WELCOME

S.C.O. 34, 2nd Floor, Sector 11,

Panchkula, Haryana - 134109
Tele/Fax : 0172 4668010, M : 93570 29010,
Email: dsindia1@gmail.com

SCOPE OF PRESENTATION

1. MOTHER OF ALL ENGINEERING

BRANCHES
2. HISTORY OF ENGINEERING
3. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
4. STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING IN NATURE
5. GRAND CHALLENGES FOR ENGINEERS

MOTHER OF ENGINEERING
BRANCHES
THE WORD ENGINEER IS ENGINE + ER AND AN ENGINE IS AN
APPLICATION OF PURE MECHANICAL.
FIRST INVENTION AND TOOL FOR THE ENGINEERED PURPOSE WAS A
WHEEL AND THEN PULLEY, LONG BEFORE NONE OF ENGINEERING
EXISTED.A
ALL BRANCHES ARE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY DEPENDENT ON
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. THEY CANT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT
MECHANICAL
CIVIL ENGINEERING IS JUST USELESS WITHOUT MECHANICAL HELP
AND PEOPLE STUDIED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES BEFORE MAKING
HOUSE, THEY DESIGNED TOOLS FOR HUNTING, THEY MADE WHEELS
WHICH ROTATES ON THE AXIS OF SHAFT AND FINALLY THE MADE
HOUSES. TODAY ALSO THEY R FULLY DEPENDENT ON MECHANICAL
EVERYTHING HAS SOME MECHANICAL COMPONENT TO IT. EVEN
SOFTWARE HAS TO RUN ON A PHYSICAL COMPUTER, AND IT HAS
ISSUES OF SIZE AND SPACE AND THERMAL DISSIPATION AND
SHIELDING AND MOUNTING.

MOTHER OF ENGINEERING
BARNCHES
IMPRACTICABLE TO DRAW HARD-AND-FAST LINES BETWEEN
VARIOUS BRANCHES , BECAUSE ALL LARGE PROJECTS INVOLVE
SEVERAL SPECIALISTS.
THE OLDEST ENGINEERING IS CIVIL ENGINEERING THAT DEALS
WITH CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES, BRIDGES ETC. THIS SORT OF
ENGINEERING WAS THERE FROM THE TIME EGYPTIANS BUILT
PYRAMIDS . . . SO THIS IS THE OLDEST ENGINEERING.
ONCE THE STEAM ENGINE WAS INVENTED THE WHOLE CIVILIZATION
TOOK A STEP AHEAD AND A NEW ERA BEGAN. IT WAS THE TIME
THAT ENGINEERS TRIED TO DO ANYTHING FORM SKINNING AN
APPLE TO DIGGING MINES, BY NEWLY DISCOVERED POWER (STEAM,
LATER OIL) THROUGH COMPLICATED SYSTEMS OF MECHANICAL
PARTS (HUNDREDS OF SPRINGS, GEARS, LEVERS, ETC.)
THIS GOLDEN ERA CAME TO END WHEN THE COMPUTERS ARRIVED.
THEN COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS STARTED TO RULE
TECHNOLOGY. EVERY DAY YOU GET FASCINATED BY A NEW
COMPETENCE IN YOUR CELLPHONE OR PC, IN INTERNET, GPS . . .

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING
ENGINEERING IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PROFESSIONS IN THE
WORLD. ENGINEERING HAS BEEN AN ASPECT OF LIFE SINCE THE
BEGINNINGS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE.

