Forty-nine shades of green: ecology and sustainability in the academic formation of engineers

Abstract

‘Ecological engineering’ is relatively recent. It resembles chemical, hydrological and other engineering where the title indicates another discipline specialisation (ecology, chemistry, hydrology) is closely associated. Differently, civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering titles indicate engineering subdivisions based on areas of application. The ecological engineering title is twice asymmetric: it indicates a kind of engineering, not science (engineering ecology); and only part of ecological science has as yet been included in ecological engineering. The ‘civil’ engineering descriptor is defined by its context, rather than this area being defined by its descriptor. Civil engineering includes a specialisation with another inappropriately undescriptive title—environmental engineering. Ecological and environmental engineering are readily confused by the public, ecologists, and other engineers. There have recently been laudable efforts by engineers, ecologists, economists, writers, and many others to move society towards more sustainable living. Young engineers can be encouraged in this by greater understanding of ecology and sustainability in their academic and professional formation. The desirable formation of ecological engineers remains unclear. Meanwhile, many approaches exist to introducing ecological understanding and principles of sustainability into other engineering academic curricula. Some approaches are discussed in this paper, in the context of developing appropriate education and training in ecological engineering.