Introducing sustainable development with a mathematical model

The role of the professional engineer has shifted over time from the application of narrowly defined technical expertise to a more holistic contribution to the betterment of society. However, as the profession has sought to develop these ‘habits of mind’ in engineering students, it has become apparent that both students and faculty find it difficult to transition from traditional technical subjects to the often nebulous realm of sustainability. This paper introduces a simple mathematical model based on a Cobb–Douglas production function to show how key principles of sustainable development can be introduced to students in a familiar setting. Examples are provided of how the model might be incorporated into an overall sustainability curriculum, emphasising the model's role not as a predictive calculating tool but as a conceptual framework through which sustainability can be explored and better understood.