Humanitarian Engineering at Ohio State aims to educate students on the application of science and engineering to address complex societal challenges with an emphasis on collaborating with communities to achieve their desired vision of well-being through a curriculum grounded in proven theories and best practices of sustainable development, applied engineering and socio-cultural learning experiences. The program is designed to educate engineers in the co-definition, co-conceptualization of solutions, and co-implementation of projects with individuals or communities. 

Examples of humanitarian technologies for developing communities can include affordable: technologies for clean water and sanitation; non-polluting lighting, heating, and cooking methods; off-grid electricity generation (e.g., solar or bicycle); agricultural technologies and methods (e.g., aquaponics or irrigation); healthcare technologies; and shelters.

Students who earn a minor in Humanitarian Engineering gain many skills and characteristics: