APRIL 2021 Society Backs House Bills on Engineering Education and 529 Savings Plans NSPE supports the WORKER Act (H.R. 594), which establishes a $20 million grant program to make specialized engineering programs available in K–12 schools. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) to improve worker training, retention, and advancement. The grants will assist with teaching students the overall analytical and experimental approaches used in engineering and engineering technology; and increase participation of under-represented student groups in the engineering and engineering technology pipeline. NSPE continues to advocate for the passage of the Freedom...Read More

State News for NSPE Members March 2021 Report Details State's Road Troubles New Mexico roads are in terrible disarray, according to a new report by TRIPS, a national transportation research nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. The study found 56% of all highways and major roads in the state are in poor or mediocre repair due to a lack of funding, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Poor roads cost each driver about $767 annually in additional vehicle operating costs. State lawmakers are considering a bill to increase gas taxes in the state, which has some of the lowest tax rates in the region, to...Read More

FEBRUARY 2021 Introducing the FEYA Top Ten Finalists NSPE is pleased to announce the 10 finalists for the 2021 Federal Engineer of the Year Award, honoring engineers employed by a federal agency with at least 50 engineers worldwide. Instead of the traditional awards banquet at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., this year’s ceremony will be a virtual awards event. FEYA winners will appear in a prerecorded launch of an awards video during the last week of February. Congratulations to the finalists! CDR Roberto Miguel Alvarado, P.E. US Department of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Ian Grant, P.E....Read More

Welcome to the Winter 2021 digital edition of PE magazine. Please click here to begin reading and stay informed about the engineering profession.   Featured Articles: Reimagining STEM Outreach Pipeline Safety Measure Enacted The Future of Bridge Engineering FEYA Finalists Named NSPE's New CEO Members Drive Advocacy Success

MARCH 2021 FEYA Winner Shares Passion for Mentoring, Lifelong Learning If Major Monica Pickenpaugh, Ph.D., P.E., of the US Air Force is an innovator in the development of drinking water distribution systems, she is equally passionate about making sure her thirst for knowledge reaches the next generations of engineers. In recognition of her dedication to the profession, Pickenpaugh was named NSPE’s 2021 Federal Engineer of the Year Award winner during a virtual awards event on February 24. FEYA is the only award recognizing the exceptional achievements of engineers employed in the federal government, and the nominees for 2021 continued the legacy of...Read More

December 2020 Water Shortages Force Search for Unique Solutions Severe drought conditions have the state searching for ways to address water shortages. New Mexico's Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department is requiring oil and gas operators to report how much water they use to drill and complete wells, even though water use by these operators accounts for less than 1% of the water used in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Journal reports. This measure stems from the Produced Water Act, a law passed last year. In the community of Carlsbad, which has a severe water shortage, water is being pumped from multiple state-owned...Read More