EWB-UW Mentorship Needs 2011-2012
EWB-UW has sent out an inquiry to Project Managers asking what they need for mentors for the upcoming school year. Please read below the requests, and if you think you can fill one of these roles please contact the Project Managers. For more information about each project please visit the EWB-UW website www.ewbuw.org and click on the ‘Projects’ tab. Thank you!
Domestic
Project Managers: Christina Cappy (cappy@wisc.edu) and Alyssa Offutt (aoffutt@wisc.edu)
Mentor specialty: Landscape architect/planner
Length of commitment: 1 year
Short write-up of the role expected to take in project and other responsibilities:
We are looking for someone who would be able to help us design the lay-out for our biofiltration garden for Vilas beach. We are hoping they can bring their experience with drafting and structure to help us create something that is aesthetically pleasing and accessible to the community.
Frequency of attending meetings: We are currently not ready to implement our biofiltration garden, and therefore we would only need to meet once a month to discuss design.
Travel: Our travel distance is very short, and therefore they'd be welcome to join us! There is not much cost associated with our traveling; we could always give them a ride.
Anything else that would be important: Any background in botany would be great (but not necessary)!
El Salvador
Project Managers: Jen Hintz (jhintze@wisc.edu) and Chris Dawson (chris.dawson27@gmail.com)
Mentor specialty: Wastewater engineering
Length of commitment: 1/2 year to 1 year
Short write-up of the role expected to take in project and other responsibilities:
The implementation of a gravity based greywater and wastewater collection pipeline will finish in January of 2012. The current issue within the community is ensuring that the wastewater treatment plant that the pipeline is feeding to is functioning. The mentor would go through the system design with students and brainstorm ideas of how to improve the plant.
Frequency of attending meetings: Bi-weekly to monthly.
Travel: If available yes but not necessary. Asked to pay as much as student travelers.
Haiti
Project Managers: Bridgette Brown (blbrown@wisc.edu) and Ian Toner (tonner@wisc.edu)
Mentor specialty: Latrine construction, waste management, and/or general sanitation construction
Length of commitment: 1-2 years
Short write-up of the role expected to take in project and other responsibilities:
As a mentor you would help us with the process of designing, building, and successfully implementing compost latrines in Haiti.
Frequency of attending meetings: Monthly.
Travel: Yes, for usually one week, maybe two weeks at most for implementing trips, usually during winter break and early in the summer. On occasion we have traveled during spring break in the past as well. Travel however is not necessary to act as a mentor. We would ask that they pay the same share of travel expenses any of us students would have to pay.
Kenya
Project Managers: Claire Davis (cedavis2@wisc.edu) and Drew Birrenkott (dbirrenkott@wisc.edu)
Mentor specialty: Agriculture, irrigation, business, community relations, and/or clean water
Length of commitment: 1-2 years, but any form of guidance (even short-term) would be appreciated
Short write-up of the role expected to take in project and other responsibilities:
General engineering knowledge to help guide students in the design process. We are working on finishing up a business plan for the biosand filter project. Anyone with small business experience or experience working on projects in Kenya would be really helpful. Upcoming areas where we will want assistance are business decision making (how much money is appropriate to put into the business, etc.), monitoring and evaluation (how to create clear surveys to gather the right info necessary to make conclusions about the effectiveness of the project), and help with water testing methods.
Frequency of attending meetings: Weekly would be best, but once a month would be sufficient. We would be willing to Skype with them if they are not really close to the Madison area. Also, quick e-mail response is appreciated.
Travel: Only if willing, if so for either three weeks in January or four weeks in August of any year. Dependent on funding, but ideally mentors pay for a part of travel expenses.
Rwanda
Project Managers: Ben Koch (bikoch256@gmail.com) and Rita Argus (argus@wisc.edu)
Specialty: Structural engineering and water resource management
Length of commitment: 1-2 years
Short write-up of the role expected to take in project and other responsibilities:
The first is currently in the assessment stage of a health clinic. The clinic is going to be a building built on a brand new site and is looking for a commitment of at least two years for developing the clinic design, assessing the ground area, and beginning construction in a 2-year period. The clinic needs structural engineers as well as people interested in optimizing health care design and creating sustainable health care buildings. Additionally, we are in the process of building a rainwater catchment tank and repairing a water pipeline. These two projects will begin in the assessment stage after this summer to determine the future of the projects but will quickly move in to implementation phase based on determining a problem and community needs. Specifically, the pipeline is looking at tapping into a new source, which will need water resource and structural engineers to help determine the most effective tapping technique.
Frequency of attending meetings: Weekly commitments of one hour is preferred to help students. However, any commitment will be greatly appreciated.
Travel: Once again, any help is appreciated. However, mentors who are willing to travel are greatly appreciated for either 2-3 weeks in August or January. Mentors are not expected to pay for their travel expenses. The help that they offer is well worth the cost of their trip.
We are always in need of student chapter mentors, technical advisory committee members, and fund raising knowledge.
