{{short description|Canadian humanitarian and engineer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Camille Dow Baker | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | children = | spouse = | citizenship = | ethnicity = | fields = Humanitarian, engineer | workplaces = | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * B. Eng. McGill University * M EvDS Masters Environmental Science Design University of Calgary.<ref name=Powis>{{cite web|last1=Powis|first1=Sally|title=Alumna is taking water to the masses|url=https://www.ucalgary.ca/alumni/stories/dbaker|publisher=University of Calgary|accessdate=21 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053150/http://www.ucalgary.ca/alumni/stories/dbaker|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> }} | doctoral_advisor = | thesis_title = | thesis_year = | academic_advisors = | notable_students = | known_for = | awards = {{Plainlist| * Canadian Medical Association Medal of Honor (2015)<ref name="CMA - Medal 2015">{{cite web|title=2015 CMA Award recipients|url=https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/2015-cma-award-recipients.aspx#cdbaker|website=Canadian Medical Association - Association Medicale Canadienne|publisher=Canadian Medical Association - Association Medicale Canadienne|accessdate=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023113511/https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/2015-cma-award-recipients.aspx#cdbaker|archive-date=23 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Calgary (2007) * Honorary Bachelor of Business Administration in Non-Profit Studies, Mount Royal University<ref name=MtRoyal_Hon_degree /> * Alberta Centennial Medal (2005) * Woman of Vision Award from Global, Calgary (2005–6)<ref name=Global_Calgary /> * Lewis Perinbaum Award in International Development (2008)<ref name=Perinbaum>{{cite web|title=Lewis Perinbam Award|url=http://wusc.ca/en/lewis-perinbam-award|publisher=World University Service of Canada|accessdate=8 June 2014}}</ref> * National GRIOT Award for science and technology }} | signature = }}
'''Camille Dow Baker''' is a Canadian humanitarian and engineer. She is co-founder of the not-for-profit engineering consultancy Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST).<ref name=CAWST-about>{{cite web|title=CAWST – About Us – Results|url=http://www.cawst.org/en/about-us/results|publisher=CAWST|accessdate=16 April 2015}}</ref> She has held senior positions in the petroleum industry, received national and international honors and was president and CEO of CAWST until September 2011.<ref name=FFWD>{{cite web|last1=Wilt|first1=James|title=Camille Dow Baker, Co-founder, president and CEO of the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation T|url=http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/life-style/your-face-here/camille-dow-baker-co-founder-president-and-ceo-of-the-centre-for-affordable-water-and-sanitation-t-8056/|website=Fast Forward Weekly|access-date=3 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108105243/http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/life-style/your-face-here/camille-dow-baker-co-founder-president-and-ceo-of-the-centre-for-affordable-water-and-sanitation-t-8056/|archive-date=2011-11-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Career ==
After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University, Baker worked in the petroleum industry for over 20 years in executive positions with Norcen Energy Resources Limited, Conwest, Alberta Energy Company and was a member of the board of directors for the Alberta Oil Sands Technical Research Authority.<ref name=CAWST_BoD>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.cawst.org/en/about-us/the-team/board-of-directors|publisher=CAWST|accessdate=3 June 2014}}</ref> As a career change, seeking to apply engineering principles to the problem of supplying clean water and sanitation worldwide, she enrolled in the Masters Environmental Science Design programme at University of Calgary. She undertook her master's project on biosand filter technology with Dr. David Manz and they then co-founded CAWST in 2001 to transfer this technology to poor countries.<ref name=CAWST_history>{{cite web|title=CAWST's history|url=http://www.cawst.org/en/about-us/history|publisher=CAWST|accessdate=8 June 2014|archive-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017110110/http://www.cawst.org/en/about-us/history|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=DowBaker_thesis>{{cite book|last1=Dow Baker|first1=Camille|title=The Humanitarian Distribution of the BioSand Concrete Filter – Masters Thesis|date=September 2000|publisher=Calgary University|location=Alberta, Canada|pages=171|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ66977.pdf|accessdate=5 August 2014}}</ref> In 2011 she stepped down from her role as CEO of CAWST but continued to work on research projects for CAWST.<ref name="Link - Radio Canada">{{cite web|last1=Rackow|first1=Frank|title=The Link – Tuesday, October 18, 2011|url=http://www.rcinet.ca/english/archives/program/the-link/archives/episode/16-39_2011-10-18-/|website=The LInk Archives|publisher=Radio Canada International|accessdate=12 November 2014}}</ref>
