“Uninvolved” Professionals and Technical Disasters

Abstract

Although engineers usually labor anonymously as “their brother's keeper,” a survey on whistleblowing showed that 40% of practicing engineers preferred not to get involved when they saw questionable practices that might endanger public safety. Insulating themselves from such incidents when they are afraid that their professional judgement might be overruled, or failing to participate in legislative processes when technological missions are formulated, can initiate technical disasters. A number of omissions in professional behavior that have led to such catastrophies are cited, and remedies are suggested to minimize them in the future. Recommendations involve 6‐yr practice‐oriented engineering curricula, dual individual membership in national societies and a global unity organization, courts of professional opinion to preclude nontechnical interference, a change of the spelling of engineer to make it uniform worldwide, development of professional esprit de corps, and selection of Anonymous as the symbolic patron for the anonymous service engineers perform for all mankind.