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The Philadelphia Engineer |
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October Meeting September Board Meeting The Board met on September 6th at the Pennoni offices. Due to traffic (some problem on the turnpike) and other issues, several Board members did not attend and we did not have a quorum. However, a budget for 2007/08 was discussed and provisionally passed and a program for the year was developed. (See next page for Budget.) Rising costs which caused overruns last year in MathCounts were discussed, and the need for additional fundraising or loss of amenities, such as T-shirts or individual trophies was noted. Also discussed was replacing the savings bond given our winners with an iPod or other “cool” award. All members are welcome at Chapter Board meetings. 2007-2008 Program October 4 - Bridges in Philadelphia - Dr Joseph P. Martin, P.E. |
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President’s Message I hope you had a great summer and that you have captured some clips of your memories in a flash. How fast time flies when you are having fun! For those of us in the academic world, a new school year has started and we get to see and meet many new students. There may be a few changes that come along with the new school year, however, the basic framework of the school/college system is still the same. Therefore, as the saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” The same thing could be said regarding our professional organization, PSPE. Each year, there are a few changes, including the change in leadership, but the basic organizational framework is maintained. This year, I have returned as the President of the Philadelphia Chapter, but now I am a little older and more humble. Yes, I am humbled by the significant contributions of engineers in all disciplines; by the achievements of my ex-students over the years; by the developments in the environment we now live in, etc., etc. Sometimes, I wonder how many of these high-end contributors and achievers are really contributing to the betterment of humankind and the society in general. Do they perform community service with the same passion and zeal as they do with their engineering jobs? How about promoting the profession in which they work in? I would love to get some answers to my questions, so please send me your views. As a member of PSPE in Pennsylvania, do you know that you are one of only about 14% of engineers who are members of PSPE? Since the answer here is yes, therefore, one can further ask “Does PSPE consist of a ‘selected’ few, highly passionate, motivated and community-conscious engineers?” I believe all members of PSPE/NSPE, by promoting the engineering profession, are in a way developing the community. They want to share the great profession they belong to and build a strong community for the future. I think engineers, who are not PSPE/NSPE members, are deceiving the society, especially those who are not licensed to practice. According to the Pennsylvania State Licensure Laws, individuals may not generally use the title “Engineer” unless he or she is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Pennsylvania. Do you know that only about 7% of degreed engineers in the state of Pennsylvania are licensed engineers? The fact that only about 7% of engineers residing in the State are registered professionals may be communicating a message that engineers are not generally aware of State Licensure Laws. This permits the question, “How are these requirements communicated to engineers in our community?” CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 |
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