Issues in the Field of Engineering - Coursework Example

Issues in the Engineering Field Affiliation Introduction The field of engineering encompasses various aspects of design, construction and testing. The activities involved in the production of a particular object or product in the economy are based on different engineering theories. Engineers contribute to the development of technology in order to enhance the welfare of the worlds population. In addition, they design different appliances that are essential for facilitating the activities of production in the society. The engineering field encompasses various major branches such as mechanical, electrical, civil and bio-medical engineering. The primary branches of engineering are subdivided further to enhance a more specialised approach to engineering. There are various issues in the field of engineering such as sustainability, environmental, ethical and gender biases. The current research will examine various issues in the field of engineering by focusing on the primary areas of the field. The issues affecting the field of engineering occur due the growth in the world’s population and the continuous changes in the factor that influence the environment. Furthermore, the concepts of engineering focus on enhancing technology and welfare of the population with minimal considerations to ethics, environment and equality (Gorp, 2005). The study will use a qualitative approach to examine various issues in the area of engineering in different parts of the world. The research will also focus on the major and sub-branches of engineering in order to acquire a wide perspective of the problems in the engineering field. Rationale The study of the problems in the engineering field is crucial because of several reasons. First, the research provides engineering professionals with adequate information regarding the issues affecting the practice. The outcome of the research will enable engineers in different engineering fields to identify some of the major problems facing their profession. Secondly, the research provides a reliable platform for further research in the field. The proposed research entails various aspects of the issues in the engineering field (Yates, 2007). This research is crucial for engineering scholars because it creates an additional avenue for further research. Scholars might decide to research on the effects of specific issues in the engineering practices in order to establish the solutions to the problems. On the other hand, prospecting engineering can conduct studies based on the information, which is available in the current research. The current research topic is important for future studies in the issues in the field of engineering because it enlightens the concerned parties on the current problems in the field. In this case, the scholar and researchers in the field can establish the long-term effects of the issues on the effectiveness of engineering activities (Yates, 2007). Thirdly, the current study is an essential platform for enlightening various concerned individuals on the problems facing the engineering. The information availed by the current research is adequate in establishing the potential issues in the field. Scientists in the field of engineering can establish the pending problems in the field by evaluating the issues identified in the current research. Fourthly, the concepts presented in the current study are crucial in establishing the solutions for various issues facing the engineering field. The current study provides adequate information regarding the problems in the field of engineering which is a reliable platform for establishing the solutions to the specified issues (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). The research specifies the engineering branches and practices that cause the issues in order for the scientists to develop effective mechanisms for resolving them. In addition, the research highlights the adverse effects of the problems on future developments in the engineering field, which is essential for the creation of aversion techniques to safeguard the field from future problems. Literature Review Researchers in different branches of the field of engineering have examined the prevalent issues in the field. The existing researches establish the issues in the field by evaluating the effects of different engineering activities in the society. According to research, different engineering activities face various issues depending on the concepts of design, modelling, production and application of engineering concept. However, some issues are prevalent is specific engineering branches and minimal in other engineering fields. Most of the issues in the engineering practices occur in recruitment, manufacturing, design and application of the concepts of engineering. Researchers identify engineering as the primary driver of development worldwide because the production activities depend on engineering concepts and discoveries (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). The issues resulting from the activities of engineers in the field include environmental impacts, inequality, sustainability and ethical problems. The matters occurring in the engineering practice depend on the concepts of engineering which are applied in a particular area. For example, the problems occurring in genetic engineering differs for those in mechanical and electrical engineering. Research indicates that the effects of engineering activities lead to various environmental issues. First, the concept of developing engineering models in mechanical and structural engineering contributes to the production of carbon in the atmosphere (Yates, 2007). Various activities in mechanical and structural engineering utilise heavy machinery, which consumes large energy levels from the environment. Ineffective energy consumption practices in the society promote environmental degradation due to techniques used in the production of energy (Yates, 2007). In addition, the machinery used in the fabrication activities in mechanical engineering produces carbon dioxide, which has adverse effects on the environment. On the other hand, the criteria for developing structures in structural engineering influence the environment adversely. In this context, the machinery used in the construction of different structures emits huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Most of the structures are constructed in forest regions, which contribute to the degradation of the forests. The field of chemical engineering raises the issue of environmental degradation (Yates, 2007). Chemical engineering entails various activities of developing and producing artificial chemicals in the society. Most of the chemicals produced have great effects on the environment, which leads to pollution of water and soil resources (Gorp, 2005). Additionally, the process of producing chemicals leads to emission of carbon in the atmosphere that promotes global warming (Yates, 2007). The process of producing electrical energy causes carbon emission in the atmosphere, which contributes to the concepts of global warming. The issue of environmental degradation is prevalent in the field of engineering because