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Future Challenges

Future Challenges. Professor: Dr. Miguel Alonso Jr. Outline. Expanding world population Pollution Energy Transportation Infrastructure Aerospace Competitiveness and Productivity. Through out history, Engineers have been problem solvers at the forefront of change

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Future Challenges

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  1. Future Challenges Professor: Dr. Miguel Alonso Jr.

  2. Outline • Expanding world population • Pollution • Energy • Transportation • Infrastructure • Aerospace • Competitiveness and Productivity

  3. Through out history, Engineers have been problem solvers at the forefront of change • Engineers bring about change • Must focus on the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead

  4. Expanding World Population • One billion people – beginning of recorded history until 1804 • 1.6 billion in 1900 • Today, over 6 billion, 4.4 billion in one century! • Estimated 9 billion by 2050 • Growth rate, 1.3% annually, or 77 million/year • ½ the growth is in 6 countries: • India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Indonesia

  5. This growth impacts land use, air and water resources, food production and distribution • Some areas use water faster than it is replaced, fertile land is dwindling • Deforestation for fuel and to make way for housing • Demand for housing, food, water, energy and waste disposal are taxing resources • It is up to engineers to use their talents in an effort to improve these situations

  6. Pollution • Engineers must be aware of the impact of their work on the environment • Small actions may have long term effects • Air pollution: atmosphere absorbs gases, solids, or liquids • They can damage the atmosphere, endanger human, animal, and plant life • Major cause: burning gasoline, oil, or coal without proper controls to remove the pollutants

  7. Air Pollution • Acid rain in the US and South-east Asia • High level toxins in unexpected areas • PDBs (polychlorinated biphenyl), DDT(Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), mercury, and dioxin in the Arctic • Carbon emissions expected to reach 8 billion metric tons by 2010 • Clean Air Act is an effort to monitor air quality • Engineers have the technical knowledge to develop and implement the necessary controls for this to be succesfull

  8. Water Pollution • Major sources of water pollution • Industrial waste, chemicals, detergents, pesticides, weed killers, municipal sewage, acid rain, metal residue, bacteria and viruses, and even artificially enriched plant growth • These pollutants upset the delicate balance • 40% of the world population already faces chronic water shortages • Water supplies could run out in the next century if per capita consumption and excessive use in agriculture are not controlled

  9. Solid Waste • Safe and efficient disposal of solid waste is one of the most serious challenges facing the engineers of tomorrow • Trash, garbage, or refuse that is solid or semi solid • In 1920, the US generated 2.75 pounds per person per day • In 1970, 5.5 pounds • 1980, 10 pounds

  10. Establishment of solid waste management and disposal occurs at the state and local levels • Engineers should be involved in policymaking at all levels • Waste to Energy • Recycling • Another problem, obsolete weapon disposal • Transportation and dumping of waste

  11. Energy • World energy demand will grow steadily • Fossil fuels will account for a substantial portion of the world energy demand by 2025 • And, there will be a shift of energy demand by world regions as many third world countries demand will rise significantly • Energy technology is catching up though • Recoverable resources • Petroleum: rose 60% (last 40 yrs), Natural Gas: 140% (last 60 yrs), Coal (last 200 yrs) • But, resources are finite, so there is still a need for development

  12. Transportation • Transportation problems have increased as the number of cars on the street has increased • Motorists in urban areas spend more than a week per year in traffic jams • This costs 63 billion in the areas surveyed • Energy use for transportation growth rate: 4%

  13. Infrastructure • Entities to support human activity • Roads, bridges, transportation services, public service facilities, and buildings • Huge concern as much of the existing infrastructure is aging • Bridges falling, buildings collapsing • Developing countries need infrastructure

  14. Aerospace • US Space and Defense programs have typically supplied engineers with many jobs • Recent disasters (86’ Challenger, 03’ Columbia) have caused re-evaluation of these programs • Breakup of the soviet union, world wide terrorism have prompted growth in this sector • Commercial Aviation industry, however, is struggling in the aftermath of 9/11 and the war in Iraq

  15. Competitiveness and Productivity • The health of a nation’s economy can often be measured by its relative productivity and competitiveness • Advances by foreign countries in basic science and research now often surpass those of the US, which directly impacts jobs, industry, national security, and strength of the nations intellectual and cultural life • Patents, Published scientific papers, Number of Ph Ds awarded, have fallen • Requires the investment in innovation and discovery

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