American Society for Engineering Education records

The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is a nonprofit organization of individuals, institutions, and companies dedicated to improving all aspects of engineering education. The organization seeks to encourage local, national, and international communication and collaboration in engineering education; influence corporate and government policies and involvement; promote professional interaction and lifelong learning; recognize outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations; encourage youth to pursue studies and careers in engineering and engineering technology; and encourage the recruitment and retention of young faculty and underrepresented groups. At present, the American Society for Engineering Education has over forty councils, divisions, and committees that span a wide variety of regions, engineering disciplines, and interests.

The American Society for Engineering Education was founded in 1893 as the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education (SPEE). It was established to regulate the training of engineers. However, its influence was not widespread, and until World War II, colleges and universities were unregulated in developing engineering curricula. In the 1930s, the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education encouraged the accreditation of engineering programs to tighten curricular requirements.

One of many areas in which the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education was active was in the development and standardization of engineering technology education. In 1931, the society sponsored a study of technical engineering institutes. Conducted by William Wickenden and Robert Spahr, the study found that there was little unity among the purposes, curricula, and faculty of engineering technology institutes. In 1941, the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education established the Technical Institute Division as a resource for engineering technology educators. In the same year, the Technical Education News, published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, began to report on the Technical Institute Division's activities and communicated developments in the field of engineering technology. The Technical Institute Division also had a close relationship with the Engineers' Council for Professional Development, which established the first accreditation procedures for two-year engineering technology programs in 1945 and accredited the first associate engineering technology program in 1946.

In 1946, the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education was reorganized as the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). At this time, the Technical Institute Division was allowed to have a representative on the American Society for Engineering Education's Executive Council. Between 1946 and 1962, the division was led by the Committee of 21, which included representatives from proprietary, private, and public technical institutes. In 1962, the Committee of 21 was replaced by the Technical Institute Council, which included representatives from institutions accredited by the Engineers' Council for Professional Development. The Technical Institute Division became the Engineering Technology Division in 1971, and the Technical Institute Council became the Engineering Technology Council in 1987.

In 1980, Educational Technology Division began the Mini-Grants Project. The program supported projects considered beneficial to division membership. These projects were intended to be national in scope and broad-based, but conducted by someone at an institutional level. Between 1980 and 1992, 16 Mini-Grants were awarded.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

Donald Charles Metz was born on December 22, 1908 in Kidder, Missouri. He earned both the bachelor of science in electrical engineering and the masters of science in industrial engineering degrees at Purdue University. He became a student engineering trainee for General Motors and also worked for the Hughes Heating and Air Conditioning Company. He served with the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he returned to Purdue as supervisor of electrical technology and then as head of the technical institute. In 1957 he was selected by the University of Dayton to develop their technical institute. He served in many areas of the American Society for Engineering Education, was a registered professional engineer in Ohio, and was the first American principal at the Technical College of Ibadan, Nigeria. He completed his career as associate dean of engineering technology at Southwest Minnesota State College. He was presented with the McGraw Award in 1977. Metz died on August 12, 1993.

Robert J. Wear received his bachelor of science in industrial engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master of arts from New York University. He was involved in teaching aeronautical engineering technology at the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics, later the Academy of Aeronautics. He became director of the Day Division, academic dean, and administrative dean. He has served on the American Society for Engineering Education's Council of General Divisions, John H. McGraw Award Committee, and the Technical College Council. Wear was presented with the McGraw Award in 1979.

Ray L. Sisson, who was born on April 24, 1934, began teaching electronics in 1953 while in the Navy. In 1960 he received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and was named head of the Engineering Department. He went on to earn his masters' degree in electrical engineering from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, and his doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. In the late 1980's, he became Dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology at the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo. He has held all the offices of the American Society for Engineering Education's Engineering Technology Education Council. Sisson won the James McGraw Award for outstanding contribution in the field of Technical Institute Education in 1990.

PROVENANCE NOTE:

The American Society for Engineering Education Records and the Don C. Metz papers were donated to the University of Cincinnati, Special Collections Department, December 12, 1979; they were transferred to the Wentworth Institute of Technology Alumni Library Archives in June 1985. Ray Sisson donated his papers to Wentworth in July 1989. Robert J. Wear donated his papers to Wentworth in July 1989. In April 2000, Dr. Walter Buchanan arranged for the entire collection of material relating to the American Society for Engineering Education to be transferred to Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department.