Penn State New Kensington continues its "Countries of Focus" program at noon, Friday, Oct. 28, in Room 140 of the Science Building, with a lecture by Khanjan Mehta, director of the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship program at Penn State University Park.
The lecture is a part of a program that celebrates the culture and heritage of Kenya and Tanzania. Mehta's talk, "Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship Ventures in East Africa,” examines a program he helped to create that connects rural populations in Kenya and Tanzania with doctors in nearby cities using “telemedicine.” The project uses medical diagnostic equipment along with existing cellphone networks to create a health monitoring system. According to estimates, 97 percent of East Africans have access to a mobile phone.
Sponsored by the Honors program and the International Committee at Penn State New Kensington, the lectures are a part of "Countries of Focus: Kenya and Tanzania," the year-long campus celebration of international cultures. The lectures are free to the public.
For the past five years, the campus has embarked on the promotion of greater awareness and understanding of world issues, international trends and global policy debates. Each year, the campus adopts a country or region of the world to inspire teaching and scholarship. Students, faculty and staff will explore and reflect on various aspects of Kenya's and Tanzania's history, culture and economic, social and political reality.
For more information, contact Bill Hamilton at 724-334-6717 or hw7@psu.edu via email.
For more on the "Country of Focus" program, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/InternationalPrograms/43845.htm online.