In an effort to utilize fundraising capacity, team Ghana and team Peru will work together for the first time! Every PUC student (18 total) will join forces to raise the money needed for the PUC class, overall. If the amount we raise is not enough to fly all 18 students abroad, we will have to cut the number of students working on-site. This is a problem because a strict time and labor schedule has been developed for each group, in order for the teams to complete their projects in a 4-6 week time period. In addition to that, every PUC student has a dedication to their project and it would be a shame if each student did not get the education and culture experience we've all been hoping for since day one.
Now that we have consolidated, general PUC information is available at:
http://www.me.utexas.edu/~efuscommunities/
utexas.puc@gmail.com
However, stay tuned to this blog to keep up with the progress of the Ghana team!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
New Year, New Semester, New Agenda!
The Ghana team has recently reunited after spending time with family and friends during Winter break and it was evident we are all ready to get down to the "nitty gritty" design aspect of our project! After meeting our new professor, Dr. John Burgin PhD PE (He has an expertise in environmental and water resources engineering!), our team feels confident that the second component of Projects in Underserved Communites will teach us more than we'd ever expected. I'm sure we all had an idea that we would be doing hands on engineering work, but after hearing the well-developed course outline that Dr. Burgin devised, we realized he would be teaching us invaluable information to use in our future careers. After we complete the design portion of the PUC class we will have learned how to:
-Estimate Water Demand
-Perform Water Quality Tests
-Develop the Hydraulic Design for Wells, Pumps, Pipes, Tanks and Fittings
-Develop the Hydraulic Design for a Cistern System
-Develop the Hydraulic Design for a Rudimentary Wastewater System
-Plan and Schedule the Construction of a Small Water Project
Even my "MacGyver" dad was amazed when I told him how I would be able to understand the workings of a water system, and asked if I would help him with the river water pump and piping used in my back yard for our sprinkler system! We also learned we will be getting hands-on experience prior to making our trips, by doing lab-practicals to go see and learn about the supplies we will be working with!
Our fundraising efforts have not dissipated and the pull for raising the money to fund all of our hard work will be a big issue this semester. So, remember you can help our cause by donating: money, miles and technical support!
Thanks to everyone that has helped us get this far!
Money donations can be made online at:
https://utdirect.utexas.edu/nlogon/vip/ogp.WBX?menu=ENIE&source=PUC
Or send checks to:
Dean Clement
Development Associate
The University of Texas at Austin
Cockrell School of Engineering
1 University Station C2100
Austin, TX 78712
Please make all checks payable to
The University of Texas
noting PUC in the memo line.
Any other donations or inquiries about donations can be sent to:
ut4reed@gmail.com
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Benefit Concert - Concert for a Cause
Power point show cases of our projects will be shown during intermissions, also!
Information and Online Tickets at:
http://sites.google.com/site/ut4reed/home/events/benefit-concert
Please come be a part of this new program at UT so engineering students will be able to participate in it for years to come!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Summary of Our Project
Working through a stage-gate process, our team has been investigating two separate projects that have been presented to us, from the village of Patriensa in Ghana.
With the guidance of prestigious professors, Janet Ellzey Ph.D.,P.E. and James O'Connor Ph.D.,P.E., our team has been working through an intricate process of evaluating and planning an engineering project, to benefit a village of people in need.
In the village, inhabited by roughly 5,000, there is a church school that about 500 children attend, which has no access to running water. Our hope is to provide a water system, including a pump system, piping, a tank and spigots. These goals are the foundation for our overall plan of increasing sanitation in the school, which calls for clean drinking water and flush toilets. Due to time constraint, our team has broken the project up into 3 phases. After our year one initiative, any remaining goals to be met will be examined by the next year's Projects in Underserved Communities students.
Also under analysis, is the fabrication of sawdust waste into alternate fuel briquettes. The current options in Patriensa for fuel, such as coal, is costly for the low-income population,and cutting down trees, which gives way to deforestation. However, due to the technicalities that need to be thoroughly researched, only preliminary information will be obtained in this "Year 1 Phase" of the project.
Local contacts have been very informative and responsive, especially our our main contact, Pastor Kofi. He is personal friend of Dr. Dorie Gilbert, a professor at UT, who has volunteered as a liaizon for our international communication and travel.
Our team has planned for two of our members and Dr. Gilbert to gather needed information on a reconnaissance trip to Patriensa, in January.
In Spring Semester, our team will examine the:
design
cost
schedule
travel information
and needed areas of expertise,
in order to go to Patriensa, in late May, and complete our Phase One goals.
