ISE student leads Engineers Without Borders chapter as president

One of the most rewarding experiences for Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) senior Cole Shankles during his time at Auburn has been his involvement with Engineers Without Borders (EWB). The student organization works with communities in developing countries to promote sustainable engineering solutions to practical problems.

Before accepting the role as president, Shankles served as the domestic team lead for EWB. In this role, he worked on a project in Auburn and occasionally traveled around the area to gain certifications and conduct work for the project.

The ongoing project is designed to evaluate the quality of local waterways by taking samples and measuring the amount of E. coli found in the water.

“The project was a water quality analysis project in Parkerson Mill Creek, a creek that flows throughout the city of Auburn and the university,” Shankles said.

The organization also travels internationally to Guatemala and Bolivia. The Guatemala team works by designing and constructing drinking water systems for Guatemalan communities. The Guatemala team has worked in the communities of Saloj and Xeo. The team implemented a water system for Saloj in August 2022, and the system for Xeo will be implemented in May 2024. The Bolivia group has been working in Quesimpuco for 10 years on many different projects to improve the lives of the community members. They have worked alongside community members to implement projects that include an irrigation system, a hydroponics system, hand-powered washing machines and solar showers.

“One of the best things I have done during my time at Auburn University has been getting involved in this organization,” Shankles said.

EWB’s largest fundraising event is the annual Water Cycle, a gravel bike race at the Lake Martin Dam.

“Last year, this event raised $27,000,” Shankles said. “We hope to exceed this during this year's race in March.’’

Engineering students can participate in EWB by attending weekly meetings on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Brown-Kopel Center. Alumni, industry professionals or companies can get involved by supporting EWB through donations or involvement in fundraising events.

“This is vital due to our organization raising all our funds for the projects ourselves,” Shankles said. “The three projects based in Bolivia, Guatemala and the United States cost around $150,000 each year for our organization.”

Shankles, originally from Pisgah, Alabama, chose to study ISE after learning more about his mother’s job as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My mother was a nurse during that time, and hearing firsthand about the supply chain issues and the effect that had on hospitals was shocking to me,” he said. “This led me to look into industrial engineering and then study it here at Auburn.”

After graduation, Shankles plans to enroll in the dual MISE/MBA program that the ISE department offers. His career goal is to work for a hospital or healthcare organization.