The Era of Engineering Grand Challenges

Abstract

The history of technology is mixed with the history of humankind. Technology has been the crucial ingredient in most major global historic events, and as time passed, it has occupied an increasing role into society. Nowadays, it is impossible to perceive a developed or even emergent country without a major focus on technology. While the competitive advantage of technology has put humans in this status quo, it has also contributed decisively on current environmental degradation, shortage of natural resources, and social instabilities. While humankind faces unprecedented challenges, technology still represents the best shot to overcome them. Labeled as engineering grand challenges, they embody the focus on research and development for the next decade, on issues covering health, food, urban infrastructure, energy, mobility, environment, access to clean water and sewer systems, and security. Those challenges are particularly peculiar: they are global and multidisciplinary, which requires scientists and engineers from a wide range of specialties. Considering such scenario, it is timely to dissect in depth those grand challenges and the respective technologies that could address them, covering research, design, development, practice, maintenance, and even the social-related elements.