In
2003, the National Academy of Engineering (USA)
published A Century of Innovation: Twenty Engineering
Achievements that Transformed Our Lives1. This
book celebrates the top twenty technological
advances of the twentieth century that fundamentally
changed society. These advances have influenced
where and how we live, what we eat, what we
do for work or leisure, and even how we think
about our world and the universe.
Mathematics has played a major role in bringing
these innovations to reality. Many mathematical
theories and models of real world problems have
helped scientists and engineers grapple with
seemingly impossible tasks. Today, mathematical
techniques reach even further into our society.
In addition to making technology more efficient
and effective, mathematical techniques help
organizations deal with financial, manufacturing,
and even marketing issues.
This poster is a tribute to the National Academy
of Engineering as well as the men and women
who have focused their brilliance to transform
the modern world. The poster is a mosaic of
the ways mathematics helps us utilize and benefit
from these great technological achievements.
Some achievements will be familiar. Some will
be a surprise. All, hopefully, will encourage
you to investigate these topics further. |
1 George Constable
and Bob Somerville, A Century of Innovation:
Twenty Engineering Achievements That Transformed
Our Lives (Washington: National Academies Press,
2003).
The content on this poster does not necessarily
reflect the position or views of the National
Academy of Engineering, and no official endorsement
should be inferred. |
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