Engineering Outside the Box (presented at Ewha Woman's University, 13/11/14)
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Engineering Outside the Box: Exploring the Social Context of Ecological Engineering
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Engineering Outside the Box (presented at Ewha Woman's University, 13/11/14)
- 1. Engineering Outside the Box Exploring the Social Context of Ecological Engineering Christopher Congleton PhD Candidate, Transportation Technology and Policy, UC Davis Ewha Woman’s University 13.11.14.
- 3. Creativity – Divergent Thinking vs Convergent Thinking – Creative Problem-Solving • Divergent and Convergent Thinking Cycle – Problem-centered vs Mean-centered Inquiry – Be a Learner not a Technician
- 4. Divergent Thinking vs Convergent Thinking Finding the “right” answer VS Finding any/all answers
- 5. Creative Problem-Solving Use Divergent and Convergent Thinking – When given a problem to solve, • Ask, “What are possible answers?” (Brainstorming) • Then ask, “Which ones are better?” • Select answers • Repeat
- 6. Traits of Creative Personalities • • • • Nonconformity Curiosity Willingness to take risks Persistence (Note that although these are “traits” they are also practices that anyone can start doing to generate creative solutions)
- 7. • People want to swim, sail, and fish in the Han • Problem: River is polluted – Ask, “what are many possible solutions?” Application: Han River • Ask, “which ones are better?” – List all the criteria for “better” • Which criteria are most important? – Evaluate possible solutions using your criteria • Choose the top three.
- 9. Thinking Outside Engineering Specifications – Temporarily expanding the boundaries beyond specifications – Whole System Thinking – Appropriate Technology – Sustainability and UNsustainability
- 10. Temporarily expanding the boundaries beyond specs • Your engineering project exists in a larger context. – What is the purpose of your project? – What are the actual problems being solved? • Examine the assumptions built into the specs • What are possible ways to solve the problem? • Can the specifications be changed if assumptions are in error?
- 11. Design a Solar-Powered Clothes Dryer
- 13. The 9 Dot Problem link all 9 dots using four straight lines or fewer, without lifting the pen and without tracing the same line more than once.
- 14. The 9 Dot Problem The Solution
- 15. Temporarily expanding the boundaries beyond specs • Your engineering project exists in a larger context. – What is the purpose of your project? – What are the actual problems being solved? • Examine the assumptions built into the specs • What are possible ways to solve the problem? • Can the specifications be changed if assumptions are in error?
- 17. A Systems Perspective • Properties of a system do not exist in the parts – An Ecosystem is not a list of species • It is a community of relationships • Knowledge has context, it is not objective • Quality, not just Quantity – Test scores, GDP, Calories, Income, etc. • Focus on patterns not components • Each part of a system is also a system • Path Dependence, Homeostasis, and Shocks
- 18. Environment • The physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism • External to Humans • We are separate from our environment vs Ecosystem • A community of living organisms and surrounding physical components, interacting as a system. • Humans are included • We are a part of our ecosystem Ecological Engineering is the design, monitoring, and construction of ecosystems.
- 23. Appropriate Technology Constructed wetpark concept sketch for Sager Creek Restoration Study in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, USA.
- 24. Appropriate Technology • • • • • • Small-scale Decentralized Labor-intensive Energy-efficient Environmentally sound Locally maintained Appropriate technology is a design philosophy for technological development that is people-centered. It was created by the economist Dr. E.F. Schumacher in his influential book, “Small is Beautiful”(1973).
- 25. Designing for the Other 90 Percent • A movement related to Appropriate Technology but with a Market-Approach • Low-cost solutions for the 5.8 billion of the world's 6.8 billion population "who have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted.“
- 27. Why is there Ecological Engineering? • Why has this field emerged? – Why do lakes and rivers need to be restored? – Why do we need to construct wetlands?
- 28. The Social Context of Ecological Engineering • • • • Unsustainability Policy Effects of Ecological Engineering Design Ecological Economics Governance
- 29. Sustainability and UNsustainability • UNsustainability is a social condition • Unsustainability is not: • An inevitable event • A biophysical limit imposed by nature or the environment “out there” • It is a consequence of social relationships and the agreements held between people and institutions. • Each person has an IDENTITY and AGENCY that we negotiate within these social relationships and institutions.
- 30. The Policy Context of Ecological Engineering Human Economies are contained within Human Ecological Systems Ecological Engineering has a framework for valuing ecosystem services • Should include thermodynamics, biological systems • Should distinguish growth (quantitative increase in economic output) from development (qualitative improvement of the quality of life)
- 31. Ecological Economics Challenges neoclassical economic valuation by valuing the following: •Micro- and macro- climate regulation •Water recycling •Water purification •Storm water regulation •Waste absorption •Food and medicine production •Biodiversity Ecological Engineering design decisions should incorporate ecological economics
- 32. Ecological Engineering will increasingly be in cities • • • • Landscape architecture Urban stormwater management Urban horticulture Urban planning
- 33. Break out of the box! • • • • • Your job as an engineer is not just technical! It is social Practice creative problem-solving Solve UNsustainability! Improve the world Christopher Congleton cdcong@ucdavis.edu