AROUND 2550 BC, IMHOTEP, THE FIRST DOCUMENTED ENGINEER,

BUILT A FAMOUS STEPPED PYRAMID OF KING ZOSER LOCATED AT
SAQQARAH.
CIVIL ENGINEERING CAN BE CONSIDERED COMMENCING BETWEEN
4000 AND 2000 BC IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA WHEN
HUMANS STARTED TO ABANDON A NOMADIC EXISTENCE, THUS
CAUSING A NEED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHELTER.
A TREATISE ON ARCHITECTURE, BOOK CALLED VITRUVIUS' DE
ARCHIECTURA, WAS PUBLISHED AT 1AD IN ROME AND SURVIVED TO
GIVE US A LOOK AT ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN ANCIENT TIMES.
IT WAS PROBABLY WRITTEN AROUND 15 BC BY THE ROMAN
ARCHITECT VITRUVIUS AND DEDICATED TO HIS PATRON, THE
EMPEROR CAESAR AUGUSTUS, AS A GUIDE FOR BUILDING
PROJECTS.

HISTORY - MILITARY
ENGINEERING
THE FIRST ENGINEERS WERE MILITARY
COMBINING MILITARY AND CIVIL SKILLS.

ENGINEERS,

DURING PERIODS OF CONFLICT THE ENGINEERS MADE AND

USED INSTRUMENTS OF WAR SUCH AS CATAPULTS, BATTERING
RAMS, TOWERS, AND RAMPS TO AID IN ATTACKING THEIR
ENEMIES' FORTS & ENCAMPMENTS AND ALSO TO DEFEND
THEIR OWN.
DURING THE PERIODS OF PEACE, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN
MANY MILITARY AND CIVIL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS BUILDING
FORTIFICATIONS FOR DEFENCE AGAINST FURTHER ATTACKS,
ROADS, BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS, CANALS AND CATHEDRALS

HISTORY - CIVIL ENGINEERING

THE FIRST ENGINEERING SCHOOL, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF
BRIDGES AND HIGHWAYS IN FRANCE, WAS OPENED IN 1747. JOHN
SMEATON WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO ACTUALLY CALL HIMSELF A
"CIVIL ENGINEER".
THESE CIVIL ENGINEERS BUILT ALL TYPES OF STRUCTURES,
DESIGNED WATER-SUPPLY AND SEWER SYSTEMS, DESIGNED
RAILROADS AND HIGHWAYS, AND PLANNED CITIES. IN 1828 THE
WORLD'S FIRST ENGINEERING SOCIETY - THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL
ENGINEERS CAME INTO BEING IN ENGLAND.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST EXAMPLES OF A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO
PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS APPLICABLE TO CIVIL
ENGINEERING IS THE WORK OF ARCHIMEDES IN THE 3RD CENTURY
BC, INCLUDING ARCHIMEDES PRINCIPLE, WHICH UNDERPINS OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF BUOYANCY, AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS SUCH
AS ARCHIMEDES SCREW.
BRAHMAGUPTA, AN INDIAN MATHEMATICIAN, USED ARITHMETIC IN
THE 7TH CENTURY AD, BASED ON HINDU-ARABIC NUMERALS, FOR
EXCAVATION (VOLUME) COMPUTATIONS.

HISTORY - MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING WAS THE SECOND BRANCH OF
ENGINEERING TO EMERGE IN THE LAST PART OF THE 1700s.
THE INVENTION OF THE STEAM ENGINE WAS THE STARTING POINT
FOR THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

ALL TYPES OF MACHINERY WERE BEING DEVELOPED NOW AND SO

A NEW KIND OF ENGINEER, ONE DEALING WITH TOOLS AND
MACHINES, WAS BORN.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS RECEIVED FORMAL RECOGNITION IN
1847 WITH THE FOUNDING OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERS IN ENGLAND.

HISTORY - ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
KNOWLEDGE OF ELECTRICITY GREW SLOWLY DURING THE 1800s.
THE ORIGINAL ELECTRIC CELL WAS INVENTED BY ALESSANDRO
VOLTA IN 1800, THE GRAMME DYNAMO AND ELECTRIC MOTOR WERE
INVENTED IN 1872, THE TRANSISTOR AND THE VACUUM TUBE
APPEARED BY THE MID 1900S.
BY THE END OF THE 1900s ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERS OUTNUMBERED ALL THE OTHER TYPES OF ENGINEERS
IN THE WORLD.

