Draft Version # 27

The Culture of the Engineering Profession  

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In the following document, each article will be a separate topic within the various “Information Categories”.  Methods of organization vary from document to document. In the United States Constitution, the Articles are divided into Sections. The Charter of the United Nations tends to be organized around the Chapters. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights tends to be organized around the Articles. In this document, the “Information Categories” will be divided into a variety of “Articles”. This is just one possibility, and you are welcome to contribute your suggestions and input.

 

You are also welcome to call Kenneth Freelain, P.E. at (301) 891 – 0496 if you care to discuss this document over the telephone.

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Table of contents of “The Culture of the Engineering Profession”

Section 1 – General overview and background information

Item 1.1; An explanation of the numbering system which is used for the “Information Categories” and “Information Category numbers”

Item 1.2; A definite sign of evolution

Item 1.3; The functions of, and the reasons for the existence of, “The Culture of the Engineering Profession”

Item 1.4; The distinction between a “professional culture” and an “ethnic culture”

Item 1.5; Comparing the engineering profession to the legal, medical, and dental professions

Article 1.5.1; Education

Article 1.5.2; Licensure

Article 1.5.3; Ambiguity in the name of the engineering profession

Item 1.6; An alphabetical listing of some of the “Adverse Experiences of the Engineering Profession”

Article 1.6.1; Aerospace Engineering (aeronautical engineering)

Article 1.6.2; Aerospace Engineering (astronautical engineering)

Article 1.6.3; Chemical Engineering

Article 1.6.4; Civil Engineering

Article 1.6.5; Electrical Engineering

Article 1.6.6; Marine Engineering

Article 1.6.7; Mechanical Engineering

Article 1.6.8; Mining Engineering

Article 1.6.9; Nuclear Engineering

Article 1.6.10; Petroleum Engineering

Article 1.6.11; Politics and the “Infrastructure Report Card” of the American Society of Civil Engineers

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Section 2 – Descriptions of some specific disciplines and technical specialties

Item 2.1; Aerospace Engineering (including both Aeronautical Engineering and Astronautical Engineering)                  

Item 2.2; Chemical Engineering
Item 2,3; BioMedical Engineering

Item 2.4; Civil Engineering

Item 2.5; Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Item 2.6; Mechanical Engineering

Item 2.7; Nuclear Engineering

Item 2.8; Other engineering disciplines which do not appear in this document                                                            

  

Section 3 – Utilities, public works, and the infrastructure

Item 3.1; Public safety in engineering and in utilities     

Item 3.2; Reliability of the services of utilities 

Item 3.3; The United States Army Corps of Engineers

Item 3.4; Public works

Section 4 – An Alphabetical Listing of Some of the Major Engineering Societies and Professional Organizations   

Item 4.1; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Item 4.2; American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Item 4.3; American Nuclear Society

Item 4.4; American Society of Civil Engineers

Item 4.5; American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Item 4.6; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Item 4.7; National Society of Professional Engineers

Item 4.8; Other professional societies which do not appear in this document 

     

Section 5 – Engineering employment

Item 5.1; Career One Stop, sponsored by the United States Department of Labor

Item 5-2; Web sites which pertain to engineering employment

Section 6- Engineering Magazines and Technical Publications

6.1; Overview

6.2; An alphabetical listing of some of the major engineering magazines and technical publications

6.2.1; Aerospace America magazine

6.2.2; C.E.P. (or Chemical Engineering Progress) magazine

6.2.3; Civil Engineering magazine

6.2.4; Mechanical Engineering magazine

6.2.5; P.E. (or Professional Engineer) magazine

6.2.6; The Reporter magazine

6.2.7; Spectrum magazine

The “Table of Contents” ends here, at the following horizontal line.

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Section 1 - General overview and background information

Item 1.1; An explanation of the numbering system which is used for the “Information Categories” and for the “Information Category numbers”

The numbering system which is used for the “Information Categories” is divided into three separate parts, and each part is separated from the adjacent part by a “period” (also known as a “decimal point”). An “Information Category number” is a number for either a section, an item, or an article. The following format is used for each “Information Category number”.

[Section number].[Item number].[Article number]

So, for example, the information category which had the number 1.6.5 would be found in Section number 1 (General overview and background information), under Item number 6 (A listing of some of the adverse experiences of the engineering profession), Article number 5 (Mining Engineering).

If an Information Category number consists of only a section number and an item number (such as 1.1), then that “item” has not been subdivided into “articles”. This means that “article numbers” are not used subdivide the information within that particular “item”.

All of the “sections” have been sub-divided into “items”, whereas only a few (but not all) of the “items” have been sub-divided into “articles”.

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Item 1.2; A definite sign of evolution

Years ago, Pi Tau Sigma was established as a national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity. At that time, the overwhelming majority of engineers (and engineering students) were men. Of course, the members of fraternities are exclusively males.

A recent visit to the University of Maryland’s branch of Pi Tau Sigma, on the College Park campus, revealed the fact that Pi Tau Sigma is no longer a fraternity. Instead, it has become an engineering society, and it is now gender-neutral. The faculty adviser of Pi Tau Sigma was a lady. Approximately 1/3 of all engineering students are now females.

This was certainly a definite sign of evolution.

Item 1.3; The functions of, and the reasons for the existence of, “The Culture of the Engineering Profession”

The document which is entitled “The Culture of the Engineering Profession” serves the following purposes, and performs the following functions, among others.

Function # 1 – To discourage any repetition of the worst mistakes which have confronted the engineering profession---To see some examples, please refer to the following “Listing of Adverse Experiences”

Function # 2 – To encourage repetition of the best, and the major, successes of the engineering profession. There are many success stories in the international history of the engineering profession

Function # 3 - To serve as a center of career information about the engineering profession. Some of this material has been provided by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

Function # 4 - To provide general information about the engineering profession for people who are interested in doing relevant research

Function # 5 –To contribute to the level of camaraderie which exists within the engineering profession

Function # 6 – To improve the quality the esprit de corps which exists within the engineering profession. In this context, the term “esprit de corps” can be defined as “/ɛˈspri də ˈkɔr/ a sense of unity and of common interests and responsibilities, as developed among a group of persons closely associated in a task, cause, enterprise, etc.” 

This definition was found on the web site which uses the following URL. www.dictionary.com

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Item 1.4; The distinction between a “professional culture” and an “ethnic culture”__

If a profession has a “professional culture“, then that culture should be readily available to, and accessible to, each person who practices that particular profession.

On the other hand, an “ethnic culture” tends to be primarily of interest to those people who belong to a certain ethnic group.

So, for example, French people are expected to be more interested in the Eiffel Tower than anyone else. The Eiffel Tower is part of the “ethnic culture” of France.

People from China are expected to be more interested in the Great Wall of China than anyone else. The Great Wall of China is part of the “ethnic culture” of China.

On the other hand, in the United States, all of the professional engineers should have an equal opportunity to interact with the professional “Culture of the Engineering Profession”, regardless of whether they are French-American (or Franco-American), or Chinese American, or of any other ancestry. A professional culture should be readily accessible to each and every member of a given profession, regardless of their ethnic background. The culture of any given profession belongs to everyone who practices that particular profession, in much the same way that a “public park”, “public street”, or “public sector infrastructure facility” belongs to everyone. We may regard a “professional culture” as being in the “public domain”, very much like a document which is published by the government.

