(PROPOSED) IEEE PRESIDENTIAL “COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGISTS’ AND ENGINEERS’ PROFESSIONALISM” (CTEP)
Proposed by:
Walter L. Elden, PE Ret,
IEEE SSIT,PAST EMCC/EC,IEHR EDITOR EMERITUS
w.elden@ieee.org
December 27, 2022
A. Purpose
As a result of the 2022 IEEE President, Ray Liu, announcing that IEEE now is emphasizing Technology over Engineering, the CTEP shall identify, organize and recommend a new permanent IEEE entity (i.e. Society, Group, Committee) which shall be established to investigate and formulate recommendations for the IEEE BOARD to consider implementing, which shall have as its priority “the assurance that this role change will continue to assure its practices fully protects the public interests as its primary responsibility”.
Since that announcement was made I checked with Corporate Membership and learned that President Liu's statement; "Technologists membership had increased over that of IEEE Engineers and changes are being made" was inaccurate. Membership has no records to make that conclusion. Both his Verbal and Written statements were then deleted from his announcement.
To facilitate that, the CTEP shall undertake to study, identify and advocate the full range of practice elements affecting IEEE Technologists and Engineers’ Members practices, as follows:
Focus on what’s needed to be implemented in these areas:
a. education, training, licensing, professional and technical qualifications,
b. ethical practices when developing hardware and software at the element, circuit, device, product and system engineering levels,
c. complying with applicable laws, standards, National and International practices, avoiding ethical conflicts,
d. providing ethical advice, support, and access to OMBUDSMAN, WHISTLEBLOWING remedies
e. performing one’s overseeing practice when serving in responsible charge,
f. applying applicable practices in system safety, product liability, and life cycle support,
g. conducting external National and International society liaison,
h. developing plans for the administration, funding, Scope of Work for a new CTEP Entity or create a Subcommittee of the Society on Social Implications of Technology, SSIT. further TBD elements,
i. lastly, in particular, review the current IEEE Membership qualification entrance requirements for all Grades of Membership. Specifically determine which technical specialty should require Licensing or Specialty Certification, in order to protect the public, and work with the NCEES to assure adequate levels of education, training and experience.
National and International Liaison Exchanges
The CTEP shall take into account IEEE’s full range of technical interests, practice societies and the National Societies such as ASME, ASCE, ASEE, ASChE, etc, and international counterparts. Developing Liaison cooperation shall be a Priority goal.
B. Recommended CTEP Member Candidates and Qualifications to Serve
It is recommended to consider for appointment to serve on the CTEP, the following example IEEE members (SELECTED serving appointees should have demonstrated Past IEEE experience, having participated and/or contributed to the fields of professionalism, licensing, and/or ethics (support and/or discipline) as applied in the engineering or technology fields of IEEE:
NOTE: None of these recommended candidates have been invited to be on the CTEP as yet. However, each are recommended for consideration.
1.Charles Turner, UK, Chair-Life Members Committee*
2.Ray Larsen, Past Ethics Committee
3.Martha Sloan, Past IEEE PRESIDENT and Past MCC Chair*
4.Norberto Lerendegui, Past EMCC Chair, Argentina*
5.Greg Adamson, Past EMCC, Australia*
6.Walter Elden, SSIT, Past MCC, IEHR Editor Emeritus, Volunteering as TECHNICAL ADVISOR to CTEP Chair,
7.Joe Herkert, SSIT, ASEE
8.TBD, Current EMCC Chair,
9.TBD, Current Chair of IEEE USA Licensing/Registration Committee(s),
10.TBD, Legal Staff
11.TBD, SSIT
12.Clive Woods, Past EMCC
13.Clinton Andrews, 2022 SSIT President*
14.Luis Kun, 2023 SSIT PRESIDENT
15.Robert Dent, Past SSIT PRESIDENT*
16.TBD, Proposed as CTEP CHAIR (Presidential Appointee)
CANDIDATES FOR CTEP Chair
C. Estimated CTEP Time Frame to Complete Tasks
The complex topics which must be investigated and organized, then written up for presentation for Presidential and Board consideration, the time frame looks to require 1-2 years to fully complete. Interim Reports and Recommendations for Board consideration shall be issued at appropriate intervals.
D. Tasks for the Committee on Technologists and Engineers Professionalism, CETP
3. Identify Education of Technologists and Engineers Required
4. Training in Specialty Area
5. What a PE is and does
6. Preparation for Practice License and/or certification
Task 2 - Define Licensing and Specialty Certification Requirements and Methods
1. Technologist and Engineer Disciplines
2. Liaison with NCEES, Internationals
Task 3 - Required Technology and Engineering Design/Test Qualifications
a. Element, g. Program,
b. Circuit, h. Product,
c. Chip, i. Subsystem,
d. Subroutine, j. System
e. Device, k. Enterprise
f. Module,
Task 4- Conduct an Overall Review of IEEE Member Entrance and Elevation Qualifications Required
1. Evaluate adequacies of Member entrance into IEEE’s position levels
2. Identify which of today’s technical employee positions to perform Technology and/ or Engineering work are not relevant any longer
3. Identify new areas of technical skills which should be added
4. Review and recommend where qualification requirements to admit lower grade members into higher level grades need tightening
5. Conduct a review of numbers of Members admitted into the Fellow grade as Academics versus Technologist or Engineer Non-Academic and make recommendations for increasing the number of non- Academics.
Task 5 - Identify and Define Applicable Engineering Laws in Effect and their Impact for Compatibility/Interoperability for:
a. Licensing of PEs
b. At-Will Employment
c. Employer/Employee Laws
d. Upholding in Responsible Charge as a PE
e. Avoiding Ethical and Intra-Corporate Conflicts
f. Clarify Why Upholding Responsible Charge of Design is #1 Responsibility of Employed Licensed PEs
g. Provide Ethical Advice, Ethical Support, Member Conduct Investigations, OMBUDSMANSHIP and WHISTLEBLOWING Services
Task 6 - Establish Ways and Means for Protecting the Public and/or End User
a. Performing in Responsible Charge
b. Reliability of Designs
c. System Safety
d. Product Liability Avoidance
e. Life Cycle Support
Task 7 - Conduct External Liaisons
Establish working Bi-Lateral exchanges with counterparts at State, National and International Levels a. Laws
b. Engineering Standards and Practices
c. Licensing and Certifications
d. Ethics
e. Education and Training
Task 8 - Become Integrated into the SSIT
1. The overall mission of the integrated CTEP shall be to liaise with each of IEEE’s Technical Societies/Groups, Standards Making Entities and relevant Committees, such as the Ethics and Member Conduct Committee, EMCC, it’s Member Complaint Review Subcommittee and it’s Ethics Point Member reporting entity, for the purpose of enhancing Technologist and Engineer member’s’ Professionalism and Ethical Support.
2. Develop a Proposal to the SSIT to become an independent on-going subsidiary:
