In this webpage, you will find the resources needed to understand and use the Localized Engineering in Displaced (LED) Framework. The LED framework was developed by researchers and professionals at Purdue University acting in displaced communities in close collaboration with humanitarian agencies, community-based organizations, and academic institutions.
What is Localized Engineering?
The localized engineering in displacement (LED) model was specifically designed for displaced settings by the instructional team from Purdue University in 2015 (DeBoer, Radhakrishnan, and Freitas, under review). The keystone to the program is our partnership with local learning spaces (usually in-country implementing NGOs) and university partners to invest in the long-term implementation of solutions in the community. The localized engineering curriculum examines where the local community boundaries are and where the obligation to solve the problem lies. The idea of ‘localization,’ building off of authentic learning and participatory design, is central to the contextualized design we use, tailored to local assets, and showcased in capstone projects at the end of the course. The capstone projects developed in the course are realistic design solutions to problems that refugees face in their daily lives.