Overview

The Engineering for One Planet (EOP) Network is one of the three strategic pillars of the broader EOP initiative. The vision of the EOP initiative is that sustainability (economic, social, and environmental) will become a core tenet of the sustainability profession.

The EOP Network supports this vision by bringing different people in the engineering system together to advance a common purpose. The network was formed in 2021 because no single organization or intervention can transform engineering education alone.

The network is a volunteer action network that currently comprises approximately 150 individuals and organizations. Network participants represent different sectors of the engineering education system—from academia to industry, from non-profits, governmental agencies—each representing different regions, backgrounds, and lived experiences.

The Important Role of Participants

Network participants are at the heart of everything the network does and achieves. As captured in the Theory of Change below, social impact is the result of connections and collaborations across the network. The cultivation of relationships and the development of trust among members is critical because collaboration moves at the speed of trust.

Network Theory of Change developed by Converge Network

Participants actively shape the work of the EOP Network, beginning with the identification the EOP Network Charter and the network purpose: The Engineering for One Planet Network exists to transform engineering education so all engineers are equipped with the understanding, knowledge, and skills to ensure their work contributes to a healthy world for lifetimes to come.

Engaging in Network Activities

All participants are encouraged to bring their whole selves to the network and as a part of that, engage and contribute in ways that support their own personal and professional goals. This results in the creation of network committees that pursue a variety of different projects. Some current and past projects include:

• Hosting a faculty workshop to share and gather input on EOP-focused teaching modules, resulting in the creation of a new EOP Teaching Guide.
• Creating a student guide titled A Guide to Preparing For, Planning, and Creating Your Sustainability-Focused Career While You’re Still in College
• Designing and hosting an EOP-focused workshop for Future Faculty
• Designing and launching an Academic Leaders Coalition
• Designing and launching an EOP Student Ambassador Pilot Program

Bringing your whole self also means honoring how much time you have to contribute and the fact that capacity for engagement shifts over time depending on other personal and professional demands. Participants therefore engage to the degree to which they are comfortable. With this in mind, the network offers different ways to engage:

• Exchange Hours: Hour long meetup on different topics to facilitate *dynamic knowledge exchange and connection-building. *****Topics range from integrating the EOP framework to collaborating with industry.
• Catalyst Committees: Participants form committees to work on projects of shared interest. See above for examples of past projects. Committees typically meet once per month; projects are typically time bound, lasting 12-18 months depending on committee goals.