Category Archives: Engineering

9/11 conspiracy theories debunked: 20 years later, engineering experts explain how the twin towers collapsed – The Conversation AU

Written by admin on September 13, 2021 — Leave a Comment

The collapse of the World Trade Center has been subject to intense public scrutiny over the 20 years since the centres twin towers were struck by aircraft hijacked by terrorists. Both collapsed within two hours of impact, prompting several investigations and spawning a variety of conspiracy theories.

Construction on the World Trade Center 1 (the North Tower) and World Trade Center 2 (the South Tower) began in the 1960s. They were constructed from steel and concrete, using a design that was groundbreaking at the time. Most high-rise buildings since have used a similar structure.

The investigatory reports into the events of September 11, 2001 were undertaken by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

FEMAs report was published in 2002. This was followed by the National Institute of Standards and Technologys three-year investigation, funded by the US Federal Government and published in 2005.

Some conspiracy theorists seized on the fact the NIST investigation was funded by the federal government believing the government itself had caused the twin towers collapse, or was aware it would happen and deliberately didnt act.

While there have been critics of both reports (and the investigations behind them werent flawless) their explanation for the buildings collapse is widely accepted. They conclude it was not caused by direct impact by the aircraft, or the use of explosives, but by fires that burned inside the buildings after impact.

Some have questioned why the buildings did not topple over after being struck side-on by aircraft. But the answer becomes clear once you consider the details.

Aircraft are made from lightweight materials, such as aluminium. If you compare the mass of an aircraft with that of a skyscraper more than 400 metres tall and built from steel and concrete, it makes sense the building would not topple over.

The towers would have been more than 1,000 times the mass of the aircraft, and designed to resist steady wind loads more than 30 times the aircrafts weight.

That said, the aircraft did dislodge fireproofing material within the towers, which was coated on the steel columns and on the steel floor trusses (underneath the concrete slab). The lack of fireproofing left the steel unprotected.

As such, the impact also structurally damaged the supporting steel columns. When a few columns become damaged, the load they carry is transferred to other columns. This is why both towers withstood the initial impacts and didnt collapse immediately.

Read more: 9/11: the controversial story of the remains of the World Trade Center

This fact also spawned one of the most common conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11: that a bomb or explosives must have been detonated somewhere within the buildings.

These theories have developed from video footage showing the towers rapidly collapsing downwards some time after impact, similar to a controlled demolition. But it is possible for them to have collapsed this way without explosives.

It was fire that caused this. And this fire is believed to have come from the burning of remaining aircraft fuel.

According to the FEMA report, fire within the buildings caused thermal expansion of the floors in a horizontal and outwards direction, pushing against the rigid steel columns, which then deflected to an extent but resisted further movement.

With the columns resisting movement there was nowhere else for the concrete floors to expand. This led to an increased buildup of stress in the sagging floors, until the floor framing and connections gave in.

The floors failure pulled the columns back inwards, eventually leading to them buckling, and the floors collapsing. The collapsing floors then fell on more floors below, leading to a progressive collapse.

This explanation, documented in the official reports, is widely accepted by experts as the cause of the twin towers collapse. It is understood the South Tower collapsed sooner because it suffered more damage from the initial aircraft impact, which also dislodged more fireproofing material.

The debris from the collapse of the North Tower set at least ten floors alight in the nearby World Trade Center 7, or Building 7, which also collapsed about seven hours later.

While there are different theories regarding how the progressive collapse of Building 7 was initiated, there is consensus among investigators fire was the primary cause of failure.

Both official reports made a range of fire safety recommendations for other high-rise buildings, including to improve evacuation and emergency response. In 2007, the National Institute of Standards and Technology also published a best practice guide recommending risk-reducing solutions for progressive collapse.

Before 9/11, progressive collapse was not well understood by engineers. The disaster highlighted the importance of having a global view of fire safety for a building, as opposed to focusing on individual elements.

There have since been changes to building codes and standards on improving the structural performance of buildings on fire, as well as opportunities to escape (such as added stairwell requirements).

At the same time, the collapse of the twin towers demonstrated the very real dangers of fire in high-rise buildings. In the decades since the World Trade Center was designed, buildings have become taller and more complex, as societies demand sustainable and cost-effective housing in large cities.

Some 86 of the current 100 tallest buildings in the world were built since 9/11. This has coincided with a significant increase in building faade fires globally, which have gone up sevenfold over the past three decades.

This increase can be partly attributed to the wide use of flammable cladding. It is marketed as an innovative, cost-effective and sustainable material, yet it has shown significant shortcomings in terms of fire safety, as witnessed in the 2017 Grenfell Disaster.

The Grenfell fire (and similar cladding fires) are proof fire safety in tall buildings is still a problem. And as structures get taller and more complex, with new and innovative designs and materials, questions around fire safety will only become more difficult to answer.

The events of 9/11 may have been challenging to foresee, but the fires that led to the towers collapse could have been better prepared for.

Read more: Cladding fire risks have been known for years. Lives depend on acting now, with no more delays

Read the original here:

9/11 conspiracy theories debunked: 20 years later, engineering experts explain how the twin towers collapsed - The Conversation AU

The National Science Foundation’s newest engineer believes in the power of her profession – Federal News Network

Written by admin on September 13, 2021 — Leave a Comment

Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drives daily audio interviews onApple PodcastsorPodcastOne.

Last month, the National Science Foundation named the newest leader of its Directorate for Engineering. For the past 4 years, Susan Margulies had been a professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Federal News Networks Jason Miller recently had a chance to talk with her to discuss why she decided to take her talents to the NSF on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Jason Miller: Susan, thanks for joining us. Let me start with the basics. The National Science Foundations Engineering Directorate, a lot of people may not have heard of it, maybe even are unsure what you all do. So maybe just give us that 50,000 foot view of the mission of the Engineering Directorate, then from there we can kick off our conversation.

Susan Margulies: The mission of the Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation, is really about addressing the nations problems by generating very important basic research, to be able to allow us to solve those problems that are most pressing in our nation. In addition, the Engineering Directorate expands that mission to also address training the workforce, which includes the engineers at the undergraduate, as well as those post secondary education, and inspiring young students to become the engineers of tomorrow. So we really focus on problems that people and create key partnerships so that this basic research is translated into real solutions to those problems in the lives of Americans today and tomorrow.

Jason Miller: Its fascinating, because I think one of the things that the National Science Foundation does, and maybe people dont realize, is the connection back to not just industry, but to academia, which is actually where you came from, had you worked with the National Science Foundation, because youre fairly new, I think you just started in July.

Susan Margulies: I just started in August. So this is actually my fourth week on the job. And my history actually does extend far back to the National Science Foundation. When I applied for this position, I looked on my CV and I said what type of funding have I had from the National Science Foundation. And in fact, it spans many of the programs that the Engineering Directorate is well known for. It began with a career award, which was my first NSF grant. And it really supported me as a young assistant professor in both research as well as educational initiatives of my own design. And I even had a National Science Foundation that funded a renovation of a facility. I had a National Science Foundation grant that funded a new piece of instrumentation, a very expensive piece of instrumentation, which was a core facility at the University of Pennsylvania where I was a faculty member. And in fact, Ive been involved in innovation in engineering education at the graduate, and the separate funded project for by NSF at the undergraduate level. And also one of the ERCs, or engineering research centers, to really my own funding extends the gamut. And its a real proud moment in my life to be able to then think about the next steps for the Directorate and not focus only on biomedical engineering, which is my own background, but all engineering disciplines.

Jason Miller: So what made you decide to come to NSF after years, and accolades on the other side of the fence, now? You decided to try your hand on the side of fence that hands out money versus receiving money.

Susan Margulies: This is an incredible time in our nation, its a time when we have pressing problems, where engineers really can come up with the pathways towards solutions. And it is a time when the focus on science and engineering is really widespread throughout our nation, from the youngest children who are learning how engineering and science can make a difference in the pandemic, and create at warp speed, new vaccines, disseminate them to people, and to really be able to track the information about where that virus is, and how effective strategies are to mitigate its effects. Its so clear, at a fundamental level, that science and engineering are important in the economic future of our country, as well as the opportunities for all of its citizens. So we are at a time where engineering is needed. And it was a time to step up and really serve the nation. This really calls to my priorities, my own personal values of really giving back and helping facilitate opportunities for all. And so its my pleasure to be able to serve in this capacity now.

Jason Miller: Did you ever think one you do work for the federal government or NSF? And two, did they recruit you? Did you throw your resume, so to speak against the wall and see if it stuck? How did you get to the position youre in today coming from academia?

Susan Margulies: So actually, I was called to consider this position. I would have thought my predecessors were deans or vice deans and leadership positions across entire engineering colleges or schools. So for me, it was actually a call from a member of the search committee who said Susan, we actually think that because youre a chair of biomedical engineering, which in of itself is a convergent discipline, where we need to speak many languages, those of science, all disciplines of engineering, as well as those of medicine to really make a difference. And in addition, that I was a chair in the biomedical engineering department that is both in Emory School of Medicine, and Im a tenured faculty member at Emory, as well as in Georgia Techs College of Engineering, where Im a tenured faculty member at Georgia Tech, and really being able to understand and speak the languages of a large public institution thats driven by technology and engineering, and a large private institution, where medicine is really the largest entity on campus and being next to the CDC, the applications of medicine and society are very, very strong themes there. This person on the search committee said, you know what, you actually understand partnerships between diverse cultures. And this is an opportunity to really help NSF form partnerships, not only within the National Science Foundation, with other agencies, with industry and with other types of partners to really be able to bring engineering to a new level. And so I had not considered that, I did not throw my resume at the wall to see if it stuck. Instead, I was rooted to listen to the challenge and to what the opportunity was. And I was really drawn to the opportunity to leave.

Jason Miller: What a great story because I think so many times folks dont understand the opportunities that exists in government to make that difference, to give back, but also to use the knowledge you have gained over the years to then make things better. Which is, I think, what we all hope to do in our jobs. Im speaking with Susan Margulies, the Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation, who leads the Engineering Directorate. So Susan, lets talk about some of your priorities. You were on the other side of the fence. As I said, receiving grants, were applying to NSF. Now youre on the side that is giving out grants and really helping to promote the this idea of engineering and solving the problems you mentioned, establishing these key partnerships. I know youve only been in place now for about four or five weeks, what are you hoping to accomplish? What are some of those priorities and your goals to improve the process to really spread the word about engineering and the possibilities that exist?

Susan Margulies: So Ill come back to those three themes of the problems, people and partnerships. I believe that right now the priorities are addressing important problems where engineers play a critical role. At times, we lead, and we need to develop the technologies, as well as the basic engineering know how to be able to address the problems. But sometimes were working on those problems, and we need to have partners at the table. And the people at the table could be communities, and those are communities from across the nation. I grew up in Minnesota in a small town, Ive lived in the northeast, Ive just come from for years in the deep south. The communities are really important to bring to the table on to help them understand. In addition, I think its really important to bring to the table the other partners whose expertise can make a difference. So within NSF, its very clear that the problems need the influence of the other directorates who are bringing their teams of experts to the table, the experts dont reside at the National Science Foundation, the experts literally are in the field. Theyre the students, and the faculty, and other experts. And were making a difference with the funding that you so aptly put that we give out every year. So most of the money of the National Science Foundation really is disseminated throughout the country to be able to bring experts to the to the problems and the problems forward to solution. So the problems that were looking at right now are really big and gnarly. They include looking at climate, looking at solutions for clean energy, these are important for us to address now, not in our childrens lifetimes, but in our lifetimes to make a difference in our childrens lifetimes. Were using artificial intelligence and engineering to change the way we sense the world around us and use that information to respond dynamically. No more Is it the kind of a hub with distributed information that comes to a single decision. Weve seen many networks break down, whether its in storms, or in many other situations, we need to think about how information is moving, and how that information really is the engine that drives many of the things from the phone in our hands, to large power grids. This information drives new equipment, new technologies that need to be created, and engineers are at the table there. When we think about disaster responses. We need to also be thinking about the infrastructure, not just of our nation, but in our homes to make us more resilient. Those are new materials. Those are new manufacturing methods that allow us to think differently about how the world moving forward is different than the world that we live in today, that weve learned a lot about bio-technologies and my experience in biomedical engineering, I think brings out a perspective to the fact that in the olden days, we used to think of mimicking biology. And engineering would be able to create a mimic. An artificial heart is a really good example of that. But now, with artificial intelligence or AI, we actually want to think like a brain. So we use biology to inspire new technologies that mimic what biology is, not for the purpose of being on a biological entity, but for actually being something that is part of our everyday activities, whether its an individual, as an industry or as a nation.

Jason Miller: Let me maybe drill down for a half a step because one of the things that when youre on the outside looking in, you always wonder, why did NSF process work that way? Or why did they make that decision? Is that been maybe part of the biggest learning curve in this first month or over this first next six months youre gonna have is really understanding the processes and the way NSF works?

Susan Margulies: So one of the things that Ive learned by being here at NSF for just three weeks is how important the information from the community is. NSF holds many workshops that are open to the public to attend, to provide information, feedback and guidance to NSF about the problems that we should be studying, or how we should be studying problems. And whats been really rewarding is that NSF really listens. Weve recently convened a committee called the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance, which brings together members of the community, engineering community, as well as industry, as well as academia and government, to come together to really articulate what are the important engineering challenges that we need to be addressing in the future. Thats just one more community that is giving us information and guidance on the problems that we need to solve. In addition, we ask broad members of the community in terms of when you think about the community, sometimes you will think about academia, that these are professors are giving their advice. No, it comes down to community groups, community colleges, historically underrepresented communities are encouraged to participate. And one of the things that I really want to do is to really provide increased transparency about how the National Science Foundation works, it really does welcome the input of the entire country, in problems we should be solving, as well as how we should be solving and who should be at the table to be solved. Im enormously proud of the speed with which those pieces of information move into requests for research proposals. So from workshops that we had in May, we are now formulating emphasis areas for calls for proposals that will happen this year. That is incredibly fast. In addition, we have mechanisms where we have were very proud of our merit review process, where those proposals will come in, they will be reviewed by experts in the field, who are disseminated all throughout the universities all around the nation. And then within the same year, awards will be made. So we can go from listening to acting, to actually enacting change very quickly. Those awards are short term awards, the three year awards, typically at times theyre five year awards, we want people to make good progress, and then come back to us for the next step. We also have mechanisms that I think arent well recognized and known about, which are for one year awards, where it doesnt go through the scientific review process, but are really stage at a very early, great idea that could really make a difference. And awards are made for small amounts. And for a limited time, sometimes six months or one year, to be able to gather that compelling feasibility study to be able to come in for those longer term awards. Id like to really provide more transparency, about the way the National Science Foundation can really fund the work thats happening right now and needs to happen.

Jason Miller: And that transparency really tags back to the Biden administrations push for diversity, equity and inclusion. And I think what youre trying to do is expand the numbers and the types of people, organizations that can then work on these hard ideas. So that sounds like thats your longer term goal.

Susan Margulies: So the second goal is people, and we really need to focus. The director likes to focus on the missing millions, those are the people who are not yet at the table. And in engineering, weve been focusing on bringing more engineers, younger and younger and younger, into understanding what engineering is. When I applied to be an engineer as a freshman, I didnt know what engineering was, but I knew I loved puzzles, and I knew I liked to really to approach challenging problems. I want children who are at their early stages or playing with toys that really encourage them to look at the environment around them and to assemble something that makes a real difference immediately. So when we think about the people, the missing millions who could be here, they really represent many people who are not yet in our process to be able to be educated as engineers, and to be part of the workforce of tomorrow and really give them and make a difference in their lives in the career options available to them. But I also like to think about the invisible mountains, the invisible millions are people already engaged in our pipeline, to become engineers and to become scientists, but perhaps they dont have the environment that really foster success for them. And theres more that we could be doing to foster the inclusion of those who are already part of our diverse pipeline. So I want to work on both of those things. And were equipped to do that to bring more into our pipeline and to diversify those people who consider themselves engineers today and tomorrow, and also to create more opportunities for those who are in the pipeline to really realize their dreams and our dreams for them to make a difference.

