When we think of the word “advanced,” what comes to mind? Doing more of what we already do? Doing it better (but what exactly does “better” mean)? Or developing something new and additional? This is exactly the theme of Bert Bruggeman’s keynote at Advanced Engineering. He advocates for a definition of “advanced” that is more aligned with the ecosystems we operate in, and with humans as a species.
Bert is Chair at The Ocean Cleanup and CEO of Aurelia. He knows better than anyone how current human thinking and behavior is putting pressure on our planet. “Yes, we can clean the oceans perfectly, but that is not the solution,” he says. “The real cause lies in our system; that is what we need to address.”
A new way of thinking
In his keynote, he argues that it is in our own interest as a species to better align ourselves with self-sustaining and adaptive systems that operate in greater harmony with nature. “Today, we look at the world as a machine made of separate parts. But we have forgotten that we are part of a larger ecosystem and of nature, which we are currently ignoring and destroying. And the only other living system that continues until it exhausts its ecosystem is a cancer. And that ultimately destroys itself. That is the urgent conversation we need to have.”
How do we reverse that view and optimize the entire system? “Not by eliminating the old, but by adding additional insight so we can create a different output. The most successful species are those that create value for the system by expressing themselves, rather than simply extracting that value.”
Creating waves together
Bert translates this message into concrete actions for engineers and shares five things engineers can start doing differently from tomorrow. “Instead of pointing to higher levels, I want to look at how we design the world today. My approach starts from the engineer’s perspective, focusing on short-term goals and problem-solving.”
“Because in the end, everyone has a role to play in this process. Yes, leaders and executives must set different goals and rethink what ‘capital’ we are actually working toward. But it is not a linear process where an idea flows from A to B to C. Instead, let’s start acting within our own capabilities and create waves and islands of coherence that can transform the whole. We are not going to solve this problem, nor are we going to create world peace on the stock exchange. But if we don’t change the way we think and act, there won’t be many generations after ours.”
An urgent call to action from a sharp and distinctive voice, with insights every “advanced” engineer should hear. Bert will speak on the Main Stage on Wednesday, May 6 at 11:30.
More info and registration: www.ae-expo.be/en/
From Cleanup to Regeneration: Engineering the Next Wave of Innovation
Wednesday, May 6
11:30 – 12:00
Main Stage
