W2T1: Health

Article 1: Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering
Article 2: The Expanding World of Engineers

Which idea in those two articles do you think is the most important to the profession? Briefly explain your choice in about 300 words.

Sustainability, health, vulnerability, and joy of living. Those are the four broad realms that are essential to an engineer. After reading the two given articles, I believe the most important idea to such a profession is health. Imagine a world where mankind faces a catastrophic disaster and humans gets susceptible to illnesses and diseases coupled with low standard of living? How about hospitals not being well equipped to handle emergency situations resulting in massive lost of lives? If such a condition persists, won’t it be a tell tale sign of the world coming to an end?

In my opinion, the word ‘health’ highlights an important component of human life. An increasing population would no doubt prosper when it is met with better health and better living conditions. In addition, it would enhance the joy of living of the whole population. With the ever increasing population growth, an advanced technological state is essential in order to sustain and improve the efficiency of medical equipments used in hospitals and clinics. Other than that, devices used to detect and cure diseases are required in large amount to cater to the rising population.

The environmental issues are correlated to human’s health condition too. With the increasing usage of fossil fuels, there comes a price. The amount of carbon dioxide gases that is being pumped out by factories and cars that burns fuels increases. This may ultimately lead to a global warming scenario where the increase in temperature of the Earth may cause the death of mankind. So as to avoid such a scenario from ever happening, there is a need for engineers to develop devices to burn fossil fuels without causing damage to the Earth or perhaps find a less environmentally damaging way of obtaining energy.

Quality of water plays an important role in human’s health too. The human body is made up anywhere from 55% to 78% of water. To function properly, the body requires between one and seven liters of water per day. This shows that water is essential. Consumption of unclean water can harm a person’s health in many ways than one. Engineers are thus required to develop more devices to increase not only the quantity but also the quality of water so as to maintain human’s quality of life and health.

In conclusion, there are many factors that can affect the health of the world’s population. Therefore, health should be considered as the most important idea for engineers to take note of. Engineers of today have a difficult task ahead of them. They have to face a tough challenge of maintaining good health conditions and at the same time improving the standard of living.