Timothy S. Ormiston, P.E.
PSPE President 2015-16
“Engineers Make a World of Difference” is the theme for National Engineers Week, February 21-27, 2016, sponsored by DiscoverE. We know that the world has become a global marketplace for goods and services. The same is true for the engineering profession; interaction between engineers and delivery of engineering services has gone global. In the last year I have interacted directly with supplier engineers in Germany and China. No doubt you have had direct interaction with or have been influenced by engineers from around the world. For the first time DiscoverE has selected February 24th as Global Day of the Engineer during National Engineers Week. Visit www.discovere.org/global-day to find more details.
DiscoverE is promoting many other programs for Engineers Week including: Future City Competition National Finals (Feb. 15th), Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Feb. 25th), Family Day in Washington, DC (Feb. 27th) and Global Marathon (Mar. 8-10).
Traditionally National Engineers Week is celebrated in the week containing the birthday of President George Washington (February 22nd), considered be the nation’s first engineer. Although President Washington had no formal education, his accomplishments in surveying are well noted, in addition to his interest and actions to promote engineering in 18th Century America[1]. NSPE started National Engineers Week in 1951 to call attention to the contributions engineers make to society.
In Pennsylvania there are several PSPE chapters and other organizations that will conduct Engineers Week activities. In eastern Pennsylvania the Philadelphia Chapter PSPE (Feb. 27th) and Delaware Chapter PSPE (Feb. 17th) PSPE, and the Delaware Valley Engineers Week Committee (Feb. 19th, 23rd, 25th) will hold celebration events. The Central Pennsylvania Engineers Week Council sponsors an awards banquet on February 24th in the Harrisburg area. In western Pennsylvania the Pittsburgh Chapter PSPE (Feb. 27th) and Beaver County Chapter PSPE (Feb. 26th) PSPE and Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania (Feb. 18th) will hold awards dinners.
February is also the month for one of the most successful NSPE/PSPE programs: MATHCOUNTS. Many of the 22 regional competitions are complete as I write this. The state MATHCOUNTS competition will be held in Harrisburg on March 18-19, 2016. The Pennsylvania team will move on to the National competition in Washington, DC on May 7-10.
February into March is the special time to promote engineering to the public through regional, state, national and worldwide events. Get out and participate with your colleagues, friends and family in these and other events. Through your personal actions, non-engineers will know that “Engineers Make a World of Difference”
[1]”Washington – Engineer and Engineer Advocate,” Fort Leonard Wood Web Page, http://www.wood.army.mil/engrmag/JanMar2003a.htm
