chain modeling is not the same as it is in the US and a study to model and optimize supply chains has uncovered several specific differences: economic bargaining, discrete even modeling using a different concept of time as a metric and communication using cell phones instead of computers.
Tags Sat 1D2
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
Project Management Techniques for BoP Student Enterprise Projects
4 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
A specific example from Colorado State University's Global Social Sustainable Enterprises Program demonstrates the creation and execution of student projects targeting Base of the Pyramid customers with triple-bottom-line business enterprises. This paper provides an overview of project process and discusses one particular project in depth. The Running Water International team created a successful enterprise selling biosand water filtration systems in Kenya. The RWI team found four key factors to their success: 1) Multiple dimensions of diversity among team members; 2) Strong motivation of team members to create measurable impact; 3) Team value of choosing people over project; 4) Active project partner in-country.
Tags Sat 1D1
9:00 AM
to 10:30 AM
Systems Approach to the Development of a Code of Ethics for an Entrepreneurial Telemedicine Venture in Africa
2 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Students at Penn State University are working on a social entrepreneurial venture in Kenya called Mashavu: Networked Health Solutions for the Developing World. Mashavu is a telemedicine system that enables medical professionals to connect with patients in rural communities. The Mashavu kiosk operators, medical practitioners, website administrators and other individuals connected to the Mashavu network are expected to adhere to the highest principles of ethical conduct. We developed Code of Ethics for Mashavu based on universal health policies and guidelines, but our observations and lessons learned while conducting field research in Kenya have forced us to rethink our approach to developing and ensuring compliance with our Code of Ethics. This study explores the realities of privacy, liability, trust, hygiene, quality, business practices and social customs in developing communities and presents the systems approach applied by our team to develop the ethical, policy and compliance framework to roll-out the Mashavu venture.
Tags Sat 1D3
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Self Reliant and Carbon Free: Developing an economically and environmentally sustainable community in DR Congo
3 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
An economic model based on self-reliance introduced in the Democratic Republic, Congo has in three years transformed a community of 4,000 people from abject poverty into one of Congo's largest rice producers. Our class series develops "leapfrog" technologies, allowing developing countries to bypass the carbon-rich step taken by the West. Our goal is a high standard of living that neither damages the environment nor subordinates the community to conventional energy supplies. We offer this model to faculty working to bring technical solutions to global problems for people at the base of the pyramid. We will discuss the economic model as well as the development of renewable energy technologies with a strong emphasis on efficiency and restraint of excess. In particular we will discuss several different kinds of solar technologies, ox power, and the use of biomass, including building materials, fuel for burning, and methane gas.
Tags Sat 2C2
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
Sustainable Design Projects in Capstone Design Courses
5 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
Experiential learning has been emphasized in the School of Engineering at the University of Dayton for over twenty-five years. The evolution has gone from individual projects to team projects and from single discipline to multidisciplinary teams. Industry-sponsored projects were formalized in 1996 with the formation of the Design and Manufacturing Clinic. Further, innovation and entrepreneurship were better integrated in 2004 with the formation of the Innovation Center. The percentage of projects related to design for the environment, design of thermal systems and renewable energy systems reached about one-third of the capstone design projects. Simultaneously, emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship has increased in the same proportion. The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences of entrepreneurship and sustainability over these last five years. Thus, this session covers the applied aspects of sustainability and entrepreneurship in design education.
Tags Sat 2C3
11:00 AM
to 12:30 PM
The Co-design of Eco- and Culturally-inspired Housing with the Pinoleville Pomo Nation
4 Attendees
Location
Montgomery
The Pinoleville Pomo Nation (PPN) of Ukiah, California and the Community Assessment of Renewable Energy and Sustainability (CARES) have formed a partnership to design eco-friendly buildings that utilize sustainability best practices and renewable energy technology, as well as reflect the long-standing culture and traditions of the PPN. We present the yurt-style house design created by this partnership and illustrate how Native American tribes can partner with universities and other organizations to utilize engineering expertise to develop solutions that address the needs of the tribes. As a result of this partnership, the yurt-style house design created can be used to create centralized housing and office buildings in Ukiah that will aid in the unification and economic advancement of the PPN. The buildings will also let members take advantage of job training and other educational services provided by the PPN. Construction of the design began in July 2009.
Tags Sat 2C1
