Panel Session: Separate Licensure and Board Certification of Structural Engineers

摘要

Jon Schmidt represents the Structural Engineers Association of Kansas & Missouri (SEAKM), the sponsor of this session, as a member of its Professional Practice Committee. Ten states currently have specific provisions in place that distinguish structural engineers from professional engineers in other disciplines. However, there is considerable variation among these jurisdictions in the qualifications that are required for structural engineering (S.E.) licensure. There are also important differences in the significance of S.E. licensure within each jurisdiction. This inhibits the mobility of those who already have the S.E. license in one state and seek to obtain it in another. Recognizing this, NCEES added a definition for a Model Law Structural Engineer (MLSE) to its Model Law in 2003 and its Council Records Program in 2005. Separately, the Member Organizations of NCSEA voted in 2003 to establish an independent body, SECB, to administer a national board certification program for structural engineers. The MLSE and SECB criteria are intended eventually to serve as the basis for national uniformity in the qualifications required for S.E. licensure.