Engineering for International Development Centre

Engineering for International Development Centre researches engineering solutions for human development and wellbeing, which address SDGs using locally acceptable water-sanitation-energy approaches.

About

UCL’s Engineering for International Development Centre was founded by Dr. Priti Parikh with a view of addressing infrastructure provision in resource-challenged settings in low-middle income countries. EFID brings together a team of doctoral students, postdocs, academics and organisations who would be able to address the global challenge of lack of infrastructure access through combining technical innovation with societal needs. Dr. Parikh also founded CEGE's MSc in Engineering for International Development, and the EFID Hub, with the view of creating a generation of engineers who can used mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) to address sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Smart Solar Solutions for All 

Dr. Parikh has been awarded a five-year fellowship, ‘Smart Solar Solutions for All (S34ALL)’, with the Royal Academy of Engineering, co-funded by industry partner BBOXX. S34ALL will develop energy prediction models for low to middle income countries - such as those in sub-Saharan Africa - where current modelling work is sparse.  S34ALL partners include the University of Rwanda and the Low Carbon Energy for Development Network (LCEDN), who will provide support to foster collaborations both in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa.

Links

Please note, links on this webpage may lead to external websites. 

• Royal Academy of Engineering website
• BBOXX website 
• University of Rwanda website 
• Low Carbon Energy for Development Network website 
• Smart Solar Solutions for All Fellowship page 

People

Academic members

• Dr Priti Parikh, EfiD Centre founder and Director.  

Associate members

• Dr Luiza Campos
• Professor Monica Lakhanpaul
• Professor Yacob Mulugetta 
• Dr Julia Tomei 

Research associates

• Dr Iwona Bisaga. Dr Bisaga completed her PhD - Scaling up off-grid solar energy access through improved understanding of customers’ needs, aspirations and energy use of decentralised (SMART) Solar Home Systems – a case study of BBOXX customers in Rwanda - in 2019, supervised by Dr. Priti Parikh. 

Research assistants 

• Loan Diep 
   

Current Research Student Members  

Imad Ahmed 

• Primary supervisor: Dr D'Maris Coffman. 
• Secondary supervisors:  Dr Priti Parikh, Dr Ian Hamilton, and Prof Michelle Baddeley (external).  
• Research interests: The development impact of infrastructure. 
• Imad is based in The UCL Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management. Visit Imad's UCL Bartlett profile page. 

Loan Diep 

• Primary supervisor: Dr Priti Parikh. 
• Secondary supervisor: Dr David Dodman. 
• Research interests: Socio-environmental justice; green infrastructure; water management; informal settlements; São Paulo.
• Working thesis title: Green infrastructure and socio-environmental injustices in urban governance: a nested systems approach.

Ana Garfias Royo

• Primary supervisor: Dr Priti Parikh.
• Secondary supervisors: Mr Julian Walker and Dr Jyoti Belur.
• Research interests: International development; infrastructure delivery; urban development; safe cities; violence against women.
• Working thesis title: Women and the built environment.

Vivien Kizilcec

• Primary supervisor: Dr Priti Parikh. 
• Secondary supervisor: Dr Catalina Spataru. 
• Research interests: Energy access, off-grid energy, solar energy, energy modelling.
• Working thesis title: Examining the peer effects and energy demand patterns of smart solar home system customers in East Africa.

Eve Mackinnon

• Primary supervisor: Dr Luiza Campos.
• Secondary supervisors: Dr Priti Parikh and Dr Lena Ciric.
• Research interests: Sanitation, water and sanitation, public health, development, exposure risk, risk assessment and management.
• Working thesis title: Exposure risk management for workers in container-based sanitation systems.

Julia Vila Guilera 

• Primary supervisor: Prof Monica Lakhanpaul.
• Secondary supervisors: Dr Priti Parikh and Prof Rajib Dasgupta (JNU University, Delhi).
• Research interests: My goal is to work towards improving global health equity. I am interested in the fields of global public health, environmental engineering and international development. My current research focuses on hygiene and sanitation practices and their link with infections and malnutrition in children in rural India. I am aiming to integrate different disciplines (public health and environmental engineering) to investigate problem-driven solutions using a holistic approach.
• Working thesis title: Exploring the household environment in rural India to characterise the faecal-oral transmission routes leading to infections in young children.
• Julia is based in the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. Visit Julia's LinkedIn profile and follow her on Twitter: @juliavigu   

Research

Themes 

Short paragraph, plus list of bullet points 

Projects 

• ISULabaNtu 
• PANChSHEEEL
• Smart Solar Solutions for All fellowship page 
• UCL Grand Challenges Gender based violence in school 

• Vitol Foundation 

Publications 

Dr Parikh's publications 

RPS Widget Placeholderhttps://research-reports.ucl.ac.uk/RPSDATA.SVC/pubs/PPARI97

 

In the media

• CEGE Senior Lecturer awarded Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research Fellowship

• CEGE’s Dr Priti Parikh leading engineering aspect of innovative rural child nutrition project

• CEGE alumna’s fundraiser to spark company success

Collaboration 

• BBOXX
• Vitol Foundation 

Teaching

EfID Centre members contribute to the following programmes: 

• Engineering for International Development MSc

• Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering MPhil/PhD

EfID Centre Director Dr Parikh founded Engineering for International Development MSc in 2014, and was the programme director for five years.

The Centre for Urban Sustainability and Resilience offers the following programmes:

• Urban Sustainability and Resilience MRes

• Urban Sustainability and Resilience MRes + EngD  

Dr Parikh was Co-Director of USAR Centre for a number of years, and continues to supervise USAR students, many of whom have interests within the field of engineering for international development.

The student experience

Dr Parikh also founded the UCL EfID hub, facilitating opportunities for all UCL Engineering undergraduates from across the Faculty to work on global international development projects, honing their skills and putting their engineering knowledge to good use. Follow EfID Hub on Twitter @UCL_EfID.    

Dr Parikh has also worked extensively with UCL Engineers without Borders, and the EfID Centre will continue this relationship. As UCL's branch of Engineers without Borders UK, this student society offers its members the opportunity to network, upskill and participate in overseas projects.