The World is Our Campus — Students Take On Tibet

Over the next several weeks, Utah State Today will feature stories that highlight study and research conducted by Utah State University students around the world. From Africa to Asia to Europe, Utah State University students study, work and share their knowledge, skills and talents, while absorbing new ideas and expertise from their host countries. These stories truly prove, "The World is our Campus."

As summer nears its end and the cooler days of autumn arrive, many college students look forward to the coming school year and all the challenges and joys it will bring. Students belonging to Utah State University's Engineers without Borders volunteer organization are looking forward to one challenge in particular, a trip to Tibet in the coming spring.

Civil and environmental engineering students John Hizer, Cody Moultrie, Cristina Nelson, Steve Theurer and Josh Wilde, along with biology student Carolyn Hizer, will travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region in Hongyuan Province, China. The group accompanies engineering faculty mentor William Grenney to help the poor, rural communities in the area inhabited by Tibetan nomads. The journey marks a second trip for many of the students who already visited the area in June to assess the needs in the region.

The students were invited to Tibet by the Kunde Foundation, whose work in remote locations relieves poverty and improves the health, education and environment in these areas. While in Tibet, the team visited six rural villages and evaluated housing needs, sampled water supplies and worked with the local school for nomad children.

"The conditions and the needs of the people were different than what we expected," said Theurer, a senior majoring in civil and environmental engineering. "We hope to go back next year and help them improve their living situations."

While on the trip, the group was able to buy and install a stove for one needy family and taught at the school where nomad students live in residence because of their parent's nomadic lifestyle. The school, which boards 49 students, has no electricity or running water and is equipped with pit latrines. When the Utah State students go back in May, they say one of their first priorities is to install showers at the school

"My students have taken a novel approach to an unusual problem," said Grenney. "Since the school can't afford electricity to heat the showers, we are working on utilizing the heat from stove pipes that are already in use at the school and combining that with solar heat."

On that trip the group will also teach the nomads to build soil bag dome houses and to lay water pipe so the villagers don't have to walk five to seven miles for water. The group said the work is very rewarding, but the experience and relationships built while in Tibet were life-altering experiences.

"I went to Tibet focused on the engineering data I needed to gather," said Nelson, a civil and environmental engineering junior. "But I left Tibet with a cultural high that can only be experienced when you are living something so foreign and amazing."

Engineers without Borders is a national organization that partners with disadvantaged countries to improve the quality of life. The student chapter at USU was founded last fall and invites and encourages anyone to participate.

"Having women in our organization really helps," said Grenney. "In the developing countries it is the women who are home with the children, and much of the interaction we have is with women. Having Cristina on that trip and in the engineering program at Utah State makes a difference."

While on the trip, Nelson played a game of basketball with the students in the nomadic school. Many of the girls were surprised to see a woman enjoying what is typically a male sport and wanted to try the sport after seeing Nelson enjoying herself, said Grenney.

A lot of preparation went into the initial trip, and work has already begun for the next trip, but the students said it is worth it.

"This experience was so great," said John Hizer, a senior civil and environmental engineering student. "The entire project was arranged and planned by us. This shows that we can take initiative and that we have mastered skills that we can apply in diverse situations. I think it will make my resume more attractive to employers."

Grenney said the experience enhances a student's education because it moves out of the classroom and into the field.

"Working with this group has made my school experience better," said Carolyn Hizer, a student in the College of Science. "Since I am a biology major, it is nice to have something to focus on and look forward to outside of my classes and major."

The group is currently raising funds for the supplies it will need to build and install the showers and for travel to Tibet. Students were expected to pay for all of their supplies and living expenses while abroad. The group is thankful to the many donors who provided airfare for last June's trip and to USU's Utah Water Research Lab for testing the water samples they brought back with them.

"Utah State enables you to become the person you want to be," said Nelson. "We have a great engineering program and there are so many opportunities here. I am looking forward to going back to Tibet in May to make a difference in someone's life."

For more information, or to become a member of Engineers without Borders, go to the organization's USU Web site. (http://www.engineering.usu.edu/clubs/ewb/) For more information on USU's College of Engineering, visit its Web site. http://www.engineering.usu.edu

Contact: Bill Grenney, (435) 797-3186, grenney@cc.usu.edu

Writer: Maren Cartwright, (435) 797-1355, maren.cartwright@usu.edu