Engineers — The Unsung Heroes of the Digital Age

Brian Witten

“Engineers turn dreams into reality.” — Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese filmmaker

At UTC, we celebrate engineering every day. We’re built on a legacy of engineering excellence — from turbojet propulsion engines to advanced cooling systems, every one of our products is successful because of the careful work that goes into its design and manufacture. The critical role of engineering is on my mind right now in particular because it’s National Engineers Week, which honors the men and women who dedicate themselves to building the world around us.

The designs engineers envision today will shape how we lead our lives tomorrow. And while it’s possible to grasp how rapidly the world has changed in the past few decades, it’s much harder to fathom the scale of technological leaps we’ll see in the coming years. For just one example, think about the electrification of aircraft and the rise of hybrid propulsion. In the near future, we will see these innovations change how people travel, commute, and live.

That impact can’t be overstated, particularly at this moment. As the physical and digital worlds increasingly overlap and people become more digitally dependent, engineers are playing an even more critical role in building the infrastructure of our lives. They are constructing the digital framework that will serve as the basis for our interactions both online and in the physical world — whether through smart buildings, connected aircraft, self-driving cars or something we haven’t yet imagined.

Staying safe in the digital world is far more complicated than in the physical. I’m particularly grateful for so many great engineers who have spent the last few decades building security into our hospitals, offices, airplanes, ATMs, and countless other digital devices. The people keeping us secure today alongside traditional first responders are the scientists, mathematicians, and software engineers who are constructing with code and the security engineers who are finding and fixing weaknesses.

Security is never fully complete and the threats we face are increasingly sophisticated. The role of the engineer is evolving to meet these challenges. Engineers need to design systems with security in mind to keep people safe and secure. This means they need to consider the ethics of the systems they build, and how the technology will impact people and improve the world we live in.

It’s impossible to have too many security experts in this new connected world. We need the best and the brightest to protect us and build the future of engineering. Let’s encourage and create opportunities for younger generations to dive into this exciting area, to study STEM topics, and pursue careers in cybersecurity. The need for specialized security engineers is growing quickly and will become even more crucial as more of our lives go online.

The responsibilities are great and the opportunities are promising. It’s precisely why we should take a moment to appreciate the work of unsung heroes — builders who turn dreams into reality.