CAWST is based in Calgary, Canada. It has the goal to provide education, technical training and consulting in water and sanitation to the NGOs and government agencies working with the poor in developing countries to remedy the lack of engineering expertise within the sector. Many organisations are involved in this area but Dow Baker's vision was for an organisation to provide training as long-term capacity building rather than installing infrastructure.<ref name=Cal_Herald>{{cite web|last1=McCartney|first1=Peter|title=Calgary development model aids Cambodians|url=https://calgaryherald.com/Calgary+development+model+aids+Cambodians/10022377/story.html|publisher=Calgary Herald|accessdate=23 July 2014}}</ref>
In 2005, as a member of the World Health Organization's Implementation Working Group of the WHO International Network to Promote Household Drinking Water and Safe Storage, Dow Baker presented CAWST's approach at a WHO International Symposium.<ref name="WHO 2005">{{cite web|title=2005 International Symposium on Household Water Management|url=https://www.who.int/household_water/bangkok2005_presentations/en/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630234402/http://www.who.int/household_water/bangkok2005_presentations/en/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 30, 2007|publisher=World Health Organization|accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="Baffrey thesis">{{cite book|last1=Baffrey|first1=Robert|title=DEVELOPMENT OF PROG RAM IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION, AND SELECTION TOOLS FOR HOUSEHOLD WATER TREATMENT AND SA FE STORAGE SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – M. Eng Thesis|date=June 2005|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)|pages=339|url=http://web.mit.edu/watsan/Docs/Student%20Theses/Kenya/Thesis-RBaffrey%205-14-05.pdf|accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref> In 2010 CAWST was awarded the Special Prize by the Fonds Suez Environnement Initiatives Institut de France, an award that recognises achievements in effective sanitation, waste and water management in developing countries.<ref name=Suez>{{cite web|title=Suez Environnement Initiatives Award, Institut de France – 2010 Awards – Special Prize|url=http://www.prix-initiatives.com/site/GB/PAST_COMPETITIONS/2010_AWARDS/SPECIAL_PRIZE,I24614.htm|publisher=Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiatives|accessdate=25 June 2014}}</ref> The philanthropist David P. O'Brien has supported CAWST for a decade, after learning about its work from Dow Baker.<ref name=Globe&Mail>{{cite news|last1=Waldie|first1=Paul|title=Clean water from the efforts of 'heroes'|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/clean-water-from-the-efforts-of-heroes/article5169986/|accessdate=28 February 2015|work=The Globe and Mail|date=November 9, 2012}}</ref> By 2014, CAWST had supported 793 implementing organizations in 68 countries, whose projects have resulted in 9.3 million people gaining access to better water or sanitation.<ref name=CAWST-about /><ref name=FFWD /> CAWST is a member of the Global Handwashing Partnership.<ref>{{cite web |title=Global Handwashing Partnership - who we are |url=https://globalhandwashing.org/about-us/who-we-are/ |accessdate=30 October 2020}}</ref>
== Honors ==
Baker has received several national and international awards for her humanitarian work. These include the Alberta Centennial Medal, awarded by the government of the Canadian province of Alberta to 8000 of its citizens who have made notable contributions to the province and its people,<ref name=AlbertaGovCentennial>{{cite web|title=Centennial Medal Recipients (A – G)|url=http://www.albertacentennial.ca/programs/medal_recip_a-g.html|publisher=Government of Alberta, Canada|access-date=21 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190723/http://www.albertacentennial.ca/programs/medal_recip_a-g.html|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> a Women of Vision Award from Global, Calgary<ref name=Global_Calgary>{{cite web|title=Global Calgary Woman of Vision|url=http://globalnews.ca/pages/calgary-woman-of-vision/|publisher=Global Calgary, Shaw Media|accessdate=23 July 2014}}</ref> in 2005-6 and also honorary degrees from the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University.<ref name=MtRoyal_Hon_degree>{{cite web|last1=De Ruyter|first1=Jondrea|title=Honorary degree recipient|url=http://www.mtroyal.ca/AcademicSupport/ResourcesServices/ConvocationGraduation/ThisYearsCeremony/camille_honorary_degree.htm|publisher=Mount Royal University, Canada|accessdate=22 August 2014}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
She was born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1957. She and her husband Derek have two children. Discussion with her then teenaged son, Hugh, was one of the reasons for her career change and foundation of CAWST after realising the great worldwide need for safe drinking water.<ref name=Glassman>{{cite web|last1=Glassman|first1=Alanna|title=How a former engineer is bringing clean water to millions|url=http://www.chatelaine.com/living/budgeting/former-petroleum-engineer-camille-dow-baker-brings-clean-water-to-millions/|website=Chatelaine|accessdate=3 June 2014|date=April 3, 2012}}</ref>
== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Camille Dow}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian engineers Category:Trinidad and Tobago emigrants to Canada Category:McGill University alumni Category:University of Calgary alumni