Jason Miller: Well, Susan, you mentioned you love solving puzzles, you have entered into a big puzzle called the federal government, and so youll have plenty of puzzles to solve over the coming years. So first of all, let me thank you for your time. Susan Margulies is the Assistant Director at the National Science Foundation and leads the Engineering Directorate. Susan, thank you so much for taking the time today.

Susan Margulies: Thank you very much. It was a pleasure to be here.

See original here:

The National Science Foundation's newest engineer believes in the power of her profession - Federal News Network

For engineers, asking for help at work is influenced by gender – The Conversation US

Written by admin on September 13, 2021 — Leave a Comment

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

In a study published in the Journal of Management in Engineering, we analyzed whether knowledge accessibility defined as the time and effort that individuals spend seeking knowledge from their colleagues is influenced by gender.

Whether solving a technical problem or seeking career advice, employees benefit from knowing who can answer their questions. However, employees may find it difficult to ask certain colleagues for help and may avoid approaching them. In the male-dominated engineering industry, where women represent only about 11% of the workforce, gender influences whom individuals turn to for answers to their questions.

Based on data from 530 interactions in which employees sought knowledge from their peers in a large U.S.-based engineering company, female engineers were likelier than men to feel that knowledge was easy to access. Women were also more likely to ask questions of other female colleagues than of male colleagues. When male engineers did seek knowledge from colleagues, they were more likely to request help from other men.

In our study, knowledge accessibility was measured by social effort, or comfort approaching the other person, and cognitive effort, or how easy the information was to understand. We also measured physical effort how much time it took to access the new information. Gender still had an effect on employees perceptions of how easy it was to acquire knowledge from colleagues, even when considering age, race, expertise, seniority and how often the colleagues spoke to each other.

These findings have important implications. For example, they suggest men are less likely to reach out to others for knowledge or expertise. This serves as a disadvantage to men, as they will potentially make less informed or less knowledgeable decisions.

Further, womens knowledge and skills may be sought less by men. This would make womens knowledge less known and shared across a company, which may disadvantage female engineers career progression in an industry where many leaders are men.

When employees in an organization are more willing and able to share their knowledge, whether it is technical expertise or problem-solving skills, everyone is better off. Knowledge sharing, which can be boosted by a collaborative organizational culture, has been shown to improve the productivity of employees.

Promoting the knowledge and skills of women in engineering can help increase the visibility of those employees while amplifying their knowledge throughout the organization. For instance, rather than implementing a traditional mentorship program, in which the mentor provides advice to a mentee, a mentor can provide introductions to those in powerful positions to ensure the mentees expertise is shared more widely with others. This could help make the mentees knowledge and skills more sought after.

Future research may examine the specific reasons that female engineers tend to reach out to their female colleagues while male engineers are less likely to seek out knowledge from their female co-workers. It could also be helpful to investigate the specific ways organizations promote knowledge sharing across genders.

Read this article:

For engineers, asking for help at work is influenced by gender - The Conversation US

Engineering excellence in the community – GOV.UK

Written by admin on September 13, 2021 — Leave a Comment

An exciting new development in Cleator Moor, West Cumbria was unveiled by Sellafield Ltd and Copeland Borough Council this week, as the Engineering Centre of Excellence officially and somewhat dramatically - opened its doors to visitors.

The centre, which relocates engineering and maintenance specialists from Sellafield site into a refurbished unit at the Leconfield industrial estate in Cleator Moor, is the latest in a suite of planned investments in the community.

It was officially opened by Spot the dog, a robotic canine developed by Boston Dynamics in the USA, which is currently being trialled for a number of uses at Sellafield and in the wider nuclear industry.

