Tag: #Global Development Lab

Posted on

Improving Engagement with Veteran Women Entrepreneurs

Improving Engagement with Veteran Women Entrepreneurs

The Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab project with the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC) in Dallas, Texas called Moments that Matter is hosting virtual focus groups with the goal to improve engagement with women veteran entrepreneurs. In order to obtain first-hand information, the project seeks to find veteran women business owners to inform the creation of a national assessment tool. The shift from in-person to online due to the COVID-19 response has resulted in an unexpected benefit – the focus group can have national representation. 

Undergraduate research analyst Scott Zuo reflects on his experience working on the project, “So far, after inputting data and transcription from the past focus groups, I realized that most of the data is really valuable and meaningful for analysis purposes. The questions are so well developed that all the responses and answers to them perfectly represent the background of each participant. And it helps a lot for us and our affiliate to find patterns and moments that matter the most from the data.”

The sessions are open to veteran women entrepreneurs who are currently in business and have owned that business for at least one year. Eligible candidates can USE THIS LINK to register for a focus group that coordinates with their schedule. Focus groups will run through the end of November 2020 and are small by design to afford a depth of conversation and feedback over the course of an hour that would not be possible with larger groups. 

In this era of COVID-19 economic disruption, real-time data-driven decisions are critical to the recovery, stabilization, and growth of small business communities that help build local economies. The tool will reflect first-hand feedback that will help chart the pivotal moments of running a business and finding the most important needs in those critical intersections. Because the groups are national, this tool will be able to study the recurring business patterns that women veteran entrepreneurs have in common and how their experiences may differ from non-veterans. The perspective provided by participants in the focus groups will inform decisions made by veteran support agencies, like the VWEC, to better provide the resources needed to overcome their challenges and contribute to their successes.

The Moments that Matter focus groups are the passion project of VR Small. She speaks to her motivation, “Why I am so determined to drive the collection and application of real-time data about women veteran entrepreneurs is because I know the impact; I know we are not just building businesses; we’re transforming lives. When we help a women veteran owner’s business succeed, we strengthen our family structures, create community resources, and fuel our nation’s economy. My personal slogan is changing the way we see the world and do business, and as a leader that’s what I strive to achieve every day.”

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

Posted on

Celebrating the 2020 UN Day Global Leadership Award Recipient, Dr. Candice Bledsoe

Candice L. Bledsoe, PhD. as the recipient of the 2020 UN Day Global Leadership Award, in the category of Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education.

The Hunt Institute proudly recognizes the accomplishment of Candice L. Bledsoe, PhD. as the recipient of the 2020 UN Day Global Leadership Award, in the category of Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education. This prestigious award reflects the bold, transformative work Bledsoe has done to advance the United Nations goals for sustainable development, shifting the world onto a more resilient path through quality education. UNA-USA is the largest grassroots organization dedicated to educating, inspiring, and mobilizing Americans to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations. In celebration of UN Day each year, a network of 200 Chapters across the country host events to highlight the critical role played by the UN in today’s world – even in the most challenging of situations.

The Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab supported the Action Research Center’s Young Social Innovators & Social Entrepreneurs Program by helping to develop a young entrepreneurial toolkit called Youth Up Next primarily focused on reaching high school age entrepreneurs seeking to be change agents for social good. Cambria Lewis, Hunt Institute undergraduate research analyst, worked on this project over the Summer 2020 semester. Lewis said, “What motivates me while working on this project with Dr. Bledsoe is amplifying young people’s voices and a platform to make changes in their communities and society. Shaping youths’ mindset and building their confidence regarding business building is critical. I am happy to be a part of this project and movement.” With the assistance of the Hunt Institute’s Social Enterprise program, during the 2020 – 2021 academic year, the Action Research Center will continue to provide virtual meetings to support Young Social Innovators & Young Social Entrepreneurs.

When reflecting on the connection of her work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals she states, “The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. With innovation and community building we can make our world a better place.”

