Student pursues Ph.D. to improve engineering education in underdeveloped countries

Collins Vaye recalls the answer his 10th-grade physics teacher gave when Vaye asked the class, “What is engineering?” His teacher responded, “engineering is the application of math and science to solve real-world problems.”

The term, solve real-world problems, stuck with Vaye, a computer engineering graduate student, who plans to improve engineering education systems in his home country of Liberia and other underdeveloped countries. 

Growing up in Liberia, a country filled with richness in terms of natural resources like diamonds, gold and vast agricultural land, but considered one of the poorest countries in the world, Vaye faced challenges that other students did, too. The absence of difference between computer science and computer engineering, a lack of equipment in research laboratories and minimum access to educational resources are some of the many obstacles young students face, hindering their education. Vaye says a 14-year civil war that took place in Liberia severely affected the country’s educational system as well.

Coming from a family of six brothers and sisters who struggled financially, Vaye taught himself to dream big and to remain committed to obtaining higher education to one day make a difference. Fascinated with computers since high school, Vaye would spend hours after school in the computer lab. 

He began his undergraduate studies at the University of Liberia. He quickly noticed the lack of educational resources and how engineering skills and concepts were taught, but real-world applications were not part of the course material.