Faculty and Students Attend Global Grand Challenges Summit in Beijing

Two engineering faculty and two engineering students were invited by the National Academy of Engineering to attend the Second Global Grand Challenges Summit held Sept. 15-16 in Beijing, China. The two faculty who participated were Professor Mike Toole, civil & environmental engineering, who directs Bucknell's Grand Challenge Scholars Program (GCSP); and Professor Brandon Vogel, chemical engineering, a member of Bucknell's GCSP Steering Committee. The two students were Stephanie Houser '16, a civil & environmental engineering and international relations double major and Daniel Dudt '17, a mechanical engineering major. Both students were selected two years ago for the inaugural group of Grand Challenge Scholars at Bucknell.

Hosted jointly by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the (U.K.) Royal Academy of Engineering and the (U.S.) National Academy of Engineering, the summit included an exciting series of addresses by international leaders on various issues relating to the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering identified nearly 10 years ago by the National Academy of Engineering. Several prestigious Chinese scholars and leaders discussed candidly the progress China has made in reducing pollution and how much further they must go. Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway and many other devices and Black Eyed Peas member Will.I.am discussed the importance of engaging young people with the FIRST Robotics program and other high-impact educational activities. Alibaba CEO Jack Ma discussed how he is driven by an optimistic vision of corporate innovation, even when facing huge challenges relating to cybersecurity.

All four of the Bucknell delegates had a chance to interact with students and faculty from universities in the U.S., the U.K. and China. Professors Toole and Vogel were honored to be included in a delegation from the U.S. that was invited to meet with the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, before the summit began. Unfortunately, this meeting was ultimately cancelled, but the delegation received a wonderful tour of a portion of the Great Wall and a special visit to the Chinese Space Center.