What are the greatest challenges of our times, and how can engineers and others help address them? In 2008, The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) identified 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century. The Grand Challenges are a call to action and serve as a focal point for society’s attention to opportunities and problems affecting human wellbeing.

Students and teachers can log onto the Grand Challenges Website to learn more about each challenge, and to cast their vote for which issue they believe takes precedence, from making solar energy economical to advancing personal learning and providing access to clean water. Each challenge has a dedicated page, with discussion of the issue, provocative and informative videos, and an image gallery. Students can also view the winning entries of the Grand Challenges Essay Contest, posted on the Website of EngineerGirl! Teachers may be interested in joining the 2010 Grand Challenges Summit Series being held at universities across the country.

The 14 NAE Grand Challenges

• Make solar energy economical
• Provide energy from fusion
• Develop carbon sequestration methods
• Manage the nitrogen cycle
• Provide access to clean water
• Restore and improve urban infrastructure
• Advance health informatics
• Engineer better medicines
• Reverse-engineer the brain
• Prevent nuclear terror
• Secure cyberspace
• Enhance virtual reality
• Advance personalized learning
• Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

watch a video on the 14 Grand Challenges and NAE

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