E. Terence Foster, Ph.D., P.E., F.NSPE, of Omaha, Neb., was recently awarded the 2014 Professional Engineers in Higher Education Engineering Education Excellence Award by PEHE and the National Society of Professional Engineers at the annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

The House of Delegates of the National Society of Professional Engineers recently approved a new strategic plan for the organization during its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The plan seeks to refocus the organization while remaining committed to the values set 80 years ago by Society Founder David Steinman, P.E.

The National Society of Professional Engineers urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider NSPE’s recently approved Position Statement 1771: FEMA Levee Certification. Specifically, NSPE respectfully requests that FEMA revise its levee certification program requirement to shift the responsibility and liability to the parties in the best position to assume that responsibility and liability – the levee boards, owners, and operators.

Leaders of America’s engineering, design, and construction industries— along with building owners and operators—for the first time have agreed to promote resilience in contemporary planning, engineering, building materials, design, construction, and operational techniques as the solution to making the nation’s aging infrastructure more safe and secure.

The National Society of Professional Engineers has named 22 professional engineers to its 2014 class of Fellow members. The Fellow membership grade honors those active NSPE members who have demonstrated exemplary and devoted service to their profession, the Society, and their community.

The National Society of Professional Engineers has urged Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) to reconsider his bill S. 496, the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act. The FUELS Act would substantially weaken the current EPA Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule, placing the public and the farmers it seeks to protect at increased risk of devastating oil spills.

Captain Timothy Callahan, P.E., an instructor and course director at the Air Force Institute of Technology's Civil Engineer School at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, has been named the National Society of Professional Engineers’ 2014 Federal Engineer of the Year. Callahan received the honor during the 35th Annual FEYA Banquet at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 2014.

The National Society of Professional Engineers recently played a lead role in drafting the 2014 National Engineers Week Resolution, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Daniel Lipinski (IL-3) on February 11. The bipartisan resolution, H. Res 483, supports the goals and ideals of Engineers Week, which is being celebrated February 16–22.

–The National Society of Professional Engineers has recently released the first edition of the Engineering Body of Knowledge (EBOK), a document aimed at defining the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the practice of engineering as a professional engineer. While other organizations have developed bodies of knowledge specific to their engineering disciplines, this is the first effort within the U.S. engineering profession that addresses those issues specifically related to professional engineers and is applicable to all disciplines.

The National Society of Professional Engineers, at the request of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has endorsed the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014. Introduced by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), this legislation (S.1982) addresses the needs of the veterans’ community and responds to issues raised by veterans and their organizations in numerous hearings and private meetings.