In Pursuit of Peace: Systems Science, Systems Engineering, and World Peace

Systems Conversation with Alice Squires, Washington State University

The value of a systems-based approach for solving the global problems of today is sometimes lost in translation beyond the boundary of the systems engineering community. However, tomorrow’s systems are increasingly more adaptable, robust, dynamic, interdependent, capable of self-organization, and resilient—demanding a broader systems engineering practice driven less by the effectiveness of the process to realize successful systems and more by the foundations of systems science and theory. As an example, the path to world peace requires a systems thinking mindset that sees the world through multiple conflicting perspectives, anticipates the impact of deployed systems (policies, infrastructures, technologies) over time and space, and reliably adjusts those systems in response to the dynamic influences of an uncertain future to achieve lasting peace. This talk will discuss the roles and interrelationships of systems engineering, systems thinking, and systems science in the context of peace engineering—where the goal is to conceive, design, and build a better world for all.