Rotation Schedule – International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences

Featured Member Contributions

Towards 2040 – The Atlantic City Regions: Essential Infrastructure for Balanced Regional Development. This report by the Irish Academy of Engineering recommends the prioritization of key infrastructure projects and actions necessary to ensure the sustainable development of Ireland’s Atlantic City Regions. Consisting of in-depth analysis and recommendations for infrastructure improvements in the areas of Energy, Broadband, Transport, Ports, Flood Risk Management and Water Services, the report also calls out the urgent need for reform of the development consent system.

Alerting the engineering research community to the risks of predatory journals and conferences. This Engineering Brief highlights steps that can be taken by engineering research bodies at national, regional, and global levels to protect against predatory practices that could otherwise undermine the integrity of engineering research. It draws on findings published in an InterAcademy Report titled Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferen ces.

Inter-seasonal heat storage in the residential and tertiary sector: A way to reduce our carbon footprint. This paper by the National Academy of Technologies of France briefly presents the technologies for thermal energy storage, then describes the systems suitable for large-scale inter-seasonal storage in the residential and tertiary sectors and the barriers to their deployment in France.

Responsibility in Companies and Institutions for Sustainable Development. This position paper by Germany’s National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) observes that while responsible technology design is of vital importance, the complexity and interdependence of social and environmental factors may diffuse that responsibility. It aims to stimulate debate engaging the technological sciences community together with organizations, companies and agencies with a research and technology focus.

A Systemic Approach to the Energy Transition in Europe. This report by the SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) notes that the pathway to reach net zero emissions is not clear. It presents a systemic approach and concludes with evidence-based policy options that could help Europe reach the Paris Agreement targets.

Spotlight on Engineering

Engineer’s Day Celebration in the Netherlands was celebrated on March 17, praising the skills and inventions of engineers. The celebration is organized for the members of the Royal Institute of Engineers; one of the most important events of this special day is revealing the name of the Engineer of the year. Dr. David Fernandez Rivas, associate professor of fluid dynamics at the University of Twente, was named as the 2021 winner of this prestigious award.