The following ten (10) components of a “non-professional” culture provide examples which are quite different from what one should expect to find within a “professional culture”. The typical culture, or standard culture, is a “non-professional culture” or a “popular culture”.

 

Ten (10) Examples of Some of the Components  of  a Typical (or Standard)

“Non-Professional Culture”, or “Popular Culture”

The following ten (10) examples represent some of the components of a typical (or standard) “non-professional culture”, or “popular culture.” These examples are quite different from what a person should expect to find in a “professional culture”.

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1] Clothing styles for men - (One example might include a “fez”.)  The fez, as well as its equivalent, the tarboosh, is a felt hat of two types. It may take the shape of a truncated cone made of red felt. It can also be a short cylinder made of kilim fabric, both usually with a tassel attached to the top. The tarboosh is of ancient Greek origin and the modern fez, which is similar, owes much of its development and popularity to the Ottoman era.

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2] Clothing fashions for women - (One example might include a sari or saree.) A sari (or saree) is an Indian female garment that varies from “two to nine yards” in length and “two to four feet” in breadth/width/height. The word "sari" or "saree" may be used to refer to the fabric (a cotton sari), a draping style (a Gujrati sari), or a weaving technique (an Ikat sari). 

While the sari is typical to Indian traditional wear, it can also be worn by women in South-East Asian countries like Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore where a long rectangular piece of cloth is draped around the body. However, these varieties are different from the sari as they are wrapped around the lower-half of body as a skirt, worn with a shirt/blouse, resembling a sarong, as seen in the Burmese, Longyi, Phillipino, Tapis, etc. Saris are usually worn with one end of the cloth wrapped around the waist, and the other end draped over the shoulder. The sari, or types of sari-draping, can be seen in the traditional wear of many South Asian countries.
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3] Culinary

Gastronomy is the study of food and culture
with a particular focus on gourmet cuisine.
 One example might be escargot, which is a

dish of cooked land snails, usually served as an

appetizer in France and in French restaurants.

 

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4] Weddings – The manner in which couples are

 joined in marriage varies from society to society,

and from culture to culture. The marriage procession

 above comes from the island of Sicily.

 

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5] Funerals – The burial services for people
 who have died vary from culture to culture,
and from society to society.

( A HUGE FUNERAL PROCESSION ABOVE  

IN TUNISIA FOR A MARTYRED PROTESTER )

 

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6] Dancing – Some dances are performed by professionals, for audiences, such as the ballet. Other dances, such as the “Twist”, may be performed by amateurs who have no professional training whatsoever. The “Twist” was a dance inspired by rock and roll music. It became the first worldwide popular dance of the early 1960s, enjoying immense popularity among young people and drawing fire from critics who felt it was too provocative. It also inspired other popular dances, as well.

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7] Music – Music may be “classical music”, such as the music of Beethoven (German), Handel (Handel was born in Germany, trained in Italy, and settled in Britain as a naturalized British subject.), Bach (German), Tchaikovsky (Russian), and/or Brahms (Born in Germany, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Austria.), etc. Most of the “classical music” usually tends to be instrumental. However, sometimes classical music can also include human voices.

 

( George Fredric Handel pictured above )

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On the other hand, music may be “popular music”, such as the music of Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and other international stars that created a major impact upon the world of music. Some of these musical leaders have also become movie stars.

 

( Michael Jackson above) 

 

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8] Sports – Spectator sports include immensely popular sports such as baseball and football. In addition, some other sports, such as golf, swimming, track, soccer, etc., have also produced many stars and heroes.

     American football is known as “football” in the U.S.A. and ”gridiron”

     in some other countries.

“Association football”, commonly known as “football or soccer” in many other countries outside of the U.S.A., is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries, making it the world's most popular sport.

Sometimes the similarity of names
 can cause a certain amount of confusion
regarding the two different types of “football”.

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9] Performing Arts – This broad category includes opera, the theater, and the sort of performances which are featured in Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Usually, most dance performances tend to be accompanied by music.

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9] Opera -

This section about opera was contributed by Mr. Donato Soranno, an

 instructor of music at Montgomery College in Montgomery County, Maryland.

 Mr. Soranno is also a professional musician, professional opera singer,

 a TV producer of musical programs, and a recording artist.

The preceding section on opera was contributed 

through the courtesy of Mr. Donato Soranno.
 

 

Opera originated over 400 years ago in Florence, Italy by the Florentine Camerata, a group of humanists, musicians, poets and intellectuals. The group's earliest meeting was in 1573 and the apex of influence for the Florentine Camerata group was between 1577 and 1582. Unifying the Camerata members was the belief that the art of music could be improved and that society could be improved as well. The Camerata stressed the importance of music exploring the feelings and emotions inherent in the words of the text. They believed that their new music should be a combination of music and words in which each served the other. The group's work resulted in the creation of a new art form, opera.
 

( Picture of Jacopo Peri below )

The first opera, DAFNE, was written in 1597 by Jacopo Peri. Throughout the various periods of Western classical music to the present time 2,556 operas were written by 775 composers. Opera incorporates all varieties of other art forms including music, costumes, sets, make-up, dance and visual arts. Opera, or "opera in music", is an art form in which singers and instrumentalists perform a dramatic work through music. The music is the main component of an opera and the opera tells the story through music. 

 

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10] Fine Arts – These “visual arts” usually include paintings, sculpture, and “national landmarks” such as the “Taj Mahal” in India, the “Great Wall of China” in China, and the “Eiffel Tower” in France. One of the largest art museums in Washington, D.C. is called the National Gallery of Art, and it also features films and musical performances.

 

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11] The typical (or standard) “popular culture” may also be called a “non-professional culture”. The term “non-professional cultural” does not imply any type of a stigma.

A “non-professional culture” is quite different from a “professional culture”, because a “professional culture” is dedicated to a certain specific profession, and so it will tend to be of interest to mainly a relatively limited number of people. Unlike a “non-professional culture”, the “professional culture” will usually not attract as much participation and/or interest from the general public.



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Item 1.5; Comparing the engineering profession to the legal, medical, and dental professions

Some of the major professions will be compared on the basis of education, licensing requirements, and ambiguity of the name for that profession.

 

Article 1.5.1; Education – Law schools, medical schools, and dental schools usually tend to require a bachelor’s degree in order to gain admission to the first year, at the entry level, in those schools. On the other hand, most engineering schools admit high school graduates into their undergraduate programs. The engineer who graduates from an engineering school with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering can be regarded as eligible for membership in the engineering profession.

Article 1.5.2; Licensure – Most states require doctors, lawyers, and dentists to be licensed. On the other hand, most engineers do not possess the license of the Professional Engineer, also known as the P.E. license.

Article 1.5.3; Ambiguity of the name of the engineering profession – It is an established fact that many of the people who are called “engineers” do not actually practice engineering at a professional level. Some of the people who are called “engineers” are skilled craftsmen who do not possess professional credentials. This confusion exists because the word “engineer” has not been carefully defined, but there is no such confusion over ambiguous definitions of the words “doctor”, “lawyer”, and/or “dentist”.

