Role of Engineer in Global Challenges

Role of Engineer in Global Challenges Executive Summary The present paper discusses roles that engineers could actively play to address the challenges of global food insecurity, WMD terrorism, and environmental degradation. The rationale is premised on the fact that food insecurity, global terrorism, and environmental degradation are at the core of the very existence of mankind.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Engineer in Global Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The results demonstrate that engineers can play an active role in taming environmental degradation by working on ways to actualize the fuel cell technology, developing innovations to capture and store excess carbon dioxide, and initiate sustainable and green engineering to cut down on harmful emissions. In addressing the challenge of food insecurity, engineers can develop novel fertilizers and irrigation capabilities, use biotechnology to develop disease-resistant and fast matur ing crops, and develop new techniques of harvesting rain water for use in irrigation. Lastly, in addressing the challenge of WMD terrorism, engineers can develop high-tech defense mechanisms having the capacity to deal with WMDs before they reach their target, develop and implement comprehensive surveillance systems, and play an active role in developing novel strategies that could be used to neutralize the effects of chemical or biological weapons. The paper concludes by underscoring the importance of engineers in advancing human welfare. The paper recommends (1) core curricula for engineers to be changed to ensure they receive comprehensive training to reflect new challenges and (2) funding and concessions to be made to enable engineers come up with innovative ways to address challenges. Introduction Around the world, demands on the profession and practice of engineering are increasingly shifting to reflect new challenges and expectations fuelled by the pressures of internalizatio n and globalization (Bryce et al., 2004). Today, more than ever before, there are increasing demands for engineering professionals to disembark from the cocoon of narrow technical focus and embrace a positive role in working with their communities to address a multiplicity of challenges and create opportunities that serve to improve life in the universe (National Academy of Engineering, 2012; Vanasupa et al., 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The present paper discusses roles that engineers could actively play to address the challenges of global food insecurity, WMD terrorism, and environmental degradation. Rationale It is important to note that these challenges have been carefully selected on a needs assessment basis. Whereas it is a well known fact that the world is facing very many challenges that are hinged on the pressures toward internalization and globalization (Bryce et al., 2004), food insecurity, global terrorism, and environmental degradation are at the core of the very existence of mankind, hence their selection. Environmental Degradation Extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦the global population is currently consuming natural resources at a rate of 120% of what the earth can regenerate† (Vanasupa et al., 2006 p. 375). Industrialized and industrializing counties are well known for their insatiable appetite for fossil fuels; however, available literature demonstrates that not only will we deplete our fossil fuel reserves within the next 40-100 years if we ignore to take immediate action to control their use, but our propensity to consume these resources will continue to accelerate the melting of the polarize caps, leading to flooding (Vanasupa et al., 2006). Excessive consumption of fossil fuels have also been positively correlated with the rapid accumulation of atmospheric greenhouse gases responsible for causing g lobal warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, and other forms of adverse environmental events. Engineers can play an active role in taming environmental degradation by working on ways to actualize the fuel cell technology, which has the capacity to convert hydrogen or hydrogen-containing fuels into the much needed electrical energy and heat through approvingly simple and mechanically straight forward electrochemical processes that do not degrade the environment (Nordin, 2010). In essence, the perfection of fuel cell technology by relevant engineers presents our best bet of addressing the real challenges emboldened by the mounting use of fossil fuels, including the depletion of natural resources and the ensuing global environmental concerns.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Engineer in Global Challenges specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Engineers also need to come up with technological innovations that could be used by communities and countries to capture and store excess carbon dioxide within the environment so as to prevent global warming (Bourn Neil, 2008). Such innovations require heavy investment in financial resources and heavy concessions from participating stakeholders, but are intrinsically important if we are to reduce the harmful environmental events occasioned by excessive emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the environment. Lastly, engineers should be at the forefront in initiating sustainable and green engineering to cut down on harmful emissions into the environment (UNESCO, 2010). Food