Technology Development
we take great new ideas and develop them into life changing technology for the hardest to reach.Technology Programs
We work with some of the most creative minds in engineering and combine that with a passion for
Our dedicated innovation pipeline fosters new solutions for safe sanitation, water, energy, and shelter, and puts the needs of the community first. From student ideation through EWB Challenge and EWB Design Summits, to further investigation and testing with EWB Research, and EWB Field Placements, we take great new ideas and develop them into
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Technology stories
Remote field visits, tuk-tuk commutes, and fish amok: a year in the life of an Australian volunteer
Water, risk, and sustainability engineer Nicole Locke had always wanted to work overseas but there had never been a good time to do it. She graduated into a difficult job market and was lucky enough to find a position with Water Corporation in Perth. Fast forward a few years to 2019 and Nicole was considering her next move.
“I was talking to a mentor and she said, you’ve always thought about going overseas and volunteering,” Nicole said. “’Why don’t you just do it?’ I thought—well, why not?”
Congratulations to the 2023 EWB Challenge Showcase award winners
Each year, the EWB Challenge Showcase brings together top university student teams from across Australia and New Zealand, EWB staff, our community partner representatives, and industry. Students present the most innovative, community-centred design ideas developed in response to the EWB Challenge Design Brief, and all event participants celebrate a year of learning, focused work, and collaboration. This year’s EWB Challenge Showcase saw students, academics, judges, and EWB staff from across Australia, New Zealand and Cambodia travel to James Cook University’s Nguma-bada campus in far north Queensland to battle it out for the top spot.
Building resilience to increasing uncertainty: the role of climate-resilient infrastructure
By Peter McArdle (Engineers Without Borders Australia), Anna Saxby (Humanitarian Advisory Group) and Neil Greet (Australian Security Leaders Climate Group) Increasing uncertainty Vanuatu is one of the most at risk countries in the world for natural disasters,...
EWB Board Update
EWB’s recent board elections and AGM have seen some changes to EWB’s board. In the EWB board elections held on 20 November 2023, of which two roles were available, Dan Lambert was re-elected for another term, and we welcomed Sheena Valenti to the EWB Board. Dan...
Inside the Dili Water System Emergency Repair program
The Dili Water System Emergency Repair Program (DWSERP) addressed the catastrophic flood damage to Dili’s water transmission systems wreaked by heavy rains in April 2021. The program, funded by the Australian Government via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, commenced in June 2021 and concluded in June 2023. EWB Australia, along with its program partners, played a key role in providing technical support, concept design, advice and delivery of multidisciplinary engineering to repair and stabilise major sections of Dili’s water system. The project was a wonderful opportunity for EWB to display its ability to engage in emergency infrastructure recovery projects. With the project now complete, the project team shared some of their reflections.
Empathy, power and advocacy: how photovoice is transforming EWB’s qualitative data collection
A picture says a thousand words. And for our team on the ground, those words hold the power to transform the way we approach our work. At EWB Australia, collecting quantitative data is an essential part of our monitoring and evaluation process. We rely on numbers to...
How traditional sand filtration methods are solving complex engineering problems in Cambodia
As the Mekong River ambles south from its origin in the Sanjianyuan nature reserve in China, it passes through Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand before arriving in Cambodia where it fractures into winding ribbons that create islands in the flow. The people of Koh Tnoat...
Engineer by profession, engineer in spirit
Picture this; you’re an undergraduate university student working on your first introductory engineering assignment where you are required to draw a bridge for a remote village in Cambodia. Or you are a Master’s student designing a HVAC system for households in Nepal, with variable temperature, pressure, and elevation levels to consider. University teaches you the basics – the software, the calculations, and how to write the report at the end – but how can you be sure that it’s fit for purpose in those locations? Do you really need to understand the socio-technical and cultural aspects of building something for a community you might never visit?
Building a reliable water supply for the residents of Darlau, Timor-Leste
In Darlau, a village in Timor-Leste, collecting water was until recently a slow and physically demanding task. Every day, residents would trek to the only springwater supply and carry buckets back up a steep hill. This job was generally done by women and children – a round trip that could take up to 2 hours, and in extreme heat during summer.
‘Impactful Futures’ Immersives return on Lama Lama Country
‘Look, listen, learn’ was the mantra of Traditional Owners on Lama Lama Country during EWB’s Impactful Futures Immersive in July, which took participants on a journey through the tropical landscapes and cultural sites of Cape York for a week. By observing and attuning themselves to the sights, sounds and voices around them, participants were able to experience a deep immersion in the culture and history of Lama Lama Country.