Impressions from the Field: Harvard and Poli-USP Engineers Explore Brazil

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Mayra Espinoza-Martinez '16

As a sociology concentrator, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the 2015 SEAS/Poli-USP Collaborative Field Course on Sustainable Cities. Not only was I exploring a new and exciting country, but I was also exploring a different approach to issues that I typically look at through only a sociological lens. During the extent of my time in Brazil, I was privileged enough to learn alongside passionate students and engineers regarding the various challenges São Paulo is currently facing in energy, sanitation, transportation, water, and more.

One of the aspects that I enjoyed most about the course was the group project, which included three team members from Harvard and three team members from the Poli-USP. I enjoyed this project because of the focus on cross-cultural exchange and personal innovation. My group’s topic was Urban Mobility, and it was really enlightening to discuss the differences between major American cities and Brazilian cities like São Paulo. As a sociology concentrator, it was interesting for me to learn that the degree and depth of urban planning at the time of our distinct cities’ foundings continues to have an effect today in where the rich and the poor typically live, whether it be the urban center or the more far-removed outskirts, and what that means in terms of how a city functions. I arrive at the conclusion that the physical layout of a city is just as impactful to the overall well-being of that city as is its economic and social makeup. During my time in São Paulo I began to think of how urban planning can be used as a starting point to reverse negative trends in poverty, homelessness, and access to clean water, reliable transportation, sanitation, etc. This is a question that I hope to continue exploring at Harvard.

Mayra and the gang at the Atibainha Reservior

Overall, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program. I had a wonderful time learning about sustainability efforts in Brazil and exploring São Paulo with my new Brazilian and American friends!

About

This collaborative field course is an initiative of Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), the Escola Politécnica of the Universidade de São Paulo (Poli-USP), and Harvard's David Rockefeller Center for Latin America Studies.

The course will take place in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from January 11-21, 2015, with equal numbers of participants from Poli-USP and Harvard. It offers the unique chance for participating students and faculty to explore the complex challenges faced by engineers, urban planners, and policy makers in the field.

2015 topic: Sustainable Cities
The intense growth of cities in recent decades has increased the urgency of finding sustainable solutions for resource use in urban environments. Through a combination of field site visits, lectures and group discussions, the 2015 SEAS/Poli-USP Collaborative Field Course on Sustainable Cities offers the opportunity for hands-on engagement in São Paulo, a metropolis of 20 million inhabitants. During the course, participants will gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for urban challenges and solutions related to energy, sanitation, transportation, water and more.

In 2014, Brazilian students visited Harvard to learn about Urban Adaptation to Climate Change. The year before, in 2013, Harvard students traveled to Brazil to study The Global Challenges of Energy Production. The 2013 blog posts are archived below. This is the sixth year of the program.

Views expressed in this blog are the personal views of the individual authors, and the statements made do not officially represent views of the University or any of its units or officers.