Issues at the Intersection of Engineering and Human Rights: Proceedings of a Symposium (2025)
Chapter: 12 Summary Observations and Closing Remarks
12
Summary Observations and Closing Remarks
Wesley Harris, Vice President of the National Academy of Engineering, member of the Committee on Human Rights, and the Charles Stark Draper Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, provided his reflections on the two days of discussion. He said the purpose of exploring the intersection of engineering and human rights is to define a more useful and inclusive path forward for what humans do, which is to create at a scale beyond that of any other organism. Harris noted that, by his definition, engineering is the process developed by humans by which creations are realized. As such, humans have a responsibility to nurture and develop the practice of engineering, to make it more robust. We as humans want to be better, said Harris, and engineering is a tool, a process, by which we can do that, but this aim requires working together.
Harris noted the important connection between climate, engineering, and human rights because climate affects water, food, and public infrastructure. He also noted that engaging engineering to protect the rights of people with disabilities can address inequalities that affect a larger subset of a community’s members.
Before adjourning the symposium, Harris offered several takeaways:
- The intersection of engineering and human rights is real.
- Humans can redirect engineering to improve itself and advance human rights.
- Data are crucial—not only for applications in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and neural networks—but also for understanding the past relationship between engineering and human rights, which helps shape their future potential.
- The opportunity exists to strengthen the link between engineering and human rights, but the process for doing so will be complex and involve legal, social, and economic challenges.
- Technical tools and compassion are equally important to making a better world.
- Engineering needs champions to make the intersection with human rights more robust.
With that, Harris adjourned the symposium.
