ABSTRACT
The impact of humanitarian engineering research for society, particularly in low-income and vulnerable communities, should be undertaken by multidisciplinary teams that are aware of the challenges and pitfalls of working overseas in a sensitive context. With significant academic freedom, early career researchers (ECR) are in a privileged position to pursue research agendas that they are passionate about. One might say that engineering research with vulnerable communities could be considered easier than traditional social science, as the subject of the research is not the community itself, but the infrastructure, products or services, such as a renewable energy or clean drinking water systems. In engineering, like many other disciplines, research ethics has become a tick-box exercise relating to informed consent, data protection and occupational health and safety. However, it is very important for ECRs to undertake deep self-critical reflection to understand the research goals and balance this with risk to oneself and others.
