Out in the field: Orediggers make an impact around the world

Last summer, Mines students traveled with the humanitarian engineering program to different parts of the world to apply the knowledge and skills they gained in the classroom to real-life situations and participate in unique experiences that are only available outside of Golden, Colorado.

COLOMBIA

A multidisciplinary team of Mines undergraduate and graduate students and faculty spent two weeks in Colombia learning about local artisanal and small-scale mining practices and surrounding communities. The group worked with Colombian students and miners on projects related to mining safety, risk management and remediation techniques. Students also scoped out projects to bring back to Mines.

TSAILE, ARIZONA

A Mines student and faculty member visited the Navajo Nation to learn about the environmental, policy, societal and economic opportunities and challenges related to community development, mining and oil and gas that exist for the Navajo people and land. They also collaborated with international and local students and developed valuable communication skills necessary for developing trust and defining problems within a community.

KENYA

In collaboration with Purdue University, a group of Mines students and faculty helped teach young Kenyan students at an alternative school for former street youth engineering thinking and skills to empower them to be problem-solvers in their own communities. Projects included supporting the Kenyan students as they designed a refrigeration system for local fishermen, a home security system, a shared agricultural vehicle and a new hair salon.