Engineers for a Sustainable World, Northwestern U

Mission

Northwestern University's chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW-NU) is a student engineering group dedicated to helping the global community to develop in an environmentally sustainable way. Our mission is to help international communities improve their quality of life by providing technical and financial assistance in projects which benefit the communities' long-term environmental, economic, and social health.

Programs

ESW-NU is working on two projects in Panama. One involves providing communities in Panama’s Chagres National Park with solar energy and the training to build and maintain solar energy systems. The other project deals with wastewater treatment in the city of Portobelo, Panama. ESW-NU is also beginning a project in Nicaragua involving biogas digesters. Students are collaborating with the organization Green Empowerment in the Nicaragua project.

Current Projects on GlobalGiving

Solar energy for families in Santo Domingo, Pana

Personnel Overview

Bethany Summersgill - Panama Solar Project Lead
Bethany traveled to Panama in December 2007 to implement solar energy-related projects and scope out possible future projects. She led work in community development and communication. She became project manager in 2008, and is currently working to streamline organizational structure, determine future goals, coordinate teamwork, expand membership, and gain further sponsor support.

Christopher Vega - International Projects Chair
Christopher began working on the Chagres project in Fall 2007 and served as translator for the trip in December 2007. He is currently serving as International Projects Chair and acts as the primary liason between contacts in Panama and the student group. In addition to his major of electrical engineering, Christopher enjoys international politics and studying foreign languages.

Kari Nigorizawa - Project Technical Lead
Kari became involved in this project when she took a 2-quarter senior design course where her team designed the house electrification systems. She is traveling to Panama during August 2008 to begin the installation process, and can't wait to see the results of her team's hard work. Kari loves living abroad and experiencing other cultures, and she hopes to continue working with green technologie

Personnel Statistics

Bethany Summersgill and Richard Zhang,
Panama Solar Project Managers
Founded in 2005
Employees: 0
Volunteers: 18

Financial Statistics

Budget (2008): $ 79,000
Budget (2007): $ 107,973
Overhead: 50 %
Other funding sources: Donation from the Dean of Northwestern's McCormick school of engineering, Dow Chemical, EPA P3 grant, Northwestern Murphy Grant
Religious Affiliation: None