David K. Williams, PE
PSPE (and NSPE) annually recognize performance and accomplishments of chapters, individuals, projects, and other professional organizations whose efforts have enhanced the integrity of our professional engineering society or the stature of our engineering profession. The various annual awards that are administered by your state and national society are:
PSPE Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of the Year Award
These official PSPE awards recognize exceptional engineers. These individuals, through their efforts, are the epitome of the Professional Engineer. The PSPE Engineer of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding, distinguished engineer not necessarily only for their work for, or in, PSPE, but for their overall activities and achievements. Occupational and professional achievements, civic, political, and engineering affairs, and education represent the primary selection criteria for the Engineer of the Year award.
The PSPE Young Engineer of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding engineer no older than 35 as of January 1 in the year of the nomination. The evaluation criteria include collegiate achievements, professional and technical society activities, engineering experience, publications/patents, major engineering project achievements, and additional activities, such as civic, fraternal, or humanitarian endeavors.
Winners at the state level may be nominated for the national NSPE Awards.
Chapter Membership Growth Award
The Chapter Membership Growth Award is presented to the Chapter having the largest percent increase in membership for a given year. The measure of growth will be based upon the percentage of increase in membership for the period of one year, from May 31 of the previous year to June 1 of the current year.
Chapter Outstanding Program Award
This Award is presented to the Chapter whose overall programs during the year judged to be the most informative and which achieve in content the professional and timely objectives of the Society. Attention is given to special programs which promote significant membership participation together with those programs which attain a high degree of publicity for the Society. By June 1 of the current year, a Chapter may forward to the PSPE Awards Chair a listing of programs presented during the current year.
Chapter Communications Award
This Chapter Award is presented to the Chapter whose communication with its membership improved significantly and attendance at Chapter functions increased measurably during the past year. Examples of improved communication may include such things as development of a Chapter newsletter (mailed or virtual) or a Chapter telephone committee that truly contacts each member with news, upcoming events, and promote Chapter activities. A Chapter should submit examples of improved communications by June 1 of the current year, along with documentation that the measures taken significantly increased awareness of programs, improved meeting attendance and enhanced Chapter communications.
Chapter Special Projects Award
The Chapter Special Projects Award is presented to the chapter which, on its own initiative, has given special attention to a specific project of accomplishment in the interest of promoting the engineering profession, for example: special forum on educating the public on pollution, special high level Engineers Week program, or special professional seminars or panel discussions. Any chapter can submit a resume of the special project undertaken to be considered for this award by June 1 of the current year.
PSPE Practice Division Awards
Construction Profession Development Award
Education Professional Development Award
Government Professional Development Award
Industry Professional Development Award
Private Practice Professional Development Award
These awards may be given by any of the Practice Divisions. A Practice Division wishing to give an award is responsible for administering the award, selecting the recipient and informing the Awards Chair no later than June 1 of the current year. Award criteria for each of the Practice Divisions are already established by the NSPE. Practice Divisions may use the respective nominating forms produced by the National Society each year.
All awards described above (except the Practice Division Awards) may be nominated through each PSPE chapter awards committee or President. Chapter awards nominations included in the State Awards Program Handbook available through PSPE, are due to the PSPE Awards Committee by June 1. Nominations should be submitted to PSPE Headquarters, 908 N. Second Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102, or can be submitted to the Awards Committee Chairman (see below).
Award recipients will be recognized at the PSPE State Engineers Conference (September 24-25, 2015, DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh-Cranberry.) I encourage all PSPE chapters to submit a nominee for each of the above awards. Any award questions can be directed to me, David K. Williams, P.E., PSPE Awards Committee Chair, at (412) 269-2087, cell phone (412) 855-4540, or via e-mail.