The word “engineer” has two (2) different meanings, or definitions.

Definition # 1 – “Engineer” is the word for someone who practices a trade in which the members are skilled craftsmen who perform technical duties.

Definition # 2 – “Engineer” is also the word for someone who practices a profession in which the members apply science, technology, and mathematics in order to solve a wide range of technical problems in various branches of science and technology.

Item 1.6; An alphabetical listing of some of the “Adverse Experiences of the Engineering Profession”

The engineering profession has overcome a large number of adverse experiences, and some of those experiences have been listed below, in this section. These experiences have been listed in alphabetical order, based upon the name of the discipline to which that particular experience was most closely related.

Article 1.6.1; Aerospace engineering (Aeronautical engineering, to analyze the performance of an aircraft which operated within the Earth’s atmosphere)

The Hindenburg disaster took place on Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, which is located adjacent to the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey. Of the 97 people on board ^{[N 1]} (36 passengers and 61 crewmen), there were 35 fatalities. There was also one death of a ground crewman.

The disaster was the subject of spectacular newsreel coverage, photographs, and Herbert Morrison's recorded radio eyewitness report from the landing field, which was broadcast the next day. A variety of hypotheses have been put forward for both the cause of ignition and the initial fuel for the ensuing fire. The incident shattered public confidence in the giant, passenger-carrying rigid airship and marked the end of the airship era.^[1]

At 8:45p.m. local time, the Hindenburg caught fire and quickly became engulfed in flames.^[3] Where the fire started is unknown; several witnesses on the port side saw yellow-red flames first jump forward of the top fin.

^[3] Other witnesses on the port side noted the fire actually began just ahead of the horizontal port fin, only then followed by flames in front of the upper fin. One, with views of the starboard side, saw flames beginning lower and farther aft, near cell 1. No. 2 Helmsman Helmut Lau also testified seeing the flames spreading from cell 4 into starboard. Although there were five newsreel cameramen and at least one spectator known to be filming the landing, no camera was rolling when the fire started.

Wherever it started, the flames quickly spread forward. Instantly, a water tank and a fuel tank burst out of the hull due to the shock of the blast. This shock also caused a crack behind the passenger decks, and the rear of the structure imploded. Buoyancy was lost on the stern of the ship, and the bow lurched upwards while the ship's back broke; the falling stern stayed in trim.

A fire-damaged 9" duralumin cross brace from the frame of the Hindenburg salvaged in May 1937 from the crash site at NAS Lakehurst, NJ.

As the tail of the Hindenburg crashed into the ground, a burst of flame came out of the nose, killing nine of the 12 crew members in the bow. There was still gas in the bow section of the ship, so it continued to point upward as the stern collapsed down. The crack behind the passenger decks collapsed inward, causing the gas cell to explode. The scarlet lettering "Hindenburg" was erased by flames while the airship's bow descended. The airship's gondola wheel touched the ground, causing the bow to bounce up slightly as one final gas cell burned away. At this point, most of the fabric on the hull had also burned away and the bow finally crashed to the ground. Although the hydrogen had finished burning, the Hindenburg's diesel fuel burned for several more hours.

The time that it took for the airship to be destroyed has been disputed. Some observers believed that it took 34 seconds, others said that it took 32 or 37 seconds. Since none of the newsreel cameras were filming the airship when the fire started, the time of the start can only be estimated from various eyewitness accounts. One careful analysis of the flame spread by Addison Bain of NASA gives the flame front spread rate across the fabric skin as about 49 ft/s (15 m/s), which would have resulted in a total destruction time of about 16 seconds (245m / 15 m/s=16.3 s). Some of the duralumin framework of the airship was salvaged and shipped back to Germany, where it was recycled and used in the construction of military aircraft for the Luftwaffe. So were the frames of the LZ 

127 Graf Zeppelin and LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II when both were scrapped in 1940.^[5]

The disaster is well recorded due to the significant extent of newsreel coverage and photographs, as well as Herbert Morrison's eyewitness radio report for station WLS in Chicago, which was broadcast the next day. Heavy publicity about the first transatlantic passenger flight of the year by Zeppelin to the U.S.A. attracted a large number of journalists to the landing. (The airship had already made one round trip from Germany to Brazil that year.)

Morrison's broadcast remains one of the most famous in history. Parts of it were later dubbed onto the newsreel footage, giving the impression that the words and film were recorded together. His plaintive "Oh, the humanity!" has been widely used in popular culture. Part of the poignancy of his commentary is due to its being recorded at a slightly slower speed, so that when it is played back at normal speed, it seems to have a faster delivery and higher pitch. When corrected, his account is less frantic sounding, though still impassioned.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

Article 1.6.2; Aerospace engineering (Astronautical engineering, to analyze the performance of a spacecraft which operated outside of the Earth’s atmosphere)

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana as it reentered Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members.

During launch, a piece of foam insulation broke off from the Space Shuttle external tank and struck the left wing. When the Shuttle reentered the atmosphere, the damage allowed hot gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure, which rapidly caused the spacecraft to break up.^[1]

Most previous shuttle launches had seen similar, if more minor, damage from foam shedding, but the risks were deemed acceptable.^[2] After the launch, some engineers suspected the damage, but NASA managers limited the investigation, under the rationale that the Columbia crew could not have fixed the problem.^[3]

Mission STS-107 was the 113th Space Shuttle launch. The mission was delayed 18 times^[4] over the two years from the planned launch date of January 11, 2001, to the actual launch date of January 16, 2003. (It was preceded by STS-113.) The Columbia Accident Investigation Board determined that this delay had nothing to do with the catastrophic failure six months later.^[4]

The Columbia Accident Investigation Board's recommendations addressed both technical and organizational issues. Space Shuttle flight operations were delayed for over two years, similar to the delay following the Challenger accident. Construction of the International Space Station was put on hold, and for 29 months the station relied entirely on the Russian Federal Space Agency for resupply until Shuttle flights resumed with STS-114 and 41 months for crew rotation until STS-121. Major changes to shuttle operations, after missions resumed, included a thorough on-orbit inspection to determine how well the shuttle's thermal protection system had endured the ascent, and keeping a designated rescue mission at the ready in case irreparable damage was found. Missions were also restricted to flights to the ISS (so that the crew could use it as a "safe haven" if need be), except for one final mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

Article 1.6.3; Chemical Engineering

The Bhopal disaster, also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a gas leak incident in India, considered the world's worst industrial disaster.^[1] It occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals. The toxic substance made its way in and around the shanty towns located near the plant.^[2] Estimates vary on the death toll. The official immediate death toll was 2,259. The government of Madhya Pradesh confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release.^[3] Others estimate 8,000 died within two weeks and another 8,000 or more have since died from gas-related diseases.^[4][5] A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 injuries including 38,478 temporary partial injuries and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries.^[6]

UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), with Indian Government controlled banks and the Indian public holding a 49.1 percent stake. In 1994, the Supreme Court of India allowed UCC to sell its 50.9 percent interest in UCIL to Eveready Industries India Limited (EIIL), which subsequently merged with McLeod Russel (India) Ltd. Eveready Industries India, Limited, ended clean-up on the site in 1998, when it terminated its 99-year lease and turned over control of the site to the state government of Madhya Pradesh. Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001, seventeen years after the disaster.

