NSPE Update April 2021
Society Backs House Bills on Engineering Education and 529 Savings Plans
NSPE supports the WORKER Act (H.R. 594), which establishes a $20 million grant program to make specialized engineering programs available in K–12 schools. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) to improve worker training, retention, and advancement.
The grants will assist with teaching students the overall analytical and experimental approaches used in engineering and engineering technology; and increase participation of under-represented student groups in the engineering and engineering technology pipeline.
NSPE continues to advocate for passage of the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2171). This legislation was successfully reintroduced by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) with support from the Professional Certification Coalition. The bill allows the beneficiaries of tax-advantaged 529 education savings plans to pay the costs associated with obtaining or maintaining postsecondary credentials—including professional licensing and private certification—with funds from their plan. As introduced, the legislation supports both new and existing PE licenses and NICET certifications. A companion bill, S. 905, was introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
NSPE will work with the Professional Certification Coalition leadership to help move these bills through the legislative process.
Members can view and participate in advocacy campaigns at the NSPE Advocacy Center.
Scammers Target Licensed Professionals
Scammers typically pose as someone from your bank, the IRS, or tech-support services to steal sensitive information and money, but these bad actors have added a twist to their schemes. Now, authorities are warning professional licensees that they are becoming prime targets for fraud.
In March, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge issued a fraud alert to licensees and state licensing boards. Scammers are calling license holders with claims that their licenses are under investigation and at risk of being suspended if they don’t make an immediate payment. The license holder’s caller ID may even display the legitimate licensing office’s phone number that has been spoofed by the scam callers.
These latest scams have increased for nurses and other licensed medical professionals, but they aren’t limited to a particular state, region, or profession. In February, the Maryland Department of Labor issued an alert about phishing emails targeting licensees. The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs warned licensees in July 2020 about individuals posing as state officials or law enforcement agents to intimidate potential victims into divulging personal information. And as early as 2019, the California Department of Consumer Affairs issued a fraud scheme alert to licensees of the agency’s boards and bureaus, including the board that licenses design professionals.
Houston Future City Team Takes the Grand Prize
Students representing the Al-Hadi School of Accelerative Learning in Houston, Texas, recently won the 2021 Future City Competition grand prize for their SIDRA-XIV lunar city design and presentation.
Team members Mansha Ali, Mariyam Fatima, Hani Mirza, Dayyem Raza, Fatima Razzak, Mahdi Rizvi, Mohammad Ali Rizvi, Zainab Rizvi and Sukaina Salim were assisted by educator Syeda Batool and volunteer mentor Syed Rizvi. The students earned a trip to the US Space Camp and the school will receive $7,500 for its STEM program, provided by the finals competition sponsor Bentley Systems, Inc.
Since last fall, middle school students across the US as well as teams from China, Canada, and Nigeria have designed cities for DiscoverE’s 2020-2021 Future City program. This year’s theme, Living on the Moon, challenged students to design life on the moon at least one hundred years from now, when lunar habitats have already progressed through multiple levels of development. NSPE president Tricia Hatley, NSPE vice president Britt Smith, and NSPE executive director Monika Schulz served as competition judges.
The Warwick Middle School team from Lititz, Pennsylvania, took second place in the competition for its A1-Choros city. Claire Diffenbach, Linnea Miller, Jacob Soslow and Austen Van Grouw teamed with educator Michael Smith and volunteer mentor Christian Kegel. The school’s STEM program will receive a $5,000 scholarship, provided by NSPE.
The St. Clair Junior High School team in St. Clair, Missouri, came in third place with the Altera Domi city. The school will receive a $2,000 scholarship (sponsored by Shell).
Honorable mentions went to the St. John Lutheran School team in Rochester, Michigan, for the Getaway Station Armstrong city and to the Richard H. O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills, New York, for the Spartemis city. Each school will receive a $750 scholarship (sponsored by NCEES).
For more information about Future City and volunteer opportunities, visit www.futurecity.org.
