Engineering Conscience

By Tracey Rhoades

The desire to lend a helping hand is a common trait shared by Tamar Losleben ’04, Abigail Watrous ’04, and Michael Higuera ’04, founding members of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at Rice. Since graduating, all three have continued their efforts in various ways to help improve the quality of life for others.

After receiving a BS in bioengineering, Watrous began graduate school at the University of Colorado. Specializing in engineering for developing communities, Watrous had the opportunity to take electives outside of standard engineering classes, such as global development, appropriate technology, and public health. “I enjoyed learning more about the theory, economics, and policies of development,” says Watrous, “and I believe it will make me a more well-rounded engineer.”

In August, Watrous received a master’s degree and now is pursuing a PhD. As a member of the University of Colorado’s Solar Decathlon team, Watrous developed an interest in solar power. As a result, she plans to continue investigating how renewable energies can best be used in developing communities.

An added bonus for Watrous this past year was receiving a National Science Foundation Fellowship, enabling her to work with fifth-grade students to create small, fully functional solar-powered houses. “The houses were complete with lights, buzzers, and motors,” Watrous says, “and now the students are big fans of solar power.” After completing her PhD, Watrous hopes to work overseas, using the skills she has acquired in sustainable development.

Taking a slightly different approach, Higuera immediately started work as a self-employed engineer after earning a BS in electrical and computer engineering. For the next year, he and a partner, now his wife, formulated a business plan for a nonprofit organization, Third Technology. Through the organization, Higuera intends to develop and distribute technological solutions for life’s basic needs to communities in developing countries. After 18 months of planning, however, Higuera reevaluated his role as an entrepreneur. “I decided that I needed to pursue a graduate degree before going full force with the organization,” Higuera explains. So Third Technology was temporarily placed on the back burner.

Currently, Higuera works as a business analyst and developer in a small Houston-based software startup in the oil and gas industry. He plans to earn his MBA within the next few years, and once that’s accomplished, Third Technology will be the primary focus once again.

“Through EWB, I saw poverty first hand and was able to help,” Higuera says. “The work fit me, and my long-term goals are still pointed in that direction.”

Wanting more field experience, Losleben, who earned a BA in visual arts and environmental science and engineering, decided to continue using the skills she had acquired as an EWB member. “I learned how rewarding yet challenging it is to work at the village level to find solutions to people’s basic needs,” Losleben says, “so joining the Peace Corps was the next step for me.”

While waiting for an assignment, she volunteered with UNICEF and was sent to El Salvador to work as a sanitation and water engineer. A few months later, Losleben received her Peace Corps assignment and traveled to Uzbekistan, where she coordinated with USAID to develop democratic water associations for farmers to discuss and resolve water management conflicts. In June 2005, after only five months, civil unrest and political tension escalated in Uzbekistan, and Losleben was sent back to El Salvador.

Now working in El Pital, Chalatenango, Losleben assists the village’s council in organizing the community to solicit, manage, and evaluate needed projects. “EWB continues to be an inspiration to me,” Losleben explains. “It is that kind of contact with people in developing countries that puts a face on poverty and moves the heart and mind to want to live and work to help improve the lives of others.”

Once Losleben completes her Peace Corps assignment, she plans to return to the United States to attend graduate school in civil engineering or international relations.

While Losleben, Watrous, and Higuera continue to assist communities around the globe, one of their greatest contributions has been spearheading EWB at Rice. Their vision and dedication to the creation of the chapter left an indelible mark and gives future Rice students the opportunity to make the world a better place.