Study in Progress
Grand Challenges and Opportunities in Environmental Engineering for the Twenty-first Century
Water Science and Technology Board
Meetings
Grand Challenges and Opportunities in Environmental Engineering and Science for the Twenty-first Century: Meeting 1 - 05/04/17Grand Challenges in Environmental Engineering: The Future of Water, Food, and Energy - 09/05/17
Grand Challenges and Opportunities in Environmental Engineering and Science for the Twenty-first Century: Meeting 3 - 01/11/18
Statement of Task
The Water Science and Technology Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is undertaking a study to identify high priority challenges for the broad field of environmental engineering and science. Given the current and emerging environmental challenges of the twenty-first century, a study that describes how the field of environmental engineering and science might evolve to better address these needs could serve as a guide to the community and help frame research priorities.
An ad hoc committee of the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will undertake a study to identify high priority challenges and opportunities for the broad field of environmental engineering for the next several decades. Given the current and emerging environmental challenges of the twenty-first century, a study that describes how the field of environmental engineering and its aligned sciences might evolve to better address these needs could serve as a guide to the community and help frame research priorities. These should be significant societal challenges that will require the expertise of environmental engineering and its aligned sciences to resolve or manage. For each challenge, the committee will:
- Discuss the relevance of the challenge, its magnitude, and implications;
- Identify the key questions or issues related to the challenge that require the expertise of environmental engineering to address;
- Discuss the state of knowledge and practice in environmental engineering and aligned sciences relevant to these questions and issues; and
- Identify areas where knowledge and practice need to advance to address these challenges.
The project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Delta Stewardship Council.
About this Study
Primary Board:
Water Science and Technology BoardCollaborating Unit(s):
BASCPR-Board on Atmospheric Sciences and ClimateBoard on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology
Ocean Studies Board
Board on Life Sciences