In 1883, Ewing returned to Scotland to work at the University College Dundee where he was appalled by the living conditions of many of the poorer areas of the town which he felt compared unfavourably with those in Japan.
In 1883, Ewing returned to his native Dundee to work at the recently established University College Dundee as its first Professor of Engineering. He was appalled by the living conditions he found in many of the poorer areas of the town which he felt compared unfavourably with those in Japan.