Today: Technological development: Have we done it all? Week 2, Lesson 2 Monday, September 7, 1998 Dr. Vincent Duffy - IEEM SOSC Science Technology and Society 1

Question of the day (QOTD) n Q1. Will the next generation of children be worse off, better off or the same as you are today? n better off_____ n same_____ n worse off_____ 2

Are you optimistic or pessimistic? 3

4

World Population 5

And Hong Kong population? n In 1950s - u about 3-4 million n Currently u about 6 million n Future? u more than 8 million expected by 2011 n What are the implications? u A better or worse future? 6

Overview for today n Population growth n Technological solutions n Resouce limitations 7

Implications of population growth v Increased need for : u housing, roads, sewers and water mains u extended water and waste treatment u extensions to hospitals and fires stations u new schools, libraries u shopping centers, u other entertainment-karaoke v How to achieve this? 8

In the past: n Technological advances n led to u increased agricultural output n through u increased use of man made/synthetic fertilizers, u pesticides, and mechanization of farming u increased efficiency of transport of goods 9

Questions of the day  Q2. Can these technological advances solve our problems related to population growth forever? (or at least until population growth stabilizes?) n Q3. What have these technological advances and increases in standard of living of the larger population typically led to increased demand for ? u Energy u How much do we have? Any limits? 10

n Only 50 years of oil reserves! u even if it is doubled, we will likely run out during your children’s lifetime How much is left? 11

Implications for Asia-Pacific n Increased efforts to meet the demands will impact our environment - u see Jiang’s comments on China n ‘Yesterday’s energy supply can not feed, clothe, and house tomorrow’s population’ u see Scientists comments - technologies for renewable energy sources must be developed n Our desire for TVs and Toyotas will increase tensions over known oil supplies u see Time magazine article on ‘Oil for Asia’ 12

Summary: Technological advance: Have we done it all? n Population growth increases demands on our infrastructure n Solutions are likely to include technological advances n The technological advances, and increased standard of living of that expanded population, increase the demand on energy n However, energy reserves, particularly oil, are limited. 13

Next week : n Form groups u groups of 3 or 4 v Please prepare a sheet of paper u please include for each group member u photo, name, id, , what you did this past summer v Please have this ready –Monday 14th or by latest Wednesday 16th. 14

Course Content (from syllabus)  Week 1 Introduction,  Week 2 History of science and technology, Impact of engineer on society  Week 3 Context and tools for analysis –Homework 1 distributed –Groups should be finalized  Week 4 Sustainable development  Week 5 Politics of technology Homework 1 due  Week 6 Exam 1 Oct.9 15

Other Issues to be discussed  Week 7 Ethics, engineering and business  Week 8 Technology innovations - Quality  Week 9 Engineering and the law, hwk2 due  Week 10 Do statistics lie?  Week 12 Exam 2 Nov. 16  Week 13 Future trends for engineers and business  Week 13 Science and technology at work –Homework 3 due  Week 14 Science and technology at home 16

Grading - changes in format v 35% Two midterms (15%, 20%) v 20% Homework - 3 group assignments v one brief oral presentation for each group v (written portion unchanged- 1-2 pages for each assignment). v 35% Final exam v 10% Class participation – in class QOTD (Questions of the Day) 17