Toward a Broader Definition of Engineering Careers

摘要

The fields of science, engineering and technology have always been international. In the recent decades, the importance of global engagement has substantially increased because many emerging critical problems are trans-boundary, and optimal solutions to those require the participation of multiple stakeholders. In many cases, scientists/engineers and national/international policymakers must work together to resolve these complicated issues. Such mixed teams may be very rewarding, but also have risks and pitfalls: there is a need for great understanding and openness, which takes nontrivial effort. Increasingly, we will have to develop a new generation of engineers who would be not only comfortable, but also excited to join the policymakers in working toward resolving large, complicated, multidimensional problems. In this paper, I argue that we could inspire a cultural change by shifting from a traditional definition of engineering careers to a broader, more inclusive view, where venturing into the world of national and international policy is an acceptable and sometimes, desirable option.