IEEE SusTechTalks March 18, 2025 Mark Underwood, In the Stack, but no Admin Privs

Abstract:

Software’s near ubiquity in most systems would suggest that its practitioners are in the lead when it comes to sustainability initiatives. No doubt there are courageous exceptions, but generally speaking software engineers follow, not lead where sustainability and climate are concerned.

Generative AI has added a heavy hammer to the toolbox, but the leadership of sustainability teams remains unchanged. This discussion surveys several mostly disjunct initiatives to meet the challenge of a dangerously warming planet. The survey includes a brief overview of these initiatives and their potential promise. They include:  (1)  current and proposed efforts by professional associations to tackle the problem as a cross functional initiative leveraging competencies within a profession; (2) value stream analysis and supply chain management; (3) DevOps; (4) metadata and observability; (5) agile methodologies; (6) model based systems engineering and complexity; (7) human factors; (8) AI; and (9) the role of standardization. The survey concludes with a short inventory of missed opportunities, but identifies several inflection points on the horizon that could result in software engineers moving up the stack – perhaps gaining the privilege of bending the curve on the way to the control room.