Engineers have, arguably, shaped the modern world more than any other profession. From railways to aircraft, computer chips to telecoms networks, batteries to new materials, their creations have dramatically improved our collective quality of life. But, by the same token, they also bear a great deal of responsibility for the world’s biggest problems. Whether it’s the threat of nuclear disaster, human-caused climate change, or the spread of hate speech on social media, engineers have had a hand in making these things possible.
Part of the issue is that engineers are very good at delivering technical solutions to problems. Want to propel a car forward? Power it with petrol and emit the waste from an exhaust pipe. That’s an effective solution, but done at scale, it wreaks havoc on the planet. It’s this approach that Engineers Without Borders UK (EWB) is trying to change. In 2021, the London-based membership organisation (which mainly, but not exclusively...