Bledsoe is a Faculty member at Simons School of Education & Human Development’s Graduate Liberal Studies Program, a professor at Cox School of Business, serves on the Leadership Council in the Inclusive Economy Consortium, and Fellow in the Hunt Institute. Bledsoe is the executive director of the Action Research Center, an organization designed to enhance equity in our communities. She is also the founder of the Collective, a group comprised of community leaders, writers, scholars, and entrepreneurs who share the stories of minoritized women in America.

To attend the 2020 UN Day Global Leadership virtual event on Saturday, October 24, register here.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

Posted on

The Kijiji Project: Phase I

Featured Video Play Icon

Kijiji Project Tanzania Africa Hunt Institute Global Development LabPhase I of the Kijiji Project was completed over the summer of 2020, with a focus on the development of a sustainable fence for the community center that Clara Ford, Founder and CEO of the Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (KISS), aspires to build in Kasisa, Tanzania. Over 8000 miles, or an 18-hour flight, from Kasisa, the team pushed through, leveraging technology to keep the lines of communication open. Undergraduate Research Analyst Izzah Zaheer and Undergraduate Project Manager Taylor Grace worked with Dr. Jessie Zarazaga and Ford to develop a fence that is economically and ecologically sustainable. “I was put on this team right after I was hired to the Institute over the summer. Dealing with a new role, a new project, and a new environment with COVID was a lot to take on. However, with the support and guidance of my team and the understanding of the impact this community center would have on the village, I researched and looked at the best sustainable solutions for this fence,” said Zaheer.

The goal of Phase I was to find a solution that could be integrated into this specific community and replicated in other surrounding communities. Starting with the fence is crucial to ensure that the land for the future community center will be protected from livestock eating or damaging vegetation. The findings resulted in three viable solutions that could potentially be applied in the rural community: chili oil fencing, beehive fencing, and a living wall fence.

From these solutions, Zaheer and Grace came up with two proposals that focused on a combination of a living wall fence and chain link fence to provide both protection from the cows and an aesthetic appearance to surround the future community center. Then, they delivered a virtual presentation of a cost analysis of both proposals to the KISS board and two local Tanzanian point-of-contacts.

“I really enjoyed presenting our findings to the KISS board and local Tanzanians because they were pleased with our solution. It was the first time we had the chance to connect with the visionaries of this project. Their passion and excitement to improve their community, combined with their resourcefulness, encouraged me and made me so honored to be a part of such an amazing project that will impact so many lives,” said Taylor Grace.

Upon delivery of the report titled Building Fences to Build Connections, we shifted gears to prepare for our next phase of the project. Throughout the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, we will focus on facilitating the development of the business plan for the Kijiji social enterprise and a local student-led competition for what they would like to see in the architectural designs for the community center.

“A country like Tanzania, blessed with so much wealth in natural resources, shouldn’t have its citizens living in any state of poverty. If such resources are allocated properly, Tanzania has the capacity to ensure all of its people are in better living standard than they currently are.” Clara Ford, CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu. 

Posted on

The Kijiji Project, Tanzania

Clara Ford, CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions, Kasisa Village, a rural village in Tanzania

The Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab partnered with Jessie Zarazaga, Ph.D, Director of the Master of Arts in Sustainability and Development from Lyle School of Engineering, to work with Clara Ford, Founder, President, and CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (KISS) and MASD alumni on what we call the Kijiji Project.

Born in Kasisa Village, a rural village in the East African country of Tanzania, Ford is especially motivated to improve the quality of life of its residents. Ford has directed her efforts toward building a community center with goals of reducing cyclical poverty and empowering the local people with technical skills. The locals of Kasisa Village are stakeholders in the planned center, which will function as a testing ground for social impact implementation in their community. This partnership for community development is a core value for Ford, the KISS Board of Directors, and the Hunt Institute.

Zarazaga explains the importance of this project, saying, “The energy and focus invested in the Kijiji project is valuable for the village of Kasisa, Tanzania, but it is equally valuable for the skills of my students, as future sustainability professionals. It is not enough to talk about sustainability, it is not an abstract activity. Each solution is embedded in a real situation with people and territory; this is where learning takes place.”

