Engineering for Change

Reliable electricity and staff training are linked to lower neonatal mortality in Sierra Leone, according to new research. A reminder that infrastructure is healthcare.

Read the article:
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/electricity-and-training-are-linked-to-lower-neonatal-mortality-in-sierra-leone/

Scalable innovation starts before growth becomes visible.

According to ASME ISHOW's Five Pillars of Sustainability, the strongest innovations are built on deep user insight, real-world validation, implementation readiness, and honest impact measurement.

E4C’s President Iana Aranda discussed the pillars and expanded on their meaning in a talk she gave recently to innovators invited to the UN STI Forum. The result is a contextualized list of the factors that predict a startup’s sustainable growth. The solutions most likely to last and have the greatest impact in underserved communities are those designed with rigor, honesty, and a clear understanding of the people they serve.

Read the article:
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/the-scalability-test-early-stage-innovators-should-know/

Today is World Environment Day.

Yes, we must do more to protect and conserve the natural world. But World Environment Day can also be an opportunity for optimism, seeing the successes in engineering and the climate-conscious solutions that practitioners are already deploying around the world.

Many of these technologies receive little attention outside the sustainable development sector. Yet they are already improving lives while helping communities use resources more efficiently, build resilience, and reduce environmental impact.

Here we highlight examples from the Engineering for Change Solutions Library, including technologies that harvest water from fog, produce drinking water from sunlight and air, improve sanitation and help communities make better use of rainwater.

What climate-conscious technology have you encountered that deserves more attention?

Read the article:
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/technology-that-doesnt-compromise-with-the-environment/

Development

What are innovators in low- and middle-income countries building to advance the Sustainable Development Goals?

A new analysis of 924 submissions to the 2026 UN STI Forum Call for Innovations reveals a surge in locally driven solutions, from AI for community services and distributed clean energy to circular economy models and community-led water systems.

The demographics are diverse and tell a story as well.

• 98 countries represented
• 33% women-led teams
• 51% youth-led teams

The data suggest that sustainable innovation is becoming more local, inclusive, and designed for real-world impact.

Learn more!
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/what-924-startups-reveal-about-tech-for-sustainable-development/

Applications are now open for the 2026 Quanser Global Sustainability Award!

This is one of the latest announcements in our Opportunities Portal, presented by Quanser in partnership with International Federation of Engineering Education Societies and Global Engineering Deans Council. The Quanser award recognizes innovative engineering education initiatives advancing sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Engineering educators and institutions worldwide are invited to apply for global recognition, visibility, and collaboration opportunities.

Apply by June 30, 2026.

Apply Now!
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/opportunities/applications-are-now-open-for-the-5th-quanser-global-sustainability-award/

And browse more awards, jobs and educational opportunities in engineering for sustainable development at engineeringforchange.org/opportunities.

The Himalayan Rocket Stove (Eco1), designed for high-altitude kitchens, has become popular on YouTube with more than 180k views.

This innovative stove burns wood efficiently, reducing fuel use and clearing smoke in homes across the Himalayas. Built with four key upgrades, preheated airflow, vortexing combustion gases, secondary combustion, and heat trapping, the Eco1 reaches 800–1000°C for cleaner, hotter, and more efficient cooking.

The Eco1 was a finalist in the 2019 ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) India, where the team pitched their design, manufacturing plans, and impact strategy.

Read the article.
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/himalayan-rocket-stove-now-viral-youtube/

French startup SUBLIME Energie is testing a system that transforms agricultural waste into transport-ready renewable fuel directly on the farm, without the need for a gas pipeline.

By liquefying biogas from manure and organic waste, the technology could help smaller farms create new revenue streams while reducing methane emissions and lowering heavy transport emissions by up to 85% compared to diesel.

The technology turns waste into energy and farms into part of the clean energy transition.

Read the article.
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/this-machine-turns-farm-waste-into-transport-fuel-on-site/

We’re hiring a Program Associate at Engineering for Change (E4C)!

In this remote, part-time role (20 hrs/week), you’ll help bring impactful projects to life through the E4C Fellowship Program, working alongside global partners and E4C Fellows to create meaningful, sustainable solutions.

Start date: June 2026
Remote, Contractor
Part-time

If you’re detail-oriented, proactive, and love connecting people and ideas in a mission-driven space, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now!
🔗https://www.engineeringforchange.org/opportunities/e4c-program-associate-impact-projects/

Projects