Civil and criminal cases are pending in the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster.^[7][8] In June 2010, seven ex-employees, including the former UCIL chairman, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each, the maximum punishment allowed by Indian law. An eighth former employee was also convicted, but died before the judgment was passed.^[1]

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

 

Article 1.6.4; Civil Engineering
 

The I–35W Mississippi River Bridge (officially known simply as Bridge 9340) was an eight-lane steel truss arch bridge which carried Interstate-35W across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bridge failed catastrophically during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, collapsing into the river below. Thirteen (13) people were killed and 145 people were injured.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

 

1.6.5; Electrical Engineering 

The initial concept for this document originated within the field of electrical engineering. On August 30, 2010, the Maryland Public Service Commission held a Pepco Reliability Hearing. Pepco is the shortened name for the Potomac Electric Power Company, and many customers and elected officials complained about the reliability of the electric power service which they were receiving from Pepco. Pepco’s service area is in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

One of the people who testified was named Stanley Klein, and during this hearing, Stanley Klein shared the following observation when he said, “The electric power industry once had a culture in which reliability was its over-riding goal………….We must do everything possible to restore the reliability-focused culture that was once the hallmark of Pepco and the entire electric power industry.”

Stanley Klein was active with the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, and there is a huge demand for a culture of reliability in the electric power industry.  People who would like some additional information about this panel may visit the web site by using the following URL.

http://sgip.org/

Reliability is extremely important, and valuable, in the electric power industry. Of course, electrical engineering is the dominant profession within the electric power industry. However, it should definitely be clear that other branches of engineering are also important to the electric power industry. There can be no doubt about this fact!

In other words, the “Culture of the Engineering Profession” is very closely related to the culture which Stanley Klein was talking about!       

However, the need for this type of culture extends far beyond the service area of the Potomac Electric Power Company. It also extends far beyond the field which we refer to as electrical engineering.

On July 11, 2011, the Washington Post published an article which used the following heading, or title.

Pepco ranks as ‘most hated’ company in nation

You may find this article by using the following URL.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/pepco-ranks-as-most-hated-company-in-nation/2011/07/11/gIQAwhdr8H_blog.html

Regardless of whether a person loves or hates any particular corporation, emotions such as “love” and/or “hate” do not fall within the realm of “engineering”, or the “scope of the engineering profession”. Engineering does not encompass emotions.

 

( Photo of the Costa Concordia disaster above )

Article 1.6.6; Marine Engineering

The Costa Concordia disaster

Captain         Francesco Schettino

Operator      Costa Cruises

On board     4,252[1]

Passengers: 3,206[2]

Crew and personnel: 1,023[2]

Losses           32 dead, 64 injured

Salvage         Fuel and oil extraction: March 2012

Righting: September 2013

The Costa Concordia (Call sign: IBHD, IMO number: 9320544, MMSI number: 247158500) is an Italian cruise ship[p 1] which partially sank when it ran aground at Isola del Giglio,[p 2] Tuscany, on 13 January 2012, with the loss of 32 lives.

The ship, carrying 4,252 people from all over the world, was on the first leg of a cruise around the Mediterranean Sea, starting from Civitavecchia in Lazio, when she hit a reef during an unofficial near-shore salute to the local islanders.

To perform this maneuver, Captain Francesco Schettino[p 3] deviated from the ship's computer-programmed route, claiming that he was familiar with the local seabed.

The collision with the reef could be heard onboard and caused a temporary power blackout when water flooded the engine room. The captain, having lost control of the ship, did nothing to contact the nearby harbour for help but tried to resume the original course it was on prior to the U-turn back to Giglio. In the end, he had to order evacuation when the ship grounded after an hour of listing and drifting. Meanwhile, the harbour authorities were alerted by worried passengers, and vessels were sent to the rescue. During a six-hour evacuation, most passengers were brought ashore. The search for missing people continued for several months, with all but two being accounted for. On 26 September 2013, one week after the ship was uprighted, human remains were found on deck 4, which could be the last two missing passengers not accounted for. The remains will be subjected to DNA testing to determine their identity.[3][4][5]

Costa Concordia, operated by Costa Cruises, is one of the largest ships ever to be abandoned and she dominated international media in the days after the disaster. Schettino was arrested on preliminary charges of manslaughter in connection with causing a shipwreck, failing to assist 300 passengers, and failing to be the last to leave the wreck.[6] He was later charged with failing to describe to maritime authorities the scope of the disaster[7][8] and with abandoning incapacitated passengers.[9] Costa Cruises offered compensation to passengers (to a limit of €11,000 a person) to pay for all damages including the value of the cruise. One-third of the passengers took this offer. The company also at first offered to pay Captain Schettino's legal costs but later declined.

There were immediate fears of an ecological disaster, as the partially submerged wreck was in danger of slipping into much deeper water, with a risk of oil pollution that would have devastated the popular tourist zone. This event was averted, with all the fuel and oil being extracted safely by 24 March 2012. Costa Concordia has been officially declared a "constructive total loss" by the insurance company, with her salvage expected to be the biggest operation of its kind (the ship's displacement is 50,000 tons).[10][11] On 16 September 2013, the parbuckle salvage of the ship began.[12] The operation started late due to bad weather,[13] and the wreck was set upright in the early hours of 17 September.[14] The ship is due to be refloated and towed away to be cut up for scrap.[15]

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

 

(Another photo of the shipwrecked

 Costa Concordia above. )

Article 1.6.7; Mechanical Engineering

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger (mission STS-51-L) broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 EST (16:38 UTC). Disintegration of the entire vehicle began after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster (SRB) failed at liftoff. The O-ring failure caused a breach in the SRB joint it sealed, allowing pressurized hot gas from within the solid rocket motor to reach the outside and impinge upon the adjacent SRB attachment hardware and external fuel tank. This led to the separation of the right-hand SRBs aft attachment and the structural failure of the external tank. Aerodynamic forces promptly broke up the orbiter.

The crew compartment and many other vehicle fragments were eventually recovered from the ocean floor after a lengthy search and recovery operation. Although the exact timing of the death of the crew is unknown, several crew members are known to have survived the initial breakup of the spacecraft. However, the shuttle had no escape system and the impact of the crew compartment with the ocean surface was too violent to be survivable.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

Article 1.6.8; Mining Engineering

The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred on April 5, 2010 roughly 1,000 feet (300 m) underground in Raleigh County, West Virginia at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine located in Montcoal. Twenty-nine out of thirty-one miners at the site were killed.^[1] The explosion occurred at 3:27 pm.^[2] The accident was the worst in the United States since 1970, when 38 miners were killed at Finley Coal Company's No. 15 and 16 mines in Hyden, Kentucky.^[3][4][5] A state funded independent investigation would later find Massey Energy and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) directly responsible for the blast.^[6]

The MSHA released its final report on December 6, 2011, concluding that flagrant safety violations contributed to a coal dust explosion. It issued 369 citations at that time, assessing $10.8 million in penalties.^[7] Alpha Natural Resources, which had bought Massey Energy in 2011, settled its corporate criminal liabilities with the U.S. Attorney for $209 million.^[8] Investigation of possible personal criminal liability continues,^[8] with one former superintendent, Gary May, pleading guilty in March 2012, and "confess[ing] to conspiring to 'impede the [MSHA]'s enforcement efforts'".

