Basic Education Committee Report May 2014

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERS ASSOCIATIONS
BASIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE (BEC) REPORT
May 15, 2014
The National Council of Structural Engineers Association (NCSEA) Basic Education Committee (BEC) is
actively engaged in the following matters:
1. Future NCSEA Basic Education for Structural Engineers Survey
The results of the last NCSEA 2013 Basic Education for Structural Engineers Survey, a
comparison of the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering Curriculum
courses offered at colleges, were published in the August 2013 issue of STRUCTURE.
The NCSEA BEC is in the process of self-evaluating the previous NCSEA Basic Education
for Structural Engineers Surveys and developing a plan for conducting future NCSEA Basic
Education for Structural Engineers Surveys. The survey results are available on the NCSEA
website at: http://www.ncsea.com/committees/basiceducationcommittee/
2. NCSEA Basic Education for Structural Engineers Policy Statement
The BEC, at the request of Tom DiBlasi, NCSEA Past President, crafted a policy statement
regarding the NCSEA Basic Education Program and submitted it to the NCSEA Board for
review. The BEC received beneficial feedback from the NCESA Board concerning the policy
statement and is in the process of revising and resubmitted it to the board.
3. Changes to the Recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering
Curriculum?
The BEC committee continues to solicit and receive feedback from practicing structural
engineers and educators concerning the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural
Engineering Curriculum. Feedback on the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural
Engineering Curriculum is essential for the betterment of the program. The BEC has recently
begun a review of the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering
Curriculum. The review of the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering
Curriculum will be a two-part evaluation process:
A. Global Changes to the Recommended Curriculum –
The BEC will evaluate the entire recommended curriculum including but not limited to
the following topics:
a. Should Concrete II be Advanced Reinforced Concrete Design versus
Precast/Prestressed and Post-Tension Concrete as currently recommended?
b. Should some courses be reclassified as an “elective” (Precast/Prestressed
and Post-Tension Concrete) or other courses added as “electives” (Loading
and Load Path in Structures, Cold-Formed Steel, Other Metals, etc.)?
A general consensus, either for or against, any proposed global change to the
recommended curriculum by the BEC would be determined by feedback requested
from the NCSEA Board, member organizations, and the structural engineering
community at-large before any changes would be made.
B. Evaluate Course Topics and Objectives
The BEC will evaluate the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural
Engineering Curriculum course topics and objects and propose changes if necessary.
The recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering Curriculum is available
on the NCSEA website at: http://www.ncsea.com/committees/basiceducationcommittee/
4. Structural Engineering Certification Board (SECB) Education Certificate Program
The concept of an SECB Education certificate, awarded to graduating engineers that meet a
predetermined set of curriculum requirements, was jointly announced by the SECB and the
st
BEC at the NCSEA 21 Annual Conference. A separate SECB Education Committee,
chaired by Craig Barnes, will be responsible for the continued development of the SECB
Education Certificate Program. The SECB Education Certificate Program was reviewed with
the Northeastern University Administration and next will be sampled at other sites before
rolling out the program nationally.
5. Engineers’ Alliance for the Arts (EAA)
Engineers’ Alliance for the Arts is a non-profit organization which places volunteer engineers,
architects, construction and design professionals in Bay Area high school classrooms to
expose students to the art of engineering. EAA’s mission is to provide students with the
experience of working with a design professional inside the classroom and create an
opportunity for the students to learn a wide variety of skills, including problem solving, team
building, developing presentations, and written and verbal skills. The EAA curriculum has
been approved by the State of California Department of Education and is qualified as
acceptable curriculum in California High Schools. Kelly Bitzer, EAA Executive Director, has
indicated to the BEC that EAA is very interested in exploring the possibilities of partnering
with a national organization to further its mission and goals at other locations around the
country. The BEC made a formal proposal concerning EAA to the NCSEA Board for their
review and consideration. The BEC is awaiting an official response from the NCSEA Board
on this matter but continues to receive informative updates concerning the NCSEA Board’s
positive progress on potential future grant opportunities.
