The Rise of Cyber-Physical Systems PostedNovember 29, 2023 We have entered the cyber-physical age, but we are unprepared for it due to systemic under-allocation in the physical sciences and the lack of a truly multidisciplinary engineering curriculum.
Fusion Energy: Seizing Our Opportunity for a Clean Energy Future PostedNovember 20, 2023 Our nation is at a pivotal moment in the development of fusion energy as a clean, reliable source of power that could effectively address the climate crisis.
Immersive Audio: The Past Repackaged or a New Frontier? PostedSeptember 26, 2023 Immersive music production and consumption are finally here to stay. And, while there are hurdles to overcome, the future looks bright for those creating content and those consuming it.
Materials Matter: Building the Embassy of the Future PostedAugust 31, 2023 US embassies are impressive feats of architecture and engineering. They are more than ordinary buildings; they are multifunctional campuses serving as centralized headquarters for American diplomats and foreign-service officials.
Engineering Ethics and Narratives for Technological Imagination PostedAugust 1, 2023 To create more ethical and engaged engineering practices, new and authentic narratives surrounding disability are needed.
Psychological Safety in Engineering Starts with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion PostedJune 13, 2023 Everyone in the workplace has to feel safe to speak up, and that depends on inclusion and psychological safety.
Technological Obsolescence PostedMay 24, 2023 Keeping and maintaining an obsolete but functioning technology may make more sense than acquiring a newer technology, especially if competition and customers are not demanding change.
The Untapped Potential of Computing and Cognition in Tackling Climate Change PostedApril 25, 2023 Helping people change their behaviors may be where technology can have its greatest impact on climate change.
Moving to Evidence-Based Elections PostedMarch 10, 2023 Systematic manual examination of ballots, rigorous ballot accounting procedures, and public compliance audits would increase election transparency and are urgently needed.
Hidden Curriculum: An Image Holder of Engineering PostedFebruary 14, 2023 Formative experiences inform individuals’ perceptions of themselves and others in the classroom, community, and workplace. In engineering, the image of a typical engineer – perpetuated in a “hidden curriculum” – often distorts perceptions of the work and abilities of those who differ from that ...
Engineering and the Diversity Imperative: The 15th Grand Challenge PostedOctober 17, 2022 Engineering impacts everyone. Diversifying the field is imperative if we want to build on engineering’s legacy of extraordinary impact. Why? Because diversity leads to better outcomes, explains Gary S. May in the latest NAE Perspectives.
Eliminating Poverty for a Cooler Planet PostedSeptember 30, 2022 Robin Podmore (NAE) is president, Incremental Systems Corp. (IncSys). Anjan Bose (NAE) is Regents Professor, School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Washington State University.
The Growing Role of Clinical Engineering: Merging Technology at the Point of Care PostedMay 31, 2022 Fiza Shaukat is a native of Pakistan living in the United States. As a biomedical engineer, she was eager to improve her country’s medical devices and digital health strategies. She approached us in 2018 seeking expertise in clinical engineering, which focuses on the point-of-care intersection ...
Ensuring Human Control over AI-Infused Systems PostedApril 7, 2022 Human control over technology was a concern thousands of years ago when early humans sought to ensure safe use of fire. Later, control over horse-drawn wagons and eventually steam engines led to debates about how to make the most of their benefits while limiting dangers. Now questions of control ...
Augmenting Our Thinking through the Nexus of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Art PostedFebruary 18, 2022 Today, more urgently than ever, we need to augment our thinking. The world faces enormous challenges of unprecedented complexity—problems that intertwine in a dizzyingly interconnected, interdependent, and changing landscape. Few of them—especially those dealing with energy, environment, and social ...
Technoscientific Research: A Missing Term in R&D Discourse PostedJanuary 19, 2022 Over the past decade there have been consistent alarm signals about US leadership in science and technology. Arguments often boil down to the need for additional funding for R&D. In this perspective, I reflect not on the well-justified need for such additional funding, but for more effective ...
Transformative Opportunities in Transportation PostedNovember 2, 2021 While transportation is costly in many ways and tiresome for many, it is critical for economic and social wellbeing. Goods and people need to reach their desired destinations in a timely manner. Large amounts of money, energy, land, labor, time, and natural resources are devoted to travel. And it ...
Evolutionary Medicine Needs Engineering Expertise PostedOctober 26, 2021 Engineering has made vast contributions to health and medicine, from designing water and sewer systems that have saved millions of lives to optimizing healthcare delivery systems and creating ever more sophisticated medical devices. New applications of evolutionary biology to medicine are now ...
Driverless Motor Vehicles: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time PostedOctober 11, 2021 According to safety experts, more than 90% of motor vehicle crashes involve driver error,[1] and many believe that replacing drivers with automation could significantly reduce the number of crashes. Well-considered automation could compensate for human susceptibilities such as fatigue, distraction, ...
ERs Rise to the Covid-19 Challenge: Teamwork between Engineers and Healthcare Providers Cuts ER Waiting Time PostedJuly 26, 2021 Last year COVID-19 patients overwhelmed many hospital ERs.A process redesign implemented at one hospital, with 350 inpatient beds and 29 ER beds, illustrates how system engineering enabled us to better navigate the challenges of the global pandemic. A new NAE Perspective by HCA Healthcare, Brett ...