1. THE FOURTEEN GRAND CHALLENGES OF ENGINEERING Date: 2/4/10 Prepared by: Javier Kienzle, Fellow - GK12 Program Presented at: Columbia High School Supported by: NSF Graduate Teaching Fellow in K-12 Education Program Associated Institution: Stevens Institute of Technology - Hoboken, NJ Sources: NAE, NRC (2009)

2. Keep in mind… “Although engineers cannot solve these challenges alone, neither can the challenges be solved without engineers.”

3. Making Solar Power Economical  There is a natural efficiency for converting solar energy to electricity.  This limit is imposed by material properties.

4. Providing Energy from Fusion  In essence, fusion is the opposite of fission (nuclear reactors)  E = mc 2  Requires 100 million Kelvin!

5. Developing Carbon-Sequestration Methods  CO 2 pollution is a big problem  How do we “capture” it instead of releasing it into the atmosphere?  Chemically  Store underground  Reduce emissions

6. Managing the Nitrogen Cycle  Nitrogen is abundant in out atmosphere, and essential for life.  Humans have made an impact: nitrogen overload  Fertilizer  Fossil-fuels

7. Providing Access to Clean Water

8. Restoring Urban Infrastructure

9. Reverse-Engineering the Brain

10. Preventing Nuclear Terror

11. Last but not least… Engineering better medicines Advancing health informatics Securing Cyberspace Enhancing virtual reality Advance personalized learning Engineering the tools of scientific discovery

12. Questions Questions or Comments?