Swan elected to EWB Faculty Leadership Council

Chris Swan, Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence and Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, has been elected to the Engineers Without Borders-USA (EWB) Faculty Leadership Council. 

EWB is an organization that aims to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic needs. The Faculty Leadership Council provides faculty leaders with an opportunity to shape the future of the organization by contributing to the development of training, facilitating communication between student chapters and headquarters, brainstorming innovative and creative solutions to engineering problems, and more. Swan becomes one of six new faculty advisors from other institutions across the country on the committee. 

As the faculty advisor of the Tufts EWB student chapter for 21 years, Swan has helped to facilitate many successful projects. His guidance has supported the growth of the club to approximately 140 members. The club has helped build infrastructure to expand access to water and energy resources in Malawi and Ecuador, and also supports local initiatives, including the Tufts greenhouse project. On their most recent trip to Malawi, the group visited Makwelani and Solobala to install boreholes that are crucial for clean water access.  

Swan, a Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) fellow, has been with the university since 1994. With a strong interest in engineering education, recycling of waste materials and unique soil functions, his research includes investigating the impact of community engagement on the education of engineering students, as well as studying the behavior of materials recovered from large-volume waste streams. As a member of the Faculty Leadership Council, Swan will be able to invest in student growth and engineering engagement on a broader, national scale. 

Learn more about Tufts EWB and Swan’s experience and research.