The Seminar
The seminar focuses on the integrated concepts needed for sustainable design in developed and developing countries. The course will be team taught and will provide the opportunity for experiential learning. The course will be divided into three sections: 1) fundamentals of design; 2) mechanical properties and materials design; and 3) practical design problems in transportation, affordable housing, alternative energy, and health. The cultural and human aspects of design will be explored along with the implications for sustainable economic development. There are no science or engineering prerequisites and the seminar is open to students from all majors.
The first four weeks of the program, participants will live in Accra at the Kokrobitey Institute. Students will spend most mornings in lectures, hands-on workshops, and discussions with scholars and practitioners from the art, architecture and engineering fields. Most afternoons and weekends will be devoted to site visits to various social, cultural, and political points of relevance.
During the last two weeks, students will move to Kumasi and be onsite at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi. In addition to the morning curriculum, participants will have the opportunity to interact with Ghanaian citizens via informal gatherings and traditional ceremonies. The program also includes a community service project and daily language study.