The centre hosts a range of teams working on key engineering and support systems for Sellafield Ltd, including civil engineering, radiometrics, control systems and robotics.

It is divided into 7 distinct but flexible work spaces used to test equipment and solve problems without the constraints of a nuclear licensed site.

The off-site location also makes it easier for the teams to work more closely with the supply chain.

Martin Chown, CEO Sellafield Ltd said:

This is a fantastic example of how we are changing how we do things at Sellafield; moving work that doesnt need to be done on the site out into the community for mutual benefit.

Engineering solutions play a key part in delivering our purpose of creating a clean, safe environment for future generations, and developments like this give us the space for more innovation and collaboration with our supply chain partners.

This helps us to make the most of different skills and teams, allowing us to progress with pace and deliver greater value for the taxpayer, whilst helping to grow and diversify the local economy.

Pat Graham, Copeland Borough Councils CEO added:

This is an important milestone for the Industrial Solutions Hub and demonstrates to the community in Cleator Moor that we are serious about bringing opportunities to the town.

To have an Engineering Centre of Excellence at the hub, on their doorstep, along with the 20 million investment thats coming in from the Towns Deal is a real turning point.

Plans are underway for the next phase which will see a number of community-based initiatives take shape.

Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, said:

Im absolutely delighted to welcome this fantastic investment in Cleator Moor.

Taking complex challenges off the Sellafield site and enabling young people to be trained by established engineers is exactly what we need to grow our economy and skills base.

By bringing these developments into our towns we can further encourage the economic regeneration of Copeland.

View original post here:

Engineering excellence in the community - GOV.UK

Grant Aims to Boost Equity in Robotics and Engineering — THE Journal – T.H.E. Journal

Written by admin on August 26, 2021 — Leave a Comment

STEM Education

TheNationalScience Foundation awardeda $2.4 million grant for aprogram that aims to introduce black middle school girls to robotics and engineering and nurturingtheir interest through high school and beyond.

Thenew Ujima Girls in Robotics Leadership (GIRL) Project is a free,hands-on engineering and robotics program designed to teachengineering and leadership in a culturally relevant environment togirls in middle and high school. The program is beingrun by the Universityof California Davis'Centerfor Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM).

TheUjima GIRL Camp takes an existing program, C-STEM's GIRL/GIRL+camps, and adds a cultural component for AfricanAmerican students. "Ujima" is a Swahili word for"collective work and responsibility," which, organizersexplained, is an important principle in many black/African Americanspaces.

Theprogram will work with community colleges in the state and the UmojaCommunity Education Foundation, to recruit AfricanAmerican college students to lead each camp, develop curriculum andserve as mentors.

Asprogram leaders noted, introducing girls to STEM activities in middleschool and nurturing that interest through high school increases thelikelihood that they'll stay in the field. The expectation is that bysupporting black girls' STEM skills in "identity-affirming, funand supportive environments," access barriers will lower andengagement with STEM will persist.

Theproject is being led by an interdisciplinary team:

Cheng'svision is to build a "mentoring pipeline" that will keepparticipants involved from their first Ujima GIRL Camp throughcollege. Ujima GIRL Camp alumni could return as assistant coacheswhen they reach high school and also participate in the GIRL+ Camp.GIRL/GIRL+ alumni in college can return as coaches. In addition,Cheng also wants to encourage participants to create their own UjimaGIRL clubs within their local schools, where they can share theirexperiences with other girls.

Inthe first three years, the program expects to host 48 Ujima GIRL and48 GIRL+ camps statewide, nurturing about 2,000 students. Ifsuccessful, the team hopes to increase that number and expand theprogram nationwide.

"Wewant to give students a life-changing experience and inspire them togo into college, post-secondary studies and careers in STEM,"said Cheng, in a statement. "This program will help them make areal-world connection with math, because we want to give them thetools to be successful in their academic programs and learn in theyears ahead."

"Thisis an exciting opportunity to further encourage the creativity,leadership and scientific genius of black girls and young women inways that many don't have access to in their day-to-day schooling,"added Mustafaa. "I am hopeful about the mutually empoweringbenefit of this project for the participants, our research team, andeveryone else involved."

