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14 grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century

14 grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century

 

I’m so glad that our Chancellor, Dr. Dan Arvizu (ME ‘73), highlighted the 14 grand challenges for engineering in his acceptance speech as the 2018 Ingeniero Eminente of NMSU Engineering.

These grand challenges, which were identified by an international group of leading technological thinkers brought together by the National Academy of Engineering, fall into four cross-cutting themes of sustainability, health, security and joy of living.

It’s important that all of us spend some time wondering if and where our expertise and interests fall among these disciplines:

  1. Advance personalized learning       

  8. Secure cyberspace

  2. Make solar energy economical

  9. Provide access to clean water

  3. Enhance virtual reality

  10. Provide energy from fusion

  4. Reverse-engineer the brain

  11. Prevent nuclear terror

  5. Engineer better medicines

  12. Manage the nitrogen cycle

  6. Advance health informatics

  13. Develop carbon sequestration methods

  7. Restore and improve urban infrastructure

  14. Engineer the tools of scientific discovery