Professional Development–The Student's Responsibility

Scientific advancement during the immediately preceding decades is completely unparalleled in the history of human development. Unfortunately, social advancements have not kept pace with technical progress. The engineer, who is part of the group that is most responsible for technical progress, must stand ready to assume his professional responsibility in sharing tie task of keeping society abreast of science. In order to competently assume this professional stature, proper emphasis must be placed on a study of the arts, humanities, and social studies during the education of the engineer. It is particularly significant for civil engineers to be conscious of the integration of technical development and social advancement because the fundamental concern of civil engineering is the technical problems of group living; therefore, if a civil engineer is to adequately fulfill his role as a professional member of his society, his professional development must necessarily begin at the student level. The student's responsibility in professional development is adequate attention to the liberal arts courses included in his curriculum.