Insecurity The world’s population has now reached seven billion owing to great advances in health care, elevated levels of prosperity and longer life expectancy, but available statistics indicate that two in every seven people residing in developing countries are exposed to hunger and starvation due to food insecurity brought about by rising temperatures and e rratic rainfall patterns (Fan, 2011). The world’s population, according to these authors, is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, hence the need to come up with approaches and policy frameworks to guarantee food security. Engineers can play an active role in ensuring food security by developing novel fertilizers and irrigation capabilities that will ensure faster and more efficient production of food to feed the population. Agricultural engineers in Israel, for example, have been able to apply modern irrigation techniques and high-yield fertilizers to grow food in arid areas. Second, engineers can use biotechnology and other scientific techniques to develop disease-resistant and fast maturing crops. Such technologically-enhanced crops, in my view, will ensure that food is available in abundance. Lastly, engineers can undertake to develop new techniques of harvesting rain water for use in irrigating crops grown under harsh conditions (Bourn Neil, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Weapons of mass destruction Global Terrorism Owing to the September 11 2001 terrorist attack on U.S. soil, it is increasingly becoming clear that the nexus of weapons of mass destruction (WMB) and terrorism poses one of the greatest challenges to world peace and prosperity. While it is a well known fact that a successful major WMD terrorist assault could lead to mass casualties and generate extensive social, economic and political ramifications that would adversely affect developed and developing countries, non-state actors such as the Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Ansar al-Islam and Islamic Jihad Union have openly stated their insatiable desire to obtain and use WMDs against targets perceived as enemies to their religious fanaticism (U.S. Department of Sate, 2008). Such a global challenge is real considering the amount of information available on the Internet regarding the assembly and use of WMDs, not mentioning the many black market proliferators and transnational criminal networks that ma y seek to benefit financially from the sale of these weapons to terrorists organizations. To minimize the challenge of WMD terrorism, engineers can engage in the development of high-tech defense mechanisms that have the capacity to deal with WMDs before they reach their target. The U.S. military engineers, for instance, have succeeded in developing strategic missile defense systems that can guard the country against incoming missiles. Second, it should be the role of upcoming engineers to develop and implement comprehensive surveillance systems with the capacity to receive and transmit information about the activities of known terrorist groups. In this light, it can be argued that engineers who designed and developed the U.S. drone surveillance systems succeeded to minimize terrorist activities due to their excellent data gathering capabilities. Still, engineers can play an active role in developing novel strategies that could be used to neutralize the effects of chemical or biologi cal weapons in case of use by terrorist groupings (Bourn Neil, 2008). Conclusion Recommendations The present paper has discussed some of the top-most challenges affecting communities globally, including environmental degradation, food insecurity and WMD terrorism. Additionally, the paper has clearly outlined the critical roles that engineers are expected to play to address these challenges in line with their professional calling to advance human welfare. But while these roles lie at the core of the engineering profession, it is imperative to note that they may be unachievable if concerted efforts are not made by stakeholders and governments. It is therefore recommended that the core curricula for engineers should be changed to reflect these dynamics and ensure that upcoming engineers receive comprehensive education and awareness reflective of these challenges. Additionally, concessions should be made by stakeholders in terms of funding and availing the necessary conditions for eng ineers to come up with innovative ways aimed at dealing with these challenges. References Bourn, D., Neil, I. (2008). The global engineer: Incorporating global skills within UK high education of engineers. Web. Bryce, P., Johnston, S., Yasukawa, K. (2004). Implementing a program in sustainability for engineers at University of Technology, Sydney: A story of intersecting agendas. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 5(3), 267-277. Fan, S. (2011). Global food security challenges and opportunities. International Food Policy Research Institute. Web. National Academy of Engineering. (2012). Grand challenges for engineering. Web. Nordin, N. (2010). Limitations of commercializing fuel cell technologies. AIP Conference Technologies, 1225(1), 498-506. UNESCO. (2010). Engineering: Issues, challenges and opportunities for development. Web. U.S. Department of State. (2008). The global challenge of WMD terrorism. Web. Vanasupa, L., Slivovsky, L., Chen, K.C. (2006). Glo bal challenges as aspiration: A classroom strategy to foster social responsibility. Science Engineering Ethics, 12(2), 373-380.

