Overview

The TechBridgeWorld research group at Carnegie Mellon University introduced iSTEP (innovative Student Technology ExPerience) in 2009 as a unique internship program that provides Carnegie Mellon students with the opportunity to conduct technology research projects in developing communities.

The goal of iSTEP is to provide Carnegie Mellon students with real-world experience in applying their knowledge and skills for creative problem-solving in unfamiliar settings. The internship is designed so that the team works closely with local partners in developing communities and contributes technical expertise by inventing new tools and customizing existing technology.

Together with TechBridgeWorld faculty and staff, the iSTEP team works on technology research projects for underserved communities in collaboration with local partners. The iSTEP team ensures that its research projects address the community's unique development challenges through a thorough needs assessment process.

The multidisciplinary iSTEP team is typically comprised of a mix of undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni from various departments at Carnegie Mellon University. They are set up to work in a globally-distributed team over the summer with some members of the team working with TechBridgeWorld faculty and staff from campus while other team members are living and working at the overseas partner location. Project work from the internship will result in papers co-authored by the participating interns to be submitted to upcoming ICTD (Information and Communication Technologies for Development) and other relevant conferences for publication.

The primary goal of this innovative and unique internship model is to enhance technology education opportunities that have impact in the developing world. Students who participate in this program benefit from a well-structured unique experience that better prepares them for succeeding in an increasingly global economy, and we have found this experience is rewarding because of the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to address significant needs in society. Our TechBridgeWorld team visits the project location in advance to conduct a broad needs assessment with partners and to identify the specific project areas. This allows for detailed preparations and research planning with the selected students during the spring semester leading up to their summer internship work. The key objectives for this internship model are listed below.

© 2009 Carnegie Mellon University