6. SE Connect Program – Alumni Practitioner to College Representative Connection
The BEC SE Connect Program is an attempt to link alumni practitioners to representatives at
their respective college. The BEC has completed a 12-minute web-based presentation titled
“Increasing Interaction between Students in Structural Engineering and Practicing Structural
Engineers (SE Connect)” that discusses the accomplishments of the SEAoO in increasing the
interaction between students in structural engineering and practicing engineers. The
presentation focuses on the benefits they have seen to both practicing engineers and
students with the intent of creating interest from other states to spearhead similar efforts.
The BEC is in the process of preparing the presentation for distribution to the MO’s.
7. Young Member Group (YMG) Support Committee Joint Efforts:
The BEC is working with the YMG Support Committee to develop an NCSEA New Structural
Engineering Graduate Training Guide that would include a list of “Books Every Structural
Engineer Should Have on their Shelves.” A survey to determine the recommended material
may be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7C7NX6T
8. Other Ongoing and/or Future BEC Activities:
Determine if an increased involvement with the ABET accreditation process would be
beneficial to NCSEA members.
Complete an NCSEA High School/Middle School (HS\MS) Outreach Presentation
Program.
Develop an NCSEA Recommended Structural Engineering Curriculum Presentation
Program.
Continue to represent NCSEA at the AISC Partner’s in Education (PIE) group.
Coordinate BEC content on the revised NCSEA website.
The National Council of Structural Engineers Association (NCSA) Basic Education Committee’s (BEC)
activities collectively attempt to accomplish the NCSEA 2011-2015 Strategic Plan primary BEC goal of
“Improve the Profession.”
The National Council of Structural Engineers Association (NCSA) Basic Education Committee’s (BEC)
primary goals for this year are as follows:
1. Begin preparations for conducting the next NCSEA Basic Education for Structural
Engineers Survey.
2. Adopt a NCSEA Basic Education for Structural Engineers Policy Statement.
3. Initiate a formal evaluation of the recommended NCSEA Basic Education Structural
Engineering Curriculum.
4. Provide support for the formation of the SECB Student Certificate Program Committee.
5. Support the EAA Education Program.
6. Expand the revamped SE Connect Program.
7. Complete the NCSEA High School/Middle School Outreach Presentation Program.
8. Gather contact information for NCSEA Member Organizations’ Basic Education
Committees or equivalent.
The BEC has submitted the following documents this calendar year for posting to the NCSEA Basic
Education Committee website:
NCSEA Recommended Structural Engineering Curriculum – February 2014
2013 NCSEA Basic Education Structural Engineering Survey Results – February 2014
The BEC has held the following committee meetings this calendar year:
February 18, 2014 – Conference Call Committee Meeting
April 15, 2014 – Conference Call Committee Meeting
May 13, 2014 – Face-To-Face Committee Meeting (NCSEA Office)
The next BEC meeting will be a face-to-face meeting that will be held Tuesday, May 13, 2014 from 10:00
to 4:00 at the NCSEA Office in Chicago.
The NCSEA Board Liaison to the Basic Education Committee is Chris Cerino. Chris regularly participates
in the BEC meetings and most recently participated in the BEC conference call on April 15, 2014.
Respectfully Submitted:
Brent Perkins, Committee Chair
Craig Barnes, Committee Vice Chair
Carrie Bremer, Committee Member
Eric Borchers, Committee Member
Kevin Dong, Committee Member
Judy Liu, Committee Member (new committee member)
Uchenna Okoye, Committee Member
Sarah Woodard, Committee Member (new committee member)
Brian Quinn, Corresponding Committee Member
Lisa Willard, Corresponding Committee Member
Michelle Kam-Biron, Corresponding Committee Member
Mark D’Amato, Corresponding Committee Member (new corresponding committee member)

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