Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to follow up on the profound dialogue recently sparked in this forum. First and foremost, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Dilip Barua for initiating this critical conversation in a Topic . By identifying the shifts in federal definitions and state-level licensure, Dr. Barua provided the momentum of thought that allowed us to look beneath the surface of our professional identity. My thanks also go to Chad Morrison, Gregory Scott, James Holland, Darya Stanskova, and Donovan Morrell for their invaluable contributions.
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The Dialogue in Retrospect:
A Summary of Insights, Our discussion has moved through several vital phases:
The Identity Crisis: while Dr. Barua challenged us to define professionalism not just as a regulatory checklist, but as a personal commitment to excellence.
The "Commodity" Trap: here Gregory Scott and Chad Morrison highlighted a sobering reality: when outdated definitions exclude engineering from "professional" categories, they risk treating our expertise as a commodity rather than a specialized vocation.
The Stand for Integrity: James Holland reminded us that we must never settle for a diminished status, while Darya Stanskova correctly pointed out that as regulations shift, it is our internal standards and ethics that safeguard public trust.
The Governance Question: Donovan Morrell raised an important point about how internal structures may reflect broader trends, reminding us that vigilance must extend both externally and internally.
The Warning in the Memo
The memorandum shared by Tirza Austin from the ASCE Government Relations team provides the missing piece of this puzzle. It clarifies that the Department of Education's redefinition under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is not only about student loans; it signals a broader trend. The memo explicitly warns of efforts to deregulate or erode standards at the state level, including reducing continuing education requirements and shrinking boards of licensure.
This brings us to a vital crossroads. If external definitions of our profession are under threat, how do we reinforce our value?
I believe the answer lies in high-quality, lifelong education. When we pursue continuous development through reputable institutions and accredited programs, we are doing more than just earning PDHs. We are actively refuting the "commodity" label.
Lifelong education is our most powerful lever for three strategic reasons:
1- Technical Superiority: In an era of rapid technological change, deep institutional learning ensures that the Professional Engineer remains the ultimate authority on safety and complex systems.
2- Institutional Credibility: Aligning our growth with reputable academic and professional institutions provides a gold standard that regulatory changes cannot easily diminish.
3- The Professional Impression: To return to Dr. Barua's point-professionalism is an admirable impression. That impression is sustained only when our knowledge is current, rigorous, and evidence-based.
As the memo suggests, attempts to weaken continuing education are attempts to weaken the profession itself. Our response must be the opposite; embracing education not as a requirement to bypass, but as a career-long commitment to the public we serve. This aligns directly with Canon 7 (Code of Ethics 3-g ), which calls engineers to continue professional development throughout their careers, and with Canon 1- formed to (code of ethic1.a) , which reminds us to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
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I look forward to your thoughts on how we can better integrate these pathways of lifelong learning into our firms and our mentorship of the next generation.
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Abubakr Gameil, R. ENG, M. ASCE®️,
MSc-Holder, [ SEI, EWRI, CI, ISSMGE ]Mermber
Past / Chairman & Director General
Almanassa Engineering International Co. Ltd,
Khartoum, Sudan
Currently / UAE- Humanitariam Residency
NXN- Central branch -Al Fujairah,
PO.Box : 1142 (Fujairah)
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