The engineer's role in the energy crisis

Never has mankind needed new technology more than at present. What is the engineer's role in meeting that need? The value of engineers does not seem to be appreciated in solving our energy problems. Government and corporate positions are filled by persons who are not technically trained. As a result, the opinions of engineers too often fail to find their way into the decision-making process. What is the cause of this phenomenon? Are the engineers at fault? Have they failed to change as society's needs have changed? Or have the new forces which have come into play failed to recognize the role of engineers? What will be society's future problems? How can engineers help to solve them? Let us explore these questions.