Last December, our first cohort of thirty participants completed the inaugural Humanitarian Water Engineering Intensive Course. The course offered an exceptional opportunity for experienced participants to grapple with the real-world challenges of safe water supply in complex emergencies. Over ten weeks, participants learned how to apply technical engineering and humanitarian practices to provide safe water to people affected by crises. They left with a greater understanding of what to do, what questions to ask, and how to approach challenges such as finding a sustainable water source, designing a multi-barrier treatment approach, and setting up water supplies in health facilities during an outbreak. 

The course—developed and run by the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research and the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University—is the first of its kind to be delivered through a combination of readings, collaborative problem-based learning, and online teaching from subject matter experts. Professional engineers, postgraduate students, humanitarian professionals, and other practitioners came together virtually from around the world, enjoying multiple opportunities for cross-cultural learning and contributing to a rich shared learning experience.   

After a five-week curated reading phase, participants completed group design challenges in response to a simulated humanitarian emergency, working together to evaluate public health risks, develop new water sources, design water treatment processes and distribution systems, and even respond to an acute disease outbreak. While each challenge centred on applying technical concepts, teams also had to deal with time pressures, changing contexts, insufficient information, and the need to quickly develop working relationships across cultures and time zones—hallmarks of any international humanitarian response.  

Teaching staff included engineering faculty from Lassonde, researchers from the Dahdaleh Institute, and experienced humanitarian professionals and subject matter experts with wide field experience around the world.  

We are excited to announce that applications for the Fall 2022 offering of this course will be open shortly.  For more information and to register your interest, please see the course website. 

You may also be interested in...