Humanitarian Product Development: Brackenridge Field Lab Interview with Professor Bailey Briscoe Jones

Have you ever wondered what the emergency building and various experiments are that you can see from the 7-11 on Lake Austin Blvd? It is Humanitarian Engineering at the Brackenridge Field Lab (BFL)! Student Charlotte Fairfield interviewed Humanitarian Product Development Professor Bailey Briscoe Jones about the goings on at the lab.

What is Humanitarian Product Development?

HPD is part of the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate at UT. We work closely with the International Red Cross and our projects directly address needs that they have. This what makes the class work – these are real projects that can have a real impact during humanitarian emergencies. As an example, in the Latrine Lighting project the students are developing inexpensive, solar-powered lights that can be quickly distributed and installed in Latrines in refugee camps when there is no access to grid power. This sounds like a simple thing, but it can have a big impact to restore some safety and dignity during difficult situations. All of our projects aim to make things a little bit better for humans during tough times.

How did you initially get connected with the Brackenridge Field Lab as a place to conduct experiments?

When this class started we realized we needed an outdoor space because we were really cramped for space on campus. There've been stories of experiments flying off the tops of buildings on campus and stuff like that before we were able to get this space. So we’re really lucky to be here out at the Brackenridge Field Lab. Originally Dr. Janet Ellzey coordinated it with her long-time friend Larry Gilbert, a professor out here, who has done much to craft this space. I talked with Dr. Plowes, the manager of the field lab at that time, who was happy to have us come out here and create a presence for engineering. The Brackenridge team including the current field Station Manager, Jason Lawson, have always been supportive of our work here. We’re so thankful to be here because it gives us space to run some really cool experiments that we would otherwise be unable to do.

What features about BFL do you think are a good fit for Humanitarian Product Development?

The features of this field lab are great for our class. It gives our students a place where they can work on [a satellite] campus in conditions that simulate a refugee camp. Through their access to this place they can work in an area of natural land and use the tools we have out here. They are able to coordinate with their teams to come out and get some really good hands on work done.

What impact do you see on your students who are able to work in this space?

They are able to do and learn some really cool stuff that otherwise they would not be exposed to in an undergraduate engineering program. Right now the Camp Infrastructure Team is interviewing me, and I love it because it is a group of three students that I’m watching build a building right here in front of me. It's really cool to see them design, use the saws and drills, and just get into it and make things happen. Most students coming out here haven’t had any real hands-on experience, so this is really a great opportunity for them. A few years ago, I handed a student a shovel and he looked at it like a foreign object, so I got to teach him how to use a shovel. I just love to see the students come out here and get to apply their engineering skills and other coursework in this unique hands-on environment.

What made you want to get involved in HPD?

Originally, I wasn’t planning to teach a course at UT, but I had this opportunity come in front of me, and I could not resist it. I heard about this from Dr. Ellzey, who created Humanitarian Engineering at UT, Dr. Crawford, and other professors that have been really instrumental in starting this program. The more and more I heard about this, the more I wanted to get involved. It really is good work that is being done in this program. We’re connected directly with the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies which makes our projects real and impactful which I love. As a mechanical engineer, I love the hands-on aspect of it because that’s what I have spent most of my career doing. I love being able to participate, guide the students, and work on impactful projects.

Why did you choose mechanical engineering and how do you apply it towards this course?

It really started from when I was a kid. I asked my parents recently if I was a strange kid and they kinda just looked at me like I was. I was always taking things apart and figuring out how things work. I always loved learning how stuff was made. When I went to college, I was deciding between engineering and architecture. I ended up picking mechanical engineering, and I’m really glad that I did. I am still very inquisitive and want to understand how and why things work and how to make things and put them together. My profession is in a small section of engineering, design for manufacturing and product design. It is something that I use every day professionally, and something that I use in this class. It is incredibly helpful for this class, especially when it comes to simple things. An example would be: what does it take to keep this latrine structure from blowing off in high winds? Well, I helped the students put the stakes in, and I put them at an angle so that when the wind blows, it won’t pull them straight out. Just some of the simple things you learn about like forces and stresses that help in building stuff like the latrine. All of the projects have a heavy mechanical engineering focus, like thermodynamics and fluids with the biodigester project. So it just naturally all ties together.

Charlotte Fairfield is a senior at UT Austin, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a Business minor. Passionate about making a meaningful impact, she was thrilled to join HPD, a course dedicated to developing projects that improve lives worldwide through a Red Cross partnership. As part of the Camp Infrastructure Team, Charlotte is collaborating with the Lighting Team to provide a crucial testing space to support their innovative work. Being part of this class has deepened her understanding of how engineering can directly contribute to meaningful, real-world change and strengthened her passion for creating solutions that serve others.

Bailey Briscoe Jones has been teaching the HPD class since its beginning in 2019. He is always making things –  for work, and for fun, and for class. Outside of teaching, he guides growing tech companies through design-for-manufacturing and product development in his role at Bright Product Development. When he’s not teaching or working, he might be building a bridge, or making furniture, or building a tiny home. He is thrilled to be involved in Humanitarian Engineering at UT and he say that it is truly a unique program doing unique and important work.