State Charges 77-Year-Old for 'Practicing Engineering Without a License'

State Charges 77-Year-Old for 'Practicing Engineering Without a License'(vice.com)

25 points by mkoc 5 years ago | 26 comments

A similar case happened last year with an unlicensed engineer who composed a public paper vindicating his wife in an alleged traffic stop violation.

Source:https://reason.com/2020/03/02/oregon-tried-to-silence-this-e...

airhead969 5 years ago | |

IJ also helped here.

https://ij.org/press-release/oregon-engineer-wins-traffic-li...

totalZero 5 years ago |

Seems like a clear violation of the First Amendment to use the force of law to prohibit a person from speaking an opinion.

hytdstd 5 years ago | |

Not to me. He acted as an engineering consultant or manager in the courtroom. Managers and consultants on engineering projects rightfully require licenses, even if they do nothing but talk in meetings.

JoshuaAshton 5 years ago | | |

So you should be required to go through a government licensing programme to be able to tell the government they fucked up? :D

agency 5 years ago |

“All professions are conspiracies against the laity.”

- George Bernard Shaw

villgax 5 years ago |

Lol, software engineering would not be where it is if not for tinkerers.

tomerv 5 years ago | |

Right, but this is about civil engineering. I suppose that field also had tinkerers at some point, but today we expect civil engineers to have a diploma and license. Maybe software engineering will go that way too in the future, after the Internet of Unsecured Things finally implodes.

airhead969 5 years ago | | |

I know of a civil engineer PE who is an expert in code interpretations of the ASME (not ASCE) boilers and pressure vessels (BPVC) codes. He acts as an expert witness and also makes interpretations for clients who are unsure about the code's meaning. He makes millions because the correct design and use of such items affect lives and property at immense scales.

Safety regulations are written in blood that is too easily washed-off.

airhead969 5 years ago | | |

CE's play with mud. They can go to the beach, get some LEGO, or build a bridge of stones across a brook.

;-))

There are plenty of ways for CE's to "tinker" using civil and mechanical engineering statics and dynamics simulators.

airhead969 5 years ago | |

There is always a space for tinkering. I took apart clocks and small appliances when I was 5. Eventually, my dad had me rebuilding carburetors using the kits because I wasn't strong enough to rebuild alternators yet.

Last month, I made Alexa-enabled "tea candle" lanterns by gutting WiFi bedside lights and using privacy paint on said lanterns. As diffusers, I reshaped the diffusers from the original lights. Where the circuit boards appear, I painted the back walls and PCBs matte black to hide them when the lights are on. I dremeled slots in the lantern bases for USB power.

What appears to be happening is the over-regulation of title combinations to collect more money by "solving" a professionalization problem that didn't need solving.

PE is good enough.

wdb 5 years ago |

Do you need a license to be a software engineer? Sounds like its a protected title like in some other countries

leipert 5 years ago | |

In a lot of countries “Engineer” is a protected title. (Same in Germany where “Ingenieur” is protected). The term is usually used for mechanical engineers, and the like. Jobs you can only do with a degree, because if you fail, lives could be at stake.

We actually had a Canadian colleague request to change the job title in the employment from Software Engineer to Software Developer due to these restrictions.

airhead969 5 years ago | | |

That's asinine when there is no associated professional licensure requirement for cobbling together HTML for a mom&pop liquor store.

In the US, any type of (non-locomotive) engineer involved in critical engineering design, decisions, implementation, and manufacturing of large-scale or life-safety aspects can or should be a "professional engineer" (PE) so malpractice insurance (EPLI) will cover them and client/employers will hire them.

If I say I'm a witch doctor, there is no confusion that I'm not a doctor (of medicine).

My undergrad major was Computer Science & Engineering. Do I need an extra certificate to call myself "an engineer?" Nope.

eschaton 5 years ago | |

Opinions and jurisdictions differ. The problem is that some jurisdiction might define “software engineering” such that an individual without a license (and not under supervision of someone with one) could get in trouble for doing software development rather than describing themselves as an engineer.

This is actually something some people want. Don’t let them achieve it.

ranguna 5 years ago | |

At least not in Portugal, you can work as a software developer even without going to school.

enjoyyourlife 5 years ago | | |

That doesn't necessarily mean that you can testify in court as a professional software developer without going to school

airhead969 5 years ago | |

In the US, there are a dozen or so legally-protected "engineer" title variants and professional designations like "professional engineer" (PE). My degree is accredited for the path of PE, but I would need a reason to go that route.

If it's unlisted, then it's fair to use by anyone:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_designati...