The United States has traditionally been home to innovative engineering that has changed the world in so many positive ways. Recently though, the growing scourge of cyberattacks, state-sponsored rogue hacking, and outright copyright theft, places our advantage in engineering work at risk.

United States’ new Military Cyber Command goes on the Offensive

The cyberattack problem is so acute; the United States recently created a new military Cyber Command to protect the country and its intellectual assets against attack. But this new team follows the edict that the best defense is a good offense.

“I would like to be clear that this team, this defend-the-nation team, is not a defensive team,” said Gen. Keith Alexander, chief of both the National Security Agency and the new Cyber Command. “This is an offensive team that the Defense Department would use to defend the nation if it were attacked in cyberspace. Thirteen of the teams that we’re creating are for that mission alone.”

The U.S. Demands China Reign in their Cyberattacks

Many of the reported cyberattacks appear to originate from China. Because of this, government officials continue to demand that the Chinese exert more control over rogue hacking within their country by investigating said attacks in addition to joining a program with the U.S. and other countries to combat cyberattacks. For what its worth, the Chinese claim they’ve been the victim of cyberattacks, with two-thirds of those attacks coming from the United States.

The U.S. feels many of the cyberattacks from China are the responsibility of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The Chinese government denies any involvement or relationship with the PLA. No matter who is responsible for the rogue attacks, there remains little doubt that the United States takes the problem very seriously, as the new offensive-oriented Cyber Command illustrates.

Don’t let the specter of attacks on intellectual property deter you from beginning or advancing your career in engineering. In fact, there may be engineering opportunities to work in defending the U.S. from cyberattacks. When looking to further your engineering career, be sure to talk to the people at The Talley Group. One of the leading engineering staffing companies in Seattle, they know how to take your career to its highest potential.

As climate change continues to be an important topic, there remains little doubt that engineering plays a relevant part in mitigating the effects of Global Warming. From students at the University of Wisconsin winning first place in the SAE 2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge, to geo-engineers poised to change the climate at a global scale, engineers remain at the center of innovation.

Engineering Badgers Win 2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge

It is obvious that the combustion engine is a factor in contributing to pollution all over the planet. Any engineering attempt to lessen this kind of environmental damage remains vital. Students from the University of Wisconsin won this year’s Society of Automotive Engineers Clean Snowmobile Challenge, a yearly event that focuses on lessening emissions while maintaining vehicle performance.

The Badgers team modified a four-stroke Skidoo Ace snowmobile to win the challenge. “We added a turbocharger and engine controls, which allows us to maintain performance and decrease our emissions and make it quieter as well,” said UW team captain Mike Solger. Wisconsin won the title for the fifth time in the competition’s 14-year history.

Geo-engineering the Planet to Stave Off Climate Change

Another group of engineers are at the leading edge of innovation as they research the geo-engineering concepts which they hope can someday reduce the planet’s overall temperature. A variety of ideas are being researched: giant orbital mirrors to manage solar radiation, injecting sulphate particles in the stratosphere to simulate the cooling effects of a volcanic eruption, and giant machines that remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Steve Rayner, James Martin Professor of Science and Civilization at Oxford University in the UK, feels those methods, even if practical, make up only part of what’s necessary to reverse the negative effects of Climate Change. “Generally these ideas are seen as a complement to and not a substitute for adaptation and mitigation”, says Rayner.  “And the challenges are enormous. For example, to put the sulphate injection idea into action would mean we would have to create an enterprise something on the scale of the global cement industry.”

Does that kind of specialized engineering inspire you? Talk to the Talley Group if you are looking to make a positive difference in humanity, while advancing your career in engineering. As one of the leading engineering staffing firms in the Northwest, they have the recruiters on hand to help further your career.