In April 2012, Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (ANR) (the then current owner) said it will permanently close its Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia.^[9]

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

Article 1.6.9;   Nuclear Engineering  

The Chernobyl disaster (Ukrainian: Чорнобильська катастрофа, Chornobylska Katastrofa – Chornobyl Catastrophe) was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then officially the Ukrainian SSR), which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities of the Soviet Union. An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe.

The Chernobyl disaster is widely considered to have been the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, and is one of only two classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale (the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011).

The battle to contain the contamination and avert a greater catastrophe ultimately involved over 500,000 workers and cost an estimated 18 billion rubles. The official Soviet casualty count of 31 deaths has been disputed, and long-term effects such as cancers and deformities are still being accounted for.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

 Article 1.6.10;   Petroleum Engineering   

The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion refers to the April 20, 2010 explosion and subsequent fire on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), which was owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about 40 miles (60 km) southeast of the Louisiana coast. The explosion killed 11 workers and injured 16 others. The explosion caused the Deepwater Horizon to burn and sink, resulting in a massive offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the world, and the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.^[2][3][4]

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

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Article 1.6.11; Politics and the “Infrastructure Report Card” of the American Society of Civil Engineers

During the 2009 “National Engineers Week”, a representative of the International Definition television program interviewed an elected official in Annapolis, Maryland, in Maryland’s capitol building complex. At the state level in Maryland, the elected officials who serve in the Maryland House of Delegates are called “delegates”. One delegate (who will not be named in this document) was being interviewed on camera, for television. However, the delegate (from Prince George’s County) failed to analyze even one single issue which would be of interest to the engineering profession. This type of an omission could only occur in an environment in which (at least some of) the politicians fail to comprehend the role of the engineering profession in the public sector. An improvement in this state of affairs could become conceivable if (at least some of) the leading politicians became better educated about engineering as a profession, about the infrastructure, and about the “Infrastructure Report Card” of the American Society of Civil Engineers. More valuable and relevant information may obtained by going to the following web site.

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

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Section 2 – Descriptions of some specific disciplines and technical specialties
 

Item 2.1; Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the research, design, development, construction, testing, science and technology of aircraft and spacecraft.^[1] It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. The former deals with aircraft that operate in Earth's atmosphere, and the latter with spacecraft that operate outside it.

Aerospace engineering deals with the design, construction, and study of the science behind the forces and physical properties of aircraft, rockets, flying craft, and spacecraft. The field also covers their aerodynamic characteristics and behaviors, airfoil, control surfaces, lift, drag, and other properties.

Aeronautical engineering was the original term for the field. As flight technology advanced to include craft operating in outer space, the broader term "aerospace engineering" has largely replaced it in common usage.^[2] Aerospace engineering, particularly the astronautics branch, is often referred to colloquially as "rocket science",^[3] although this is a popular misnomer.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

To see some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/aerospace-engineers.htm

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Item 2.2; Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that applies the physical sciences (e.g., chemistry and physics) and/or life sciences (e.g. biology, microbiology and biochemistry) together with mathematics and economics to processes that convert raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms. In addition, modern chemical engineers are also concerned with pioneering valuable materials and related techniques – which are often essential to related fields such as nanotechnology, fuel cells and biomedical engineering.^[1] Within chemical engineering, two broad subgroups include 1) design, manufacture, and operation of plants and machinery in industrial chemical and related processes ("chemical process engineers"); and 2) development of new or adapted substances for products ranging from foods and beverages to cosmetics to cleaners to pharmaceutical ingredients, among many other products ("chemical product engineers").

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

To see some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm

______________________________________________________________

Item 2.3; Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings. Civil engineering is the oldest engineering discipline after military engineering, and it was defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering. It is traditionally broken into several sub-disciplines including environmental  engineering, geotechnical engineering, geophysics, geodesy, control engineering, structural engineering, biomechanics, nanotechnology, transportation engineering, earth science, atmospheric sciences, forensic engineering, municipal or urban engineering, water resources engineering, materials engineering, coastal engineering, surveying, and construction engineering. Civil engineering takes place on all levels: in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

To see some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm

Item 2.4; Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. This field first became an identifiable occupation in the latter half of the 19th century after commercialization of the electric telegraph, the telephone, and electric power distribution and use. It now covers a wide range of subfields including electronics, digital computers, power engineering, telecommunications, control systems, RF engineering, and signal processing.

Electrical engineering may include electronic engineering. Where a distinction is made, usually outside of the United States, electrical engineering is considered to deal with the problems associated with systems such as electric power transmission and electrical machines, whereas electronic engineering deals with the study of electronic systems including computers, communication systems, integrated circuits, and radar.^[1]

From a different point-of-view, electrical engineers are usually concerned with using electricity to transmit electric power, while electronic engineers are concerned with using electricity to process information. The subdisciplines can overlap, for example, in the growth of power electronics, and the study of behavior of large electrical grids under the control of digital computers and electronics.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia.

To see some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm

Item 2.5;  Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the design, production, and operation of machines and tools. It is one of the oldest and broadest engineering disciplines.

The engineering field requires an understanding of core concepts including mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, materials science, structural analysis, and electricity. Mechanical engineers use these core principles along with tools like computer-aided engineering and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, transport systems, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, weapons, medical devices, and others.

Mechanical engineering emerged as a field during the industrial revolution in Europe in the 18th century. However, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world. Mechanical engineering science emerged in the 19th century as a result of developments in the field of physics. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements in technology, and mechanical engineers today are pursuing developments in such fields as composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology. Mechanical engineering overlaps with aerospace engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, petroleum engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, and other engineering disciplines to varying amounts. Mechanical engineers also work in the field of Biomedical engineering, specifically with biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology and modeling of biological systems, like soft tissue mechanics.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line dictionary.

To see some information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm

Item 2.6;  Nuclear engineering

What Nuclear Engineers Do

Nuclear engineers research and develop the processes, instruments, and systems used to get benefits from nuclear energy and radiation. Many of these engineers find industrial and medical uses for radioactive materials—for example, in equipment used in medical diagnosis and treatment.

Work Environment

Nuclear engineers typically work in offices; however, their work setting varies with the industry in which they are employed. For example, those employed by power generation and supply companies work in power plants.

The source of the preceding article was the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site, and in order to refer to some additional relevant information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, readers should follow the link which appears below.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/nuclear-engineers.htm

Readers may use the following link to find a Wikipedia article on this topic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_engineering

Item 2.7; Other engineering disciplines which do not appear in this document     
 

There are many different engineering specialties, and they are all important. They do not all appear here in this document because this is an early version of this draft. Over a period of time, as more and more engineers and other writers contribute their input, all disciplines can become included.