“The opportunity to work with Clara, who connects those in the village, where her father was born, with her classmates in MASD, is unusual and powerful. I have a deep connection with Africa for my own family history and find it emotionally powerful to be able to share that passion with the SMU student team.” – Zarazaga

This project experienced considerable delays at the onset of the Spring Semester’s COVID-19 response, including a canceled trip to a conference for Zarazaga, a campus shutdown, and the steep learning curve for doing remote work on a global scale. Despite these challenges, Zarazaga says, “Covid, and the necessity to work at a distance, made us learn how much we really can do remotely. Now we see that connecting to Dar es Salaam (near the Kasisa village) is no harder than connecting to my office at SMU. Our way of collaborating is changing: we are working with Tanzanian students and professionals more than we had planned or anticipated; this is good for the sustainability of the project in powerful ways.”

Phase I wrapped up over the Summer Session with remote work, and Phase II is in progress during the Fall Semester with a hybrid system of remote and in-person work. The teams in both countries continue to find resolve and resilience to serve a higher purpose–designing access to a higher quality of life for community members in the Kasisa Village of Tanzania. Next week, we will share the findings of Phase I through the Hunt Digest, Building Fences to Build Connections.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu. 

Posted on

Why We Do What We Do: Part III

Dr. James Oliver and Dr. Evan Csaky talking in the Hunt Institute

It is realistic to say there is not a soul on this planet that has not been affected in some way by this global pandemic. We have had to roll with the punches this year and each of us have found a way to re-align, re-adjust, let some things go, and choose to put other things on hold. Yet, we keep Pushing Through. Through it all, there are countless untold stories of perseverance, resilience, and people helping strangers. Our distinguished list of Affiliates are among those who keep Pushing Through with a desire to help address some of the consequences of this global pandemic.

The reality of the changing conditions due to COVID-19 has become a focus in much of our work in the Global Development Lab including health, entrepreneurship, and a resource map in Dallas to help those hit the hardest by COVID-19.

Our point of care device research led by Dr. Ali Beskok, former Departmental Chair for the Mechanical Engineering department and Professor, in partnership with Dr. Chiao Jung Chih,  and their labs have shifted focus to “Lab on a Chip Device for COVID-19.” Dr. Beskok spoke to this shift when he said, “The primary motivation of our research is the development of inexpensive and accurate point of care devices for health monitoring in remote and underdeveloped regions. For example, such a malaria test can save thousands of lives around the world each year! This is our primary motivation.” Dr. Jungchih. For readers unfamiliar with traditional lab testing, the Mayo Clinic released a report about The Importance of Antibody Testing in Addressing COVID-19. Lab on chip and point of car devices expedite this same type of testing by reducing the time processed in a traditional lab. It is the goal of this research to put that rapid response resource into the hands of the first responders and health professionals on the front line. Dr. Jung Chih echoed Dr. Beskok’s motivation when he said, “We have an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate the power of engineering innovation to help control this global pandemic with SMU’s unique multidisciplinary research talents and synergic team work.“ They continue to push through in their labs despite the myriad of delays due to the pandemic.

We know that a healthy recovery for our economy needs entrepreneurship. Our partnership with the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center in Dallas, Texas working on the Moments that Matter research is a driving force behind business development for women veteran business owners. Our Affiliate VR Small speaks to her motivation, “Why I am so determined to drive the collection and application of real-time data about women veteran entrepreneurs is because I know the impact; I know we are not just building businesses; we’re transforming lives. When we help a women veteran owned business succeed, we strengthen our family structures, create community resources, and literally fuel our nation’s economy. My personal slogan is Changing the way we see the world and do business, and as a leader that’s what I strive to achieve every day.” The development of this national assessment tool will change the way we see and support women veteran entrepreneurs with an understanding of both their challenges and their successes. In this era of COVID-19, real time data driven decisions are critical to the continued recovery, stabilization and growth of our small business communities.

