Welcome to 2010! The essence of the issue.

At the start of the new year, some topics seem hot and deserve attention. We shall see how many of them I can get to in the next few months (and how many of them seem hot.)

1. US economic advancement: The central role of engineers.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the increases in the wealth of society have tracked the productivity of workers. Engineers are the developers, keepers and operators of technology. So it stands to reason that if society is to continue to advance and help provide better lives for the less fortunate of the world, technology will play a critical role. The question is what is the next big (or sustaining) "thing"? I don't know, but in the mean time we could enhance competence and increase efficiency.

2. Engineering Healthcare: Not the various legislative activities that are now in the news, but the real problem --- which is, "what is the real problem?": (ans) We want to provide for all but it costs too much and we don't have capacity. Seems like some really good engineering and engineering economics could be applied to health care as a system to determine where the inefficiencies are, which costs really are too high, why technology does not seem to lower costs as in other situations(#?), and where the best opportunities for improvement. So IMHO, the first step needs to be "problem definition" which is always done in engineering before we try to solve a problem -- so that we know what problem we need to solve!

3. Outrunning the other Gazelles: Given the uncertain economic future, it is possible that most people will have to figure out a plan that provides a career. Your plan needs to allow you to outrun the other people who would otherwise be in the same situation as you. You don't need to outrun the Cheetahs! (which is fortunate since you may not be able to.)

4. (Great) Value added: What comprises a a College degree in Chemical Engineering and how to make sure you get it? (Wow this is a big one!)

5. Engineers don't spin (except in Physics) and we focus and define the issue at hand. (Or how you can help others to compare apples to apples, not to peaches or an occasional kumquat and how you know to avoid "talking points" )

6. You can't make money a molecule at a time and there is no benefit to you or society to paying more for something that you can already get for less. (At the end of the day, the objective function involves $$)

7. Climate(gate) and Climate change (There are many observations and lessons that can come from this episode.)

8. Dimensional analysis: How you can be the one in the room to risk your career and win!