 

Section 3 – Utilities, public works, and the infrastructure

Item 3.1; Public safety in engineering and in utilities

Organizations such as the federal Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety interact with Public Service Commissions and other regulatory bodies. The regulation of utilities, protection of the public safety, and other non-profit concerns tend to fall within the jurisdiction of engineers in the public sector.

Item 3.2; Reliability of the services of utilities

Some utilities are publicly owned and operated, while others are privately owned and operated. Regardless of the ownership, the customers expect (and deserve) to receive electric power, natural gas, telephone service, and water and sewer service on a reliable basis, and at a reasonable cost. Many of these concerns are addressed by members of the engineering profession, so engineers should try very hard to maximize the reliability of the services of all utilities.

Item 3.3; The United States Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approximately 37,000 dedicated civilians and soldiers delivering engineering services to customers in more than 130 countries worldwide.

With environmental sustainability as a guiding principle, this disciplined team is working diligently to strengthen national security by building and maintaining America’s infrastructure and providing military facilities where American service members train, work and live. The Corps is involved with both civilian and military engineering projects. While the Corps is researching and developing technology for military conflicts, the Corps is also involved with peaceful domestic projects involving navigable streams and rivers in the domestic United States. The Corps energizes the economy by dredging America’s waterways to support the movement of critical commodities and providing recreation opportunities at campgrounds, lakes and marinas.

By devising hurricane and storm damage reduction infrastructure, the Corps reduces risks from disasters.

The men and women of the United States Army Corps of Engineers play a very special and unique role in the American engineering profession. They are protecting and restoring the national environment, and their projects include critical efforts in the Everglades, the Louisiana coast, and along many of our nation’s major waterways.  The Corps is also cleaning sites contaminated with hazardous, toxic, or radioactive wastes, and other material in an effort to protect the environment.

One of the web sites which features information about the United States Army Corps of Engineers uses the following URL.

http://www.usace.army.mil/

Item 3.4;  Public works

Public works (or internal improvements historically in the United States) are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings (municipal buildings, schools, hospitals), transport infrastructure (roads, railroads, bridges, pipelines, canals, ports, airports), public spaces (public squares, parks, beaches), public services (water supply, sewage, electrical grid, dams), and other, usually long-term, physical assets and facilities. Though often interchangeable with public infrastructure and public capital, public works does not necessarily carry an economic component, thereby being a broader term.

The source of this article was the Wikipedia on-line dictionary.

Section 4 – An Alphabetical Listing of Some of the Major Engineering Societies and Professional Organizations   

Item 4.1; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (also called the AIAA)

AIAA in Brief

One Remarkable Fact Says It All: Since 1963, members from a single professional society have achieved virtually every milestone in modern American flight. That society is the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. With more than 35,000 individual members and 90 corporate members, AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. Created in 1963 by the merger of the two great aerospace societies of the day, the American Rocket Society (founded in 1930 as the American Interplanetary Society), and the Institute of the Aerospace Sciences (established in 1933 as the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences), AIAA carries forth a proud tradition of more than 75 years of aerospace leadership.

This is the place for everything, from exploring our history and purpose … to catching up on the latest news … Make sure you check out our prestigious Honors. Recognizing excellence is one the most important contributions we make. Welcome to the heart of aerospace. With 35,000 members, AIAA is the world’s largest professional society devoted to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Serving this elite audience and its historic mission is our commitment and our privilege. Now we invite you to learn more about AIAA – and share in the vision and excitement of this inspiring industry.

AIAA’s Mission

AIAA’s mission is to address the professional needs and interests of the past, current, and future aerospace workforce and to advance the state of aerospace science, engineering, technology, operations, and policy to benefit our global society.

You may learn more about the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, or the AIAA, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.aiaa.org

Item 4.2; The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or the AIChe

The AIChE is the world's leading organization for chemical engineering professionals, with over 45,000 members from over 90 countries. AIChE has the breadth of resources and expertise you need whether you are in core process industries or emerging areas, such as nanobiotechnology.

As a member, you can access information on recognized and promising chemical engineering processes and methods. Connect with a global network of intelligent, resourceful colleagues and their shared wisdom. Find learning opportunities from recognized authorities. Move forward professionally with AIChE and enrich the world we live in.

You may learn more about the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or the AIChE, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.aiche.org

 Item 4.3; American Nuclear Society

The American Nuclear Society is a not-for-profit, international, scientific and educational organization.  It was established by a group of individuals who recognized the need to unify the professional activities within the diverse fields of nuclear science and technology.   December 11, 1954, marks the Society's historic beginning at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.  ANS has since developed a multifarious membership composed of approximately 11,000 engineers, scientists, administrators, and educators representing 1,600 plus corporations, educational institutions, and government agencies.   It is governed by four officers and a board of directors elected by the membership.

Purpose: The core purpose of ANS is to promote the awareness and understanding of the application of nuclear science and technology.

Vision: ANS will be the recognized credible advocate for advancing and promoting nuclear science and technology.

You may learn more about the American Nuclear Society, or the ANS, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.ans.org

 

Item 4.4; The American Society of Civil Engineers

When the twelve Founders gathered at the Croton Aqueduct on November 5, 1852, and agreed to incorporate the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects, one can only wonder if they dreamed the profound significance and long-lasting impact ASCE would have on the overall development of society. They laid a foundation for what proves to be one of the most prominent engineering societies in the world.

With projects such as the Croton Aqueduct in New York State, civil engineers work to improve the lives of everyone.
 

Simply stated, civil engineers are creative, people-serving and problem-solving leaders who make our lives easier to live from one day to the next.

On June 16, 1981, the ASCE Metropolitan Section unveiled a plaque on the site of ASCE's founding near the southwest corner of Chambers and Centre Streets in City Hall Park. This plaque commemorates 1852 the meeting of this small group of civil engineers that took place in the office of Alfred W. Craven, then the eminent Chief Engineer of the Croton Aqueduct for the City of New York. The Croton Aqueduct Department was located in the Rotunda Building, which no longer exists.

As civil engineering begins a new millennium, the American Society of Civil Engineers not only reflects on the profession's rich heritage, but equipped with this knowledge, ASCE continues to develop flexible, forward-thinking plans for the future of the society and the civil engineering profession.

Today ASCE is a worldwide leader for excellence in civil engineering. With a mission to advance professional knowledge and improve the practice of civil engineering, ASCE is a focal point for the development and transfer of research results, and technical policy and managerial information. Through strategic emphasis in key areas, including infrastructure renewal and development, policy leadership and professional development, ASCE delivers the highest quality publications, programs and services to its worldwide membership, demonstrating a daily commitment to sustaining the profession.

You may learn more about the American Society of Civil Engineers, or the ASCE,  by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.asce.org

Item 4.5; The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
 

The ASME is a not-for-profit membership organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing, career enrichment, and skills development across all engineering disciplines, toward a goal of helping the global engineering community develop solutions to benefit lives and livelihoods. Founded in 1880 by a small group of leading industrialists, ASME has grown through the decades to include more than 130,000 members in 158 countries. Thirty-thousand of these members are students.

