UC student helps engineer water solutions in East Africa

Increased droughts, erratic rainfall and rising sea levels all create an uncertain future for water access. Pollution and population growth only intensify this water problem. Environmental engineering student Grace Aldredge came to the University of Cincinnati wanting do something about it.

“I always loved natural science and I’ve always loved serving people,” said Aldredge. “The more I learned about the gravity of the [water] problem, the more I realized there was nothing else for me.”

In her first week at UC, Aldredge joined UC’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a nonprofit organization that designs sustainable engineering projects for communities around the world. UC’s chapter plans and designs ongoing water and sanitation projects for communities in Tanzania, a country in East Africa especially prone to water issues.  

After her first year at UC, Aldredge traveled with Engineers Without Borders to Tanzania on a two-week assessment trip. She surveyed the land, interviewed community members and laid the ground work for future water projects.

“I loved it and wanted to spend more time there,” said Aldredge, “but I realized I could not do a whole lot in two weeks.”

So her and fellow engineering student Paige Sumser used one of their cooperative education (co-op) experiences to spend a whole summer in alongside the communities. It was a big leap – only one student in the last decade had spent a co-op rotation in Tanzania – but for Aldredge, the opportunity to have a lasting impact was worth it.