Thesis path for students of Ingengineering and Sciences and Technologies for Man and the Environment

18 May 2021 - The Grand Challenges Scholars Program (acronym GCSP) is a thesis program aimed at bachelor's and master's degree students, in which over 70 American universities and a growing number of universities around the world participate. L'Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma it is among the top three Italian universities to have joined this initiative, through the Faculty of Engineering need Science and Technology for Man and the Environment. The program aims to highlight and make students touch the extraordinary potential of science and technology, to transform our planet into a better, more sustainable, safe, healthy and happy place, for the benefit of people and societies of Worldwide. There National Academy of Engineersing identified 14 Grand Challenges, which are considered priorities to achieve these objectives:

  • Advanced Personalized Learning
  • Make Solar Energy Economical
  • Enhance Virtual Reality
  • Reverse engineer the brain
  • Engineer Better Medicines
  • Advance Health Informatics
  • Restore and Improve Urban Infrastructure
  • Secure Cyberspace
  • Provide Access to Clean Water
  • Provide energy from fusion
  • Prevent Nuclear Terror
  • Manage the Nitrogen Cycle
  • Develop Carbon Sequestration Methods
  • Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery

The program consists of a thesis path (three-year or master's degree) on a topic related to one of the Grand Challenges, which will be studied not only from a scientific point of view, as in a traditional thesis, but also by developing and applying four transversal skills to it :

> Multidisciplinarity. Understanding the multidisciplinarity of solutions ingengineering or scientific aspects relating to the chosen problem.

> Entrepreneurship and Business Model. Understanding the need for a viable "business model" to be able to implement solutions in the real world.

> Multiculturalism. Understanding of the impact that the proposed technical-scientific solutions can have in different cultural and economic contexts.

> Social Consciousness. Ability to evaluate whether the proposed technical-scientific solutions fulfill the primary purpose of serving people and society.

The GCSP thesis path has an international character and provides for the possibility (but not the obligation) of stays abroad. The activities of the GCSP at UCBM they are coordinated by a Steering Committee composed of prof. Marta Bertolaso for the Departmental Faculty of Science and Technology for Man and the Environment, and by Luisa Di Paola, Roberto Guida, Giorgio Pennazza, Emiliano Schena and Stefano Scialla for the Departmental Faculty of Ingengineering.

>> For further information consult the website of NAE GCSP or write to [email protected]