Friday, June 5, 2015

David Sabatini Joins OU Team in Uganda and Rwanda





OU Team and Hosts
CEES Professor and WaTER Center Director David Sabatini joined an interdisciplinary team of OU colleagues on an exploratory trip to Gulu, Uganda and Kigali, Rwanda in April.  The team consisted of representatives from the colleges of Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, International Studies and Medicine and the Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth. Sabatini represented CEES, the WaTER Center and the College of Engineering

The first objective of the trip was to explore options for interdisciplinary service learning projects at St. Monica’s Vocational School in Gulu while also connecting with the local university, local water companies and area NGO’s.  The second objective, while in Kigali, was to explore similar project opportunities with representatives of the local university, NGO’s and government organizations.

The group was hosted by 2014 TIME 100 Most Influential and 2007 CNN Hero Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and the Saint Monica’s Vocational School in Gulu, which is a six hour van ride north of the capital of Kampala.  Potential projects identified while at St Monica’s include a master plan for the school that would include water and sanitation facilities with a water/sanitation/health kiosk built into an exterior wall that would also serve the community, as well as solar and biofuel potential.  The team also visited Atiak, about an hour north of Gulu, to explore potential water and sanitation projects where Sister Rosemary is establishing a new school. 
Sabatini and Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe

After five days in Gulu, four team members traveled on to Kigali where they visited with representatives from Bridge2Rwanda, a training program to assist high school graduates that want to attend college in the US; several University of Rwanda faculty members from engineering, architecture and business; native Rwandan graduates of Oklahoma Christian College that have returned to their homeland to pursue their careers; a sanitation/biofuel startup installation initiated by a UC-Berkley graduate; an architecture firm designing learning/health centers in rural villages; the Minister of Infrastructure; and the Water/Sanitation Corporation.  Many needs and opportunities for water and sanitation initiatives were identified.  Certain elements look more advanced such as roads and businesses but others show that great needs still exist in such basic areas as wastewater treatment and availability of drinking water. 
David Sabatini
While in Kigali, the team also took the opportunity to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and ate dinner at Hotel Des Mille Collines, the hotel featured in the movie Hotel Rwanda.

"The trip was very illuminating", said Sabatini. "Representatives in both countries expressed great interest in collaborating with OU, and the team identified many opportunities to engage our students in service learning opportunities while also meeting needs and advancing development in these countries through capacity building, student/faculty exchanges and training courses among others."  The OU team is in the process of evaluating the range of opportunities and developing a plan for next steps.   
Stay tuned!

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Austin Messerli Named 2015 Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering



Austin Messerli of Norman, Oklahoma was named the 2015 Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering.  Messerli grew up in Norman and graduated from Norman North High School in 2007. He played both basketball and baseball, participating in multiple state tournaments in both sports. Messerli earned both academic and athletic scholarships to attend Oklahoma City University, where he was the first graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Studies and also played for two baseball national championships. While at OU, Messerli was an active member of Chi Epsilon and served as the 2014-2015 president of the ASCE student chapter.  After graduation, Messerli plans to work under the guidance of Dr. Jeffery Volz in pursuit of his Master's degree, and will continue to work for Garver. 

Jessica Johnston Named 2015 Outstanding Senior in Environmental Engineering



Jessica Johnston of Ponca City, Oklahoma was named the Outstanding Senior of 2015 in Environmental Engineering.  “I chose environmental engineering as my major in order to combine my love of math, science, and protecting the environment.”  While at OU Johnston has been the Secretary of Chi Epsilon, the Civil Engineering Honor Society, as well as a member of Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, Sooners Without Borders, and the OU Cube Club. She also was the recipient of the Oklahoma Regents, Jimmy F. Harp, Joakim G. Laguros, and Guy Bradford Treat Scholarships. Johnston also volunteered at Manos Juntas, a free health clinic in Oklahoma City, as well as Angel Food Ministries in Norman.  She enjoys playing clarinet and piano, backpacking, archery, and occasionally sword fighting and acting on the human chessboard at the Norman Medieval Faire. After graduation, Johnston will attend UC Berkeley in California for graduate school where she will continue studying environmental engineering.