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Engineering
Systems Student Society Event
Engineering
Challenges for the 21st Century
With
input from people around the world,
a National Academy of Engineering
committee of leading technological
thinkers were asked to identify the
Grand Challenges for Engineering in
the 21st Century. As it turns out,
most of these challenges are well
within the ESD scope. A member of
this committee, MIT Professor and
Associate Provost,
Wesley L. Harris, has graciously agreed
to discuss this endeavor with ESD.
The
Challenges
- Make
solar energy economical
-
Provide energy from fusion
-
Develop carbon sequestration methods
- Manage
the nitrogen cycle
- Provide
access to clean water
- Restore
and improve urban infrastructure
- Advance
health informatics
- Engineer
better medicines
- Reverse-engineer
the brain
- Prevent
nuclear terror
- Secure
cyberspace
- Enhance
virtual reality
- Advance
personalized learning
- Engineer
the tools of scientific discovery.
Engineering
Challenges for the 21st Century
Centered
on the four most important themes
of the 21st century -- sustainability,
human health, vulnerability, and joy
of living -- fourteen engineering
challenges for the 21st century have
been identified. Following a review
of the greatest engineering achievements
of the previous century and a discussion
of the rules of engagement for the
21st century, specific opportunities
related to each of the fourteen engineering
challenges will be presented. A contextual
framework including a statement of
barriers to capturing the challenges
will be discussed.
www.engineeringchallenges.org
Wesley
L. Harris is the Charles Stark Draper
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics
and Associate Provost at MIT.
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