On one side of the world, 780 million people live on less than two dollars a day. It is the women who bear the brunt of extreme poverty, and yet are resilient and resourceful and know how to live with the land. On the other side of the world, people enjoy natural resources as if they are limitless. People enjoy wifi-enabled toasters and lament about their out-of-date iPhones. Toby Cumberbatch, a professor of Electrical Engineering at the Cooper Union, brings us to explore life in northwestern Ghana and reflect on the true meaning of engineering education.

Prof. Toby Cumberbatch is passionate about bringing students together and developing sustainable solutions to worldwide problems.
His projects aim to address energy, water, and shelter in remote regions. He has received grants from the National Science
Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Collegiate Inventors, etc. His dedication to engineering and humanity has led him to found SociaLite, a social enterprise that brings rechargeable LED lanterns to rural areas in Ghana.


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx