Beaverton middle school students learn the global impact of engineering, health studies

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PCC / News / July 24, 2017 /


Beaverton middle school students learn the global impact of engineering, health studies

Photos and Story by James Hill |

Thanks to a timely statewide grant, Portland Community College faculty were able to host a STEM camp this month focused on an important cause.
The Humanitarian Engineering Camp brought more than 20 Beaverton middle school students to the Sylvania Campus to expose them to the engineering and global health discipline of “Humanitarian Engineering.” The camp’s activities tied into college programs Civil & Mechanical Engineering Technology and Engineering, as well as health studies courses, and the Sylvania Environmental Center.
“This camp was a tremendous success,” said Peter Ritson, the Environmental Center’s coordinator and the camp co-coordinator. “Engineering as a career field is struggling to reflect the diversity of our society and based on how diverse our students were, how engaged and excited they were, we have opened the door to start changing that.”
Students are AVID
The students came from underrepresented backgrounds through the Beaverton School District’s AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) Program and the International School of Beaverton. Joining them were a team of high school volunteers interested in teaching, engineering and global health issues.
High school counselors from the Beaverton School District.
“The camp exposes younger children to the different branches of engineering,” said high school volunteer Hayato Murai. “It touches on a deeper issue that the world isn’t equal and the next generation has to make a change to make the world better.”
The middle-schoolers were introduced to issues related to global health, international development, global and local wastewater treatment, food and drinking water security, community engagement, and future challenges to human civilization. The camp also showed how students can find careers using humanitarian engineering skills.
The three-day event had activities coming at the kids, fast and furious. Sasha Grenier, a Health Studies instructor, led ...

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