Engineering for Change with Drexel EWB

By: Eva Elizabeth Kraus

As a biomedical engineer, my experience with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has transformed my perspective on engineering. I joined EWB during my freshman year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Even starting online, the organization’s mission, engaging programs, and welcoming community kept me invested. By Winter quarter, I ran for Secretary and have been on the Executive Board ever since; now as Chapter President, overseeing two international projects and four domestic programs in Philadelphia.

With my biomed background, I initially thought all I could do was healthcare technologies and my opportunities within EWB were limited, but I soon realized EWB was a place where broadening my horizons was encouraged. Drexel EWB is filled with all different kinds of students (not just engineers) who are all learning different things, and it is the diversity of those perspectives that makes the projects all the more successful.

EWB has been a great place for professional development. I’ve enhanced my engineering design skills by applying concepts from class—defining requirements, understanding constraints, and validating outcomes. For instance, our project in Ecuador is in a remote mountain village, highlighting the logistical challenges engineers face when delivering materials. My biomed experience also informed my work in designing water sanitation systems––merging my interest in human health with practical engineering solutions.

Another significant highlight of my journey was presenting at the National EWB Conference in 2023. This experience connected me with EWB leads from other schools and professionals from around the world and broadened my understanding of diverse engineering challenges. Collaborating with both students and professional engineers worldwide has refined my international communication skills, allowing me to engage effectively with larger organizations like EWB-USA and their international counterparts.

EWB has provided me with incredible opportunities to engage with the community and practice peace engineering. We emphasize community-based design, recognizing that those we serve are crucial stakeholders in our solutions—not just recipients. Our goal is to empower communities, providing education and tools to help them sustain and improve the solutions we implement.

Reflecting on my experiences, I see how EWB embodies the motto: #MoreThanEngineers. It’s about being part of a community dedicated to social impact and sustainable change. Drexel has nurtured my passion for civic engagement by equipping students like me with the tools to lead organizations such as EWB.

Ultimately, EWB has reshaped my view of engineering, shifting my focus from mere problem-solving to understanding the human context in which we operate. I now see engineering as a collaborative effort aimed at uplifting communities and fostering self-reliance. This journey has inspired me to be a more empathetic engineer and an advocate for change, helping build a better world one project at a time.