Status of Development of a Biorelated PE Examination James T' Cobb, Jr', P'E' Associate Professor Em

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Status of Development of a Bio-related PE
ExaminationJames T. Cobb, Jr., P.E.Associate
Professor EmeritusDepartment of Chemical and
Petroleum EngineeringUniversity of
Pittsburghcobb_at_engr.pitt.edu, 412-624-7443 (W),
412-793-2869 (H)NCEES 2007 Annual
MeetingAugust 22, 2007 Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
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Member Board Interest in a PE Examination in a
New Discipline

• The official starting point for developing a PE
  examination in a new discipline is a request from
  ten member boards to the NCEES staff to prepare a
  proposal for approval by the NCEES Board.
• The basis of the member boards request is
  recognition of a need for the new examination and
  a determination that a sufficient number of
  candidates exist for it.
• A key element of the proposal is identification
  of technical society support for the work.

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Member Board Interest in aBio-Related PE
Examination

• The starting point for developing a Bio-Related
  PE Examination has been an unofficial dialog of
  five technical societies AIChE, ASABE, ASME,
  BMES and IEEE.
• Members of these societies are developing a
  justification for the new examination and an
  estimate of the number of candidates that may
  take it.
• When these are prepared, a request will be sought
  from ten member boards to the NCEES staff to
  prepare a proposal for approval by the NCEES EPE
  Committee and the Board.

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Draft Justification for aBio-Related PE
Examination

• A second draft is being reviewed by the five
  societies it will include
• Concerns for safety, health and welfare of the
  public in bio-related areas (still under
  development)
• Preliminary listing of tasks of bio-related
  engineers
• Preliminary estimate of the number of candidates
  expected to take a bio-related PE examination

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Preliminary Listing of Tasks of Bio-Related
Engineers

• Three sets of tasks developed for
• Biomedical engineers (BMES, ASME, IEEE)
• Biological engineers (ASABE)
• Biomolecular engineers (AIChE/SBE)

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Preliminary Listing of Tasks for Biomedical
Engineers

• Design and application of instruments, devices,
  software, and procedures for health care
• Develop new procedures, or conduct research
  needed to solve clinical problems
• Design, installation, and operation of health
  care systems and facilities
• Regulatory compliance and standards (FDA, AAMI,
  ASTM, CMS, etc.) and bio-ethical tenets

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Preliminary Listing of Tasks for Biological
Engineers

• Design of biological systems
• Design, installation, operation and management
  of bio-processing facilities
• Manipulation and packaging of ingestible
  biological products
• Design, installation, operation and maintenance
  of controlled environments
• Development of bio-materials

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Preliminary Listing of Tasks for Biomolecular
Engineers

• Design of biological systems
• Design, installation, operation and management
  of bio-processing facilities
• Manipulation and packaging of pharmaceuticals
• Design, installation, operation and maintenance
  of controlled environments
• Development of bio-materials
• Compliance with regulatory issues (FDA)
  related to pharmaceuticals

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Preliminary Estimate of Candidates for a
Bio-Related PE Examination

• Technical societies urge their members to become
  licensed and between 10 and 20 of their members
  do so.
• As an example, about 4,500 chemical engineers
  graduate and about 600 (13) sit for the ChE PE
  exam each year.
• About 3,000 bioengineers graduate each year,
  leading to an estimate of at least 400 sitting
  for a bio-related PE exam each year.

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Preliminary Estimate of Candidates for a
Bio-Related PE Examination

• About 380 takers of the FE exam each year
  report that they receive a bio-related degree.
• Of these, 159 were biomedical engineers and
  217 were non-biomedical bio-related engineers.
• The counts in the ten states with the largest
  numbers are
• CA 27 NC 34 TN 13
• GA 14 NY 17 UT 17
• IN 22 OH 15 VA 26
• LA 36

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The Path Ahead Towards a Bio-Related PE
Examination

• Complete the section of the justification
  statement on bio-related concerns for safety,
  health and welfare of the public.
• Obtain technical society commitment for
  development of the exam.
• Receive support from ten member boards for
  development of a bio-related PE exam.
• Prepare a proposal to EPE and the Board.

