2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Panel on Environmental Engineers Solving Problems of Planetary Health

Presented at Tech Session 6: Transformative Practices in Evolving Learning Environments

Planetary health is defined as, “… a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth,” (Planetary Health Alliance). In September 2023, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics updated the formal definition of job code 17-2081 Environmental Engineers. The prior definition noted that, environmental engineering was defined as, “research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines.” The current definition now includes that, “environmental engineers use engineering disciplines in developing solutions to problems of planetary health.” The purpose of this panel presentation is to discuss the meaning of planetary health, and how environmental engineers solve the problems of planetary health by addressing two important questions. The first question is, “what technologies are needed to support human existence without exceeding (or while continuing to exceed) planetary boundaries?” And second question is, “what improved social contracts may be supported by technologies?”

Authors

Dr. Daniel B Oerther P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6724-3205 Missouri University of Science and Technology [biography]

Professor Daniel B. Oerther, PhD, PE joined the faculty of the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2010 as the John A. and Susan Mathes Chair of Civil Engineering after serving for ten years on the faculty of the University of Cincinnati where he was head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Professor Oerther is internationally recognized for leadership of engineers, sanitarians, and nurses promoting the practice the sustainable development, local to global. Dan is a Past President of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Sanitarians. Dan is a Fellow of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, the American Academy of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. In the United Kingdom, he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Royal Society for Public Health, and the Society of Operations Engineers. Professor Oerther's awards as an educator include the Excellence in Environmental Engineering Education Award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, the Gordon Maskew Fair Distinguished Engineering Educator Medal from the Water Environment Federation, the Engineering Education Excellence Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the Robert G. Quinn Award from the American Society for Engineering Education.

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