Ann-Perry Witmer on the importance of environmental and cultural factors in humanitarian engineering

Illinois Innovators

As the world assesses how they can support projects in non-industrialized countries, a new study brought to light just how important cultural and environmental factors are when providing humanitarian engineering aid in these regions. Ann Perry Witmer, a lecturer of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, joins the program to discuss her study on how contextual engineering improves the success of projects in non-industrial societies. It takes an in-depth look at some of the perspectives that may determine its effectiveness. She has created and supported a number of organizations that have provided engineering assistance to communities in Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa and was a past faculty advisor for Illinois’ chapter of Engineers Without Borders.