IChemE and ITN launch “Engineering a Sustainable World” programme

ICHEME has produced a programme with ITN showing the roles that chemical and process engineers play in addressing climate change, the importance of collaboration between industry and academia, and why it’s important to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Nigel Hirst, IChemE president, said: “Everything in the world is based upon chemicals, and consequently the production, use, disposal, and recycling of all manufactured products requires a whole system approach, which chemical engineers are ideally positioned to address.

“We believe it is critical that, as an institution, we help raise the profile of the profession to attract more people who have the skills, knowledge and passion to address the global challenges facing us all, and to ultimately help engineer a more sustainable world.”

IChemE launched its Engineering a Sustainable World programme today. Among the 11 segments is an interview with volunteer chemical engineers teaching primary school children about the process of manufacturing ketchup, encouraging the youngsters to work out the correct steps to get the tomatoes from the field to the supermarket shelves.

There are also contributions from engineers contributing to net zero. These include engineers at Ameresco who are working on the Bristol City Leap project installing solar, wind, heat networks and heat pumps to help decarbonise the city by 2030. Meanwhile, a multidisciplinary team at HancockHamlin share the details of the C-THRU project which involves “inverting the carbon vector” by putting carbon back in the ground. They discuss how a systems-thinking approach can help engineers and those they collaborate with effectively approach the largest challenges affecting society.

All 11 segments are available to watch here.