"Thisgrant will illuminate the talent that our black girls already haveinside them and provide a safe and nurturing environment for growthand development," said Aldredge.

Theprogram is expected to launch next summer.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [emailprotected] or on Twitter @schaffhauser.

See more here:

Grant Aims to Boost Equity in Robotics and Engineering -- THE Journal - T.H.E. Journal

Inventive Podcast reviewed: Packed with barrier-breaking engineers – New Scientist

Written by admin on August 26, 2021 — Leave a Comment

By Gege Li

Getty Images/Cavan Images

Podcast

Inventive Podcast

Overtone Productions

PICTURE an engineer and you may well imagine a white, university-educated man in a hard hat with a roll of blueprints under his arm.

The Inventive Podcast aims to flip these conceptions by highlighting inspirational and influential engineers who dont fit this constricted, outdated mould.

Host Trevor Cox, an acoustic engineer at the University of Salford, UK, chats with a different guest in each episode before asking a writer to come up with an original story inspired by those conversations. That makes the podcast itself an innovation of sorts, in that it marries fact and fiction to demonstrate there is far more to engineering than people might think.

It is a welcome addition considering the lack of diversity and uptake that still plagues engineering. In the UK, only 12 per cent of engineers are women, and 186,000 new engineers are needed each year until 2024 to make up for the countrys skills shortfall in the profession.

Reassuringly, the podcasts first three episodes feature women, the first of whom is electronics engineer and activist Shrouk El-Attar. Part of her day job involves designing and developing technologies for womens health, including silent breast pumps and a pelvic floor trainer. El-Attar also performs as a belly-dancing drag king by night to challenge societal conventions and raise money for the LGBTQ+ community.

As a woman and asylum seeker from Egypt, El-Attar knows first-hand how being denied opportunities, such as going to university, can cause engineering to suffer not only by being less diverse, but also at the expense of innovation. How many amazing, creative technologies are we missing out on today as a society because were telling these people with the amazing ideas that they dont belong here? she asks.

In response to El-Attars work and her account of being inspired into engineering by the magic people living inside her TV as a child, writer Tania Hershman incorporates poetry to create a thought-provoking story that reflects El-Attars life. It uses the idea of a human being as a circuit board and emphasises the importance of language.

In the second episode, Cox meets Roma Agrawal, a structural engineer who was part of the team that designed The Shard, one of Londons most iconic landmarks. Agrawal also wrote the book Built: The hidden stories behind our structures. She did so to encourage people to become engineers by showing that it is so utterly an intrinsic part of humans and the way weve lived right from the beginning, she tells Cox.

ShroukEl-Attar also performs as a belly-dancing drag king by night to challenge societal conventions

The accompanying story by C. M. Taylor draws on Agrawals self-confessed love for concrete (I have been known to stroke concrete I love feeling it!), as a mysterious figure known as the Night Builder begins to secretly create colossal concrete structures in cities.

Coxs third guest is aerospace engineer Sophie Robinson, who works on a type of drone-inspired aircraft called eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing), with the idea of developing widely accessible air taxis that cut road congestion and carbon emissions.

Robinson is also an avid swimmer, having once swam across the English Channel, a fact that is at the centre of novelist Tony Whites story about an engineer who grapples with the ethical dilemmas of her job while on a cold water swimming trip.

As you would expect from the experience of the personnel, the podcast is built on strong foundations. Cox asks perceptive questions that get to the heart of what it means to be an engineer, as well as helping to flesh out the details of the work itself, while each writers take on the interviews adds an interesting and different element to the show.

The guests enthusiasm is also infectious. Being an engineer is my superpower, replies El-Attar, when Cox asks her which superpower she would like. I hope people see that and that it can be your superpower too.

Insights on the Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Global Market to 2026 – Featuring Adani Group, Citizen Solar and Enerparc AG Among…

Written by admin on August 26, 2021 — Leave a Comment

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market Research Report by Product, by Application, by Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market size was estimated at USD 128.59 Billion in 2020 and expected to reach USD 143.76 Billion in 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) 12.13% to reach USD 255.62 Billion by 2026.

Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.

FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Market Share Analysis:

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Market?

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

Opportunities

Challenges

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k3mhjc

Here is the original post:

Insights on the Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction Global Market to 2026 - Featuring Adani Group, Citizen Solar and Enerparc AG Among...

MIT engineers create inflatable robotic hand with real-time tactile control – Designboom

Written by admin on August 26, 2021 — Leave a Comment

engineers at MIT and shanghai jiao tong university have created a soft, lightweight and potentially low-cost neuroprosthetic hand. resembling the inflatable robot in the animated film big hero 6, the artificial hand is made of a soft, stretchy material, together with a simple pneumatic system that inflates fingers and bends them in specific positions.

this is not a product yet, but the performance is already similar or superior to existing neuroprosthetics, which were excited about, said xuanhe zhao, professor of mechanical engineering and of civil and environmental engineering at MIT. theres huge potential to make this soft prosthetic very low cost, for low-income families who have suffered from amputation.

an MIT-developed inflatable robotic hand gives amputees real-time tactile control. the smart hand is soft and elastic, weighs about half a pound, and costs a fraction of comparable prosthetics image courtesy of the researchers

the inflatable robotic hand was tested by amputees, who were able to perform everyday tasks like zipping a suitcase, pouring a carton of juice, and petting a cat. designed with a system of tactile feedback, the prosthetic restored some primitive sensation in a volunteers residual limb. the system, which includes a small pump and valves, is worn at the waist, reducing the prosthetics weight. this system inflates the fingers in positions that mimic common grasps, like pinching two or three fingers and making a cup out of the palm.

we now have four grasp types. there can be more, zhao concluded. this design can be improved, with better decoding technology, higher-density myoelectric arrays, and a more compact pump that could be worn on the wrist. we also want to customize the design for mass production, so we can translate soft robotic technology to benefit society.

project info:

name: inflatable robotic hand

created by:engineers at MIT and shanghai jiao tong university

more info: here

juliana neira I designboom

aug 25, 2021

Go here to see the original:

MIT engineers create inflatable robotic hand with real-time tactile control - Designboom

Etihad Engineering and Israel Aerospace Industries in aircraft conversion tie-up – The National

Written by admin on August 26, 2021 — Leave a Comment

Etihad Airways' engineering unit has signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries, or IAI, to set up a site in Abu Dhabi that will convert Boeing 777-300ER passenger planes into freighters as air cargo demand strengthens worldwide.

The new site, where Etihad Engineering will provide two conversion lines that accommodate several aircraft conversions a year, aims to meet growing demand for wide-body freighter jets with long-haul capacity, the company said on Wednesday.

The Boeing 777-300ERSF is not only extremely attractive to customers but a technological breakthrough, given that it is the first in its size category to offer extensive cargo solutions," said Tony Douglas, group chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group.

"Not only do we see the demand but we view it as a greener, more profitable, highly innovative solution for our airline customers, and an excellent way to drive value for our business.

Air freight has been a rare bright spot for the global aviation industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced airlines globally to ground their fleets, lay off staff and seek government bailouts.

Cargo revenue has been a lifeline for many airlines facing travel restrictions and more virulent Covid-19 strains that have affected international passenger traffic.

Global demand for air cargo grew 8 per cent in the first half of 2021, above pre-crisis levels, making it the strongest half-year growth since 2017, when the industry posted a year-on-year growth of 10.2 per cent, according to the International Air Transport Association, the airline lobby group.

Boeing 777-300ER jets are used by airlines on long-haul routes.

The new partnership comes a year after the UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations.

"The agreement we signed adds a significant tier to the relations between Israel and the Gulf states," said Yossi Melamed, executive vice president and general manager of the IAI Aviation Group.

"I have no doubt, following this agreement, additional agreements with companies in the region will arrive and they will economically benefit the sides involved."

Updated: August 25th 2021, 12:08 PM

Our family matters legal consultant

Name:Hassan Mohsen Elhais