Recent News

By Kyle V. Davy AIA and Mike McMeekin PE

Sustainability is not enough.

Escalating climate, infrastructure and social crises are outpacing efforts to address them with sustainable practices. The engineering community has the tools and strategies to take us beyond sustainability — both to address dire challenges and to restore living systems. Circular economy and regenerative approaches are principal means for achieving these ends.

Engineers and their allied fields must have the commitment and courage to step up and engage in the hard work of leading change to benefit society.

These propositions were at the heart of the 2022 Engineering Ideas Institute convened by the Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL) in Boulder, Colorado. This summit drew on provocations, exercises, nature walks and dialogues to shift minds and prompt participants to think differently about the future of engineering. This year’s Institute focused on circular economy and regenerative strategies to push society toward a healthy, resilient future.

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A recent Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL) summit featured a deep dive into the future of licensure for engineering and the role licensure and regulatory bodies can play in ensuring that engineers and organizations engaged in the development of the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution act in the public interest. Discussions at the summit demonstrated a clear need for engineering licensure models to adapt to these transformational developments in a manner that will protect the public and guide engineers to practice as stewards of technology and nature on behalf of society.

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Updated – July 14, 2022

Photo source: The Colorado Chautauqua

2022 Engineering Ideas Institute, September 26 – 28, 2022

In 2019, the leadership of Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL) conceived the idea of the Engineering Ideas Institute.

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In a narrative that is overwhelmingly positive, the history of engineering is commonly told as a story of progress and achievement. From the Brooklyn Bridge and the Hoover Dam to countless roadway and water projects across America, engineers designed and built an infrastructure that not only drove progress and growth, but also protected public health, safety, and welfare. From Edison’s lightbulb and Bell’s telephone to computers and the Internet, engineers created technologies that revolutionized the way we live and work. And, from mechanical and electrical devices to chemical processes, members of the Engineering Community were central to both industrial and consumer revolutions in the United States and across the world.

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Since the dawn of humanity, our technologies have transformed the world around us, adapting our environment to meet our needs and wants. Over the last 150 years, the Engineering Community has played a primary role in the creation and application of physical, digital, and biological technologies, from infrastructure and energy systems to digital twins and artificial intelligence to gene splicing and bio-printing.

In today’s world, the power and reach of new technologies is ever-expanding, and the pace of technological change is accelerating. Now more than ever, it is imperative that those of us involved in the creation and application of all types of technology consider the social, environmental, and ethical impacts of our work. Engineering Change Lab – USA’s (ECL) latest summit introduced the work of Engineering Change Lab – Canada in Technological Stewardship (TS) as a professional identity, orientation, and practice that can support us in navigating the complex tensions inherent in our work, broadening our perspective about potential impacts of our efforts, and bending the arc of technology towards greater good.

Mark Abbott, Director of ECL-Canada and Director of Tech Stewardship at MaRS Discovery District, kicked off the summit by recapping their eight-year journey that has resulted in their current focus on catalyzing and supporting a TS movement. The main purpose of ECL-Canada’s TS Practice Program is to ensure that technology is beneficial for all by impacting the creators and implementors of technology, such as the Engineering Community. The TS Practice Program is founded on three core commitments.

• Advance Understanding
• Deliberate Values
• Practice Behaviors

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Since the dawn of humanity, our technologies have transformed the world around us, adapting our environment to meet our needs and wants. Over the last 150 years, the Engineering Community has played a primary role in the creation and application of physical, digital, and biological technologies, from infrastructure and energy systems to digital twins and artificial intelligence to gene splicing and bio-printing.

In today’s world, the power and reach of new technologies is ever-expanding, and the pace of technological change is accelerating. Now more than ever, it is imperative that those of us involved in the creation and application of all types of technology consider the social, environmental, and ethical impacts of our work. During this ECL-USA summit, you will be introduced to Tech Stewardship as a professional identity, orientation, and practice that can support us in navigating the complex tensions inherent in our work, broadening our perspective about potential impacts of our efforts, and bending the arc of technology towards greater good.

The summit will be held on June 14, 2022. Register for the summit at the link below.

SUMMIT 15 REGISTRATION

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