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Current Interest of Societies in a Bio-Related
PE Examination

• Six societies were represented at a Bio-Summit in
  August 2006 at Clemson.
• A prospectus was prepared for a consortium to
  assist in developing a bio-related PE
  examination.
• AIChE and ASABE have formally joined the
  consortium.
• ASME, BMES and IEEE have not yet joined.
• Prof. Steven Schreiner will now speak to you
  about these matters on behalf of BMES, and Prof.
  Ronald Yoder will do so on behalf of ASABE.

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Biomedical Engineering SocietyBackground

• BME is a relatively new field.
• 2006 42 ABET accredited undergraduate programs
• BME is a growing field.
• 1990 Only 20 ABET accredited undergraduate
  programs
• Seeking specialized licensure is often a natural
  evolution of a growing field is the time right?
• There are relatively few biomedical engineers who
  are currently licensed.
• Biomedical engineers interested in consulting
  obtained licensure in other engineering
  specialties since bio-related is unavailable.
• Biomedical engineers do not have a tradition of
  sitting for the FE exam.
• Academe does not strongly encourage students to
  sit for the FE exam. There is a strong research
  focus in BME education.

Steve Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E.
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Biomedical Engineering SocietyBackground

• Undergraduates graduate into a diverse set of
  careers

(source AIMBE 2006 Placement Survey)
Steve Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E.
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Biomedical Engineering SocietyPE Licensure Status

• BMES wants to be involved if we collectively
  decide that an exam is to be developed.
• BMES is currently addressing several concerns and
  questions
• Is there a demand for a bio-related exam from
  students and/or industry?
• Does BMES have a core of volunteers to create and
  maintain the exam?
• What are the long-term costs of an exam?

Steve Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E.
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Biomedical Engineering SocietyPE Licensure Status

• Next steps
• Solicit interest from BMES members
• BMES Volunteers
• Students
• Industry
• Need buy-in before we can proceed with the exam
• Identify long-term cost issues

Steve Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E.
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Ron Yoder, P. E.Professor and Head

• Biological Systems Engineering Department
• University of Nebraska

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ASABE

• American Society of Agricultural and Biological
  Engineers
• Founded in 1907 as the American Society of
  Agricultural Engineering
• As early as the1920s there were advocates of
  calling our discipline Biological Engineering
• In the1960s the department at North Carolina
  State University was renamed Agricultural and
  Biological Engineering
• Society name changed in 2006 to include Biological

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Biological Engineering

• Since the late 1980s most academic departments
  and/or programs have been renamed to include
  Biological
• Beginning in this current year, ABET will begin
  accrediting programs in Biological and similarly
  named Engineering programs
• ASABE is the lead Society in a consortium of
  societies providing program reviewers, and
  reviewer training

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Consortium for ABET Accreditation

• ASABE Lead society
• Cooperating societies
• American Academy of Environmental Engineers
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Biomedical Engineering Society
• CSAB
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Institute of Industrial Engineers
• Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society
• National Institute of Ceramic Engineers

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What is Biological Engineering?

• In the ASABE realm, Biological Engineering is
• Bioprocessing
• Engineering of food, feeds, biofibers,
  bioproducts, and biomaterials (including tissue
  engineering)
• Biological solutions to environmental problems
• Waste management and odor abatement
• Biosensors
• Controlled environments for plants and animals
• Human and animal health

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Who would take a Biological Engineering PE Exam?

• Within ASABE related academic programs
• Approximately 3200 undergraduate students
  currently enrolled
• Approximately 600 undergraduate students
  graduated last year
• One-half to three-quarters of these students are
  likely in biological engineering programs, or
  options

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Obtaining Support fromTen Member Boards

• Poll Boards to determine interest in offering the
  exam and estimate the number of potential
  examinees.
• Interested state Boards should contact
• Tim Miller, P.E.
• NCEES Director of Exam Development
• [phone]
• tmiller_at_ncees.org

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Suggested Questionsfor This Workshop

• Suggested questions for discussion at this
  workshop
• Have boards received requests from industry and
  engineers for such an examination?
• Do boards see a need for this exam?
• Are there boards (ten needed) that will prepare
  requests for the exam?
• What assistance do boards need to prepare their
  requests?