This installment of our @matec newsletter article ”Education Challenges in the 21st Century”, inspired by Cathleen Barton’s presentation at the HI-TEC 2009 event, focuses on Grand Challenges as identified by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The NAE Committee on Engineering’s Grand Challenges has identified 14 areas awaiting engineering solutions in the 21st century. This critical grouping of problems must be addressed and solved in order to maintain our national security, quality of life, and sustainable future.
 

Visitors to the NAE website ranked the Grand Challenge that is most important to them as follows:
1.       Make solar energy economical

2.       Provide energy from fusion

3.       Provide access to clean water

4.       Reverse-engineer the brain

5.       Advance personalized learning

6.       Develop carbon sequestration methods

7.       Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

8.       Restore and improve urban infrastructure

9.       Advance health informatics

10.     Prevent nuclear terror

11.     Engineer better medicines

12.     Enhance virtual reality

13.     Manage the nitrogen cycle

14.     Secure cyberspace

We invite you to list your thoughts. To read more about the NAE Grand Challenges, visit their website.

Lara Smith