Engineering Inc. - July/August 2004 - 12

ACEC INTERVIEW Donald WITH Evans With global economies enmeshed as never
before, the Secretary of Commerce met with ACEC's Chairman and President
and pledged to be an advocate for engineers. ize, especially students
thinking g r e a t profession, and it's an their own strong education sys-
ACEC CHAIRMAN BILL HOWARD: I understand you are an engi- a b o u t their
futures, just how important profession. t e m s . As we look around the
neer. What insights do you have m a n y people who are trained And again,
looking to the world to other regions China, on the profession these days?
as engineers actually wind up f u t u r e , we're moving into a India and
Europe to a degree as CEOs of companies or even knowledge-based,
information- we see very impressive growth S E C R E TA RY DONALD EVANS: I
a s a cabinet officer, such as based economy. Two-thirds of r a t e s in
terms of engineering feel very strongly that the key to yourself. the jobs
in the 21st century will graduates, whereas the number t h e future of
competitiveness require some kind of postsec- of engineering graduates in
the EVANS: Right. I know I found in and innovation of the American ondar y
education. One of the United States has been declining m y own career that
leading a e c o n o m y in this increasingly r e a l keys to this economy
for the last 20 years. company in the private sector is g l o b a l
economy rests on the remaining competitive and our This is something that
is of ver y, very important to under- strength of our engineering tal-
citizens being competitive is not great concern to me, and I think stand
the operation of the com- e n t in America. As we think only having that
postsecondary it needs to be a part of the federal pany, the process of
the company about policies here in Washing- education, but also making
sure policies that we pursue here in and how those processes work. ton to
create an environment for t h a t we are innovators and Washington, D.C.,
and also very Engineers, because of their train- economic growth and
prosperity always creating better ways to do much a part of the state and
local ing, are good problem solvers. in America, we also should create t h
i n g s in our economy. I just policies across this country. We Many of the
most outstanding policies that focus on the impor- keep coming back to
that's how have to encourage the young peo- professionals in our country
tance of increasing the number engineers think. There's just a ple of
America at a very early age and leaders in the country, for of engineering
graduates across process of solving complicated that math and sciences are
excit- that matter have engineering America, increasing enthusiasm
equations or complicated prob- ing subjects and they're exciting,
backgrounds. So an engineering for the young people of America l e m s
that I think becomes meaningful careers, and there will degree can take
you in a lot of to go into the sciences and math i n s t i l l e d in
engineers through always be great opportunity for directions because it
gives you and engineering. t h e i r education process that those who
graduate with an engi- the skills to solve problems. Also This is an
increasingly com- leads them to being real good n e e r i n g degree or a
degree in I think it gives you skills along petitive economy that we are
liv- innovators and problem solvers. some area of the sciences. the way to
lead people. I want to i n g in. It will continue to be HOWARD: One of the
issues we continue to encourage the young even more so in the years ahead
ACEC PRESIDENT DAVE RAYMOND: I'm not sure many people real- s e e is
related to the need for p e o p l e of America that it's a as we see other
countries develop 1 2 E N G I N E E R I N G INC. J u l y l August 2004
Engineering Inc. - July/August 2004

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