PE Matters – April 2025

April 2025
In this issue…
Registration Open: VSPE/Cardinal Education Spring 2025 Engineering Seminar and Tour
VSPE Supports the 2025 Future City Competition
VSPE Salutes the Life of Two Past Presidents
NSPE Job Board
2025 Spring Webinar Series Kicks Off
The 2025 Scholarship Season Opens
NCEES Seeks the Expertise of Control Systems Engineers

Registration Open: VSPE/Cardinal Education Spring 2025 Engineering Seminar and Tour
Join us for the Spring 2025 Engineering Seminar and Tour on Wednesday, April 30 (9:00 am. – 1:30 p.m.) at the George Mason University Science & Technology Campus (10900 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA 20110).

Attendees can earn up to three (3) hours of professional development hours.

Event Agenda

Arrivals, Continental Breakfast, and Networking (9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.)
Welcome and Overview of the Engineering Department at GMU – Kenneth E. Ball, Ph.D., P.E. (9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.)
Teaching Ethics in An Engineering Curriculum – Dr. James Groves, University of Virginia (9:45 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.)
Ethical Practices Among Engineers in the Workplace – Channing Blackwell, P.E., The Blackwell Group (10:05 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
Engineering and Ethics: Moderated Panel Discussion with Audience Q&A – (10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
State of the Semiconductor Industry in Virginia and the US – Micron Technology Inc. Leadership Team (11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.)
Lunch and Overview of Cardinal Education and VSPE (11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Optional Tour of the GMU SciTech Facility and Labs (12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

VSPE Supports the 2025 Future City Competition

VSPE Vice President Thomas G. Conway, P.E., served as a judge at the Future City Competition on February 18. What is Future City? It’s a DiscoverE program that is a hands-on cross-curricular educational program that brings STEM to life for students in grades 6-12. Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and project management skills, students showcase their solutions to a citywide sustainability issue.

This year’s Future City challenge asked students to build a floating city and provide two innovative examples of how the floating city works and keeps its citizens healthy and safe. Our Director of Membership, Judi Harrison, posted the event on LinkedIn with this quote from DiscoverE: “We are so glad to hear Tom enjoyed his time at Future City. There are over 70,000 students who participate in Future City every year, and it takes 4,500 adult volunteers to make it happen. Thank you to Tom and all the VSPE/NSPE volunteers who help Future City create future engineers!”

VSPE Salutes the Life of Two Past Presidents

VSPE salutes the contributions of two former members who have passed away: Dr. William A. Drewry, P.E., and Robert C. Gibson, P.E., F.NSPE. Our website maintains an “In Memoriam” page and we greatly appreciate being updated on our past members who may not be listed.

Dr. William A. Drewry, P.E.
(Excerpts from a June 30, 2020, article by Joe Garvey, ODU)

Dr. William A. Drewry, P.E., a faculty member of Old Dominion University’s Batten College of Engineering and Technology and a two-time chair of the University’s Faculty Senate, died on June 23. He was 83.

Drewry came to the ODU in 1976 as professor in the fledgling Civil Engineering Department and taught at ODU for 32 years. He was an integral part of the growth of the department and the introduction of the environmental aspect, especially in relation to clean water. He also served as the first chair of the department (1976-84) and as acting chair (1992-93). Drewry also served as the college’s associate dean from 1988 to 1993.

In addition to serving as Faculty Senate chair, Drewry took on membership and leadership roles on many University-level committees. He has a lengthy record of research with 34 sponsored projects and more than 60 published papers and reports. He also guided the research of more than 50 master’s and PhD students.

Drewry held a number of administrative positions in engineering societies both regionally and nationally. He served on the board of directors and as president of the Virginia section of ASCE and on the board and as president of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers. He also served on several national-level committees with NSPE. He was designated a Fellow and Life Member of ASCE and a Life Member of the American Water Works Association. Read more.

Robert C. Gibson, P.E., F.NSPE

Robert C. Gibson, P.E., F.NSPE, died peacefully on February 20, 2025, surrounded by his family in Blacksburg, Virginia. Born in Norfolk on November 6, 1937, he was the son of Nellie Gray Godfrey and James Erwin Gibson.

Bob grew up in Norfolk and was an overachiever all his life. In 1954, the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce bestowed upon him the Outstanding Teenager Tidewater Award. He graduated from Granby High School in 1953. He graduated for Virgina Tech in 1961 with a mechanical engineering degree and entered the US Army that same year, serving his country for eight years, including in the Army Reserves.

Bob started his engineering career at Clark Nexsen, an architectural engineering firm that under his leadership grew to be ranked in the top 20 of A/E firms in the US. He became a firm partner in 1979 and was named Virginia Engineer of the Year the same year. In 1985, he was promoted to serve as president and CEO and the chair of the firm’s board.

Citing a few additional highlights, he was president of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers, president of the National Society of Professional Engineers from 1988-89, and chairman of the National Institute of Building Sciences from 1991-93.

Read more in a Distinguished Alumni profile of Robert C. Gibson.

NSPE Job Board

NSPE’s Job Board is your one-stop resource for professional engineering employment. Whether you are on the hunt for your next career move or looking for today’s top engineering leaders and talent, you will find it here.

Featured Jobs

Project Engineer, Land Development
Richmond, VA

Field Engineer
Roanoke, VA

Find more job openings or reach the right employees on the NSPE Job Board.

Stay up to date on legislative issues through the NSPE Advocacy Center.

2025 Spring Webinar Series Kicks Off

NSPE offers a live webinar series free to members—“WORKability Wednesdays”— to support their professional development goals. The season launched with the webinar—Board of Ethical Review: Case Review and Discussion— on March 12.

The series will include the following webinars:

Register now at NSPE’s PE Institute and invite a colleague to attend. An additional presentation will take place on April 23 – save the date and stay tuned for details. *Members are advised to consult their state licensing board to determine requirements for PDH or CPD credits.

The 2025 Scholarship Season Opens

The NSPE Education Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2025 scholarship season through an online submission platform. The application deadline is April 15 for the Steinman Scholarship, the Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship, and the George B. Hightower, P.E. Fellowship.

Steinman Scholarship: The $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduates entering or continuing their junior year in a four-year ABET-accredited engineering program.
Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded annually to a female undergraduate entering or continuing their junior year of a four-year ABET-accredited engineering program.
George B. Hightower, P.E., Fellowship: The $3,000 award is designated for a current engineering undergraduate or graduate student who is enrolled in, or graduated from, an ABET-accredited engineering program.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

NCEES Seeks the Expertise of Control Systems Engineers

NCEES is currently seeking licensed control systems engineers to participate in a professional activities and knowledge study, or PAKS, for the PE Control Systems exam. The results of this online survey will be used to update specifications for the exam, which is used throughout the US for licensing purposes.

NCEES requires a cross section of licensed professional engineers practicing control systems engineering—including those working in industry, consulting, the public sector, and academia—to complete an online survey about the tasks and knowledge required of a licensed control systems engineer with four to six years of experience to practice in a manner that safeguards the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The survey can be completed in approximately 30–40 minutes.

“These studies help NCEES ensure its licensing exams remain relevant to current professional practice,” explained Chief Officer of Examinations J. Lehmon Dekle, P.E. “The value of this PAKS depends on the number of people who participate, so NCEES is eager to get a large response from professional engineers across all areas of control systems engineering.”

Access the online survey here. The survey is open until May 22.