From May 25 to 29, 2026, the SDA-for-SDGs Summer School invited students and researchers to explore how engineering can support progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The program focused on sensing, data, and analytics, but the larger goal was to help students think about how technical work connects to real needs in the world.
The week opened with the inaugural SDA-for-SDGs Symposium Day. Students had the chance to share their work, hear from researchers, and take part in conversations about global development. The keynote address by Evan Thomas from the University of Colorado helped frame the week around a central question: how can engineering research create impact beyond the lab?
As the program continued, students took part in workshops that encouraged them to look at sustainability challenges from different angles. They explored how to map complex problems, design with communities in mind, work with IoT devices, and connect technical knowledge to policy. Each session helped students see that strong solutions begin with understanding the people and systems involved.
By the end of the Summer School, participants had not only learned new tools, but also reflected on the role they can play as engineers and researchers. The week highlighted the importance of thoughtful problem-solving, especially when working on challenges that affect communities and shape the future.
We are grateful to everyone who helped make the SDA-for-SDGs Summer School a meaningful experience.