Finally, for short-term solutions, our Map INDallas in early beta development shifted to be a COVID-19 Relief Map. Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute, along with the  Advisory Committee dreamed up the Map INDallas project with a desire to improve access to information about free services available in Dallas through an innovative mapping approach. The original design was planned to provide information and analytics to service providers which will be in future work as we develop and create a collection of useful maps to address various issues. Dr. James Olivier, Hunt Institute Fellow and Adjunct Professor in Lyle School of Engineering, speaks to the importance of the shift in the map’s focus, “We wanted to provide targeted location oriented information to those affected by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, allowing them to quickly find aid and services nearby. The Map INDallas project was the ideal way of quickly providing this needed resource.”

In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting various projects their affiliates, student workers, and industry or in-country partners telling their stories about resilience, innovation, and finding ways to keep Pushing Through.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

Posted on

Why We Do What We Do: Part II

 

Daily, a steady stream of student workers can be seen coming in and out of the Hunt Institute. They find creative ways to orchestrate meetings, stay connected with colleagues working remotely, and keep a positive attitude amidst a world that at times can feel turned upside down. Fanned out across the Institute’s main meeting area are carefully-positioned seating arrangements designed to facilitate the traditional “Town Hall” Monday Meeting while accommodating appropriate distancing and staying under the ten attendee limit. Seats are positioned in an effort to simulate a circle, including the students working remotely who attend the meeting via Zoom. Their faces can be seen on the TV mounted on the wall by the students seated in the Institute. 

The Assistant Director, Corrie Harris, leads the meeting with the Undergraduate Program Manager, Manuela Murillo Sanchez. The communications team recommended a discussion on the theme “Pushing Through” for the Fall semester. It was unanimous; everyone agreed it was the best way to describe the present circumstance of juggling the pursuit of normalcy and the pandemic. Mariana Midolo, the Creative Development Lead, said, “The hardships of this time right now affect us as a team. That is why we want to focus on pushing through together.” Cullen Blanchfield, the Communications Team Lead, chimed in and said, “I think this theme is effective on a societal level, but outside of that, on an Institute level we have obviously gone through a lot of changes with more changes to come for the team, which means we are definitely going to have to push through together.”

The group continued to discuss the impact of the phrase. Varsha Appaji, the Researchers Team Lead, said, “I think it is a really great theme and I am glad that we are doing it. I think it would be great to emphasize that a lot of our work has to do with sustainability and promoting societal equality and inclusion which definitely fits in with the times right now.” Heads nodded across the group.

Mohammed Njie, Undergraduate Researcher and Social Entrepreneur, said, “I think it is important to realize that here at the Institute we are involved in a lot of projects where we can impact the lives of a lot of different people. For their sake, it is very important that we push through… they are waiting for us.”  

Following the meeting, teams formed breakout sessions to plan their week, set priorities and goals, and brainstorm steps to push through together. 

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

Posted on

Why We Do What We Do: Part 1

How can we help repair our world after COVID-19?

Sitting in her office on another Zoom call, the Assistant Director, Corrie Harris, works to motivate team members given the current state of affairs: an ever-changing landscape that greatly affects their ability to collaborate with in-country partners and affiliates. A series of delays, losses, and obstacles have flown in their path, yet they continue to press on.

When the shelter-in-place order was given in March 2020, the team members in the Institute quickly adjusted to remote work. The transition was seamless, as the Institute was already structured to accommodate full-time college students’ schedules by leveraging online project management and communication platforms. When other programs came to a screeching halt, the Institute persevered, taking steps to preserve the connectedness often lost with remote work. Now, given the opening of the SMU campus for the fall semester, they have a consistent system allowing for a hybrid workspace of both remote and in-person collaboration.

The question was asked, “What keeps the team going with all this uncertainty?” Harris responded, “Since I was a little girl, I have always been drawn to helping others. I am not alone. All the student workers, affiliates, and leadership at the Institute have their own version of this statement. It is why we do what we do. It is what keeps us motivated. Now with the consequences of the global pandemic at the forefront, institutes like ours need to be at the ready. Everyone here at the Institute feels it, and we keep pushing to find solutions.”

