Mission and History

Our Mission Statement

To better the world by engineering sustainable solutions in a way that allows students to develop professional relationships and technical skills while fostering a global mindset so that we may be active members of our communities in order to create a brighter future.

Our History

The Penn State University Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (PSU-EWB) was founded in 2009 with the help of Professor John Lamancusa as part of an initiative by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Since its founding, PSU-EWB has been involved in many domestic and international projects in places such as Sierra Leone, Honduras, as well as Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

In Sierra Leone, our organization installed a system of sanitary latrines for a school. In Honduras, our organization installed a solar array that was used to power a system to provide clean water to a community near Roatán. 

We have also completed a project local to State College, PA. At the MorningStar Solar Home, we developed a rainwater catchment system to distribute water to their gardens. Largely, we participate in projects concerning sustainability and efficiency in the development of energy, water, and food systems. 

Current Project

Our current project is located in Namutamba, Uganda, and is a part of a 5-year partnership that PSU-EWB has signed after completing a project assessment trip to the community in August of 2019. Our efforts began in early 2019 when The Rotary Club of Mityana, Uganda reached out to our chapter for our help in finding a reliable source of clean water for Namutamba. The water sources that the community currently relies on are located far from the village, and residents have to carry large jerry cans to and from the sources in order to have water for their daily needs.

This water is never treated from the source, and waterborne illnesses are common within the community and have a harsh effect on the productivity of the community. The solution that PSU-EWB is looking to implement consists of drilling a borehole to access groundwater at a site located approximately 3 kilometers from the center of Namutamba. For more information on this project click here