Penn State architectural engineering doctoral student Eden Binega is advancing the construction of 3D-printed homes using sustainable materials. To her, engineering means designing and building things with safety, affordability and resiliency in mind for all. Credit: Tyler Henderson/Penn State
Eden Binega: ‘I Engineer Habitation’
March 2, 2023
“I Engineer” highlights excellence across the Penn State College of Engineering, as well as how the college is made stronger by the diversity of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of those in the engineering community.
Eden Binega, doctoral student in the Penn State Department of Architectural Engineering, was Penn State’s first fellow from the Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future Program, which funds women from developing countries to pursue their doctorates or post-doctoral research in science, technology, engineering or math. After earning her master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering, specifically in additive manufacturing for infrastructure industry, at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in February 2021, Binega taught engineering mechanics and statics at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. During her master’s studies, Binega discovered 3D printing and developed a passion for using 3D printing to advance sustainability in infrastructure.
Penn State’s efforts in 3D printing — specifically the 3D-printed concrete dome-like structure that won second place at the NASA’s 3D-Printed Mars Habitat Challenge — drew her to apply for the doctoral program. Now, she focuses on 3D-printing technology for the housing and infrastructure construction industry, with plans to implement this research in the real world after graduation.
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