How Can Engineers Innovate and Be Creative?

United Nations (UN) data forecasts the world's population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. With much of that growth happening in developing or underdeveloped countries, the demands for energy, water, transportation, waste disposal, environmental cleanup, and infrastructure will only increase.

Engineers will play a critical role in satisfying those demands and innovation in the field of engineering will be the only way to solve problems brought on by rapid population growth.

Much of the world's population needs clean air, water, power, and environments. That creates an opportunity for creative and innovative engineers to use their inventions and expertise to solve these problems.

Some of the work being done in developing countries with alternative energy sources, waste disposal, and environmental cleanup is advancing the field of engineering as a whole.

What is Innovation in Engineering?

When engineers use their skills to develop new methods of tackling issues in developing countries for the common good they are doing more than a job, they're affecting positive change in communities.

Here are just a few ways engineering inventions are helping to change the world:

• Carbon dioxide catcher-- Carbon Engineering, a Canadian startup that counts Bill Gates as an investor, is pioneering ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Harvard climate scientist David Keith, one of the company's co-founders, is using an approach called direct air capture to manufacture synthetic fuels using captured carbon dioxide as a central ingredient
• Self-contained toilets -- Because an estimated 2.3 billion people lack proper sanitation, Bill Gates launched the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge in 2011. Since then, numerous teams have created prototypes of energy-efficient toilets that operate without a sewer system and also treat waste.
• Decentralized refinery -- In an effort to address water and sanitation challenges, Connecticut-based Biomass Controls has designed a refinery the size of a shipping container to provide developing countries proper sanitation. The refinery heats waste which produces a carbon-rich material that can fertilize soil.

Pivotal Engineering Inventions for The Developing World

Check out the infographic below to see the full scoop of engineering innovations in developing countries.

Clean Drinking Water

1 in 10 people lack access to safe drinking water. Poor water and sanitation conditions contribute to up to 80% of illnesses in developing countries.

Engineers focused on chemical, biomechanical, and materials sciences are working on creating mechanisms to filter against contamination in an effort to provide as many people as possible with access to safe drinking water.

Clean Cookstoves

3 billion people use solid fuels like wood, coal, charcoal, crop waste, and dung to cook and heat their homes leading to 4.3 million people a year dying prematurely from household air pollution.

Mechanical engineers are using their knowledge of combustion, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer to design clean cookstoves that use alternative energy sources. These clean cookstoves reduce smoke emissions and save daily familial expenses by 20%.

Solar Power Electricity

1.2 billion people worldwide live without electricity many rely on dangerous kerosene lamps instead.

That's why innovative electrical engineers have created solar-powered nanogrids and smart metering systems to deliver affordable electricity to communities without access to energy. The solar off-grid market is expected to be worth $15 billion by 2030.

What Does Engineering Mean?

Maybe you're asking yourself, “Why should I be an engineer?"

Well, engineering means much more than science and technology. In addition to designing and building things, engineers have the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the lives of entire communities. That's one reason engineering salaries are on the rise.

This infographic only shows a few of the ways engineers are shaping the developing world. So, if your career goals include a rewarding career that can impact lives while working with technology and innovation and you're looking for engineering jobs, there is no better time to enter the field. Experts predict there will be 546,200 new tech jobs by 2028. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, environmental engineers, and industrial engineers will all see job growth in their respective roles as we head towards 2024.

If you plan to pursue an engineering career, Modis can help connect you with your next opportunity.