10

HISTORY - CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
IN THE 1800s, INDUSTRY STARTED USING MORE AND MORE
CHEMICAL PROCESSES IN MANY AREAS SUCH AS METALLURGY,
FOOD PRODUCTION AND TEXTILES.
AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY, THE INCREASED USE OF
CHEMICALS IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY EVENTUALLY
CREATED A NEW INDUSTRY, AN INDUSTRY WHOSE MAIN FUNCTION
WAS THE PRODUCTION OF CHEMICALS.
THE NEW CHEMICAL ENGINEER WAS INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN AND
OPERATION OF THESE NEW CHEMICAL PRODUCING PLANTS.
AROUND 1900, THE TERM "CHEMICAL ENGINEER" WAS BEING USED,
BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PETROLEUM
INDUSTRY THAT CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BECAME RECOGNIZED AS
A UNIQUE ENGINEERING DISCIPLINE.

11

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURAL WORLD.
SCIENCE IS VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS (EXISTS) IN THE
NATURAL
WORLD.
(i.e.,
BIOLOGY,
CHEMISTRY,
PHYSICS,
ASTRONOMY, GEOLOGY, ETC.)
SCIENCE IS CONCERNED WITH PROCESSES THAT SEEK OUT THE
MEANING OF THE NATURAL WORLD BY INQUIRY, DISCOVERING
WHAT IS, EXPLORING, AND USING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD.

TECHNOLOGY DEALS WITH HOW HUMANS MODIFY, CHANGE, ALTER,

OR CONTROL THE NATURAL WORLD.
TECHNOLOGY IS VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT CAN OR SHOULD BE
DESIGNED, MADE, OR DEVELOPED FROM NATURAL WORLD
MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES TO SATISFY HUMAN NEEDS AND
WANTS

12

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY IS CONCERNED WITH SUCH PROCESSES THAT WE
USE TO ALTER/CHANGE THE NATURAL WORLD SUCH AS
INVENTION, INNOVATION, PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING, AND
DESIGN.
IN SHORT, THE AIM OF PURE SCIENCE IS DISCOVERY, BUT THE
PURPOSE OF ENGINEERING IS USEFULNESS.
TECHNOLOGY IS A PROBLEM-SOLVING ACTIVITY PRACTICED BY A
COMMUNITY OF PROFESSIONALS. TECHNOLOGY IS A HUMAN
ACTIVITY INVOLVED WITH THE MAKING AND USING OF MATERIAL
ARTIFACTS. AS A HUMAN ACTIVITY, TECHNOLOGY IS SITUATED ON
THE SAME LEVEL AS ART, POLITICS, SCIENCE, ECONOMICS, AND
THE LIKE, AND NOT SUBSUMED UNDER ANY OTHER CATEGORY.

13

APPROACH TO NATURAL
WORLD
FOR THE NATURAL SCIENTIST, NATURE IS THE OBJECT OF
RESEARCH.
SCIENTISTS ARE INTERESTED IN DISCOVERING ALL THEY CAN
ABOUT NATURAL PHENOMENA, WHETHER DIRECTLY AVAILABLE TO
HUMAN EXPERIENCE OR THROUGH ACTIVE INTERVENTION (ATOM
SPLITTING) IN NATURAL PROCESSES.
THROUGH SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION AND EXPERIMENTATION
THE NATURAL WORLD CAN BE DISCOVERED AND UNIVERSAL LAWS
STATED WHICH EXPLAIN HOW THE NATURAL WORLD FUNCTIONS.
THE ENGINEER INVENTS AND DEVISES WAYS AND MEANS OF
APPLYING ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO THE USES OF MANKIND.
HIS MOTTO, IS "UTILITY," AND HIS EVERY THOUGHT AND ACT MUST
BE TO EMPLOY TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE THE MATERIALS AND
CONDITIONS AT HAND.

