It’s said that when you’re having fun—and doing something you love—time really flies. For nearly six years, this has been true for me in writing a monthly commentary, "The View From Here," in Structural Engineer. It has allowed me to delve into structural engineering nuances, practices, challenges, and trends, which I have loved. Even though this is my 70th column, I can still vividly remember the first one titled "Why don’t they know us?" (February 2000) as if it were yesterday.

Over the years, I’ve received hundreds of letters from readers, many of them insightful and revealing. More often than not, their comments underline the dayto- day concerns and dilemmas our profession is facing—where it’s headed and who will be populating it in the future. The issues on the minds of the younger engineers differ from those of the older, more experienced practitioners.

Typically, the younger these engineers are (for example, those fresh out of college, or those having EIT rather than P.E. licensure), the more worried they feel about how best to advance technically and move up in their companies or departments.

They’re also concerned whether they made the right career choice, about the future of structural engineering as a true profession, and about becoming leaders in the profession, industry, and society.

Those out of college for several years and well into their careers, on the other hand, have more interest in addressing issues such as the ramifications of engineering increasingly being considered a commodity rather than an intellectual or professional service. The commodity mentality results in hiring engineers and engineering services mostly by low price or bidding, using computer software without direct input of engineers on crucial design issues, outsourcing, and fewer bright young Americans selecting engineering (structural, in particular) as a career.

Both younger and older engineers who wrote letters to the editor over the years have been concerned about the deterioration of the profession’s stature.

They’re also concerned about the lack of recognition and appreciation for structural engineering and the achievements of its professionals. Forming a structural engineering Hall of Fame would go a long way in addressing that concern. In fact, the two columns I wrote about establishing such a Hall of Fame brought a lot of favorable response and creative ideas from many readers, but no solid promise of money to fund it. Efforts continue to obtain the necessary funding from a wide range of sources, including major industry and government grants.

How can most of these items be positively dealt with? Increase the number of engineers of all ages and levels of experience who are active in the professional societies and involved in consequential leadership roles in industry and society.

Just working at our jobs doing technical engineering and leaving the advancement and betterment of the profession to someone else is not the answer.

Many intelligent and highly committed American structural engineers—several of them worldwide technical leaders and many of them bright upand- coming young engineers—are capable of forwarding the technical expertise of American engineering know-how. But to influence the direction of the American structural engineering industry requires major involvement beyond technology and the confines of the profession. It requires honing one’s natural leadership skills and identifying the paths to becoming a person whose advice non-engineers, as well as engineers, will seek out.

If you’re an emerging professional, I suggest you find role models and/or mentors who are (or have been) industry and civic leaders. Study them. Get to know them. Learn what they’ve done to get to where they are. Find out what they’re doing to move the profession forward and to make their communities better places to work and live.Whatever legacy they’re leaving, challenge yourself to leave an even greater one.

If you’re a seasoned engineer, commit to helping those following you to be the best they can be, as engineers and as leaders both within the profession and society. If you have never taken on significant leadership roles outside of engineering, jump at one the first chance you have. The legacy you leave will be greatly enhanced by doing so.

In addition to having fun doing engineering work—something you love—expand your influence and range of deeds. Then, not only will time fly, so will your sense of accomplishment as a successful professional and as a human being and citizen of the world.

Remember the words of John Ruskin: "The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get paid for it, but what they become by it."

Richard Weingardt, P.E., is CEO and chairman of Richard Weingardt Consultants, Inc., a Denver-based structural engineering firm. He can be reached via e-mail at rweingardt@gostructural.com.