Engineering Public Service Experience: Student Profile

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Jacob Cornelius Year: 2006 Major/Dept: Mechanical Engineering Summer 2006 Experience: Worked with Fundacion Intervida through the Palo Alto University Rotary Club Project: Community surveys and installation design for rural electrification project Location: El Salvador

1 – What was the nature of your experience?

I spent three weeks in El Salvador observing community surveys and other aspects of planning the installation of distributed solar power generation for rural homes and schools.  Intervida, the NGO I was assisting, is based in San Salvador, with several stations in outlying villages.  I visited five villages, staying for as long as four days in each.  From those smaller stations, I met with rural officials and community members.

Intervida hopes to install standard domestic electrical systems using one panel and one battery to power three compact fluorescent light bulbs and a small DC power source.  (This could be used for charging a mobile phone or running a small television.) 

2 – Why did you choose this engineering and public service experience?

The project offered a unique chance to learn about the practical barriers to rural electrification, which often stem from organizational, cultural, and political issues, rather than technological problems.  I think the next generation of engineers must take a broader view of problems and their possible solutions, rather than limit the scope of engineering to “merely” technical aspects of problem solving.  I was also drawn by the opportunity to interact directly with the people implementing solar distributed generation, as well as those they hope to help.

3 - What did you enjoy the most about the experience?

It was rewarding to see problems firsthand and be able to apply my engineering education toward their solution.  However, equally important was the realization that in many ways this background is insufficient.  I also greatly appreciated the chance to observe El Salvador's more general societal problems (ie. crime, poverty, political corruption, etc.) and consider their relationship to Intervida's work.

4 – What was the most challenging aspect?

 I was frustrated by my limited ability to assist in solving these wider problems.  As engineers we are taught to answer every problem with technical answer, but more often than not there are larger issues that need to be addressed though other disciplines.

5 – What recommendations would you have for other students wanting to work through this or a similar experience?

At Stanford it is easy to think you know more than you actually do about the problems people face in the real world.  A project like this should be considered a necessity for those curious about development. The input you get directly from stakeholders is far more enlightening than what you can learn in a classroom setting, and it is a critical part of identifying the most pressing problems finding appropriate solutions for those in developing countries.

Pictures courtesy of Jacob Cornelius