Grand Challenges of Engineering and Science

As a part of ASU's 2010 NSF GK-12 program I am now thinking of ways to bring some of the National Academy of Engineering's "Grand Challenges for Engineering" to the 7th grade earth science classroom (http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/). I anticipate this will be a very interesting, valuable, and challenging task. However, reading through some of these challenges, I cannot help but ask are these really Engineering's Grand Challenges? I think in some cases these challenges could be better addressed with social change rather than technological or at least an interdisciplinary approach.

The two most obvious cases are Advancing Personalized Learning and Preventing Nuclear Terrorist Attacks. I do see the value in computer aided learning, but I hardly would classify that as advancing personalized learning. Personalized learning, I believe, should involve more interpersonal attention rather than machine intrapersonal activities. Nuclear Terrorist Attacks might be averted through some specialized technologies, but this is only a band aid and to truly prevent suck attacks we need to change the global social issues that are leading toward social unrest and hatred - not to mention cleaning up the nuclear materials that are out there.

Some of the Grand Challenges are not, in my opinion, high on the list of things the world needs for improved quality of life or sustainability. Providing additional energy from fission would certainly add new energy to the market, but this would likely compound issues of overconsumption. Similarly carbon sequestration is only a patch and does not solve issue of unsustainable usage of oil. If we don't curb this problem we will undoubtedly find ourselves out of energy with too many energy reliant people to support which will likely lead to warfare and the downfall of our economy and society.

High on my list of engineering grand challenges are finding ways to better harness solar energy, energy stored in tides, and providing access to clean water and better managing the nitrogen cycle. For both of the later challenges equal efforts will need to be made in practice and social values as are made in pushing the engineering to fix these issues.

Once we solve the energy problems, curb overconsumption, protect our soils and water, then I think we will be free to focus on engineering issues that are more intrapersonal such as personalized healthcare/medicine, learning, and enhancing virtual reality. I guess my main points are:

1) there is certainly a hierarchy of these issues and I think they should be prioritized because time is of concern for the most important ones.
2) engineering should be coupled with social change so that we are not simply applying technological band aides for issues of that require major social surgery.
3) finally, there has always been a tension between rapid progress and engineering for efficiency and the idea of proceeding cautiously as to not over consume and waste resources. These things need to be balanced and we need to ensure that future technologies are not adding to our main problems.