14

LINK BETWEEN SCIENTIST &

COMMON MAN
THE DELVERS IN THE MYSTERIOUS LABORATORIES, THE
MATHEMATICAL GYMNASTS, THE SCHOLARS PORING OVER MUSTY
TOMES OF KNOWLEDGE, ARE NOT UNDERSTOOD BY THE WORK-ADAY WORLD.
HOWEVER, IN-BETWEEN STANDS THE ENGINEER WITH KEEN AND
SYMPATHETIC APPRECIATION OF THE VALUE OF THE WORK OF THE
ONE AND A READY UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS AND
REQUIREMENTS OF THE OTHER.
BY HIS POWER OF ADAPTABILITY THE ENGINEER GRASPS THE
PROBLEMS PRESENTED, TAKES FROM THE INVESTIGATORS THEIR
ABSTRACT RESULTS, AND TRANSFORMS THEM INTO PRACTICAL
USEFULNESS FOR THE WORLD.
IN TODAYS WORLD, ENGINEERS WORK IS BECOMING MORE
SCIENTIFIC BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH
THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD. THIS FACT ACCOUNTS FOR THE RAPID
DEVELOPMENT IN THE ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

15

LINK BETWEEN SCIENTIST &

COMMON MAN
THE RESULTS OF THIS ASSOCIATION HAVE BEEN ADVANTAGEOUS
TO BOTH THE ENGINEER AND THE PURE SCIENTIST. THE DEMANDS
OF THE ENGINEERS FOR NEW DISCOVERIES HAVE ACTED AS AN
INCENTIVE FOR GREATER EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE
INVESTIGATORS.
ENGINEERING IS CERTAINLY THE SCIENCE MOST DIRECTLY
CONCERNED WITH THE EXPENDITURE OF MONEY. THE ENGINEER IS
THE PRACTICAL MAN OF THE FAMILY OF SCIENTISTS.
WHILE HE IS SUFFICIENTLY WELL INFORMED TO BE ABLE TO GO UP
INTO THE CLOUDS OCCASIONALLY WITH HIS BRETHREN, HE IS
ALWAYS JUDICIOUS AND COMES TO EARTH AGAIN.

16

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IN
ACTION !!

17

MOTHER NATURE AT HER

BEST!!

18

GRAND CHALLENGES FOR

ENGINEERS
IN THE CENTURY JUST ENDED, ENGINEERING RECORDED ITS
GRANDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
FOR ALL OF THESE ADVANCES, THOUGH, THE CENTURY AHEAD
POSES CHALLENGES AS FORMIDABLE AS ANY FROM
MILLENNIA PAST.
AS THE POPULATION GROWS AND ITS NEEDS AND DESIRES
EXPAND, THE PROBLEM OF SUSTAINING CIVILIZATIONS
CONTINUING ADVANCEMENT, WHILE STILL IMPROVING THE
QUALITY OF LIFE, LOOMS MORE IMMEDIATE.
FOREMOST AMONG THE CHALLENGES ARE THOSE THAT MUST
BE MET TO ENSURE THE FUTURE ITSELF.
THE EARTH IS A PLANET OF FINITE RESOURCES, AND ITS
GROWING POPULATION CURRENTLY CONSUMES THEM AT A
RATE THAT CANNOT BE SUSTAINED.

19

GRAND CHALLENGES TO DO
LIST
MAKE SOLAR ENERGY AFFORDABLE.
IN THE WORLD TODAY, MANY OF ENGINEERINGS GIFTS TO
PROVIDE
ENERGY
FROM FUSION.
CIVILIZATION
ARE
DISTRIBUTED
UNEVENLY.
DEVELOP CARBON SEQUESTRATION METHODS.
SO IN
PURSUING
THE CENTURYS
MANAGE
THE NITROGEN
CYCLE. GREAT CHALLENGES,
ENGINEERS MUST FRAME THEIR WORK WITH THE ULTIMATE
PROVIDE
ACCESS
TO CLEAN WATER.
GOAL
OF UNIVERSAL
ACCESSIBILITY
IN MIND.
RESTORE AND IMPROVE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
JUST
AS ABRAHAM
LINCOLN
NOTED THAT A HOUSE DIVIDED
ADVANCE
HEALTH
INFORMATICS.
AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND, A WORLD DIVIDED BY
ENGINEER BETTER MEDICINES.
WEALTH AND POVERTY, HEALTH AND SICKNESS, FOOD AND
REVERSE-ENGINEER
BRAIN. A STABLE PLACE FOR
HUNGER,
CANNOT LONGTHE
REMAIN
CIVILIZATION
TONUCLEAR
THRIVE. TERROR.
PREVENT
THROUGH
THE
ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE
SECURE
CYBERSPACE.
PAST, THE WORLD HAS BECOME SMALLER, MORE INCLUSIVE,
ENHANCE
REALITY.
AND
MORE VIRTUAL
CONNECTED.
THE
CHALLENGES
FACING
ENGINEERING
ARE NOT THOSE
OF ISOLATED LOCALES,
ADVANCETODAY
PERSONALIZED
LEARNING.
BUT OF THE PLANET AS A WHOLE AND ALL THE PLANETS
ENGINEER THE TOOLS FOR SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY.
PEOPLE.

20

1. MAKE SOLAR ENERGY

AFFORDABLE
AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY, NOTHING
MATCHES THE SUN. IT OUT-POWERS
ANYTHING THAT HUMAN TECHNOLOGY
COULD EVER PRODUCE.

ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE

SUNS POWER OUTPUT STRIKES THE
EARTH, BUT EVEN THAT PROVIDES
10,000 TIMES AS MUCH AS ALL THE
COMMERCIAL ENERGY THAT HUMANS
USE ON THE PLANET.
TO MAKE SOLAR ECONOMICALLY
COMPETITIVE, ENGINEERS MUST FIND
WAYS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF
THE CELLS AND TO LOWER THEIR
MANUFACTURING COSTS.

21

2. PROVIDE ENERGY FROM

FUSION

IF YOU HAVE A LAPTOP COMPUTER,

ITS BATTERY PROBABLY CONTAINS
THE METALLIC ELEMENT LITHIUM.
IN THEORY, THE LITHIUM IN THAT
BATTERY COULD SUPPLY YOUR
HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY NEEDS
FOR 15 YEARS.
HUMAN ENGINEERED FUSION HAS
ALREADY BEEN DEMONSTRATED ON
A SMALL SCALE. THE CHALLENGES
ARE TO FIND WAYS TO SCALE UP
THE
FUSION
PROCESS
TO
COMMERCIAL PROPORTIONS.

22

3. DEVELOP CARBON
SEQUESTRATION METHODS
MOST NOTORIOUSLY, EVIDENCE IS MOUNTING THAT THE CARBON
DIOXIDE PUMPED INTO THE AIR BY THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS
IS INCREASING THE PLANETS TEMPERATURE AND THREATENS
DISRUPTIVE EFFECTS ON CLIMATE.
THE GROWTH IN EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE, IMPLICATED AS A
PRIME CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL WARMING, IS A PROBLEM THAT
CAN NO LONGER BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. BUT PERHAPS IT CAN
BE BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND OR BENEATH THE OCEAN.
CARBON SEQUESTRATION IS CAPTURING THE CARBON DIOXIDE
PRODUCED BY BURNING FOSSIL FUELS AND STORING IT SAFELY
AWAY FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.

A GRAND CHALLENGE FOR THE 21ST

CENTURYS ENGINEERS WILL BE DEVELOPING
SYSTEMS FOR CAPTURING THE CARBON
DIOXIDE PRODUCED BY BURNING FOSSIL
FUELS AND SEQUESTERING IT SAFELY AWAY
FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.

