Problems without Solution? Challenges of Climate Change and Sustainability in Engineering Education

The issues of climate change and sustainability are urgent and critical concerns of our time. The rise of climate disasters, such as floods, droughts, forest fires, and hurricanes, poses a threat to the survival of humans, animals, and plants. Despite scientists having warned about the impending dangers of high CO2 emissions, particularly from the global North for many years, there has been no political or technical solution in sight. Engineers are known for being problem-solvers, but what happens when the problem is complex and the consequences of technical interventions are hard to predict? In my paper, I propose measures to sensitize engineers to the complexity of climate change and sustainability. Based on the method of focused ethnography, I draw on Feminist teaching methods, my extensive teaching experience in the field of transdisciplinary gender research in science and technology studies, and my observations during the international “Winter school of ENHANCE on gender and diversity in science, technology and society” at Technische Universität Berlin in 2023. The paper concentrates on the content and pedagogical approaches that can be used to convey the complexity of the issue while fostering the development of critically reflective knowledge. By incorporating these measures, engineers can be better equipped to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and sustainability in a more holistic and thoughtful manner.