NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering

In a fourteen-month project, the NAE convened a select, international committee to evaluate ideas on the greatest challenges and opportunities for engineering. The committee drew upon many sources of engineering expertise (including the NAE membership and foreign members, the NAE's international Frontiers of Engineering program, and engineering societies worldwide) as well as ideas from the broader public.

The NAE Committee on Engineering's Grand Challenges identified 14 grand challenges and opportunities for engineering during the world's next few generations. It pointed to engineering or scientific research and innovation that look promising for addressing each challenge as well as suggested currently unmet research needs.

The Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century are revealed on a special website.

The website was presented at an event in Washington, D.C. involving dignitaries from government, the science/technical community, and media/entertainment. Further distribution of a print publication of the challenges came from collaboration with major media outlets.  The website has been promoted widely, including to schools.

Interest in the Grand Challenges has led to several follow-up NAE activities and independent projects by other organizations.