EPICS
Engineering Projects for Community Service (EPICS) gives students the opportunity to put their engineering skills
to use for the local community through technologically challenging projects. They learn the real-world application
of the skills they are acquiring in class as they work with other students and local business partners to make a
positive contribution to the community outside of Notre Dame. Projects tackled by EPICS student volunteers
include coordinating wetlands management for a neighboring city, developing software that tracks maintenance
calls for a not-for-profit community development corporation, and working on a database for a neighborhood cultural center.

EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING RESEARCH INSTITUTE [EERI]
In light of the recent disasters which have claimed so many lives and destroyed so much property, it is essential that engineers become aware of the increasing threats of natural hazards and techniques to mitigate them. While research at the University of Notre Dame focuses in many of these areas, a vast majority of the undergraduate population is unaware of such efforts. Thus, EERI@UND was established to provide the next generation of practicing engineers with a venue to discuss the latest developments in the areas of Earthquake Engineering to better prepare them for the challenges which will await them in their careers.

Awareness, however, should not be limited solely to engineers as earthquakes affect every aspect of human life. Thus EERI@UND will also extend its mission to educate and increase awareness of natural disasters and techniques to mitigate against them across this campus and the wider community.

Our parent organization, EERI (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute), is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to reducing earthquake risk by advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering by improving the understanding of the impact of earthquakes on the physical, social, economic, political and cultural environment, and by advocating comprehensive and realistic measures for reducing the harmful effects of earthquakes.

HAITI
Beginning in March of 1999, Notre Dame initiated a student seminar that involves extensive training (at Notre Dame)
on repair of India Mark II pumps followed by a one week trip to Haiti to repair wells and to train the local population in
the maintenance and repair of their hand-pumps.

The goals of this program are to:

• Repair a number of hand pump wells
  
• Expose the students to life in Haiti
• Provide for interaction between students and Haitiens
• Provide an opportunity to train local Haitiens in hand pump repair
• Provide an opportunity for the Notre Dame students to live their faithPrayers said by the group both before
  and after each attempted repair provide an opportunity for our faith to be witnessed among the Haitien people.
  The trip has historically been supported through housing and vehicles provided by OMS, a missionary group with
  a significant compound in Cap Haitien. We are deeply endebted to this group for housing and logistical support.

BENIN
the Groundwater Group at Notre Dame have identified several areas of service within Third-World countries where they
believe they can make a difference. In addition to Haiti, the group is in the early stages of developing two projects within
the Republic of Benin in western Africa.