Being Thankful
As professional engineers, we are responsible to practice within a legally defined standard of care. We are held to a high standard with respect to protecting the public in our design decisions, and our licensing boards can take action when we violate rules of conduct. Furthermore, we can be sued for wrongdoing if we violate that standard of care. The public defines parameters of our practice because they are entrusting us to make safety-related decisions for them. We are expected to not only maintain a minimal level of competence, but to keep up with new technologies and research in our field of practice. Offering our service to clients, students, or others can be daunting with regard to all of the things we need to remember and monitor, and it can be easy to slip into a state of fearfulness.
The weight of these responsibilities, however, can only be as burdensome as we allow them to be. As we grow up in this world, we learn how to put things into perspective in order to accept certain events or outcomes … it is that perspective which helps us move forward on a positive note, otherwise life can seem intolerable. One of the best ways to put things into a good perspective is to keep track of things to be thankful for. Expressing thanks, publicly and privately, allows a certain humility to influence our actions and can help us to remember why we do what we do, or at least to help us keep a sense of joy with our lives and careers.
With regard to structural engineering, here are just a few things I am thankful for:
It is a dynamic profession. There is always something new to learn, and there are always opportunities for improving upon what we already know.
There are plenty of great people working to sustain the integrity of the profession. Many of the same people work on code development committees, author technical publications, speak at conferences, and put in many hours behind the scenes volunteering in different ways to positively impact our path forward.
We are given opportunities to help others achieve their dreams and to make their lives better. Our specialized knowledge and training allow us to create permanent structures for the enjoyment and betterment of society, and it's exciting to share dreams and turn ideas into reality.
There are many opportunities to help kids and students foster an appreciation for engineering, and to help them on a path to such a career.
Engineering societies recognize the importance of diversity, and anyone from any background or affiliation can participate in this career.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I hope you will take some time to remember (or discover) things you are thankful for in your professional practice. Things on a technical level and on a personal level -- there is much to celebrate!