Mike McMeekin

ECL-USA’s Summit 9, The Engineering Ideas Institute, is in the books. Session 1 included an exploration of the complex entanglement between society and technology and the role that the engineering community can play in an emergent future to help society anticipate, untangle, and adapt. The theme of Session 2 was Environmentally Responsible Engineering: Building Capacities for Leading ERE Work / Leading the Change. This session explored what it takes to lead the work of ERE through the stories of the session provocateurs who are actively engaged in this type of work. Session 3 focused on the subject of Diversity Challenges: Exploring Barriers and Enablers for Women and Under Represented Minorities in Engineering. The session explored why the system is stuck with respect to the percentage of women and under-represented minorities in the engineering workforce and possible leverage points for unsticking it (removing barriers, fostering enablers, changing mindsets and unconscious biases, etc.). Session 4’s theme was Public Policy: Enabling Engineering Leadership in the Public Policy Arena. This session examined how engineering and science can be used to more effectively set policy and how engineers can move beyond simply providing technical advice and counsel to higher level engagement in public policy. Detailed reports on all four sessions will be available soon.

The tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent demonstrations and protests have altered our view of the world and motivated many organizations, including engineering organizations, to issue statements of commitment to change that results in a more equitable society. How can engineering organizations best contribute to this movement? Certainly, addressing diversity and inclusivity within our organizations and broadening our approach to the design of projects to include a more comprehensive view of the human impacts of our work are important. We can also contribute to public policy changes that re-prioritize our investments in public infrastructure in ways that result in more equitable communities…. Read More

Planning continues for Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL-USA) Summit 9, The Engineering Ideas Institute. Out of concern for the potential health risks of travelling to and participating in an in-person gathering and because of the uncertainty of our economy, the summit will be presented as a virtual experience. We will return to the in-person format for our future summits when conditions have stabilized.

The Engineering Ideas Institute will be presented in four separate, four-hour sessions. Provocateurs for the four sessions have been confirmed and design of the sessions is being finalized. All four sessions will include reflection on the Covid-19 pandemic and what we are learning about the role engineers and the engineering community can play to improve society’s resilience and adaptive capacity…. Read More

Out of respect for the uncertainty around potential health risks (including travel) and the uncertainty of our economy, Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL-USA) has elected to offer ECL-USA Summit 9, The Engineering Ideas Institute, as a virtual experience. We will return to the in-person format for our future summits when conditions have stabilized.

The Engineering Ideas Institute will be presented in four separate, four-hour sessions.

• Session 1 – Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CDT, Technological Driving Forces: Social Impacts of Technology / Building Capacities for Stewardship of Technology
• Session 2 – Thursday, July 30, 2020, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CDT, Environmentally Responsible Engineering: Building Capacities for Leading ERE Work / Leading the Change
• Session 3 – Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CDT, Diversity Challenges: Exploring Barriers and Enablers for Women and Under Represented Minorities in Engineering
• Session 4 – Thursday, August 6, 2020, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CDT, Public Policy: Enabling Engineering Leadership in the Public Policy Arena

… Read More

The second focus area of ECL-USA Summit 8 was the stewardship role of engineers with respect to climate and extreme weather challenges. You can review the summit report on this topic by clicking on the link below.

Summit 8 Report – Environmental Leadership

An important development that is evident in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic is that scientists, for the most part, are leading the way in formulating the public policy responses to the pandemic. Scientists are not just in the background advising other leaders. They are in the public eye, serving a major role in communicating to the public the science behind the pandemic; the potential risks of infection; the statistical facts regarding the spread of the virus; the projections regarding the potential future impacts of the virus on people and on the health care system; and the scientific basis for staying home, social distancing, and wearing masks…. Read More