The following article first appeared in the INOMICS Handbook 2021. Download the INOMICS Handbook On a visit to the London School of Economics in November 2008, the Queen asked her hosts why no one had seen the financial crisis coming. It took the professors nine months to come up with an excuse, put forth in a letter in July 2009:

Mechanical engineering is one of the most diverse and oldest engineering disciplines. Every day, engineers get to enjoy variety in their day with design, production, and operation while drawing upon their knowledge in mathematics, engineering, physics, and more. 

Now in their sixth year, the INOMICS Awards remain unique in their celebration of institutions committed to the career development of economists worldwide.

If you’re interested in transportation, shipping, networks, and ensuring these all run like well-oiled machines, then a career in logistics engineering might be for you. You can learn more about embarking on this new career path below. 

A well-designed office can be a huge draw for top talent. It's not just about having a cool space to work in, but also about creating an environment that is conducive to productivity and creativity.  Additionally, offices can be optimized for productivity by a combination of engineering solutions such as sound-dampening walls, installing and using the right type of lighting, ventilation, and furniture. Here are seven modern office design concepts that are sure to attract and retain the best employees.

Starting a career in engineering can be challenging, but the rewards that this field offers are immense. Over the years, engineering has branched out to several sectors making the demand for skilled engineers higher than ever. If you are considering a profession in this dynamic industry, here are seven tips that can help you become a successful engineer.

A historic tragedy like the war in Ukraine calls for historic measures of outreach and solidarity. There is an urgent demand for humanitarian aid and safe passage for the hundreds of thousands of refugees already created by the war. This includes thousands of students at Ukranian universities who have had to flee the conflict.

3D volumetric construction is one of the most modern building construction techniques in civil engineering today. It is a form of off-site construction in which units are manufactured in a factory and then transported to site for assembly. The method of constructing within a factory setting ensures that the necessary building materials are brought in just in time and the modules can be constructed irrespective of the weather outside.  The products can be transported to site in various states of finish (modules, basic structural blocks or semi finished) ready for assembly in-situ. The basic idea is that as much of the building is constructed off site (in a factory assembly line) and only brought to site for completion.

Based on all the available evidence, climate change is real and it is happening – the planet is experiencing rising temperatures, melting snow-caps, and increased numbers of floods, droughts, and wildfires. 2019 was the second warmest year ever and 2010-2019 was the warmest decade on the planet – ever. Limiting the global temperature rise to well below 2°C this century is one of the defining challenges from the Paris Agreement.

If you’re looking to further enhance your profession as an environmental engineer in Canada, getting a Master’s in Environmental Engineering is a great way to go. This program will further expand your knowledge and increase your employability.

Are you an aspiring environmental engineer, or already working in the industry? Environmental engineering is a hot topic right now, and rightly so. With climate change upon us, we’re counting on engineers like you to help save the planet. No pressure!

Mechanical engineers use the principles of physics and mathematics to design, analyse, and maintain various mechanical systems. In Canada, mechanical engineering students usually go through four years of university education before joining the workforce. After graduation, they have the chance to try a variety of roles within their profession such as design engineer, researcher, and consultant.

Reading magazines is a great way to stay up to date with industry trends within your specific field - key if you are keen to advance in your engineering career . Magazines offer a centralised accumulation of all relevant and current information, with most magazines offering archives stretching back for years where you can find past issues. There are many different types of engineering magazines, with some geared towards entertainment, while others are more focused on detailed engineering topics.  This article offers an overview of engineering-related magazines for some of the main branches of engineering, including mechanical, civil, chemical, and electrical engineering. The magazines mentioned below are aimed at engineering students and professionals.

The Canadian aerospace industry plays a big part of the Canadian economy. In 2018, the industry contributed over $25 billion to GDP and was responsible for 213,000 jobs. Until the pandemic hit, those numbers had increased year on year. The country’s aeronautical companies cover a broad spectrum of opportunities for engineers, including structural design and assembly, space systems manufacturing, avionics, and numerous opportunities in maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Below are ten of the top companies in Canada to consider when pursuing  a career in aeronautical engineering.

Civil engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction of buildings, roads, bridges, and other large-scale structures. It is an established profession that has existed since the establishment of the first permanent human settlements. Within the civil engineering profession, there are many subdisciplines to specialise in, including:

Electrical engineers design and test all types of electrical devices, including simple handheld electronics, complex communication systems, power generation plants, and electrical grids. They can also work in a factory, where they may oversee the manufacturing of consumer electronics and other electrical equipment. If you are interested in working as an electrical engineer in Canada, you must first complete an undergraduate degree. After graduating from the program, you can apply to work as an electrical engineer-in-training at one of Canada’s many electrical engineering companies. Once the engineering experience prerequisite is met, you will be able to use the Professional Engineer (P. Eng) title, which allows you to fully practice as an electrical engineer in Canada.

Mechanical engineering students study the forces and thermal environment encountered by a product and its parts so they can come up with the best designs and manufacturing processes of a product. Most importantly, an in-depth understanding of objects and systems in motion are required, which makes mechanical engineering a broad and diverse discipline of engineering. While it can be difficult in the current climate to move to a new city or country in order to pursue your studies, many universities, including some of those on our list, offer distance-learning online degrees. You don’t have to leave wherever you're holed up and, most importantly, you can stay safe!

Humanity has always been fascinated with flight and the freedom it represents. Our interest extends from the sky above to the deepest reaches of the universe. An unrelenting curiosity has driven innovation in the modern era and has resulted in incredible advances in technology. These advances are most evident in the aerospace engineering industry – from everyday airliners to massive rockets that can land upright.

Like most engineers, those working in the energy sector have a pretty diverse brief, and are tasked both with the reduction of existing energy consumption, and the improvement and development of technologies to produce energy more efficiently. As such, the optimal energy engineer is an optimiser and problem solver by nature. It's a highly specialised area of work and typically requires a post graduate qualification, but that's okay, you're a smart bunch. And actually, there are exceptions to this rule as some institutions offer energy engineering programmes which allow you to circumvent that need.