Global TIES: Ten Years of Engineering for Humanity

Founded in 2004, Global TIES – Teams in Engineering Service at the University of California, San Diego is a nationally recognized humanitarian engineering and social innovation program. In Global TIES, student-led, faculty-advised, interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate students earn academic credit for designing engineering and technology solutions in partnership with local and global nonprofit organizations. Data suggest that participation in Global TIES has a positive impact on students on a number of academic and developmental variables, including many of the professional and technical skills recommended by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. These findings, as well as the program’s history, mission, and curriculum, are described. Best practices developed and lessons learned over the program’s first decade are also discussed.