most of the engineering activities rely on fossil fuels (Yates, 2007). According to research, all aspects of engineering enhance ineffective consumption of energy and lead to the production of carbon in the environment. The outcomes of chemical engineering influence the mineral composition of the soil, which affects the fertility of the affected soils (Gorp, 2005). Sustainability in the field of engineering refers to the process of operating or designing systems that utilise resources and energy sustainably. The activities in the field do not condone the capability of the future generations to satisfy their need and the environment. The problem of sustainability occurs in all aspects of engineering because it promotes effective use of the available resources to enhance future developments. The filed fails to incorporate sustainable practices in its activities that promote degradation of natural resources (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). According to research, most engineering practices fail to uphold the concept of sustainability due to the short-term perceptions of their activities. There is adequate research on the matter of sustainable engineering because of the effects of unsustainable engineering on the environment and natural resources (Gorp, 2005). Structural, electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering activities contribute greatly to the issue of sustainability in engineering. Research indicates that the process of extracting resources from the environment focus on fulfilling short-term goals of a particular organisation which promotes the problem of unsustainable engineering (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). In addition, the criteria for establishing structures do not uphold the idea of sustainable engineering. In this context, most structures in different regions worldwide consume a huge amount of resources in their construction, which promotes degradation of natural resources. The construction of steel-based structures hinders effective use of steel, which facilitates continued degradation of the resource from the environment (Gorp, 2005). Moreover, overreliance on copper products in the field of electrical engineering compromises the availability of the resource for future generations (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). The field of engineering plays a great role in enhancing sustainability in the society because of the correlation between different engineering activities and the environment. The process of training and recruiting engineers entails various issues such as gender inequality and racial discrimination. The field of engineering is dominated by the male gender due to the complexity and energy used in achieving specific engineering objectives. Traditionally, the female gender was regarded as ineffective in performing certain engineering task (Gorp, 2005). This misconception promotes gender inequality in the engineering field. In this case, majority of engineering students and professionals are men, which raises the issue of gender imbalance in the field of engineering (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). Furthermore, most managers in the field perceive engineering professionals from developing countries as unqualified compared to their counterparts in developed economies. This perception limits engineering professionals from developing countries from competing effectively for prestigious positions in the field (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). The discrimination aspects in the field of engineering contribute to promoting inequality in the professional aspects of the field. The issue of ethics is prevalent in the engineering field because the professionals in the field interact directly with different elements in the society. The problem of ethics results from the outcomes of engineering practices in the society (Gorp, 2005). In this case, engineering practitioners fail to observe various ethical guidelines in the design and implementation phases of engineering project (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012). Engineers from different regions in the world engage in the legal confrontation due to failure to adhere to ethical requirements of the field. The major ethical problem occurs during the design process of a particular engineering project. In this context, some engineers adopt the design concepts of their colleagues, which cause ethical issues. Moreover, the problem of ethics occurs in the implementation process of a certain engineering concept (Yates, 2007). Professionals in the field of engineering should embrace specific ethical requirement during the testing and implementation stages of their models. Ethical matters occur in this case regarding the effects of implementing a particular engineering concept to the society (Gorp, 2005). Conclusion The research will identify the problems in the engineering field by examining the environmental, sustainability, ethical and inequality aspects of the field. A qualitative and literature review designs for research will be utilised to acquire reliable information regarding the research subject. Various activities in the field of engineering contribute to rise of several problems in the field. The issues occurring in the field of engineering might influence the future functionality of the production techniques in the society. The matters might promote further destruction of the environment that facilitates the need for research to identify the issues in order to initiate their respective solutions. The issues facing the field of engineering can be resolved in order to promote effective development in the future. The case of can is resolved by establishing avenues that promote the enrolment of the female gender in engineering courses. In addition, the problem of discrimination affects the effectiveness of different projects in engineering. Enhancing the quality of training in different countries worldwide is crucial in minimising the problem of discrimination in the engineering field. The issue of environment is highly sensitive because of the problem of global warming and climate change. The problem of pollution in the field of engineering can be solved through promotion of environmentally friendly initiatives in engineering. The issues affecting the field of engineering occur because of various factors that hinder long-term based initiatives in the society. Most engineers design and implement projects to resolve a short-term problem in the society. The concept of enhancing sustainability in the field is essential to reducing the major issues in the engineering field. Research indicates that, the amount of copper in various structures supersedes the natural copper resources in the world. Consequently, failure by the future generations to recycle the materials will lead to scarcity of copper in the world. References Bilimoria, D., & Liang, X. (2012). Gender equity in science and engineering. New York: Routledge. Gorp, A. (2005). Ethical issues in engineering design; safety and sustainability. [S.l.: s.n.]. Yates, J. (2007). Global engineering and construction. 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