A College of Engineering undergraduate developed her skills abroad this summer, testing and improving solar ovens in Nicaragua.
Katie Kinstedt, a second-year chemical engineering student, spent her summer break in Sabana Grande, Nicaragua, on an internship program with an organization called Engineers for a Sustainable World, where engineering students and professionals participate in global service projects that improve the lives of people around the world.
“For me, my experience working in Nicaragua was one of the best summer breaks I could have had,” says Kinstedt. “I was so fortunate to be able to learn about another culture and work on an engineering project I felt passionately about.”
Kinstedt got involved with engineering service projects when she joined Engineers for Community Service here at Ohio State.
“I was really interested in learning more about engineering work and research in development,” she says. “I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a local engineer, Dale Andreatta, researching improvements for the inefficient and unsafe stove cookers currently used in developing nations. My experience working on this research and my curiosity to learn more about sustainability and volunteer in a developing country made me really excited.”
Along with a team of other engineering students and professionals, Kinstedt conducted research and tested and designed improvements for solar ovens. By helping increase the use of solar ovens, Kinstedt and her team found ways to improve the overall health of the community and the environment.
Most households in Nicaragua and other developing countries cook using traditional wood-burning stoves, resulting in health risks from the pollutants in the smoke. In addition, in communities that rely solely on wood for fuel, forests are harvested faster than they can replenish themselves, causing deforestation, greater CO2 emissions and a loss of natural resources.
Not only did Kinstedt gain valuable research and engineering experience, but she also learned a great deal about project management and working in unexpected conditions. Being in a rural area, her team didn’t always have access to tools and materials.
“We had to do all construction and design improvements using materials which were locally available,” she says. “Although challenging at times, it allowed me to use my creativity and improve my problem-solving skills. For example, we wanted to use a U-bolt on the folding bar which connected the two reflectors, but due to unavailability, I came up with a slide and lock design using folded metal newspaper printer panels that had been discarded.”
“I would definitely recommend this experience to other engineers,” says Kinstedt. “I think it is very important for engineers to expand their global perspective and cultural understanding.”
For details about Engineers for a Sustainable World, visit http://www.esustainableworld.org/.
For information about Engineers for Community Service, visit http://www.ecos.osu.edu/.