Summer 2023
NSPE Now: Outlook
Looking Toward a Promising Future
By Bill Atkinson, P.E., F.NSPE, President 2023-24
Licensure and Emerging Technologies
Protection of the public health, safety, and welfare is at our core as professional engineers. Licensure is key to ensuring consistent standards of practice and professional competencies. We must make sure that these standards and competencies remain relevant to how we do things today, while looking toward the future.
We must continually question ourselves and the regulations that are in place. Are state licensing laws adequately regulating the profession of engineering without precluding otherwise qualified individuals from practicing? Is our current licensure model adequately serving its purpose? Are engineering licensure exemptions creating gaps where the public could be harmed? The answers to these questions can help drive us to better ways of safeguarding the public.
I believe that most individuals that become engineers do so because they are good at making things better. They are not tied to the world they are in today and are always pursuing excellence and improvement. I believe that by pooling our experiences as engineers, we can bring the best and brightest together to tackle any challenge that we may face as we seek to evolve. This evolution will involve the development and use of emerging technologies to spur innovative solutions. NSPE is supporting members by providing professional development that showcases the use of these technologies in a manner that is ethical and will benefit the public.
Empowering a New Generation
To continue growing as a profession, we have to engage and educate the next generation on the power of engineering to transform and better our world. NSPE has founded and supported many successful programs to inspire youth to develop a love of STEM and pursue engineering careers.
NSPE created the Engineers Week Foundation in 1951, which has become what we now know as DiscoverE. DiscoverE makes its impact all year round, but the best of what the organization offers takes place during Engineers Week in February.
NSPE cofounded MATHCOUNTS in 1983. Today, NSPE volunteers still form the backbone of support for math enrichment activities and competitions to engage over 32,000 middle school students throughout the nation. The NSPE Education Foundation provides scholarships to support the education of talented engineering students. And most recently, we established the NSPE Emerging Leaders Program to mentor new professionals who are primed to lead the way.
We have so many state societies, local chapters, and individual members who are doing amazing things for the profession and are committed to fostering new leaders and supporting our youth. They cannot be thanked enough. As with everything we do, together we are stronger.
I hope that something that NSPE is doing to protect licensure, embrace emerging technologies, and support a new generation of engineers will resonate with you. I hope that you’ll be compelled to join the momentum. There are many ways to get involved and amplify your voice.