The Big Engineering Developments of 2011

2011 has seen many engineering and scientific breakthroughs and as the year draws to a close, we should remember the achievements which today’s leading engineers have been a part of.One of the first major breakthroughs has been the technology and medical advancements in cancer research. Cancer is now the UK’s number one killer and across the world cancer victims increase by the minute. Therefore any development in this field would be beneficial, and the work conducted in 2011 is no exception.  This year the global population swelled past the 7 billion mark, obesity has become epidemic in primarily western countries, and alongside this comes all of the associated health problems that accompany being overweight. Medical engineering developments are a welcome visitor.Engineering nanotechnology and tomographic imaging generates 3D images of cells which allows scientists to more accurately analyse the cell itself. A graduate researcher in this field commented, “Cancer is a very complicated process and it is certainly an ongoing process… What we have achieved with cell rotation is a novel way of identifying changes in cellular structure. It’s a step forward in the right direction.”The possible applications of this technology are wide and far reaching.Systems engineer jobs have also been filled this year in India as the team out there have designed a safer nuclear plant, one that is low carbon, low radioactivity and used thorium rather than uranium. This advancement is such a huge breakthrough in engineering and fuel developments. As the worlds fossil fuel resources gradually deplete, mankind needs to remove the risk and increase efficiency of current energy production methods.Another advancement was seen when China sent an unmanned aircraft into space. Software engineer teams and aeronautical experts worked together to develop the craft program which blasted off into orbit. The Chief Designer commented, “Mastering the technology of rendezvous and docking will lay a firm foundation for China to build a space station... Once we have mastered this technology, we will possess the basic technology and capacity to build a space station, and this will open up possibilities for even larger activities in space.”Their future plans to dock a spacecraft in space will highlight a huge leap in progress, something which equals if not surpasses when man walked on the moon. This is in stark contrast to the last American space shuttle flight, which also happened this year. As America concentrates on its deep financial problems emerging countries are reaching into the stars for the first time. Nigeria made a bold entry into the space race with the launch of its first satellite.Systems engineer vacancies and automobile jobs were also filled as many car manufacturers worked on the technology behind electric cars this year, a theory which has been spoken about for many decades but has only just become a reality. This comes after dwindling fuel supplies prompt engineers to find new solutions for technologically advanced and environmentally friendly alternatives. In addition to this 2011 has been a mixed year for Automotive engineering companies with several manufactures posting profits that seem to buck the trend of overall economic gloom and doom.