There are a wide variety of ways engineering students can put their knowledge to use in the real world, but building roads and providing electricity to people in developing countries isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind.

One ISU student is working to help students do just that — directly from campus.

Ryan Legg, junior in civil engineering, has played a major role in beginning an ISU chapter of Engineers Without Frontiers, a national service organization that identifies and works to find answers to technology-based problems in developing countries that can be sustained to improve quality of life.

The chapter will be holding a kick-off meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in 171 Durham Center.

“We’re just looking for people who are interested and who want to see the real-life aspect of what they are learning,” Legg said.

He said the organization isn’t out to make more efficient homes for millionaires or build better roads for cars, but rather build roads for people to get access to clean water.

Legg said the chapter is talking to the civil engineering extension faculty about possibilities for projects. It’s just a matter of getting the word out and finding an outlet for opportunities, he said.

“Everybody I’ve talked to so far have been wholeheartedly behind it,” Legg said. “We’re waiting on students at this point.”

Legg said he initially learned about the program during a student exchange experience in Singapore.

from a Canadian friend who attends the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

“[The program] is really huge in Canada,” Legg said.

Engineers Without Frontiers is the U.S. affiliate of the Engineers Without Borders program in Canada that originated in 1999. There are currently more than 300 members at 20 universities in the United States.

Say Ong, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, is the Engineers Without Frontiers ISU chapter adviser.

Ong said he became involved because of his personal interests.

“I have an interest in helping developing communities and I have worked with different universities in different countries,” he said. “I see a need for [ISU] students to get involved.”

Legg said the group will hold three to four meetings to teach the university community about developments at the basic level and also about the general policy of development.

Wednesday’s meeting will have presentations from Rameshwar Kanwar, chair of agricultural and biosystems engineering, about what engineers can do for the world, and also from Brian Standley, graduate student in civil and construction engineering, about his development experiences in Mexico.

“Right now it’s an issue of getting kids involved and latched onto this stuff,” Legg said.