Since the dawn of civilization, advances in the fields of engineering, science, and technology have played an indispensable role in shaping humans’ social and economic development. Now people face a host of global challenges that must be addressed through long-term and innovative education, research, and engineering solutions. Recognizing the growing importance of these problems, a select group of experts in 2008 identified the Grand Challenges for Engineering. The idea of naming the specific problems to be addressed for global benefit caught on immediately and has been picking up speed ever since. Among other initiatives, two very successful Global Grand Challenges Summits have been jointly convened by the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), UK Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). Rarely has an idea captured the imagination of a profession, policymakers, and the general public as rapidly and forcefully as the Grand Challenges for Engineering.