Australian Gold Rush Immigrants

Australian Gold Rush Immigrants Prior to Edward Hargraves 1851 discovery of gold near Bathurst, New South Wales, Great Britain regarded the distant colony of Australia as little more than a penal settlement. The promise of gold, however, attracted thousands of voluntary settlers in search of their fortunes- and ultimately ended the practice of transporting British convicts to the colonies. The Dawn of the Australian Gold Rush Within weeks of Hargraves discovery, thousands of laborers were already frantically digging at Bathurst, with hundreds more arriving daily. This prompted the Governor of Victoria, Charles J. La Trobe, to offer a  £200 reward to anyone who found gold within 200 miles of Melbourne. Diggers immediately took up the challenge and gold was quickly found in abundance by James Dunlop at Ballarat, by Thomas Hiscock at Buninyong, and by Henry Frenchman at Bendigo Creek. By the end of 1851, the Australian gold rush was in full force. Hundreds of thousands of new settlers descended on Australia during the 1850s. Many of the immigrants whod originally come to try their hand at gold-digging, chose to stay on and settle in the colonies, ultimately quadrupling the population of Australia between 1851 (430,000) and 1871 (1.7 million). Did Your Ancestors Arrive During the Gold Rush? If you suspect that your Australian ancestor might have originally been a digger, begin your search in traditional records from that time period, such as census, marriage,  and death records that generally list an individuals occupation. If you find something that indicates your ancestor was likely- or even possibly- a digger, passenger lists can help pinpoint the date of their arrival in the Australian colonies. Outbound passenger lists from the United Kingdom arent available prior to 1890, nor are they readily available for America or Canada (the Australia gold rush attracted people from all over the world), so your best bet is to search arrival manifests in Australia. Unassisted Immigrants to NSW, 1842-1855: This is an index of unassisted (or free) passengers who came to Australia at their own expense, including ships crewmembers.Unassisted Passenger and Crew Arrivals, 1854-1900: The Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters website has transcribed passenger listings and links to digital scans of original Shipping Inward lists from the Shipping Masters Office.Victoria Passenger Lists: Immigration records for Victoria 1852–1899 are online from the Public Record Office Victoria, including the Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852- 1923 and the Index to Assisted British Immigration 1839- 1871. Researching Ancestors Who Predate the Gold Rush Of course, your Australian gold rush ancestors may have actually arrived in Australia in the years preceding the gold rush- as an assisted or unassisted immigrant, or even as a convict. So, if you dont find them in the passenger arrivals from 1851 on, keep looking. There was also a second sizeable gold rush in Western Australia during the 1890s. Start by checking the outbound passenger lists from that time period. Once youve determined that your ancestors were likely involved in the gold rush in some way, you may be able to locate them in a gold-digger database or learn more from newspapers, diaries, memoirs, photos, or other records. Gold Diggers from South Australia: This free searchable database includes gold diggers from South Australia (1852- 1853) who brought or sent their gold home from the Victorian goldfields, including those who deposited gold at the SA Gold Assay Office in February 1852; the consignors and consignees associated with the first three mounted police escorts; and those who lost their receipts or failed to claim their gold by 29 October 1853.SBS Gold!: Explore the impact of the Australian gold rushes and uncover stories of the diggers through newspaper accounts, diaries,  and memoirs.The Goldminers Database: Search information on some 34,000 gold miners who participated in the gold rushes of New Zealand between 1861 and 1872, many of whom were Australians who went to New Zealand for only a short period of time.Fortune Hunters in Australia: This online database, available to members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, includes names and other information extracted from the pub lished CD titled American Fever Australian Gold, American and Canadian involvement in Australia’s Gold Rush by Australian authors Denise McMahon and Christine Wild. In addition to data compiled from official records, archives, contemporary newspapers, and diaries, there is also material from correspondence written to or from fortune seekers, both from the goldfields of Australia, as well as communications penned during ocean crossings. The National Library of Australia: Search the digital collections database for the term gold photos, maps, and manuscripts related to the Australian gold rushes and those who participated in them.