For the past two years, the Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab (GDL) has evolved from the pilot stage to a mature program. With over sixty affiliates, an average of twenty to twenty-five student workers, and an extensive network of industry partners, the Institute has become a hub for fostering collaborative, innovative solutions. “There is something inside of us that is hard to explain, something that draws us to make the world a better place beyond what some may think is possible. Utopia may be a fantasy, but it is worth seeking and reaching for every day. It is in that reaching, seeking, and working that we help improve the lives of others. In so doing, we always improve our own lives.”

This Fall semester, we will highlight various team members as they courageously continue working on their projects in the GDL, overcoming the obstacles and uncertainty brought on by the global pandemic. Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest to get a first-hand account as the story of this semester unfolds.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the Institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

Posted on

Where Engineering and Chemistry Intersect for Global Impact

During these uncertain times, the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity’s Global Development Lab has been hard at work this summer. Fellows, faculty, and industry professionals collaborate to create meaningful solutions to promote a resilient humanity. While supporting our community the Global Development addresses the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and challenges. One collaborative interdisciplinary team is lead by two Fellows, Dr. David Son and Dr. Paul Krueger. Their project is a joint chemical and engineering approach to develop a degradable plastic to address the environmental issues of plastic waste.  It is comprised of two lab teams and a team in the Hunt Institute. Featured in the image to the left was the team in the Spring of 2020 semester. Over the Summer semester, Sami Streb joined Dr. Krueger’s lab team and Taylor Grace as the undergraduate project manager.

Currently, many biodegradable products in the market are bio-based, produced from nature (plants, animals, or microorganisms). For example, they may contain products such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. However, this approach faces challenges due to high cost, weaker performance, and overlooked environmental issues. Several degradable plastics have proven to break down faster under specific environmental conditions.  Although, it  may not actually reflect the normal environment, but it may not be effectively degradable under natural conditions. Many biodegradable plastics tend to need particular waste management methods which are not always widely available. These challenges pose a gap in the market due to the composition and degradation abilities.

As a result, Dr. Son and Dr. Krueger plan to investigate various prototype plastics with predictable degradation and mechanical properties, specifically useful in applications for alleviating plastic waste. These characteristics are significant advances to biodegradable products currently leading the market. With the ability to control the plastic’s properties, they can impart certain desirable properties to the material or give predictable properties to the final plastic material.

In order to make the largest impact in the current biodegradable plastic industry, a potential deliverable for their research could be to pursue a single-use PPE similar to what is typically used due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Specifically, the project is researching the production of a degradable mask frame with adequate seal to the face, as seen in N95 respirator masks. Typically, plastic can take ~ a thousand years to degrade in a landfill where degradable plastic (or PPLs) can degrade in ~ one year. Certain plastics can be designed to begin degrading when introduced to a certain property like salt water. The teams are exploring a variety of options. One area of interest is the inevitable increase of medical waste due to the rise in single-use face coverings and analyzing the shortage of single-use respirator masks in health care facilities due to the direct interactions with infected patients. This is in alignment with the UNSDG Goal 3, “To ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.” It will also address Goal 14, “To conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources” due to the degradable nature of the frame. 

Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest to read more about this project and other projects in the Global Development Lab.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

 

Posted on

Moments that Matter

The Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center is working toward improving engagement with veteran women entrepreneurs through a series of national focus groups in 2020. The data from the focus groups will help business development and support providers across our nation improve how they engage women veteran entrepreneurs. The purpose is to gather data to advocate for additional services and adequate funding across our nation for women veteran entrepreneurs.

VR Small is the VWEC’s CEO and an Associate in the Hunt Institute. VR’s project was accepted into the 2020 Cohort for the Global Development Lab in January. Phase I of Moments that Matter was comprised of a survey to women veteran entrepreneurs in the DFW metroplex in collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. A report of the survey outcomes is expected to be released summer 2020. Phase II is the design and implementation of the focus groups for a deeper dive into key survey questions.

