Report
on 2007 NSPE Annual Conference
Denver,
Colorado
July
26 - 29, 2007
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NSPE President
Robert Miller opened the Annual Conference with a welcome address and
in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of engineering licensure,
recognized William Bellamy (the great grandson of Charles Bellamy,
the first licensed Professional Engineer in the U.S. a hundred years
ago), who was in attendance.
July
26, 2007
Engineering
Licensure for Structural Engineers This was a panel discussion on
whether structural engineers should be licensed generically, on a
discipline-specific basis, through a separate licensure board or on
the basis of post-licensure certification. The National Council of
Structural Engineering Association (NCSEA) advocates separate
licensure for structural engineers thru a separate 16-hour exam.
Professional engineering boards of nine states (HI, WA, CA, OR, AZ,
IL, NE, LA & UT) already have separate licensure for structural
engineers. The rest of the states follows what NSPE has endorsed,
i.e., license engineers generically and not by discipline. Both NCSEA
and NSPE presented their cases but during the Q & A, most
comments favor the medical profession licensure procedure, i.e., one
professional licensure for the profession and a certification on
their field of specialization. This way, the professional engineers
will not be fragmented any further.
July
27, 2007
Addressing
the Labor Shortage in the Engineering Sector – Dr. Gary
Jandegian, P.E. (PhD in Environmental Engineering and a lawyer as
well), president of URS Division, the largest engineering design firm
in the U.S., discussed the challenges of recruiting, graduating, and
retaining engineers. He mentioned that in 2006 the U.S. produced
74,000 engineering graduate compared with Japan’s 100,000.
Also, in 2005 the U.S. ranked 17th in the world in graduating
engineers and scientist compared with its 3rd rank in 1975. Among the
engineers, only 14.5% are women, 5.6% are African American and 5.9%
Hispanic. These are the areas that he recommends recruiting be
improved.
July
28, 2007
2050
An Engineering Odyssey for the Future –presented by Dr.
Albert Knott, P.E. who expressed concern that modern planning
methodology will not lead to sustainable long-range solutions to
problems such as the end of oil, population explosion and the end of
available potable water. It is for these reasons why engineers should
focus on a real problem, the problem of sustainability of our way of
life during the next 50 years as needs burgeon and supplies
disappear.
Other
notable events:
NSPE
convened a software engineering licensure summit meeting with
representatives from NSPE, IEEE, NCEES and other groups to explore
ways in which to license software engineers for the protection of the
public health safety and welfare.
The
NSPE Board of Directors approved in concept the Society of Fire
Protection Engineers (SFPE) Position Statement on Fire Protection
Systems Engineering
July
29, 2007
NSPE
House of Delegates Annual Assembly
The
NSPE House of Delegates welcomed and listened to remarks by
representatives from ABET, ASHRAE, CCPE, JETS, MATHCOUNTS, NABIE,
NAFE, NCEES and UPADI.
NSPE
President Bernie Berson, P.E., F.NSPE received a special recognition
from his Alma Mater, the University of Connecticut in appreciation of
his professional achievements.
The
NSPE House of Delegates elected Bradley Aldrich, P. E. as the
2009-2010 NSPE President and Russell Devick, P.E., F.NSPE as
2007-2009 NSPE Treasurer.
The
NSPE House of Delegates approved a series of NSPE Professional
Policies in support of science, technology, engineering, mathematics
and computer education, additional education for professional
engineering practice and international competitiveness. The NSPE
House of Delegates “tabled” a proposed NSPE Professional
Policy on dual level accreditation by the Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET).
During
the Installation Luncheon, HSPE's Clyde Nagata was installed as
Director, Interest Group.
The
NSPE House of Delegates approved a resolution from the Western and
Pacific Region to create a “State Affiliate” category for
those individuals not eligible for NSPE membership.
The
NSPE House of Delegates voted to change the NSPE Code of Ethics to
encourage engineers to participate in civic affairs; career guidance
for youths, work for the advancement of the safety, health, and
well-being of their community, extend public knowledge and
appreciation of engineering and its achievements and adhere to the
principles of sustainable development in order to protect the
environment for future generations.
NSPE
Executive Director Larry Jacobson provided a report on efforts to
enlist corporate support and to attract international members to
NSPE. He also provided an update on the NSPE association management
software and the NSPE website update.
Manuel Lanuevo, P.E.
HSPE State Delegate 2006-2007