Mythreyi Sivaraman tackles a research project on Internet connectivity听
Mythreyi Sivaraman had no trouble relating when she tackled a research project aimed at improving Internet connectivity听in the developing world, especially in times of crisis.
As a girl in her native India, she saw first-hand how poorly prepared people were due to limited communications, both before and after, when a massive听听devastated coastal areas in late 2004.
More than a decade later, Sivaraman was working towards a master鈥檚 degree in chemical engineering at the University of 蓝莓视频 last fall when weeks of rain back home caused deadly flooding in the city of听, where some of her relatives live.
This time, though the disaster still claimed more than 500 lives, she was amazed to follow along via social media as residents used the Internet to connect, communicate and co-ordinate recovery efforts that made a huge difference.
Hungry people found food. The homeless were taken in by strangers with room to spare. Rescuers swam, in some cases, to reach otherwise isolated survivors who had made their whereabouts known.
鈥淚t was all over Facebook, all over Twitter,鈥� says Sivaraman. 鈥淚n such a situation, it was brilliant the way they used it.鈥�
With that example still fresh in her mind, Sivaraman was an enthusiastic student this summer in the master鈥檚-level project management course offered through the听Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre听at 蓝莓视频 Engineering.
Final marks in the course are based largely on team projects involving various aspects of information technology (IT) as it relates to humanitarian work in the developing world.
A key partner is听, a consortium of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) 鈥� including the听听补苍诲听听鈥� that is dedicated to improving Internet connectivity in poor countries and areas affected by disasters.
Since the course was launched a decade ago, about 300 students have worked on more than 25 projects, primarily doing research and making recommendations to NetHope, which has partnerships with major technology companies including Microsoft and Cisco Systems.
Their work has covered subjects as diverse as lesson planning for teachers in Pakistan, a system to help expose counterfeit medications using text messages and how to establish reliable power sources for computers to access the Internet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to get a signal,鈥� says Peter Carr, the management sciences lecturer who started the course. 鈥淚t鈥檚 another thing to ensure people have a reliable electricity supply.鈥�
In recent years, several student projects have examined complex issues around the provision and use of the Internet in refugee camps.
Although it connects displaced people with relatives, delivers educational programs and provides information on countries accepting newcomers, there are also concerns about the Internet being used for online recruitment by terrorists.
鈥淭here are all kinds of social and political issues associated with introducing technology in the camps,鈥� says Carr.
Sivaraman and 10 other students on her team produced a 30-page report for NetHope outlining ways to develop stronger, longer-term relationships with both NGOs and Internet providers in developing countries.
Although some of the technology was a little outside her comfort zone as a chemical engineer, the underlying goal 鈥� giving more people access to information and, therefore, opportunity via Internet connectivity 鈥� perfectly fit her ambition to help make the world a better place.
鈥淵our small suggestion could make a huge difference,鈥� Sivaraman says. 鈥淵ou never know.鈥�
With affordable Internet access throughout the world likely possible within a decade, Carr anticipates an enormous impact 鈥� and a steady stream of issues for students in the course to explore.
Included are the implications, both good and bad, for democracy, as well as increasing integration of economic activity the world over.
鈥淢ore connectivity is going to accelerate that for sure,鈥� Carr says. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 fair to say globalization is probably unstoppable.鈥�
