Critical Grand Challenges�for�Technology Innovation Partnership
Atam P Dhawan, PhD
Interim Provost
Senior Vice Provost for Research
Distinguished Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
New Jersey Institute of Technology
United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals
UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals
United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals
United Nations �17 Sustainable Development Goals
GOAL 1: NO POVERTY
GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER
GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION
GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY
GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITY
GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
GOAL 14: LIFE BELOW WATER
GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND
GOAL 16: PEACE AND JUSTICE STRONG INSTITUTIONS
SDG 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
SDG 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY
SUSTAINABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
SDG 13: CLIMATE ACTION
GREENHOUSE EMISSION
SDG 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL
NAE Engineering Grand Challenges: 1-6
ADVANCE PERSONALIZED LEARNING
A growing appreciation of individual preferences and aptitudes has led toward more “personalized learning,” in which instruction is tailored to a student’s individual needs. Given the diversity of individual preferences, and the complexity of each human brain, developing teaching methods that optimize learning will require engineering solutions of the future.
MAKE SOLAR ENERGY ECONOMICAL
Currently, solar energy provides less than 1 percent of the world's total energy, but it has the potential to provide much, much more.
ENHANCE VIRTUAL REALITY
Within many specialized fields, from psychiatry to education, virtual reality is becoming a powerful new tool for training practitioners and treating patients, in addition to its growing use in various forms of entertainment.
REVERSE-ENGINEER THE BRAIN
A lot of research has been focused on creating thinking machines—computers capable of emulating human intelligence— however, reverse-engineering the brain could have multiple impacts that go far beyond artificial intelligence and will promise great advances in health care, manufacturing, and communication.
ENGINEER BETTER MEDICINES
Engineering can enable the development of new systems to use genetic information, sense small changes in the body, assess new drugs, and deliver vaccines to provide health care directly tailored to each person.
ADVANCE HEALTH INFORMATICS
As computers have become available for all aspects of human endeavors, there is now a consensus that a systematic approach to health informatics - the acquisition, management, and use of information in health - can greatly enhance the quality and efficiency of medical care and the response to widespread public health emergencies.
NAE Engineering Grand Challenges: 7-14
RESTORE AND IMPROVE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure is the combination of fundamental systems that support a community, region, or country. Society faces the formidable challenge of modernizing the fundamental structures that will support our civilization in centuries ahead.
SECURE CYBERSPACE
Computer systems are involved in the management of almost all areas of our lives; from electronic communications, and data systems, to controlling traffic lights to routing airplanes. It is clear that engineering needs to develop innovations for addressing a long list of cybersecurity priorities
PROVIDE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
The world's water supplies are facing new threats; affordable, advanced technologies could make a difference for millions of people around the world.
PROVIDE ENERGY FROM FUSION
Human-engineered fusion has been demonstrated on a small scale. The challenge is to scale up the process to commercial proportions, in an efficient, economical, and environmentally benign way.
PREVENT NUCLEAR TERROR
The need for technologies to prevent and respond to a nuclear attack is growing.
MANAGE THE NITROGEN CYCLE
Engineers can help restore balance to the nitrogen cycle with better fertilization technologies and by capturing and recycling waste.
DEVELOP CARBON SEQUESTRATION METHODS
Engineers are working on ways to capture and store excess carbon dioxide to prevent global warming.
ENGINEER THE TOOLS OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
In the century ahead, engineers will continue to be partners with scientists in the great quest for understanding many unanswered questions of nature.
MIT-Gates Foundation: Technology Review (2019)
Carbon sequestration (Environmental Sciences/Engineering)
Grid-scale energy storage (Energy)
Universal flu vaccine (Healthcare Pharma)
Dementia treatment (Healthcare, Neuroscience)
Ocean clean-up (Remediation, Environment)
Energy-efficient desalination (Water)
Safe driverless car (Automation, Data Analytics/AI)
Embodied AI (AI; Machine Learning, Deep Learning)
Earthquake prediction (Environmental Science; Data Analytics)
Brain decoding (Neuroscience)
NSF 10 Big Ideas
NIH Strategic Plan�2021-2025
Defense Science and Technology: Opportunities to Better Integrate Industry Independent Research and Development into DOD Planning
US Government R&D Priorities
NJIT Research Clusters: 2025 Strategic Plan
Nanotechnology, Nanophotonics
Smart Materials; Biomaterials
Particulates, Quantum Materials
Reactive & Composite Materials
Membrane Technology, Polymers
Additive/Advanced Manufacturing
Human Machine Interface
Cyber-Human Systems
Robotics: Bioinspired, Medical, Social & Industrial
Autonomous Systems
Intelligent Infrastructure
AI, Machine Learning & VR/AR
Data Fusion , Big Data Analytics, Geospatial Data Processing, Cybersecurity and Networking, Quantum Computing, Tech & Business, Management, Social Networking
Biomedical Devices, Sensors and Instrumentation
Brain Health & Neuroscience
Biological Sciences & Behavior
Molecular Biology
Gene Therapy & Phenotype
Space Weather, Solar Terrestrial, Environmental Sensors, Sustainable Infrastructure, Global Climate Change, Biodiversity and Conservation, Clean Water, Waste Management, Renewable Energy, Smart Grid Systems.
Material Science and Engineering
Robotics and Machine Intelligence
Data Science and Management
Environment and Sustainability
Bioscience and Bioengineering
NJIT
140+ Research Institutes, Centers and Specialized Labs
NJIT Strategic Research Grand Challenge Areas of High Impact
NAI-NJIT Workshop Series: Innovations to Global Solutions
Sustainable Societies: Global Drivers
Environment
Healthcare
Information (ITAIC)
Infrastructure Enablers
Technology Research and Innovation
Resources and Infrastructure
Governance and Policies
Growth Catalysts
Communication
Education
Equality (socio-economic)
Sustainable Societies: Global Environment and Climate Change
Air
Sea
Land
Energy
Urbanization
Waste
Environment
Human Living Beings
Agriculture Food
Greenhouse Emissions
Climate
Impact
Global Healthcare Challenges
Personalized, Preventive and Precision Medicine
Information Integrity and Trustworthy AI
Cyber Grand Challenge