The success of these said efforts is now contingent upon raising the necessary funds and finding professionals who can contribute advice about similar projects they have worked on (i.e. establishing a well system to support a tank and piping).
Because this is an initiative affiliated with the University of Texas, donations* made to the project are tax deductible!
Funding for our endeavors are to be handled by the fundraising managers from each team, under graduate student, Martha Bloem. Since the purpose of our class is to see through every detail that goes into creating a successful engineering project, funding cannot be excluded.
To raise the money needed to help our project go to fruition, the fundraising committee has been working on:
Planning Fundraising events,
Applying for grants
and pursuing corporate and private donations.
Also, we have partnered with the UT student organization Rural Enhancement through Education and Design (UT for REED) for our fundraising efforts! Currently, we are planning our music event, to take place in early December, with them. Their site is available at:
www.engr.utexas.edu/ut4reed/
Further information and donating online can be found at this website!
On behalf of the Ghana team, we would highly appreciate technical help, details about the local area, and donations (in the form of money, airline miles, supplies and labor).
If you feel you can help out in any way and want to inquire, I can be e-mailed at:
megan.taylor23@yahoo.com
or for Martha:
martha.bloem@gmail.com
*Form of payment for a donation is subject to review by the university to determine credit for tax reimbursement.
With the guidance of prestigious professors, Janet Ellzey Ph.D.,P.E. and James O'Connor Ph.D.,P.E., our team has been working through an intricate process of evaluating and planning an engineering project, to benefit a village of people in need.
In the village, inhabited by roughly 5,000, there is a church school that about 500 children attend, which has no access to running water. Our hope is to provide a water system, including a pump system, piping, a tank and spigots. These goals are the foundation for our overall plan of increasing sanitation in the school, which calls for clean drinking water and flush toilets. Due to time constraint, our team has broken the project up into 3 phases. After our year one initiative, any remaining goals to be met will be examined by the next year's Projects in Underserved Communities students.
Also under analysis, is the fabrication of sawdust waste into alternate fuel briquettes. The current options in Patriensa for fuel, such as coal, is costly for the low-income population,and cutting down trees, which gives way to deforestation. However, due to the technicalities that need to be thoroughly researched, only preliminary information will be obtained in this "Year 1 Phase" of the project.
Local contacts have been very informative and responsive, especially our our main contact, Pastor Kofi. He is personal friend of Dr. Dorie Gilbert, a professor at UT, who has volunteered as a liaizon for our international communication and travel.
Our team has planned for two of our members and Dr. Gilbert to gather needed information on a reconnaissance trip to Patriensa, in January.
In Spring Semester, our team will examine the:
design
cost
schedule
travel information
and needed areas of expertise,
in order to go to Patriensa, in late May, and complete our Phase One goals.
The success of these said efforts is now contingent upon raising the necessary funds and finding professionals who can contribute advice about similar projects they have worked on (i.e. establishing a well system to support a tank and piping).
Because this is an initiative affiliated with the University of Texas, donations* made to the project are tax deductible!
Funding for our endeavors are to be handled by the fundraising managers from each team, under graduate student, Martha Bloem. Since the purpose of our class is to see through every detail that goes into creating a successful engineering project, funding cannot be excluded.
To raise the money needed to help our project go to fruition, the fundraising committee has been working on:
Planning Fundraising events,
Applying for grants
and pursuing corporate and private donations.
Also, we have partnered with the UT student organization Rural Enhancement through Education and Design (UT for REED) for our fundraising efforts! Currently, we are planning our music event, to take place in early December, with them. Their site is available at:
www.engr.utexas.edu/ut4reed/
Further information and donating online can be found at this website!
On behalf of the Ghana team, we would highly appreciate technical help, details about the local area, and donations (in the form of money, airline miles, supplies and labor).
If you feel you can help out in any way and want to inquire, I can be e-mailed at:
megan.taylor23@yahoo.com
or for Martha:
martha.bloem@gmail.com
*Form of payment for a donation is subject to review by the university to determine credit for tax reimbursement.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Project Presentation
This is a link to the presentation given to the Student Learning Advisory Board:
Patriensa Powerpoint
It outlines our team, Ghana, the village of Patriensa, project scope, project schedule, cost estimates and areas we need help with!
Our team is always happy to hear suggestions for making our project successful and talking with experts who can offer advice. So, if you feel like you might be able to give some insight, feel free!
Patriensa Powerpoint
It outlines our team, Ghana, the village of Patriensa, project scope, project schedule, cost estimates and areas we need help with!
Our team is always happy to hear suggestions for making our project successful and talking with experts who can offer advice. So, if you feel like you might be able to give some insight, feel free!
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