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INTRODUCTORY REMARKS The Annual Meeting of the Division of Engineering and Industrial Research, National Academy of Sciences-National Re- search Council, was called to order at 2:00 P.M., 9 March 1964. The Division Chairman, Dr. Richard C. Jordan, presided and intro- duced the theme of the meeting with the following remarks: Richard C. Jordan: The world today is much dominated by science and technology and will probably continue to be so throughout the rest of time. Yet, this is a comparatively recent development. A good case can be made to show that scientific knowledge has virtually doubled during the last decade and that the pace is accelerating. Indeed, probably 80 to 90 per cent of all scientists and engineers ever born are alive today. As a result of the de- velopments of science and technology we have consumed more harnessed energy during the past 100 years than in all time prior to 1864. In the year 1665 there was but a single scientific journal, the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Yet, since that time scientific journals have increased in number to approximately 1,000 by 1850, 10,000 by 1900, and approximately 100,000 by 1960. As a result of such continuing developments as automation, computers, and the production of monochromatic coherent light, a high percentage of engineers and scientists have failed to keep pace with these rapid changes and are faced with a sci- entific half-life of around ten years. The effects of such new developments of science and tech- nology on the non-science oriented public is even more devastating. The inherent instability of our current scientific and technological world has bred sociological' political, and even moral instability. It is futile for the social scientists to attempt to plan what our world should be like, since the developments of a single scientist or engineer may have social impacts which are unpredictable and uncontrollable. The development of automation, nuclear power, computers, the automobile, the airplane, and television was not dictated for social reasons, but their social impacts are universal. Yet the era of rapid change has probably only begun. How will we react to a tripling of our energy needs or a three and one- half fold increase in our gross national product in terms of todays buying power by the year 2000? What will be the impact of a 75 per cent increase in population of the country during the next 40 years? What impact will a very probable 50 per cent increase in production coupled with a 20 per cent increase in the labor force have during the next decade? How long will it take the public to 3
adjust to the disappearance of the family farm from the agricul tural scene; to possibly more automobiles than people in the country; to flights of lo hours - ~ the world; or to unanticipated or less between any two points in biological developments creating an impact on medicine? These kinds of questions, representing a continuing interplay between the physical, the biological, the engineering, and the social sciences, reflect some of the most complex problems of our time. , ,¢ _ The Division of Engineering and Industrial Research is concerned with the impact of engineering on society. During the last three years special committees of the Division have reported on the problems of introducing basic engineering practices into developing countries, and on the role of engineering research rel- ative to achieving closer relations in joint effort with the social sciences. The last two annual meetings of the Division were held jointly with other Divisions of the Academy-Research Council. In 1962 the engineers joined with the Division of Medical Sciences and the Division of Biology and Agriculture; last year the Divi- sion of Behavioral Sciences joined with this Division to examine problems related to developing closer collaboration between engi- neers and behavioral scientists. In recognition of the almost unique position of the Di- vision relative to the professional engineering community of the country, and the opportunities available to it for furthering engineering research in close relationship with other organiza- tions and disciplines that are a part of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, and mindful of the scope of responsibilities that all of this implies, the Division is taking a very serious look at the problems and the direction in which it should face. Within the past few months a report was prepared and published on the Division research program and its related interests and activities. Very recently a Division long-range project com- mittee was established under the chairmanship of Mr. J. W. Hinkley, who is a member of the Division Executive Committee. Members of the committee are Dr. Carl Chambers, Dr. F. C. Lindvall, Dr. C. F. Rassweiler, and Dr. B. D. Thomas. Today's theme, "The Engineer and Society," is a most im- the Division and the engineering community. The portent one to first speaker, Dr. John C. Calhoun, Jr., has been asked to discuss the general significance of the engineer in society, keynoting the general topic of this meeting. 4