23

4. MANAGE THE NITROGEN CYCLE

IT DOESNT OFFER AS CATCHY A LABEL AS GLOBAL WARMING,
BUT HUMAN-INDUCED CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL NITROGEN CYCLE
POSE ENGINEERING CHALLENGES JUST AS CRITICAL AS COPING
WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF BURNING FOSSIL
FUELS FOR ENERGY.
THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE THAT EXTRACTS NITROGEN FROM
THE AIR FOR ITS INCORPORATION INTO PLANTS AND HENCE
FOOD HAS BECOME ALTERED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY.
WITH WIDESPREAD USE OF FERTILIZERS AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE
INDUSTRIAL COMBUSTION, HUMANS HAVE DOUBLED THE RATE AT
WHICH NITROGEN IS REMOVED FROM THE AIR RELATIVE TO PREINDUSTRIAL TIMES, CONTRIBUTING TO SMOG AND ACID RAIN,
POLLUTING DRINKING WATER, AND EVEN WORSENING GLOBAL
WARMING.
ENGINEERS
MUST
DESIGN
COUNTERMEASURES FOR NITROGEN
CYCLE PROBLEMS, WHILE MAINTAINING
THE ABILITY OF AGRICULTURE TO
PRODUCE ADEQUATE FOOD SUPPLIES.

24

5. PROVIDE ACCESS TO CLEAN

WATER
CHIEF CONCERN IS THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF WATER, WHICH
IS IN SERIOUSLY SHORT SUPPLY IN MANY REGIONS OF THE WORLD.
BOTH FOR PERSONAL USE DRINKING, CLEANING, COOKING, AND
REMOVAL OF WASTE AND LARGE-SCALE USE SUCH AS IRRIGATION
FOR AGRICULTURE, WATER MUST BE AVAILABLE AND SUSTAINABLY
PROVIDED TO MAINTAIN QUALITY OF LIFE.
LACK
OF
CLEAN
WATER
IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS IN
THE WORLD THAN WAR. ABOUT 1 OUT
OF EVERY 6 PEOPLE LIVING TODAY DO
NOT HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO
WATER, AND MORE THAN DOUBLE
THAT
NUMBER
LACK
BASIC
SANITATION, FOR WHICH WATER IS
OVERCOMING
THE CRISIS IN WATER
NEEDED
AND SANITATION IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST
HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES OF THE EARLY 21ST
CENTURY.

25

GRAND
6. RESTORE
CHALLENGES
AND IMPROVE
TO
URBANDO
INFRASTRUCTURE
LIST
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE COMBINATION OF FUNDAMENTAL
SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT A COMMUNITY, REGION, OR COUNTRY.
IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS TO
ROAD AND RAIL NETWORKS TO THE NATIONAL POWER AND
NATURAL GAS GRIDS.
IT IS NO SECRET THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OF MANY OTHER
COUNTRIES INCLUDING AMERICA, IS AGING AND FAILING, AND THAT
FUNDING HAS BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO REPAIR AND REPLACE IT.
THE PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE IN
URBAN
AREAS,
WHERE
GROWING
POPULATIONS STRESS SOCIETYS SUPPORT
SYSTEMS,
AND
NATURAL
DISASTERS,
ACCIDENTS, AND TERRORIST ATTACKS
THREATEN INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY AND
SECURITY.
ENGINEERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY FACE
THE
FORMIDABLE
CHALLENGE
OF
MODERNIZING
THE
FUNDAMENTAL
STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT CIVILIZATION.

