Chapter 4

Engineering Societies

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Introduction
Main role of Societies
develop and distribute
technical and
professional
information
technical standards
research results.

Organize activities
such as design
competitions for
students.
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Society of Automotive Engineers

(SAE) organizes annual Formula
SAE race for students.

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Differences Between Societies

and Professional Associations
Society
Association
Membership is voluntary Need license to
practice
membership is
mandatory

Advocate on behalf of
members

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Must protect public,

conflict of interest to
advocate on behalf of
engineers

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Role of Engineering Societies

Focus on a discipline, industry or
specialization.
Main goals / activities are:

publishing technical information,

developing technical codes / standards,
encouraging engineering research,
organizing engineering meetings / conferences,
organizing student engineering design competitions,
organizing short courses on specialized topics,
advocating on behalf of their members.
(continued)

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Role of Engineering Societies

(continued)

Their activities have an impact on the

engineering profession.
Stimulate the creation of knowledge and
innovative new products,
Codes and standards assure safety and product
quality,
Meetings, conferences, short courses enable the
rapid dissemination of new ideas.

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education Canada

4-5

Role of Engineering Societies

in Other Countries
Licensing laws in other countries less
comprehensive than in Canada
Engineering societies play a role in
regulating the profession, such as
Assessing education and training programs
Evaluating the qualifications of individuals who
apply to be registered or chartered.

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education Canada

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History of Engineering Societies

Industrial revolution created need to
disseminate technical information.
In Britain the first engineering society was
established
the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1818,
followed by the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers in 1848.
many other societies were established soon
after.
(continued)
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History of Engineering
Societies (continued)
The American Society of Civil Engineers, founded
in 1852, was first Engineering Society in US.
Others were established later, such as
American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1880
American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers
in 1894.
American Institute of Electrical Engineers in 1884
Institute of Radio Engineers was formed in 1912.

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4-8

IEEE
In 1963 AIEE and IRE merged to create the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE),
the worlds largest engineering society, with
members all over world.
within IEEE are 40 specialty societies.
IEEE publishes over 130 periodical transactions,
journals, and magazines,
arranges or co-sponsors 450 technical
conferences annually.
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History of Engineering
Societies in Canada
Several engineering societies were formed in
Canada shortly after Confederation:
Canadian Institute of Surveying in 1882,
Engineering Institute of Canada in 1887,
Canadian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy in
1898.

Student societies also formed:

Engineering Society of the University of Toronto
(1885).
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Importance of Engineering
Societies
Participation in engineering societies and
their activities
Enriches the engineers technical ability,
Maintains the engineers competence.

Provincial Professional Engineering Acts

require engineers to maintain competence.
Continuing Professional Development
monitored by Associations in some
provinces.
(continued)

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Importance of Engineering
Societies (continued)
Societies hold vast storehouse of useful
knowledge.
They also stimulate / encourage research
into new areas.
Disseminate new information to engineers.

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Relationship between
Engineer and Laws, Organizations

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Engineering Institute of Canada

EIC is a federation of engineering member
societies that co-operate to advance their
common interests

Maintaining engineering competence,

Recognizing engineers by special awards,
Preserving Canadian engineering history,
Creating opportunities for Canadian engineers to
participate in disaster relief activities

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Major Canadian Engineering

Societies

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Major American and

International Societies

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Advocacy Societies
Canadian Federation of Engineering Students
(CFES), www.cfes.ca
Canadian Society of Professional Engineers
(CSPE), www.cspe.ca
Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
(OSPE), www.ospe.on.ca
Canadian Military Engineers Association
(CMEA), www.cmea-agmc.ca
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Advocacy Organizations for

Consulting Engineers
Voluntary advocacy organization devoted
to consulting engineers in most Canadian
provinces and territories
Umbrella Group: Association of
Consulting Engineers of Canada (ACEC),
www.acec.ca.

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Honourary and Charitable

Societies
Honourary Society
Canadian Academy of Engineering, www.acadeng-gen.ca.

Charitable Societies
Engineers Without Borders (EWB), www.ewbisf.org
Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief (RedR),
www.redr.ca

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Canadian Engineering
Memorial Foundation
Created in 1990 with help of Engineers
Canada,
Memorial for the 14 young women tragically
murdered at Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal.

It is funded entirely by donations.

Awards scholarships to outstanding female
engineering students.

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Conclusion
As a professional engineer in a changing
world, you have an obligation to maintain
your competence
Engineering societies are one of the best
sources of up-to-date technical information
Every professional engineer should be a
member of at least one engineering society
Society dues are tax deductible in Canada
Try student chapters first!
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