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Introduction to Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts

Approx. 12 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Learn how to apply engineering principles to solve humanitarian challenges in this interdisciplinary course.

Key Learning Points

Understand the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations and how engineering can help address them.
Learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of humanitarian engineering projects.
Develop the skills needed to design, implement, and manage humanitarian engineering projects.

Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have

- USA: $74,000 - $118,000
- India: INR 4,00,000 - INR 12,00,000
- Spain: €35,000 - €60,000
- USA: $74,000 - $118,000
- India: INR 4,00,000 - INR 12,00,000
- Spain: €35,000 - €60,000
- USA: $81,000 - $130,000
- India: INR 6,00,000 - INR 15,00,000
- Spain: €42,000 - €70,000
- USA: $74,000 - $118,000
- India: INR 4,00,000 - INR 12,00,000
- Spain: €35,000 - €60,000
- USA: $81,000 - $130,000
- India: INR 6,00,000 - INR 15,00,000
- Spain: €42,000 - €70,000
- USA: $55,000 - $95,000
- India: INR 4,00,000 - INR 10,00,000
- Spain: €32,000 - €55,000

Learning Outcomes

Ability to identify and analyze humanitarian challenges
Effective project management skills
Understanding of sustainable and culturally appropriate solutions

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of engineering principles
Willingness to work in interdisciplinary teams

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Engineering for Social Innovation and Global Sustainable Development
Designing for Deconstruction: Principles of Circular Design
Introduction to Sustainable Development

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Paul Polak
Amy Smith

Related Books

Description

The world is facing unprecedented humanitarian needs. Today’s humanitarian crisis tend to be greater in number, often in urban settings, longer in duration and broader in regional impact. They generate human sufferings on a greater scale, disrupt essential services, such as water supply or sanitation and put health of large population at risk. Engineers and technical specialists in water, sanitation, energy, environment, and in other related fields play a vital role to respond to these challenges and growing needs. In the humanitarian sector, they are called the public health engineers and today they are increasingly needed! Why public health engineering matters so much in humanitarian crises? And how its related activities are carrying out in such complex environment? This is what this MOOC is all about!

Outline

Public Health Engineering
Teaser
Course overview
Why public health engineering matters?
Environmental transmission pathways
Waterborne pathogens
Introduction to water quality criteria
How does drinking water become unsafe?
Water quantity
Introduction to vector control
Case study - Plague in Madagacar
Summary Week 1
About the course
Further reading
Week description and objectives
Introduction
Infectious diseases
Water quantity and quality requirements
Vector control
Summary
F-Diagram
Water consumption worldwide

Humanitarian contexts
Introduction to humanitarian contexts
Planning and assessment
Case study - Bringing precious water in rural environment
Case study - Responding to emergencies
Urban contexts
Impact of protracted armed conflicts on essential urban services
A Call for a Better Urban Approach
Case study - Water and Iraq 1991 -2003
Summary of the week
Week description and objectives
Introduction
Humanitarian response
Urban challenges
Summary
The fundamentals principles in action
Exam of week 2

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
Introduction to water supply systems
Case study - water supply in emergencies
Water Source Selection
Intake
Abstraction
Water Treatment
Water Distribution, Transport & User safety
Summary
Week description and objectives
Introduction
Water source selection
Intake & Abstraction
Water treatment
Water Distribution, Transport & User safety
Further info on "Household water treatment and storage"
Summary
Exam of week 3

Sanitation
Introduction to sanitation
Sanitation products
Excreta management in humanitarian crisis
Sanitation technology selection
On-site collection and storage technologies
Collection and storage/treatment - Anaerobic technologies
Conveyance technologies: Case study on Ebola waste management
[Semi] Centralized treatment technologies - Treatment stages
[Semi] Centralized treatment - Aerobic Technologies
Anaerobic Technologies: Case study - Prisons running on biogas
Summary Week 4
Week description and objectives
Introduction
Sanitation systems
Sanitation technologies
Further information on sanitation technologies
Summary
Case study - The battle against sewage in Gaza
Exam of week 4

Waste management & Hygiene promotion
Introduction to week 5
A systematic approach to behavior change
Medical Waste Management - Part a
Medical Waste Management - Part b
Conclusion
Week description and objectives
Introduction
Further info on solide waste management
Hygiene promotion
Further reading on hygiene promotion in emergencies
Medical waste management
Example of medical waste management
Summary
Medical waste mangement worldwide
Exam of week 5

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the principles and practices of engineering for humanitarian purposes in this insightful course offered by Coursera. Students rave about the course's comprehensive coverage of the topic and the engaging teaching style of the instructor. Many users found the hands-on approach to be especially helpful.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Hands-on approach

Pros from User Reviews

Comprehensive coverage of the topic
Engaging teaching style of the instructor
Hands-on approach
Real-world examples
Useful assignments

Cons from User Reviews

Some technical jargon may be difficult to understand for beginners
Course material can be overwhelming at times
Limited interaction with other students

Recommended for you

Introduction to Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts

The world is facing unprecedented humanitarian needs. Today’s humanitarian crisis tend to be greater in number, often in urban settings, longer in duration and broader in regional impact....

Save Course