The role of engineers in society is likely to be very great 2016

The role of engineers in society is likely to be very great

  

the role of engineers in society is likely to be very great and the tasks facing him will be formidable. It will be necessary for him to work in a social, economic and cultural perspective, to be fully aware of political and societal constraints and to be exceedingly flexible. The ever increasing database of the profession will inevitably favor a greater degree of specialization, but the temptation must be resisted to cram more and more specialized courses into the curriculum or to lengthen the learning period of formal education unduly. Young engineers will have to be exposed to the real problems of society as early as possible and hence sandwiches of instruction and practice will be desirable. 

 

The creativity and inventiveness of research engineers should be a constant preoccupation of management and, for this purpose the inclusion of fundamental research scientists in applied laboratories is desirable. The problems facing society are indeed great and their solutions will depend much on acceptance by the public at large.’ Thirty-six years later, many of the issues put forward by Dr. King are still as pressing as they were then.

  

The great challenges facing the world – particularly those relating to sustainability, economic stability and safety – as well as increased specialization in the engineering disciplines, the importance of fundamental research and of creativity, the societal and ethical responsibilities of engineers, the prevailing image of the engineering profession and the acceptance of new technology are still high on the agenda today.2 They are a major reason for making, once again in 2013, engineers of the future the theme of the most prestigious academic lecture held at TU/e, the Holst Memorial Lecture.