Leadership and Management in Engineering Best Feature Article Award

Congratulations to the 2007-2008 Best Feature Article authors in Leadership and Management in Engineering. This year’s best paper published from July 2007 through April 2008, is: “Reviving Art and Practice in Structural Engineering Education” by Thomas Sputo and Kimberly Lammert.

The paper, which was published in the April 2008 issue of the journal, expresses concern that practical aspects of structural engineering are not being taught at universities. The authors write: “Over the past thirty years, the art of structural engineering has almost been completely replaced by science, which many times is performed for its own sake. This growing emphasis on ‘studying’ rather than ‘creating’ is leading to a crisis in the structural engineering profession.” The paper concludes with a list of recommended ways to improve structural engineering education.

The award will be presented at the Leadership Luncheon during the ASCE Annual Conference on Thursday, November 6, 2008.