From college students and early-career engineers to project managers, corporate executives, researchers and academic leaders, ASME's members are as diverse as the engineering community itself. ASME serves this wide-ranging technical community through quality programs in continuing education, training and professional development, codes and standards, research, conferences and publications, government relations and other forms of outreach.

You may learn more about the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or the ASME, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.asme.org

Item 4.6; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or the IEEE

 

The IEEE is an association dedicated to advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity. The IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional society. It is designed to serve professionals involved in all aspects of the electrical, electronic and computing fields and related areas of science and technology that underlie modern civilization.

IEEE’s roots, however, go back to 1884 when electricity was just beginning to become a major force in society. There was one major established electrical industry, the telegraph, which—beginning in the 1840s—had come to connect the world with a communications system faster than the speed of transportation. A second major area had only barely gotten underway—electric power and light, originating in Thomas Edison’s inventions and his pioneering Pearl Street Station in New York.

Meaning of "I-E-E-E"

IEEE, pronounced "Eye-triple-E", stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The association is chartered under this name and it is the full legal name. 

However, as the world's largest technical professional association, IEEE's membership has long been composed of engineers, scientists, and allied professionals. These include computer scientists, software developers, information technology professionals, physicists, medical doctors, and many others in addition to our electrical and electronics engineering core. For this reason the organization no longer goes by the full name, except on legal business documents, and is referred to simply as IEEE.

Foundation of the AIEE

In the spring of 1884, a small group of individuals in the electrical professions met in New York. They formed a new organization to support professionals in their nascent field and to aid them in their efforts to apply innovation for the betterment of humanity—the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, or AIEE for short. That October the AIEE held its first technical meeting in Philadelphia, Pa. Many early leaders, such as founding President Norvin Green of Western Union, came from telegraphy.

Others, such as Thomas Edison, came from power, while Alexander Graham Bell represented the newer telephone industry. As electric power spread rapidly across the land—enhanced by innovations such as Nikola Tesla’s AC Induction Motor, long distance AC transmission and large-scale power plants, and commercialized by industries such as Westinghouse and General Electric—the AIEE became increasingly focused on electrical power and its ability to change people’s lives through the unprecedented products and services it could deliver. There was a secondary focus on wired communication, both the telegraph and the telephone. Through technical meetings, publications, and promotion of standards, the AIEE led the growth of the electrical engineering profession, while through local sections and student branches, it brought its benefits to engineers in widespread places. 

  

Foundation of the IRE

A new industry arose beginning with Guglielmo Marconi’s wireless telegraphy experiments at the turn of the century. What was originally called “wireless” became radio with the electrical amplification possibilities inherent in the vacuum tubes which evolved from John Fleming’s diode and Lee de Forest’s triode. With the new industry came a new society in 1912, the Institute of Radio Engineers.

The IRE was modeled on the AIEE, but was devoted to radio, and then increasingly to electronics. It, too, furthered its profession by linking its members through publications, standards and conferences, and encouraging them to advance their industries by promoting innovation and excellence in the emerging new products and services.

The Societies converge and merge

Through the help of leadership from the two societies, and with the applications of its members’ innovations to industry and electricity wove its way—decade by decade—more deeply into every corner of life—television, radar, transistors, computers. Increasingly, the interests of the societies overlapped.

Membership in both societies grew, but beginning in the 1940s, the IRE grew faster and in 1957 became the larger group. On 1 January 1963, The AIEE and the IRE merged to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE. At its formation, the IEEE had 150,000 members, 140,000 of whom were in the United States. 

Growth and globalization

Over the decades that followed, with IEEE’s continued leadership, the societal roles of the technologies under its aegis continued to spread across the world, and reach into more and more areas of people’s lives. The professional groups and technical boards of the predecessor institutions evolved into IEEE Societies. By the early 21st Century, IEEE served its members and their interests with 38 societies; 130 journals, transactions and magazines; more 300 conferences annually; and 900 active standards.

Since that time, computers evolved from massive mainframes to desktop appliances to portable devices, all part of a global network connected by satellites and then by fiber optics. IEEE’s fields of interest expanded well beyond electrical/electronic engineering and computing into areas such as micro- and nanotechnology, ultrasonics, bioengineering, robotics, electronic materials, and many others. Electronics became ubiquitous—from jet cockpits to industrial robots to medical imaging.

As technologies and the industries that developed them increasingly transcended national boundaries, IEEE kept pace, becoming a truly global institution which used the innovations of the practitioners it represented in order to enhance its own excellence in delivering products and services to members, industries, and the public at large. Publications and educational programs were delivered online, as were member services such as renewal and elections. By 2010, IEEE had over 395,000 members in 160 countries. Through its worldwide network of geographical units, publications, web services, and conferences, IEEE remains the world's largest technical professional association.

You may learn more about the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or the IEEE, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.ieee.org

Item 4.7; The National Society of Professional Engineers

In 1934, a group of professional engineers met in New York City to establish an organization dedicated to the non-technical concerns of licensed professional engineers. The National Society of Professional Engineers stands today as the only national organization committed to addressing the professional concerns of licensed PEs across all disciplines.

You may learn more about the National Society of Professional Engineers, or the NSPE, by visiting the web site which uses the following URL.

www.nspe.org

Item 4.8; Other professional societies which do not appear in this document

There are many other professional engineering societies, and they have not all been included in this early version of this document. As time goes on, and as this document evolves, it will become more complete. Eventually, this document will include all of the professional engineering societies, but at the present time, it does not.
 

Section 5 – Engineering employment

Item 5-1; Career One Stop, sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor

The following link will take you to a good web site for information about various professions and careers.

http://www.careerinfonet.org/Occupations/select_occupation.aspx?next=occ_rep&level=&optstatus=111111111&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=&stfips=&jobfam=

Once you follow this link, you may click “Architecture and Engineering” at the top of the list, and you will find a wealth of information about careers in engineering.

Item 5-2; Web sites which pertain to engineering employment

There are many web sites which pertain to engineering employment. The following list itemizes ten (10) of them, but many, many more can be found on the internet.

http://www.engineerjobs.com/

http://www.clearancejobs.com/?action=quick_register&ref=sem&gclid=CKW72tb637kCFU6Y4AodA1YAWQ

http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-mechanical+engineer?gclid=cjmoqif737kcfywf4aodszwaza

http://www.indeed.com/q-Electrical-Engineer-l-Rockville,-MD-jobs.html

http://www.engineeringjobs.net/

http://www.careerbuilder.com/Jobs/Category/Engineering/

http://www.thinkenergygroup.com/think.nsf/mainhomepower?openform&count=24

http://engcen.com/

http://www.thinkjobs.com/think.nsf/MainHome?Openform&count=25

http://engineering.thingamajob.com/Browse-Jobs/

Section 6- Engineering magazines and other technical publications

6.1; Overview
This listing should not be regarded as complete. In its present form, in evolutionary terms, it is simply an early version of an alphabetical listing of some of the magazines which are presently published by some of the major engineering societies and technical organizations. Over a period of time, this list should grow. There are many good and reputable technical publications which are not published by any engineering societies at all.
6.2; An alphabetical listing of some of the major engineering magazines and technical publications
6.2.1; Aerospace America magazine – published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
6.2.2; C.E.P. (or Chemical Engineering Progress) magazine – published by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
6.2.3; Civil Engineering magazine – published by the American Society of Civil Engineers
6.2.4; Mechanical Engineering magazine – published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
6.2.5; P.E. (or Professional Engineer) magazine – published by the National Society of Professional Engineers
6.2.6; The Reporter – published by the American Public Works Association
6.2.7; Spectrum magazine – published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

