W3: The Future of Work: Jobs of 2050

W3: The Future of Work: Jobs of 2050

Geotechnical and Environmental Engineer

Introduction

With the advancement of technology and modern science, people nowadays put most of their attention on technology development causing a lack of attention to environmental matters and protection actions. Although we can see many advertisements to remind us of ecological protections such as 3R (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce), not everyone will act on it. In this case, Mother Earth will be facing very serious crises such as global warming, the greenhouse effect, and other natural disasters. In 2050, there are likely to be worse conditions on Earth. Therefore, there is a need for certain scientific researchers or environmental protection actors to carry out discussions and decisions on ways to deal with these problems.

So, what if the Earth faces a catastrophic disaster causing it to be uninhabitable? In my view, an underground world can be developed as a refuge and habitat for humans. Hence, a job named Geotechnical and Environmental Engineer should work on the development and innovation of underground habitats for the prevention of the Earth.

Examples of real Underground Cities

Dixia Cheng, Beijing Underground City, China

Derinkuyu, Underground City, Turkey

Underground Habitats

There may be a question, why are underground habitats? Should it be a must to live inside the Earth but not over-surface living? There are some reasons:

  • Protection from extreme weather: The surface structure of Earth is more vulnerable which will lead to damage and loss of life. While underground habitats can be shielded from destructive winds and flying fragments during natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
  • Temperature Stability: As mentioned above, global warming is one of the most serious disasters on Earth due to climate change. Although the temperature underground will be cooler than the surface, the temperature will be more stable and comfortable for human living.
  • Protection from radiation: Underground habitats may provide a natural shield to protect humans from harmful radiation such as solar radiation and nuclear radiation due to the reduction of direct exposure.

Skills needed for Geotechnical and Environmental Engineer

To undergo the innovation of underground habitats, there are some skills to carry out the creation of a sustainable and livable underground environment.

  • Geotechnical and environmental skills: The engineer should understand the behavior of Earth materials to maintain the stability of underground structures and conduct testing to test their suitability for construction. Besides, they should have good management of recycling to maintain a clean environment, as well as understand water purification to provide a sustainable water supply for underground living.
  • Climate control skills: The engineer will need to have the skills to design the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system for the underground to provide a comfortable living area for humans.
  • Project management skills: The engineer needs to manage the budget and timelines to ensure the project completion.
  • Safety and risk assessment: The engineer should identify the potential risks and develop some safety precautions to respond to the danger.

Potential Career Paths

In fact, the skills mentioned above might not be able to be done all by geotechnical and environmental engineers only, they can also have some other roles to help ensure the availability of underground habitats. For instance, there will be some job roles such as urban planner to specialize in planning and designing the layout of underground cities, an architect to design the structure of buildings, and project manager to watch out for the development of the whole project to meet the goal in a given period. Hence, it is a must to have cooperation between all of them to develop underground habitats.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, developing an underground habitat for humans as a refuge is very challenging because it requires technological advancement with careful planning and consideration, besides also a deep understanding of the underground materials like soils and rocks. In 2050, it cannot be denied that due to the innovation of technology and humans' lack of environmental awareness, underground habitats would be a precaution for humans as support of life in the long term.

Reference of Images

BagsAway Passport. (2023, March 3). 10 Extraordinary Underground Cities Worth Going Deeper Underground. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://bagsaway.com/blog/10-extraordinary-underground-cities/

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