SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

EPICS Engineering Projects in Community Service (FSE 104 and FSE 404)

What I did

In FSE 104 and FSE 404, I worked on an EPICS service learning project connected to the Jirani Project in Kenya. Our team built an Offline Digital Library so students and the local community can access books and learning media without needing internet. This was sustained work across two semesters, with weekly meetings, partner communication, and deliverables that had to hold up over time.

We designed an offline device that works like a small local server and shares a library over Wi Fi, so people can connect using a phone or laptop. We focused on making the content easy to navigate with clear categories, and we kept real constraints in mind, like durability, storage limits, and how the community could manage the system long term. As we moved forward, we also discussed future improvements like adding more media types and improving search and browsing.

The class process felt like a real engineering workflow. We produced and revised design documents, defined requirements, compared options through benchmarking, used a decision matrix, planned testing, and presented our work in a design review. We also kept clear documentation like meeting minutes, a statement of work, and a transition handoff so the project could continue after our semester ended.

What it meant to me and why it matters

This experience changed how I think about service work. When you build for a community partner, success is not about making the most advanced system. Success is about building something people can actually use, maintain, and trust. I learned to take feedback seriously, communicate clearly, and make decisions with the end users in mind, not just what looks good on paper. Working in a team with different roles also forced me to stay organized and make sure my work fit into the larger system.

Connection to Joy of Living

The Offline Digital Library connects directly to my focus on improving everyday life through stable and accessible systems. In communities where internet access is limited, learning often becomes inconsistent and dependent on external factors. By creating a reliable offline source of books and educational media, we helped make access to knowledge more predictable and sustainable. When students can consistently read, study, and explore information, it strengthens their educational foundation and expands long term opportunity. Access to learning in this way has a direct impact on daily life and future stability.

Value to my broader goals

This work connects to the rest of my GCSP portfolio because it strengthened how I build for real users. That same mindset shows up in my other technical work, where reliability and usability matter just as much as correctness. It also connects to my professional goals in software engineering, because it trained me to think about real world constraints, long term maintenance, and responsible design choices, not just implementing features.