EPICS in IEEE announces educational partnership with India to enhance STEM learning, encourage technical careers

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (April 9, 2018) – IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, announces the latest initiative from Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) in IEEE – an educational partnership with select colleges and universities in India designed to enhance the education of future electrical engineers.

As part of the curriculum and in line with EPICS in IEEE goals, students will team up with nonprofit organizations and apply technical knowledge to solve engineering-based problems that will improve the lives of their community in India. More so, EPICS in IEEE leaders will oversee how the new curriculum is being implemented and, ultimately, help provide an opportunity that will be the “gold standard” for how India teaches its future engineers.

EPICS in IEEE is an IEEE Foundation Signature Program that helps advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning by providing real-world learning experiences that attract young people to the engineering profession. This new collaboration with India is part of a pilot program spearheaded by EPICS in IEEE and Purdue University’s EPICS department.

The initiative has been in the works for a long time, said William Oakes, director of EPICS at Purdue. “The EPICS program, headquartered at Purdue University, is proud to be on board to provide support for the faculty in India who are preparing to integrate EPICS into their curricula to enhance their education experiences and impact their local communities. The collaboration with EPICS in IEEE has the potential for an enormous impact.”

Deans S.K. Ramesh (California State University) and Saurabh Sinha (Johannesburg, South Africa) began the coordination between IEEE and Indian institutions over five years ago. Currently, Vineeth Vijayaraghavan, director of research and outreach at Solarillion Foundation, and Nicholas Kirsch, chair of EPICS in IEEE, are continuing their efforts to realize this program. Vijayaraghavan has had an instrumental part in facilitating the program throughout the Indian institutions. “This partnership with EPICS in IEEE aligns with our goals to enrich our curriculum and advance our educational pursuit to be at par with global standards,” states Vijayaraghavan. “The purpose is to adopt a new and refined learning method that will encourage students to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of meaningful technology solutions that will improve their local communities. As a result, students will ultimately become better engineers.”

To date, over 10 colleges and universities have been invited to participate in the program. Each school will be responsible for submitting a service proposal for review to EPICS in IEEE. Upon approval, EPCIS in IEEE will provide funding for the completion of the projects.

Additional goals include:

• Introduce service learning into the 2018-2019 curriculums of partner universities and offer a unique opportunity for students to learn and collaborate in the many disciplines associated with engineering,in a way that may not have been available previously.

• Gain a working model that can be used in the future expansion of EPICS in IEEE.

• Establish an EPICS lab at each institution where EPICS in IEEE projects will be conducted.

• Foster faculty engagement within the universities and collaborative learning between the partners, all while giving new and challenging opportunities to the students.

For more information on EPICS in IEEE, including past projects, information on membership and volunteering, grant applications, and how to donate, visit epics.ieee.org. 

About IEEE

IEEE – the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice in a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers, and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power, and consumer electronics. Learn more at www.ieee.org. 

About EPICS in IEEE

EPICS in IEEE projects help advance STEM learning by providing real-world learning experiences that attract young people to the engineering profession. Through EPICS in IEEE, today’s students are becoming uniquely informed through their own experiences on how to mentor and encourage upcoming students, making EPICS in IEEE a uniquely self-perpetuating program for advancing education and technology. Learn more at epics.ieee.org. 

About IEEE Foundation

As the philanthropic partner of IEEE, the IEEE Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that inspires the generosity of donors so it may enable IEEE programs that enhance technology access, literacy and education, as well as support the IEEE professional community. Learn more at www.ieeefoundation.org.