Top 14 Engineering Challenges of the 21st Century

An expert panel has selected their top 14 engineering challenges for the 21st century. Check it out here. The group, the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, was asked by the National Science Foundation to develop the list of challenges, so they may begin to plan and funnel funding to various efforts. The list has many of the same challenges I posed to our present-day students, but mine were in the form of science-related policy concerns for the near and long-term future. A couple I did not include on my list are enhance personalized learning/education and managing the nitrogen cycle (for agricultural reasons). Check it out...further motivation for young people to go into the sciences and engineering, as the quality of life in the future will continue to depend directly and, I would say, primarily, on scientific and engineering advances. We just need the will to provide resources for these efforts, as well as the qualified personnel to do it.