Professional Issues in Coastal Engineering

This paper summarizes a panel‐session presentation on professional issues in coastal engineering conducted during the ASCE‐sponsored conference, Coastal Engineering Practice '92, held in Long Beach, Calif., on March 8–11, 1992. Topics presented at the session included risk and innovation, insurance, public perception, contractor perspectives, and professional registration. The panel session was composed of representatives of their respective industry who have to address these professional issues frequently. The panel presentation and audience discussion were directed toward issues related to coastal engineering specifically, although the issues share a commonality with other fields of engineering. A key goal of the panel session (and of this summary paper) was to stimulate thought and discussion about professional issues facing coastal engineering, rather than to establish a unified position on a particular issue.