American Engineers' Council for Professional Development
Encyclopedia
The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development or simply the Engineers' Council for Professional Development (ECPD), established in June 1932, was an engineering
professional body
dedicated to the education, accreditation, regulation and professional development of the engineering professionals and students in the United States
. ECPD grew and has changed its name to ABET, Inc. and its focus solely to accreditation
.
Its purpose was to set standards and to publish the Codes of Ethics
and other material for engineers and engineering schools and organizations in the United States,
The seven engineering societies that established ECPD in 1932 were:
ECPD was originally founded to provide a "joint program for upbuilding engineering as a profession". However, it almost immediately began developing as an accreditation agency, evaluating its first engineering program in 1936 and its first engineering technology program in 1946.
ECPD changed its name to Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in 1980, and changed it again to ABET, Inc. in 2005.
ABET, Inc. is now an accreditation federation of 29 professional and technical societies (and one associate member society), representing the fields of applied science
, computing
, engineering
, and technology
.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
professional body
Professional body
A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...
dedicated to the education, accreditation, regulation and professional development of the engineering professionals and students in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. ECPD grew and has changed its name to ABET, Inc. and its focus solely to accreditation
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
.
Its purpose was to set standards and to publish the Codes of Ethics
Ethical code
An ethical code is adopted by an organization in an attempt to assist those in the organization called upon to make a decision understand the difference between 'right' and 'wrong' and to apply this understanding to their decision...
and other material for engineers and engineering schools and organizations in the United States,
The seven engineering societies that established ECPD in 1932 were:
- The American Society of Civil EngineersAmerican Society of Civil EngineersThe American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
(ASCE) - The American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, now the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum EngineersAmerican Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum EngineersThe American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers is a professional body for mining and metallurgy, with 90,000 members. It was founded in 1871 by 22 mining engineers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, being one of the first national engineering societies in the...
(AIME) - The American Society of Mechanical EngineersAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
(ASME) - The American Institute of Electrical EngineersAmerican Institute of Electrical EngineersThe American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
(AIEE), since 1963 merged into the Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersInstitute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersThe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
(IEEE) - The Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, now the American Society for Engineering EducationAmerican Society for Engineering EducationThe American Society for Engineering Education is a non-profit member association, founded in 1893, dedicated to promoting and improving engineering and engineering technology education....
(ASEE) - The American Institute of Chemical EngineersAmerican Institute of Chemical EngineersThe American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional organization for chemical engineers.AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical engineers.As of 2010, AIChE had over 40,000 members,...
(AIChE) - The National Council of State Boards of Engineering Examiners, now the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and SurveyingNational Council of Examiners for Engineering and SurveyingThe National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying is a national non-profit organization composed of engineering and land surveying licensing boards representing all U.S. states and territories...
(NCEES)
ECPD was originally founded to provide a "joint program for upbuilding engineering as a profession". However, it almost immediately began developing as an accreditation agency, evaluating its first engineering program in 1936 and its first engineering technology program in 1946.
ECPD changed its name to Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in 1980, and changed it again to ABET, Inc. in 2005.
ABET, Inc. is now an accreditation federation of 29 professional and technical societies (and one associate member society), representing the fields of applied science
Applied science
Applied science is the application of scientific knowledge transferred into a physical environment. Examples include testing a theoretical model through the use of formal science or solving a practical problem through the use of natural science....
, computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
.
External links
- Transcending the Theory-Practice Problem of Technology - Reich (1992) quote from article: For example, a paragraph in a recent engineers code of ethics, Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional duties, (American Engineerss (sic) Council for Professional Development, 1974) stimulated discussion about its interpretation and feasibility