Included here are events, articles, and opportunities from organisations, groups, and professional associations related to the Engineers Australia Humanitarian Engineering Community of Practice (EA HumEng CoP) during May and June 2024.
Our new website
We are in the process of moving to our new Humanitarian Engineering website . The site provides a more user-friendly experience, visibility of all of Engineers Australia’s (EA) communities of practice, more features, and greater networking opportunities.
Currently, membership to the new site is only open to members of Engineers Australia (Information on how to do so can be found here) . However, those who are not EA members will be able to join the new site in late May. In the meantime, you will still be able to view its content. We will confirm when all current members of the HumEng CoP can join the new site.
If you have any questions, please reach out via our Contact Us page.
Upcoming Events
- Humanitarian Innovation Hackathon, supported by the Warren Centre and the University of Sydney. Open to all university students in Australia, Pacific Islands and New Zealand. The annual Hackathon is a weekend-long hybrid program with industry-leading speakers, team bonding, facilitated mentoring, and exciting diversions that mix up the digital and face-to-face competition. Participants are asked to identify practical solutions for real and current problems from an existing international humanitarian response context. Running July 19 - 21 2024. Details and registration at https://hack-eng.sydney.edu.au/
- IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) focuses on advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. This cross-disciplinary annual conference is for those interested in humanitarian projects in October 2024 at Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA. Paper and presentation submissions open until May 19 2024 - https://ieeeghtc.org/
- Australian Disaster Resilience Conference brings together diverse and passionate professionals and practitioners from across sectors to share knowledge and build connections for a disaster-resilient Australia. This annual conference is in Sydney, 4-5 September 2024 with early bird registration open until 30 June - https://www.aidr.org.au/events/43845
- The IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Challenge is a new, global IEEE competition that solicits solutions from start-ups, grassroots organizations, universities, or anyone else that is working to bridge this digital divide in innovative ways. Unconnected populations lack access to online marketplaces to sell goods and services and lack access to education. The competition is looking for applications from early-stage projects that offer unique ways to increase broadband access and usage for unconnected or under-connected populations/geographies. Submissions close June 5 2024 - https://ctu.ieee.org/challenge/2024-ctu-challenge/
Opportunities and Training
- Engineers Without Borders Australia volunteering opportunities currently open include an Engineering Projects Manager and Technical Service Mentor, Department of Water Resources, both based in Vanuatu. Applications close June 30, 2024, with details at - https://ewb.org.au/volunteer/
- RedR Essentials of Humanitarian Practice (EHP) Fiji. This 6-day program will introduce the characteristics of natural hazards, conflict-induced emergencies, and the requirements for an effective humanitarian response, highlighting some of the dilemmas faced by humanitarians and aid workers. The Essentials of Humanitarian Practice course is suitable for people of all backgrounds, skills and levels of humanitarian experience. Completion of the EHP and HEAT courses are prerequisites for full RedR Roster membership. Running May 27-June 1 2024 in Nadi, details and registration - https://redr.org.au/training-courses/our-courses/essentials-of-humanitarian-practice-fiji/
- Médecins Sans Frontières Australia (MSF) has numerous non-medical roles available which are essential for the efficient and effective running of all projects. This includes numerous Specialist Logistician roles focused on water and sanitation, construction, electricity and supply. MSF also employ general logisticians who have experience in multiple logistic skills. Roles and details available at https://msf.org.au/join-us/non-medical-and-support-professions
Articles, Recordings, Podcasts
- A more cyber-resilient Pacific, by James Boorman Joe Fulwood, explores increasing connectivity in the Pacific and some of the security challenges this new infrastructure and services bring - https://devpolicy.org/a-more-cyber-resilient-pacific/?mc_cid=5ad95285fb&mc_eid=f1cb5f1fe4
- Gender and Disaster Australia (GADAus - formerly The GAD Pod) works to embed an understanding of the role gender plays in emergency management practice to address and minimise the harmful impacts of gendered expectations in disaster. A range of evidence-based education, training and resources are available - https://genderanddisaster.com.au/