26

7. ADVANCE HEALTH
INFORMATICS
NO ASPECT OF HUMAN LIFE HAS ESCAPED THE IMPACT OF THE
INFORMATION AGE, AND PERHAPS IN NO AREA OF LIFE IS
INFORMATION MORE CRITICAL THAN IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE.
AS COMPUTERS HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE FOR ALL ASPECTS
OF HUMAN ENDEAVORS, THERE IS NOW A CONSENSUS THAT A
SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO HEALTH INFORMATICS THE
ACQUISITION, MANAGEMENT, AND USE OF INFORMATION IN
HEALTH CAN GREATLY ENHANCE THE QUALITY AND
EFFICIENCY OF MEDICAL CARE AND THE RESPONSE TO
WIDESPREAD PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
A ROBUST HEALTH INFORMATICS SYSTEM
WOULD ENABLE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
TO DETECT, TRACK, AND MITIGATE BOTH
NATURAL
HEALTH
AND
TERRORISM
EMERGENCIES.
FUTURE SYSTEMS MUST BE ENGINEERED
FOR SEAMLESS SHARING OF DATA, WITH
BUILT-IN GUARANTEES OF ACCURATE
UPDATING AND WAYS TO VERIFY A
PATIENTS IDENTITY.

27

8. ENGINEER BETTER MEDICINES

DOCTORS HAVE LONG KNOWN THAT PEOPLE DIFFER IN
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE AND RESPONSE TO MEDICINES. BUT,
WITH LITTLE GUIDANCE FOR UNDERSTANDING AND ADJUSTING TO
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, TREATMENTS DEVELOPED HAVE
GENERALLY BEEN STANDARDIZED FOR THE MANY, RATHER THAN
THE FEW.
DOCTORS HAVE LONG RECOGNIZED THAT
INDIVIDUALS
DIFFER
IN
THEIR
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE AND THEIR
RESPONSE TO TREATMENTS, BUT MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGIES HAVE GENERALLY BEEN
OFFERED AS ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
HUMAN DNA CONTAINS MORE THAN 20,000
GENES, ALL OF WHICH ARE STORED IN OUR
CELLS NUCLEI.

28

ONE
ENGINEERING
CHALLENGE
IS
DEVELOPING BETTER SYSTEMS TO RAPIDLY
ASSESS A PATIENTS GENETIC PROFILE.
QUICKER, MORE PRECISE DIAGNOSES MAY
LEAD TO MORE TARGETED AND EFFECTIVE
THERAPIES.

9. REVERSE-ENGINEER THE
BRAIN
FOR DECADES, SOME OF ENGINEERINGS
BEST MINDS HAVE FOCUSED THEIR
THINKING SKILLS ON HOW TO CREATE
THINKING MACHINES COMPUTERS
CAPABLE
OF
EMULATING
HUMAN
INTELLIGENCE.
WHILE SOME OF THINKING MACHINES
HAVE MASTERED SPECIFIC NARROW
SKILLS - PLAYING CHESS, FOR INSTANCE GENERAL-PURPOSE
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
(AI)
HAS
REMAINED
ELUSIVE.
TODAYS COMPUTERS HAVE ELECTRONIC
LOGIC GATES THAT ARE EITHER ON OR
OFF,
BUT
IF
ENGINEERS
COULD
REPLICATE
NEURONS
ABILITY
TO
ASSUME
VARIOUS
LEVELS
OF
EXCITATION, THEY COULD CREATE MUCH
MORE POWERFUL COMPUTING MACHINES

29

10. PREVENT NUCLEAR TERROR

FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF THE NUCLEAR AGE, THE MATERIALS
SUITABLE FOR MAKING A WEAPON HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATING
AROUND THE WORLD.

EVEN SOME ACTUAL BOMBS MAY NOT BE

ADEQUATELY SECURE AGAINST THEFT OR
SALE IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES.
NUCLEAR REACTORS FOR RESEARCH OR
POWER ARE SCATTERED ABOUT THE
GLOBE, CAPABLE OF PRODUCING THE RAW
MATERIAL FOR NUCLEAR DEVICES.
AND THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING
EXPLOSIVE
DEVICES
FROM
SUCH
MATERIALS HAVE BEEN WIDELY PUBLISHED,
SUGGESTING THAT ACCESS TO THE
INGREDIENTS WOULD MAKE A BOMB A
REALISTIC POSSIBILITY

30

11. SECURE CYBERSPACE

PERSONAL PRIVACY AND NATIONAL
SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY BOTH
DEPEND ON PROTECTING A SET OF
SYSTEMS THAT DIDNT EVEN EXIST
UNTIL LATE IN THE 20TH THE
ELECTRONIC WEB OF INFORMATION
SHARING KNOWN AS CYBERSPACE.