 

The Contemporary Culture of the Engineering Profession

 

is in accordance with
 ~ Engineering Tribute To
The Presidential Inauguration ~ 
which is shown and presented under the

name of "International Definition".
www.internationaldefinition.blogspot.com



The e-mail address for the site is
internationaldefinition@yahoo.com 

 Also here is his
 " Engineering Tribute to the
Presidential Inauguration " site.
www.engineeringtribute.blogspot.com

 

The e-mail address for the site is
engineeringtribute1@gmail.com


Here are the station schedules and viewing
 times for the shows described above in the
~ Engineering Tribute To The Presidential Inauguration ~

Viewed in Fairfax County, Virginia on

 Fairfax Public Access
 2929 Eskridge Road
Suite S
 Fairfax, VA 22031

http://www.fcac.org/

( Channel 30 )
Tuesday 7:00 A.M.
Saturday 4:00 P.M.

 Also viewed in Montgomery County, Maryland on

Montgomery Public Access
 (MY MC MEDIA)
http://www.mymcmedia.org/access-19/

  Montgomery Community Television, Inc.
 7548 Standish Place
 Rockville, MD 20855
 (301) 424-1730 phone
 (301) 294-7476 fax

( Channel 19 )
Monday 10:00 A.M.
Thursday 8:30 P.M.

They will all be viewed under the 13 week
submission in which the station has for shows,
starting the week of September 22, 2014 until
December 22, 2014. Each of these programs will
 be repeated for the coming scheduling period
 between December 22, 2014 unto March 22, 2015.

Enjoy watching these shows on
~ Engineering Tribute To The Presidential Inauguration ~
under the show title of " International Definition ".


( IN HONOR & TRIBUTE TO PACHELBEL'S VERY WELL

ENGINEERED & ORCHESTRATED CANON in D , & AS

YOU SEE, FEEL & HEAR EACH & EVERYTHING WITHIN 

THIS WONDROUS FANTASTIC UNIVERSE OF OURS . )

AND THUS YOU CAN NOT BUT HELP IN SEEING HOW 
 IN EVERYTHING, EVEN IN THOSE ENDEAVORS WE 
HUMAN BEINGS CHOOSE AND CONTINUE TO DO, EVEN IN
 OTHER FIELDS OF STUDY THAT THUS DO & ALWAYS HAVE 
INTER-PLAYED WITH THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION.
FOR EVERYTHING IN LIFE MUST BE WELL " ENGINEERED" !

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMING FUTURE IS
 NEEDED  EVEN MORE SO IN THESE PRESENT TECHNICAL
 TIMES. AND THUS IT IS STILL TO BE SEEN IF
 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE
 WILL BE ( UNLIKE OUR PRESENT TIME ) DEVELOPED TO
 BE BETTER ENGINEERED AND BETTER MAINTAINED IN
 THE UPCOMING UNCERTAIN DISTANT FUTURE THAT
STILL REMAINS AND AWAITS US ALL ?  ! )

AN EPILOGUE TRIBUTE TO KENNETH W. FREELAIN

 ( Written & given forth in thanks & gratitude by Filippo Biondo )

( Picture above taken by Filippo Biondo of

Mr. Kenneth W. Freelain P.E. after helping him in a filming

of one of his weekly television shows at Catholic University )

Thus it's strangely curious, fascinatingly wondrous along
with philosophically adventure-filled how certain destined
meetings have a way of perhaps having & sharing the divine
knowledge and divine spirit to lift us up to new greater heights
of enlightenment much further beyond ourselves, be it by some
unknown but still secretly understood modus operandi which has it's
own certain way that distinguishes the distinct distance & calls out
to go but further beyond ourselves & our limited knowledge and to
achieve but an even greater form of excellence and new founded
definition of understanding, reason, enlightenment and moral conviction. 

 

Thus to approach this excellent wondrous work of

 Mr. Ken Freelain P.E., M.ASCE

from not only a historical & scientific point of view but from a
deep introspective philosophical point of view is thus to look
within & understand further the laws, statements & principals
that he has brought forth & expounded upon within his new
founded academic disciplines. So thus it has been a keenly
enlightening &  a divinely awakening experience of mind & being.

Thus Mr. Kenneth W. Freelain P.E.  along with his factual, 

fantastic, interesting " Culture of the Engineering Profession "
brings a new and innovative reasoning "to believe in excellence"
& an open invitation to join us in exploring new, innovative,
enhanced ways of thinking, defining, behaving and reasoning.
Thus we strive to excel, to achieve and to solemnly believe in...

(ONCE AGAIN IN CLOSING, THIS EPILOGUE WAS WRITTEN
BY FILIPPO BIONDO IN APPRECIATION AND IN TRIBUTE
TO HIS OUTSTANDING WORK & INNOVATIVE KNOWLEDGE.

( " THIS EPILOGUE ALSO WAS READ & GIVEN APPROVAL
 BY KENNETH W. FREELAIN P.E., M. ASCE HIMSELF. " )
& THUS HIS WORK WILL CONTINUE ON INTO THE... 
 COMING FUTURE DISTANCE & BEYOND !  & INTO AREAS
& UNDERSTANDINGS BEYOND WHAT WE KNOW TODAY )

 

Thus Enter Into...

http://www.internationaldefinition.blogspot.com/

INTERNATIONAL DEFINITION

The Cultural Enrichment Committees in accordance with "International Definition" is a non-profit organization representing an advancement in scientific evolutionary definitions & new innovative terminologies. And thus through this newly founded academic discipline bring forth a series of thought provoking questions that need to be reasoned out and scientifically answered, for the enhancement & enrichment of all earth's diverse human beings.

 

Also Enter Into Kenneth W. Freelain P.E., M.ASCE

" Engineering Tribute To The Presidential Inauguration "

http://www.engineeringtribute.blogspot.com/

 

 

Info On "The Engineering Tribute"

 

The "Engineering Tribute to the Presidential Inauguration"
is the name of a ceremony which takes place in conjunction with the
inauguration of each President of the USA.

Because the "Engineering Tribute to the Presidential Inauguration"
takes place in conjunction with the inauguration of each American president, it occurs once every four (4) years, during those years  which follow the year of the Presidential Election.

Sometimes it lasts for more than one day, in order to allow
all of the speakers to be videotaped for television.
When such extensions of time are required, they are usually
necessary in order to provide flexibility in the schedules
of both the speakers and the television crews.

In its shortened form, the "Engineering Tribute to the Presidential Inauguration"  is simply called the "Engineering Tribute".

In closing, International Definition hopes that all enjoy each of Kenneth W. Freelain P.E., M.ASCE BlogSpot sites and his video-taped television shows also.