Engineering a solution to the planet's ills

•	Newsroom
•	Media Releases
•	UTS Experts
•	UTSpeaks

Engineering a solution to the planet's ills


The threat of global warming is surmountable, but the depletion of easily-accessed minerals could actually be a bigger problem for humanity, according to the former Chairman of global engineering firm the Arup Group. London-based Sir Duncan Michael will give an engineer's perspective on the challenges facing the planet in the next Zunz lecture, Shaping Tomorrow's World, at the University of Technology, Sydney on Wednesday 22 November. Sir Duncan, a mentor to the Professors of Sustainable Engineering Research at Imperial College, London and Cambridge University, will identify the risks ahead and review what can and should be done to take account of them, and prosper. "There is a frenzy of reporting and thinking going on currently worldwide related to the fear of global warming, but with rational use of the tools already created, I believe humans will handle the effects of global warming successfully," Sir Duncan said. "I see the depletion of easily accessed minerals as a bigger problem in the foreseeable future, but again there are feasible strategies available that will take us forward." Sir Duncan will discuss the social circumstances which will help, hinder or even prevent mankind from using available skills and knowledge to transcend sustainability issues, and will give examples of how such challenges might be met. Sir Duncan opened and developed the Arup practices in China, the USA, Iran and Turkey, and his career has spanned such major projects as the Sydney Opera House, the new Scottish Parliament, Lloyds Insurance and the British Library in London, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and the Elevated Rail Transport System for Bangkok. He was the 2000 Gold Medallist of the Institution of Structural Engineers in London and has been active in the work of the Royal Academy of Engineering. His is Chairman of Investment of the Housing Corporation, the English Government's affordable housing agency which is building 40,000 homes a year. The Zunz lecture series is presented by the UTS Faculty of Engineering with the aim of exploring broad community subjects relating to the engineering profession. The series is named in honour of Sir Jack Zunz, a brilliant British engineer who led the design team on the Sydney Opera House and who was considered inspirational both in engineering and education. Friday 17 November 2006