December 2013

NSPE TODAY
EWeek Foundation Earns Diversity Award

For its efforts to change the pale, male, and gray image of the engineering profession, the National Engineers Week Foundation has won ABET’s 2013 Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity.

ABET, which accredits college engineering programs, chose to recognize the foundation—now known as DiscoverE—for its creation, implementation, and growth of annual programs that encourage underrepresented populations to get involved with engineering. Examples of these efforts include Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day; the Global Marathon For, By, and About Women in Engineering and Technology; and the Future City competition, in which nearly half of all participants are girls.

ABET presents the award annually to recognize U.S. educational associations and individuals for success in achieving inclusiveness or facilitating diversity in technical disciplines. First awarded in 2005, it was given Claire Felbinger’s name after her death in 2008 to recognize her efforts in stimulating diversity and helping to institute the award. She served on the ABET board of directors from 1998–2004.

For more information, visit www.abet.org.