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Author: Lord Browne of Madingley

Source: The Times

Publication Date: 4^th March 2010

I am often asked what the difference is between science and engineering. Nobel laureate and former president of the Royal Society, Lord Porter, would often say the answer was only “time”. I could not agree more. All pure science — if it is ever “pure” in the way some people like to think — eventually needs an application to make sense to society.

Using their knowledge and understanding of theoretical principles, engineers design and create new technologies which enormously improve lives. Engineers — including the British visionary Tim Berners-Lee — have been instrumental in creating and sustaining the computer networks that make the internet possible. They have designed bionic limbs which look, feel and act almost like the real thing. They have created robots that can assist surgeons in the most complex of operations. And engineers continue to work on developing low-carbon energy sources to deliver sustainable power to a growing world population.

In all of these areas, British scientists and engineers are helping to translate their knowledge and know-how into business success. People tend to think the UK is no longer a manufacturing economy but it remains the sixth-largest in the world, with a particularly strong presence in industries such as aerospace, health and construction. In fact, the manufacturing sector is still one and a half times larger than the financial sector.

The economic impact of engineering also stretches far beyond the measurable output of factory production lines. From agriculture to IT, and from manufacturing to finance, engineering solutions are deeply embedded in every area of economic activity in the UK. Engineers will sit at the heart of efforts to rebuild a balanced economy based on a greater diversity of industries.

Engineering solutions will also help to address the grand challenges facing society in the 21st century, including poverty, improved access to food and water and combating climate change. In many cases the critical technologies and systems already exist but have yet to be deployed on the necessary scale. For example, in energy the infrastructure we build now will need to serve our society for decades to come. Policymakers recognise the numerous requirements — energy supply needs to be secure, low carbon and relatively affordable — but often lack the capacity to assess the feasibility of policy options.

Part of what is missing is greater input from engineers at the very highest level of political decision-making. Strategic infrastructure decisions are too important to be made without proper advice. The Government must do more to tap the rich vein of engineering expertise here in the UK, and to consult experts much earlier on in public policy matters. Without this, I fear that decision-making processes will remain bereft, unaccountable and misguided.

But the call to action is not just reserved for politicians. The engineering community must do more to place itself closer to the heart of political decision making. At the Royal Academy of Engineering we have embarked on a process — we have called it Engineering the Future — to bring engineering institutions closer together in order to articulate a coherent vision for engineering in society. That is a start. But we are clear that changing the role of engineering in society requires a different outlook on how best to educate and train a new generation of engineers.

In this area we face significant challenges. Universities are beginning to train more engineers but numbers are not rising fast enough. In the past decade the number of students taking engineering courses has increased by only 3 per cent, a figure that compares badly with the 25 per cent increase in the overall number of university graduates. There is also a general lack of understanding and enthusiasm about engineering among young people who view the profession as dull and uninspiring.

The extent of these problems should not be underestimated. But, as every engineer knows, problems are there to be solved. We should look again at the way engineers are trained. A more hands-on approach to study — where theoretical principles are tested in real-life situations — could help to encourage more of this country’s brightest pupils into engineering degrees.

The real challenge is to inspire young people at the earliest possible age. This month the Big Bang Science Fair in Manchester will attract more than 13,000 young visitors who, along with their teachers and parents, will enjoy more than 200 exhibitions, activities and live shows. The Big Bang Fair is just one way to show young people how exciting a career at the cutting edge of science and engineering can be.

Tomorrow’s engineers will find themselves right at the heart of society and its strategic challenges. With trust ebbing away from banks and financial institutions, something different must take their place. Young people want to be inspired. It is our duty to let them know that if you want to change the world, become an engineer.

(Lord Browne of Madingley is President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chairman of the Tate. Between 1995 and 2007 he was CEO of BP.)

Added to the database on 8^th March 2010

Keywords: engineer science technology innovation