VR’s undergraduate analyst Scott Zuo, undergraduate project manager Shelby Lauren Griffith, and GDL Portfolio Manager Corrie Harris have navigated uncharted waters due to the global pandemic managing to push this project forward amid closures, delays, and ever-changing redirects. As a result, they have created an online alternative for the focus groups. Collaboration with faculty members has helped the team to design an online formulate qualitative questions for the focus group sessions. VR is also a Navy veteran and social entrepreneur. She brings an added layer of relevance to the process with her many years of experience in the small business arena.

Ultimately, this process will result in an online platform that provides a national, regional, and local overview of women veteran entrepreneurs, outlining demographics, industries, average revenues, contracts, capital secured, and more. This platform will offer metrics that clearly identify how women veteran entrepreneurs are helping to drive our nation’s economy. In addition, this data will highlight potential areas of support, such as enhanced technical assistance, access to varied financial products, and expanded contracting opportunities. Both veteran women entrepreneurs and those that partner with them will have access to this platform.

Gaining feedback from women veteran business owners about the moments that matter most during their entrepreneurial  journey will provide key decision makers and funders with a vivid illustration of the real economic impact. It will also inform them of  the ongoing challenges faced by women veteran entrepreneurs. The data from their feedback will help drive the timely allocation of funding resources to areas  that will have the greatest impact toward advancing women veteran owned businesses in our nation. In addition, this is an opportunity to highlight those who have proudly served in the military and  to share their unique experiences. Now more than ever, we need to amplify the voices of our women entrepreneurs and ensure they have the resources needed to succeed.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

Posted on

Filling the Gap for Seismic Protection

Image from Volcano Discovery

Peru is located in a seismic zone where the South American Plate moves toward the sea over the Nazca Plate causing earthquakes as a result of the thrust faulting on the interface of the two plates.  According to Volcano Discovery, Peru endured 81 quakes in May of 2020. With the exception of an occasional break in seismic energy, Peruvians live with earthquakes as a daily condition. Dr. Nicos Makris, Hunt Institute Fellow, has been leading a research team of collaborators and students at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering as well as internationally, to address this pressing issue. Their project in the Global Development Lab (GDL) focuses on seismic protection solutions for confined masonry urban housing. The in-country partner is Dr. Marcial Blondet who has dedicated over thirty years to researching the effects of seismic activity on masonry and adobe construction in Peru.

All projects in the GDL address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This effort directly targets SDG #11 which seeks to ensure that growth in housing and urban development is safe, equitable, and environmentally conscious. UN Target 11.5 highlights the importance of this effort as it sets the target to “significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters…with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations” (1). 

Kostas Kalfas (Ph.D. student and researcher), Corrie A. Harris (Portfolio Manager), JuliaGrace Walker (Undergraduate Project Manager), Sam Borton (Undergraduate Research Analysis), and Dr. Nicos Makris.

Even middle-class urban residents in Peru’s urban environment often reside in poorly constructed confined masonry houses which, in the case of a severe earthquakes, are at the risk of suffering serious damage. Professional construction is expensive and beyond reach for the majority of Peruvians. For this reason, the seismic protection market is increasingly narrowing its focus to low-cost solutions. One of the goals of this project has been to evaluate existing low-cost solutions accessible for most Peruvians (2). Finding that even “low-cost” solutions are out of reach for most Peruvians, Dr. Makris makes an alternate proposition. Rocking isolation offers great potential as an innovative and economical alternative for seismic protection, but it has yet to be implemented as low-cost housing reinforcement. Makris’ emerging system of seismic protection could address the pressing need for affordable seismic protection of existing masonry structures.

Sam Borton, Hunt Institute Undergraduate Research Analyst, made a significant contribution to this post with his market analysis of low-cost seismic protection. The complete analysis will be released in a future post. Stay tuned to read more!

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

  1. About the Sustainable Development Goals – United Nations Sustainable Development. (n.d.). Retrieved 2020, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
  2. Blondet, M., & Loaiza, C. (2020). Vulnerabilidad Sísmica de las Construcciones en el Perú: Informe Preliminar. Lecture presented in Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú: Departamento de Ingeniería.