| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, November 15, 2011 | 4:00PM - 6:00PM | The Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility, Munk School of Global Affairs - 1 Devonshire Place |
Global Ideas Institute Speaker Series
Engineering innovations must occur with the end user in mind. This talk will focus on engineering design for the global South and needs of users in order to support appropriate, sustainable technology. In addition to the technical design criteria of functionality, safety, robustness and maintainability, we will explore the social, cultural, economic, educational, environmental and political contexts in which Third World end users relate to technology. Examples will be drawn from healthcare technologies, energy, ICT, water and sanitation to illustrate what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate technology. The “Reinventing the Toilet” project at the University of Toronto will be discussed.
Professor Yu-Ling Cheng is Professor of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, and the Director of the Centre for Global Engineering at the University of Toronto. She is working on enlarging the impact of technologies on the developing world through both her work as a researcher and an engineering educator. Her research team received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation earlier this year. They will focus on reinventing the toilet in order to provide sustainable sanitation to the global south. This grant has brought with it considerable press coverage and excitement for the University of Toronto.
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