The products of the engineering profession have had a revolutionary impact on our lives. Consider the technological advances of the past century, including telephones, automobiles, household running water, and electrification [1]. People all over the world are deeply dependent on these products and infrastructures. This trend will continue and deepen as engineering is needed for "continued economic development...in a manner that will sustain both the planet and its growing population...and everything else that makes modern society function," explained Joseph Bordogna, speaking as Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation [2].

Despite a growing reliance on technology, most citizens do not understand how modern technologies work or how they are used in everyday products. For example, a 13 question quiz on science and technology was administered to over 30,000 respondents in the United States and Europe [3]. The question that most clearly related to technology literacy (as distinct from science literacy) was "lasers work by focusing sound waves," to which respondents chose "true," "false," or "I don't know." On this question, fewer than half of Americans and Europeans knew the right answer. (The statement is false.) Everyday, people go to the store, scan their items at the checkout, and see the lines of red light cascading across their groceries. This survey suggests that people are generally uninformed about the technology involved in this familiar transaction. At some level, our society's declining technology literacy will adversely affect the level of public discourse on matters of national policy. A democratic society is unlikely to make wise choices about technically complex issues if its voters lack a basic familiarity with technology.

Paradoxically, technology literacy may decline further as technology advances. For example, because today's cars have computerized control systems enabling higher mileage and lower emissions, fewer parents have their children help them perform basic engine maintenance. Reflecting such trends, the National Academy of Engineering committee on technological literacy noted "Most people have very few direct, hands-on connections to technology, except as finished goods. They do not build the devices they use, tinker with them to improve their performance, or repair them when they break. Because of this lack of engagement, people today learn relatively little about technologies through direct experience" [4].

The divergence between technological advancements and technology literacy may fuel a divergence between engineering jobs and engineering education. From 1980–2000, science and engineering jobs in the U.S. increased by more than a factor of two [5]. During the same period, the enrollment in undergraduate engineering programs has been nearly constant. Other nations do not seem to be experiencing the same divergence between demand and supply of engineering talent. Approximately 30% of all Bachelor's degrees in the U.S. are in science and engineering as compared to 60% in China. The trends in graduate education are similarly discouraging. Enrollment of U.S. citizens and permanent residents in graduate science and engineering programs fell by about 20% from 1980–2000. The modest growth in overall graduate enrollment is due to enrollment of temporary residents in U.S. colleges and universities. The divergence between our nation's need for engineering and availability of an adequate engineering workforce has been characterized by leaders in government, industry, and academia as a serious impending problem for the economy, environment, security, and health.

A related problem is the persistence in inequities in engineering education. In 1999, only 20% of the students at engineering schools were women [5]. In that same year, of those employed in a science and engineering occupation, Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians combined were only 18%. Delon Hampton, past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, draws a link between these inequities and the public's perception of engineering: "...It seems that many Americans, especially women and minorities, don't consider engineering as a field where they can achieve to their maximum potential while utilizing their talents to serve society in the areas they most care about today—the environment, public health and safety, a better quality of life. We must do better at conveying that message if we're going to maintain the qualified engineering workforce we need for our future prosperity" [2].

Reinforcing this view is a 1998 survey which showed that the U.S. public feels uninformed about the engineering profession and revealed a strong tendency to underestimate the role of engineers in research, technology development, and social welfare [6]. Compounding the difficulties are other aspects of public perception. For example, mechanical engineering is frequently associated with imagery, such as construction equipment, that has historically appealed more to boys than to girls. This may contribute to an especially acute imbalance in the mechanical engineering workforce which, in 1999, was over 92% male [7]. Perhaps most importantly, engineering is perceived by much of the public as inaccessible, boring, and staid, and engineers are perceived as nerdy and socially inept. Both the perceptions and the objective reality can be changed through concerted effort. At its base, engineering is dynamic, creative, and rich with existential pleasures [8]. The challenge is to bring these positive aspects of the engineering profession to light.

The need for better technology literacy, for improved understanding of the engineering profession, for greater diversity, and for outreach to K–12 are all widely understood in the community of engineering educators. For example, these were common topics of written commentary [9–12] and discussion at the 2003 Mudd Design Workshop. However, what has not been adequately emphasized among engineers is the need to engage popular media in addressing these issues, as will be discussed in the next section.