Despite the rubble, tent dwellings, and other remnants following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, the feeling in Haiti is “palpably upbeat,” said Alan Mickelson, associate professor of electrical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Mickelson, along with students and faculty in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, are working to help continue Haitians’ upbeat outlook with a project that promotes job creation and sustainable energy development.
In January, Mickelson and Michael Hannigan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, traveled to the Caribbean country to survey the environment for a vocational training program in sustainable energy.
Haiti’s catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake in January 2010 captured the attention of the world. With an epicenter near the town of Leogane, the quake affected an estimated 3 million people, toppled schools, wrecked electrical infrastructure, and left 90 percent of the buildings in Leogane in ruins, which resulted in temporary tent-style living and portable electricity for many Haitians even today. Rebirth has not been easy in a nation that the World Factbook described pre-quake as the “poorest country in the Western Hemisphere” with two-thirds of the labor force unemployed.
“To create sustainable change in Haiti's economy, it is necessary to build Haitian industry, public institutions, civil society, and human capital so that Haiti can plan for and control its destiny with a reduced reliance on foreign aid,” Mickelson said. “Strengthening the job training and educational system is paramount to this effort.”
The CU-Boulder Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities partnered with the NEGES Foundation to create the Vocational Training for Haiti on Green Energy Project with funds from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Foundation and a 2011-2012 CU-Boulder Outreach Award. NEGES is a non-profit aimed at creating systemic change in Haiti through education, capacity building, and health initiatives. The project assists NEGES in implementing a sustainable-energy-operations training program at Mon Petit Village, an 8-acre campus in Leogane that includes temporary housing for some, a community center, and a K12 school.
Following Mickelson and Hannigan’s survey, engineering faculty and students developed curriculum for training local instructors in installation, maintenance, and operation of alternative energy systems for solar, wind, and hydropower. This summer, five CU-Boulder engineering students returned to Leogane to implement the program following a train-the-trainer approach between CU students and local instructors.
“I have confidence that the vocational training program started at NEGES will succeed. The instructors are well educated and highly motivated,” said Mark Hasemeyer, a graduate student in civil engineering.
“To me, this program is a great way to address the energy deficit of Haiti because it builds their local capacity and shows them how to tackle the issues at hand with less dependence on outside assistance. I learned a tremendous amount from the people in Mon Petit Village, and I hope that they were able to learn from me in return.”
A training course between local instructors and students will begin in October to coincide with the Haitian school year. CU faculty and students will stay in touch to evaluate effectiveness from abroad and observe how the intructors modify existing ciriculum and create new material. They will return to Leogane for a post-course review. If effective, the program could be a model for future sustainability projects, Mickelson said.
“We plan to return in December to evaluate material and attitudinal evolution as well as course efficacy,” he said.
Read more about this projest in the College of Engineering and Applied Science news release…