ASCE was a founding member of the Engineers Week Coalition and has twice chaired the annual event. Those efforts and the continuing support and involvement of ASCE members at all levels have helped us contribute to a vibrant and successful outreach program.

No longer confined to a mere seven days, Engineers Week now promotes year-round activity. It now enables engineers to concert their efforts in outreach and public image campaigns. The National Engineers Week Foundation and the approximately 100 professional societies, corporations, and government agencies that make up the Engineers Week Coalition aim to celebrate the profession all year long and to encourage students around the world to consider careers in this field. The various groups also promote precollege math and science education, and this year alone they are hoping to contribute 1 million hours of volunteer time working with students from kindergarten through the 12th grade.

ASCE will be chairing Engineers Week in 2010, the third time it has done so, and its corporate partner will be ExxonMobil. As we gear up for Engineers Week this year, which will be February 14–20, 2010, let’s make a point of sharing ideas about what Engineers Week 2010 should look like and offer.