Sustainable Development and Educating Future Engineers
...ewable raw materials and energy, not taking into account their limited capacity of the earth. Observably, the best-elaborated system of education is based on the teaching of environmental technology due to the knowledge of chemistry and it’s relevance to modern-day machinery (Chemists). Among these issues is the discussion of a triad of hazards posed to humans and the environment. The first hazard lies in the technological process. This includes yielding emissions into the air, wastewater treatment, and long-term pollution that could ultimately enter the food chains. The products of chemical technologies are the second hazard. For example, chemicals that are used as raw materials in other technological branches endanger human health. The third hazard is technological equipment and its possibility to cause incidents, accidents, and disasters due to explosions and/or burning (Petit). Current and future requirements to chemical technologies, consistent with the strategy of sustainable development, encompass a fully new approach—introducing the concept of “Cleaner Technologies” (“Environmental”). This primary idea targets pollution prevention or waste minimization and indoor/outdoor recycling. Presently, there is already the first experience in the introduction of the concept of cleaner production in the framework of a mechanical system having environmental, economic, and management aspects. This new system of environmental management is labeled ISO 14000 (“Database”). Built upon the earlier models (ISO 7000 and 9000), Middelberg added that the high-tech machine “ ‘clearly shows the existing and build-up intercorrelation and interdependence of production and trade corresponding to the fundamentals of macro- and microeconomics not neglecting ecological and social aspects’ ” (Personal Interview). Meanwhile, the faculty of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University have re-established a two-stage environmental education plan, reflecting the main principles of sustainable development that have been implanted into its master curriculum (Hall 118). The first stage, common for all undergraduates, contains fundamentals of ecology, general biology, general toxicology, and biochemistry. Also, to create a general discipline for environmental information, higher level chemistry courses are required. This continues for the first two years of the chemical engineering degree. The second stage focuses on educating inside the study branch of chemical engineering and environmental chemistry. Starting on the third year, an emphasis among the problems and construction of recycling technologies and economic instruments are stressed. Two examples of a typical assignment could involve designing a drinking water purifier or a soil sanitation layout (Angelucí). Leading scholars of the College of Chemical Engineering take part in various courses organized by the Ministry of Health in Toxicology. The Partnership for Peace Program for leading authorities of chemical corporations, civil and environmental protection agencies, and emergency planning are also among the highly-sought, prestigious internship positions (Angelucí). All of these activities contain structured information consistent with the strategy of sustainable development. Experience of educating chemical engineers, both undrgraduates and doctoral students, can be successfully utilized in the education of all branches of engineers. However, because of the enviromental impact, chemical engineers possess the ability to correct the future problems involving sustainable development. The most crucical part chemical engineers play is developing the tasks begining as an idea of cleaner production and ending as a finished product much like the series ISO 14000. For the future, chemical engineers are preparing for a new discipline named “Sustainable Development and Cleaner Production” with accumulated information used in past disciplines (Petit...