ELECTRONIC
COMPUTING
AND
COMMUNICATION POSE SOME OF THE
MOST
COMPLEX
CHALLENGES
ENGINEERING HAS EVER FACED.
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON HOW
PEOPLE
INTERACT
WITH
THEIR
COMPUTERS, WITH THE INTERNET,
AND WITH THE INFORMATION CULTURE
IN GENERAL.

31

12. ENHANCE VIRTUAL REALITY

BASICALLY,
VIRTUAL
REALITY
IS
SIMPLY
AN
ILLUSORY
ENVIRONMENT, ENGINEERED TO GIVE USERS THE IMPRESSION OF
BEING SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN WHERE THEY ARE.
WITHIN MANY SPECIALIZED FIELDS, FROM PSYCHIATRY TO
EDUCATION, VIRTUAL REALITY IS BECOMING A POWERFUL NEW
TOOL FOR TRAINING PRACTITIONERS AND TREATING PATIENTS, IN
ADDITION TO ITS GROWING USE IN VARIOUS FORMS OF
ENTERTAINMENT.
VIRTUAL REALITY IS ALREADY BEING USED IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN,
FOR EXAMPLE, ENGINEERS ARE CREATING ENTIRE CARS AND
AIRPLANES VIRTUALLY IN ORDER TO TEST DESIGN PRINCIPLES,
ERGONOMICS, SAFETY SCHEMES, ACCESS FOR MAINTENANCE, AND
MORE.
VIRTUAL REALITY OFFERS A LARGE ARRAY
OF POTENTIAL USES. SURGEONS CAN
PRACTICE VIRTUAL OPERATIONS BEFORE
CUTTING INTO REAL PEOPLE; SOLDIERS CAN
LEARN COMBAT TACTICS IN VIRTUAL
WORLDS
WITHOUT
SHOOTING
REAL
BULLETS.

32

13. ADVANCE PERSONALIZED

LEARNING
FOR YEARS, RESEARCHERS HAVE
DEBATED WHETHER PHONICS OR
WHOLE-WORD RECOGNITION IS THE
BEST WAY TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW
TO READ. VARIOUS EXPERTS CAN BE
FOUND WHO WILL ADVOCATE ONE
APPROACH OR THE OTHER.

YOUNG BRAINS (AND OLDER BRAINS,

FOR THAT MATTER) ARE NOT ALL
ALIKE. LEARNING IS PERSONAL.

ENGINEERS WILL HAVE ROLES IN

MOST ASPECTS OF THESE COMPLEX
PROBLEMS, THOUGH THE SOLUTIONS
WILL REQUIRE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
PEOPLE FROM MANY DISCIPLINES.

33

14. ENGINEER THE TOOLS FOR

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
ALTHOUGH, SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS HAVE DISTINCT JOB
DESCRIPTIONS. SCIENTISTS EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, AND
DISCOVER; ENGINEERS CREATE, DESIGN, AND BUILD.
HOWEVER, IN MANY CASES, THE DISTINCTION IS BLURRY, AND
ENGINEERS PARTICIPATE IN THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS OF
DISCOVERY IN MANY WAYS.
GRAND EXPERIMENTS AND MISSIONS OF
EXPLORATION
ALWAYS
NEED
ENGINEERING EXPERTISE TO DESIGN
THE
TOOLS,
INSTRUMENTS,
AND
SYSTEMS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO
ACQUIRE NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WORLDS.

ENGINEERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE

PARTNERS WITH SCIENTISTS IN THE
GREAT QUEST FOR UNDERSTANDING
MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS OF
NATURE.

34

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION

35