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Solving Problems that Matter (and Getting Paid for It): STEM Careers in Social Innovation and Global Sustainable Development
Do you want to harness the power of science, technology, and innovation to change the world? Do you want to channel your passion and education to pursue a life-long career improving the human condition? Regardless of where you are in your career today, what should be your next step? Sign up for Peace Corps? Pursue graduate school? Take on a corporate job? Join a nonprofit? Launch your own social enterprise? Should you focus on energy, health or food security? Should you stay in New York or move to Nairobi? The number of choices is daunting! Solving Problems That Matter (and Getting Paid for It) stitches together a mosaic of perspectives, experiences, and actionable insights to illuminate the smorgasbord of career pathways in social innovation and global sustainable development. 54 expert briefs penned by leaders from USAID, Peace Corps, MIT, Engineers Without Borders, FHI 360, and other organizations offer practical insights into a myriad of topics such � How do different kinds of organizations work? � How do you find your first impact-focused job? � What are the pros and cons of PhD, MBA, MPH and MPA degrees? � How do salaries and benefits work when placed in a developing country? 100 STEM innovators from the World Bank, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, Google, and dozens of social ventures, government agencies, nonprofits, academia, and corporations share their career profiles with you. Turn to any page to read an enlightening and inspiring inside story of a social innovator’s role and responsibilities, career trajectory, and lessons learned along the way. Read Solving Problems That Matter (and Getting Paid for It) to let 165 of today’s most inspiring game-changers help you find your passion, make informed career decisions, and propel you into the exciting world of social innovation and global sustainable development.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2015
10 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Khanjan Mehta
4Ìýbooks2ÌýfollowersKhanjan Mehta is the Founding Director of the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) Program and Assistant Professor of Engineering Design at Penn State. Mehta has led technology-based social ventures related to food security and global health in Kenya, Tanzania, India, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and other countries.
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July 3, 2020
This is a really solid book, we were assigned this as supplementary reading for an intro to Humanitarian Engineering/Development Studies course.
I recommend this for Engineering Majors, or people who are looking to work in research/NGOs/nonprofits in particular.
The first half of the book is a series of essays on various topics - career advice, education, field background knowledge, organisations involved, and so on. While all of them feel like they've been written quite personally, I would recommend reading what's relevant to your situation only (quite clear from the headings).
What really sets this book apart is the 2nd half - a very comprehensive series of profiles that chart the career of professionals working in academia/NGOs/nonprofit/development related sectors. This gathers the myriad of potential career opportunities in a very accessible format - especially useful for 1st years or people confused about their career. You'll see people from a mix of backgrounds ending up in essential roles you didn't know existed.
The advice does get somewhat repetitive sometimes, especially if you're reading the book thoroughly without a specific question in mind. Also, the roles are quite US centric, but that's not to say equivalents can't be found in other countries (they're just a fair bit harder to come by outside the US/Europe).
Overall great book, almost compulsory reading for the wave of first yr STEM kids flooding into unis every year.
I recommend this for Engineering Majors, or people who are looking to work in research/NGOs/nonprofits in particular.
The first half of the book is a series of essays on various topics - career advice, education, field background knowledge, organisations involved, and so on. While all of them feel like they've been written quite personally, I would recommend reading what's relevant to your situation only (quite clear from the headings).
What really sets this book apart is the 2nd half - a very comprehensive series of profiles that chart the career of professionals working in academia/NGOs/nonprofit/development related sectors. This gathers the myriad of potential career opportunities in a very accessible format - especially useful for 1st years or people confused about their career. You'll see people from a mix of backgrounds ending up in essential roles you didn't know existed.
The advice does get somewhat repetitive sometimes, especially if you're reading the book thoroughly without a specific question in mind. Also, the roles are quite US centric, but that's not to say equivalents can't be found in other countries (they're just a fair bit harder to come by outside the US/Europe).
Overall great book, almost compulsory reading for the wave of first yr STEM kids flooding into unis every year.
Displaying 1 of 1 review
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