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IEEE Global Engineering Day – May 13, 2024

IEEE Global Engineering Day celebrated on May 13 annually, is all about recognizing the achievements of engineers and their work that has an impact on society. Discussing engineering advances or showcasing the work of engineers are excellent ways to identify the enormous impact that engineering has had on our daily lives. Next time you walk down the street, find yourself in an office building, or drive over a bridge, marvel at the incredible skill and intellect that went into creating what you observe and utilize every day.

History of IEEE Global Engineering Day

Every year in May, we celebrate IEEE Global Engineering Day to honor the profession and field of study that has always pushed humanity’s known limits a little further. It also emphasizes the need for governments to have a stronger mandate to promote science and technology and various branches of engineering as competitive and fulfilling career paths. In the face of a global decrease in students entering engineering, computing, and technology fields, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE), the world’s largest organization of technical professionals with over 350,000 members in 160 countries, emphasizes the need to encourage more students and young professionals to pursue a career in this field.

The IEEE Foundation was founded in 1973 and is governed by the laws of the State of New York to further the IEEE’s scientific and educational goals. A Board of 13 members leads the Foundation with diverse technical, geographic, and professional backgrounds, and a staff of ten people runs it. IEEE Global Engineering Day was created to unite the international community in celebrating engineers and the future of engineering. It’s about recognizing their achievements and work. The aim is to introduce students to the world of engineering through games, projects, and activities.

Major cities are home to the world’s tallest skyscrapers, a complex network of pulsing highways, subways, skyways, and cutting-edge airports and seaports. Cars can drive themselves, and drones can photograph weddings. Engineers and other men of science are responsible for everything from the massive infrastructures that shape landscapes to the mobile apps at our fingertips.

IEEE Global Engineering Day timeline

2611 B.C.
The Early Engineers

Civil engineer Imhotep designs and oversees the construction of the Pyramid of Djoser.

1551
The First of its Kind

The first practical steam-powered machine invention.

1863
The Doctorate in Engineering

Josiah Willard Gibbs of Yale University becomes the first recipient of a Ph.D. in engineering.

1973
The Foundation of Excellence

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers creates the IEEE Foundation in New York.

2015
The Honoring of Engineers

The IEEE Foundation establishes IEEE Global Engineering Day and celebrate for the first time.

IEEE Global Engineering Day FAQs

What is a career in engineering?

Engineering careers allow for innovative experimentation, creative thinking, and intriguing design and development. Engineers may work on aircraft, watercraft, road design, software programs, and other projects.

How do I become an engineer?

Earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-accredited institution (ABET). Take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. At least four years of engineering experience is required. Pass the Engineering Principles and Practice (PE) exam.

What are the three leading roles of an engineer?

An engineer chooses methods, specifies materials, and determines shapes to satisfy technical requirements and meet performance specifications when designing a structure or a product. The particular field of engineering also influences these roles.

IEEE Global Engineering Day Activities

  1. Read up on influential engineers

    Through the centuries, there have been many vital engineers that have changed our lives forever. Read up on these figures to understand the intellect and craft that goes into engineering to make a difference.

  2. Study engineering

    Join a university and look into studying engineering. You can enter a field that not only advances and grows every year but that creates tools and buildings, and technologies that can change the world.

  3. Read a book about engineering

    You can find many books online about the study of engineering, biographies of great engineers, and simple, easy-to-understand breakdowns of the most essential engineering inventions of recent years. If you are interested in this field, this would be a great activity and way for you to celebrate IEEE Global Engineering Day.

The 5 Most Impactful Engineers In History

  1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452—1519)

    Da Vinci dabbled in architecture, science, music, math, engineering, and other fields.

  2. Fazlur Rahman Khan (1929 —1982)

    Khan is the father of the modern skyscraper; his innovation made high-rise construction easier.

  3. Nikola Tesla (1856 —1943)

    This Serbian-American inventor, an electrical-mechanical engineer, aided in new technologies.

  4. Charles Babbage (1791—1871)

    Babbage was an engineer, mathematician, and philosopher who invented the computer.

  5. Thomas Edison (1847 —1931)

    Edison invented the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and long-lasting light bulbs.

Why We Love IEEE Global Engineering Day

  1. Celebrating science and engineering is essential

    Often engineering and science are seen as boring or less entertaining, as it is fundamentally based on mathematics and sciences. However, as it has spawned so many incredible inventions and impacted civilization for so many years, it should be given just as much spotlight and attention as any other field.

  2. It inspires young minds

    Young people looking for direction when it comes to choosing their fields of study can hear about IEEE Global Engineering Day and become interested in pursuing a career in that field. Some kids succeed in science and technology studies from a young age and should be encouraged to find career paths to further harness their skills.

  3. We honor inventions

    Everything around us and what we use daily is someone’s invention. It took someone the time and intellect to engineer the first bridge, create the first car, or even create the first television. Without some of these critical inventions, our lives would not only be dull or unbearable.

IEEE Global Engineering Day dates

YearDateDay
2024May 13Monday
2025May 13Tuesday
2026May 13Wednesday
2027May 13Thursday
2028May 13Saturday

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