Forums – International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences

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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.

Archiving Big Data Beyond 2040: DNA as a Candidate. This report by the National Academy of Technologies of France notes that the current datacenter approach to archival of digital big data is not sustainable for the long haul and argues that an alternative is offered by molecular carriers of information, such as DNA. While prototypes demonstrating feasibility exist, performance must be improved by several orders of magnitude in order to become economically viable.

Eng. Manuel Solanet awarded La Ingeniería Prize 2021. Since 1969, the Argentine Center of Engineers, CAI, has distinguished, every two years, the professional career of an engineer through the Engineering award. This award is a classic of the profession and an emblem of the Argentine Center of Engineers, which rewards those who performed important tasks, with real significance for society and for the profession. At a national level, it is the most significant award within the engineering profession. Although in Spanish, you could find out more about this Prize here.

Sustainable Electricity in 2030. This report by the Irish Academy of Engineering poses important questions that must be addressed to improve the pace of transition and achieve the ambitious targets aimed at decarbonising Ireland’s energy supply over the next three decades.

From a Presence Culture to a Culture of Trust – Seven Theses on Mobile and Hybrid Working. This report by Germany’s National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) posits that a flexible approach to where and when work is done and giving employees the freedom to organize and design their own work schedules is a win-win for both employees and companies. It addresses both opportunities and limitations of mobile working; the report can be found here.

Innovation in the Food Industries: Impacts of the Digital Revolution. This report by the National Academy of Technologies of France notes that the food industry is an important link in the rapidly evolving global food system and emphasizes the need to exploit multiple digital data sets to underpin solutions to the complex problems.

Significant Gas Fired Generation Required During Transition to Zero Carbon. The Irish Government has adopted a challenging target of having 70% of the country’s electricity produced from renewable sources (primarily wind and solar) by 2030. In its newly published report, ‘The Challenge of High Levels of Renewable Electricity in Ireland’s Electricity System’ the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) seeks to identify the risks in the transition to renewable electricity and recommend prudent actions by policy makers.

Moral Imagination for Social Justice in Engineering. Despite over fifty years of calls to diversify engineering, progress has been far too slow. We need to rethink engineering ethics and practice to benefit a broader range of publics, incorporating not just intellectual reasoning but also emotional intelligence and embodied enactments of justice. The US National Academy of Engineering is hosting a webinar on 12 March 2021 during which root causes affecting progress and pathways for advancement will be discussed. More information is available here.

Driving the Human. Germany’s National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) has partnered with the Arts to launch a unique transdisciplinary initiative to discover new ways to combine social and technological innovations in order to rethink visions of the future. The global project aims to create spaces investigating critical questions from a multitude of perspectives around the world. The international community is invited to support effort through a Global Open Call for participation. Additional information, including an interview with acatech’s project lead can be found here.

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.