In Memoriam: Bernard Berson
During his nearly 50 years as a practicing professional engineer, Bernie Berson, P.E., F.NSPE, L.S., built a civil engineering and surveying business, provided forensic engineering expertise in legal proceedings, and spent innumerable hours as a self-described “perpetual volunteer” for the profession. Berson, whose path led to the NSPE presidency in 2007–08, died on March 17 at the age of 86.
Born and raised in Meriden, Connecticut, Berson earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1957, his first PE license in 1963, and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Newark College of Engineering in 1966.
During his career, Berson worked for the City of Los Angeles Storm Drain Division; served four years as a commissioned officer in the US Coast & Geodetic Survey; spent nearly 30 years as the founder, owner, and operator of Berson, Ackermann & Associates Inc., a New Jersey civil engineering and land surveying firm; and provided forensic engineering and surveying consulting services.
Berson joined NSPE and the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers in 1967. But his uninterrupted service to the Society as the perpetual volunteer began in July 1987, he said, when he became secretary of the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers.
Berson was particularly active in NSPE’s Professional Engineers in Private Practice, serving as PEPP chair in 2001–02. Among the recognitions he received for his volunteerism were the PEPP Award (1995), the NJSPE Distinguished Engineer award (1995), and NSPE’s Distinguished Service Award (1996). He also published Career Success in Engineering: A Guide for Students and New Professionals in 2007 with coauthor Doug Benner, P.E., F.NSPE.
As NSPE president, Berson wrote that his volunteerism in the profession was inspired by the words of President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
A Catalyst for Change
Engineering Change Lab-USA launched in 2017 as a “social change laboratory” where members of the engineering community can exchange ideas and develop innovative, ethical solutions to the profession’s biggest challenges.
Since its founding, ECL-USA has held 11 summits on topics ranging from ethics, climate change, diversity and inclusion, the future of licensure, and public policy leadership. There are more upcoming opportunities to learn about the organization and get involved with this collaborative of forward-thinking engineers.
Virtual Open House
ECL-USA will host a free virtual open house on May 4 (3:30 p.m. CST).
Engineering Challenges of the 21st Century: A Discussion with Leaders of Engineering Change Lab – USA
On June 2 (2 p.m. EST), this NSPE webinar will provide an overview of ECL-USA, its history, vision/mission, and key learnings about the future of engineering.
The Engineering Firm of the Future (2030)
On June 16, this virtual event will take deep dives on the topics of “Responding to Global Risks & Technology” and “Developing and Sustaining Talent Cohorts.”
The Engineering Ideas Institute II
The second edition of The Engineering Ideas Institute well be held at the Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder on October 11-13.
Learn more about Engineering Change Lab-USA and register for upcoming summits.
Take Advantage of NSPE’s Spring Webinars
Throughout April and May, NSPE will host a webinar every Wednesday starting at 2 p.m. EST. The webinars are available to members for $99 ($129 for nonmembers) and will include an online discussion and a 10-question quiz for the sessions to qualify for continuing education credit.
April 21: Mitigating Disease Transmission with Germicidal UV-C
April 28: Turn Your Ideas Into Gold – A Guide to Intellectual Property
May 5: Engineering Ethics: Canon IV – Fidelity to Employers/Clients
May 19: Energy Storage: The Other Half of Renewable Energies
May 26: Catapult Your Win Rate by 50%
Don’t Miss…
- Countdown to the Competition. The 2021 Raytheon Technologies MATHCOUNTS National Competition will take place virtually May 8-10. There will be opportunities for NSPE members around the country to tune into some exciting events, including the Countdown Round, Math Video Challenge Finals, and Closing Ceremonies. Learn more and register.
- 2021 Emerging Leaders Program. This intensive seven-month, professionally facilitated, virtual program is now accepting applications until May 31.
- Paycheck Protection Program Extended. The application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program has been extended until May 31. The program has been revamped to make access to the loans more equitable. The SBA has until the end of June to process applications.
- Find a New Job or Top Talent. NSPE’s Job Board is the place for job seekers and employers to connect.