First day of D-Lab: Schools

Over 40 students swarmed the small conference room eager to help create better schools in developing countries through one of D-Lab's new courses this fall, D-Lab: Schools (check out D-Lab: Discovery to see the other new course). Undergraduate and graduate students from 8 departments learned of the unique opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams with a Cambodian NGO (American Assistance for Cambodia who has built over 300 schools in rural Cambodia) to design and help build more affordable and better performing schools for Cambodia. An unexpected visitor, Sopheap Phim (a senior program coordinator at Habitat for Humanity Cambodia, MIT SPURS fellow, and now contributor to the class), shared from first hand experience about the great potential D-Lab: Schools has to impact the children and nation of Cambodia. Unfortunately, only 12 spots have been reserved for this inaugural year, so over 66% of those students interested in the course will have to wait until next fall when enrollment will be expanded.