Department of Systems Engineering

Faculty of Engineering
University of Lagos.

Course Code: GEG 228

Course Title: ENGINEER IN SOCIETY

Course Unit: (1,0) Lecture 4

Academic Session: 2017/2018
Lecturer
Engr. (Dr.) Kehinde. O. Orolu (MNSE), Registered
Systems Engineer 1
 WHERE DO WE STAND TODAY?

¨At the dawn of a new Millennium

¨To define Today’s Agenda:

• Review the past

• Assess the present

• Project into the future

2
 The Question of Tomorrow
• Some of Mankind’s obsessions
from time immemorial have been
concerned with:

• predicting the future and

• planning for it.

3
 Voice of the 21st Century
• Century of Miracles
• Metaphor of Biology
• New Engineering Materials
• New Energy Sources
• Symbiosis of Engineering & Biology
(biotechnology, genetic engineering, etc)
• Dramatic change in quality and mode of life
• Virtual companies
• Inter Planetary holiday trips
• Spare parts of human organs
• Cloning of humans
• Auto-piloted Vehicles (Cars, Planes, Ships and other Crafts)
• etc. 4
 The Message

At the epicenter of the

new world of miracles
stands the Engineer!

5
 What Is The Issue?

The primary issue of our times is Development

Universal search for development is the human condition be it
– the longing for joy, support and comfort; or
– the violent reaction against fear and anguish

What is development (i.e. sustainable development)?

– the choosing of welfare enhancing objectives,
achieving them and doing so progressively on one’s
own and at little cost to the environment
6
THE CHALLENGES FOR A DEVELOPING COUNTRY

The main issue is that of finding an

appropriate strategy for Development

In developing countries governments are

regarded as main actors

Development by technology substitution

7
 ISSUES AT STAKE

• Population Growth Projections

• Malthus Theory: Increases in
population would outgrow increases in
the means of subsistence
• Demographic Transition Theory (4-
stages)
• Historical trends and statistics
8
THE CHALLENGE OF POPULATION EXPLOSION

POPULATION EXPLOSION  CRISIS

• Population when unchecked increases in a
geometrical ratio. Subsistence only increases in an
arithmetical ratio.
Thomas Malthus 1798

• Man tends to increase at a greater rate than his

means of subsistence; consequently he is
occasionally subjected to a severe struggle for
existence.
Charles Darwin 1898

9
THE CHALLENGE OF POPULATION EXPLOSION

• Humanity is approaching a crisis point with respect to the

interlocking issues of population, environment and
development.
Statement from 60 Science Academies led by The U.S National Academy of Sciences and Britain’s Royal Society,
October 1993.

• The decisions that the international community takes

over the next several years, whether leading to action or
inaction, will have profound implications for the quality of
life for all people, including generations not yet born, and
perhaps for the planet itself.”
Statement made at The International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 1994.

10
Population Growth Projections

11
Population Growth Projections

12
 Population Growth Projections

http://countrymeters.info/en/Nigeria
Accessed on 06-08-2018 : 10:22:14 am 13
 ISSUES AT STAKE
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION THEORY

• Stage 1: The Pre-Industrial Stage ( High Birth and

Death Rates)

• Stage 2: The Industrial Revolution ( birth rates remain

high while death rates drop, leading to
population growth)

• Stage 3: Post-Industrial Revolution (birth rates fall,

death rates remains low)
• Stage 4: Stabilization(population growth stabilizes as
birth rates fall into line with death rates)
14
 ISSUES AT STAKE

• Energy requirements of enlarged population

• Ecological implications
• Food production challenges
• Limitations of earth’s natural resources for food production.
• Problem of oceanic fisheries yield
• Fresh water produced by hydrological cycle
• Amount of fertilizer input that crop varieties can effectively use.

15
 Assignment IV (Group 1-17)
At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit held on 25-27
September, 2015 in New York, Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).

1. Describe one of the goals.

2. Identify the state of Nigeria with respect to that goal giving verifiable statistics.
3. As an engineer, suggest practical way(s) by which Nigeria can fully achieve the
goal before 2030.
4. As an engineer, what specific role(s) can you play in achieving the goal?
• Each Department should form 17 groups according to Matric numbers.
• Each group should pick the corresponding goal(i.e. Group 1- goal 1)
The group leader should submit by August 12, 2018 to ssg208lecture@gmail.com
16