Challenges Facing The Field Of Electrical Engineering Essay Sample

The scope of the electrical engineers’ work is broad since these experts deal with power, digital technologies, and electronics on several scales. The electrical engineers’ work affects various aspects of the daily life directly; without their assistance, people in the society would not have applications considered essential for communication, health, defense, and transportation. Currently, engineers have to confront challenges brought in by resource availability and sustainability, terroristic intentions, and population functions (Hawkinson 1). Engineers consider it their responsibility to improve people’s lives across the world. In the current day, issues and challenges are much more complex than getting to learn how one can light up a room. Electrical engineers in this century have to consider potential terroristic and environmental implications of the contributions they make (Hawkinson 1). For instance, although early innovations made in the engineering field such as aircrafts and cars facilitated and speeded up travel, they as well increased the level of the negative impact made by humanity on the environment.

Challenges Facing Electrical Engineers

At the National Science Foundation’s request, the National Academy of Engineering engaged in collaboration to come up with a list of the “grand challenges” as well as the opportunities the engineers in the 21st century can encounter (Electrical engineers innovation 1). The main objective in dealing with these challenges is to improve everyone’s life significantly. Indeed, responding to the “grand challenges” effectively is important since it would not just improve everyone’s quality of life, but also assist the engineers respond to: resource availability and efficiency necessary to survive; impacting issues brought in by the increasing population; and the possible impacts of the dual-use research, which could otherwise be utilized for some terroristic activities.
Moreover, the increasing energy costs bring about challenges for electrical engineers, who are in charge of transportation. Affordability, safety, and efficiency are factors, which have to contribute to having new transportation improvement. Indeed, utilization of aircraft and electrical care is rising. Conversely, affordability tends to remain being the greatest issue in regard with making more wide-ranging utilization of such innovations. In the same line, the concerns affect the electrical engineers since the future of energy sources that are sustainable, smart grids, nuclear systems, and networks safety depend on affordability, environmental, and safety factors (Electrical engineers innovation 1).
In addition, security is the major concern when communication and information technologies are considered. It is clear that, having data centers and cloud computing being vital for accelerated and convenient communications, the intent of the cloud managers, location of the data storage facilities, and clouds accessibility poses a challenging information security and safety issue, therefore annulling their utilization for a large number of potential users (Heydt 16).
Indeed, in the twenty first century, electrical engineers are facing major challenges that they have to overcome. The challenges include; the “grand challenges”, increasing energy costs, and security concerns. It is the duty of the engineers to ensure that people’s lives in societies across the world. Undoubtedly, without the electrical engineers’ assistance, people in the society would not have applications considered essential for communication, health, defense, and transportation. However, this cannot be realized without overcoming the challenges facing them. Appropriate measures should be taken in order for the engineers to deal with he challenges in the most effective way possible.

Works Cited

Electrical engineers innovation, 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <http://engineeringonline.syr.edu/resource/evolving-approaches-electrical-engineering>.
Hawkinson, Chad. New challenges facing engineers and engineering-intensive companies, 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <https://www.ihs.com/articles/videos/new-challenges-engineers.html>.
Heydt, Gerald T. Electric Energy Challenges of the Future. New York: Arizona State University Press, 2012. Print.