Why Public Policy Needs Dartmouth Engineers

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The stage is set for engineers to take a more active role in public discourse and policy.

 

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Illustration by Mike Ellis
Illustration by Mike Ellis
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Read the full story by Kristen Senz, published by Dartmouth Engineer Magazine.

Browsing some daily news headlines might lead one to conclude that we live in an era ruled by populism, fear, and misinformation. In reality, over the past 20 years, officials at all levels of government have increasingly sought data and technical expertise to evaluate and enact effective public policy. This shift is part of a constellation of factors that has set the stage for engineers to take a more active role in public discourse and policy.

Such factors include record levels of public trust in engineers as professionals, greater support for interdisciplinary research, and a broadening of traditional systems engineering to include the policy landscape. In addition, both private and public sectors have increasingly recognized the value of the systems approach to solve complex problems of the modern world—from climate change, to energy, to pandemics. Read about the work of Thayer’s Professor Mary Albert, Professor Don Perovich, and others.

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