Future of work

The future of work is well underway, given the rapid growth of innovation and emergence of exciting new fields, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, with innovation and new fields of research come new risks.  

As a leader in science and science innovation, Canada has much to gain and learn from potentially new and emerging scientific industries. An article published in Science asked several scientists about the emerging fields that inspire them and the guardrails that governments and citizens should be aware of.  

One scientist explored the possibilities and risks of biomedical engineering, which has the potential to restore mobility and sensory organs for humans. For example, one tool under development is a brain-computer interface. Such technologies can spark new industries, but their implications range far beyond medicine, depending on how they are used and the influence they have on society if saturated with commercial technology. The article notes that prior to implementation, technologies like these require clear guidelines, ethics, and independent oversight to protect human autonomy.  

Another scientist explored the potential impacts of using nanotechnology to treat diseases (like cancer), support agriculture, and create self-repairing materials that can lengthen the lifespan of infrastructure. However, if not created with strong safety regulations prior to commercialization, these materials could pose environmental and health risks. Assessments, environmental monitoring, and ethical oversight were recommended as potential guardrails to allow these potentially game-changing nanotechnologies to flourish safely. 

A third scientist explored the possibilities of aquatic genetics. Though this field may seem niche, its potential impact on fishing and aquaculture could be profound, with positive effects in industries focused on sustainable food sources. However, scientists acknowledge that relying too heavily on genetically improved aquaculture strains could lead to genetic bottlenecks (events that drastically reduce the size of a population and, as a result, limit its genetic diversity). Such bottlenecks could pose a number of different risks to species, ecosystems, and—subsequently—whole economies and labour markets. To mitigate these risks, they suggest working with a broader range of genetic materials and wild populations to build a genetically diverse aquaculture industry that is more resilient to the risks of genetic bottlenecking.