It’s National Engineers Week! Explore Over 70 Years of Celebrating America’s Innovators
Engineering has been at the forefront of American history since its independence in 1776. For hundreds of years, engineers have designed and developed our country into the well-oiled machine it is today. In this week’s article, McGregor Surmount is celebrating the history of engineering as well as each and everyone of the engineers on our incredible team.
© 2023 National Society of Professional Engineers. All rights reserved.
First, let’s begin with a brief history of National Engineering Week. In 1951 the National Society of Professional Engineers initiated National Engineers Week to shine a light on the critical role engineers play in our society. The commemoration has been celebrated every year since.
Why celebrate engineering in February? The week had been chosen to coincide with the birthday of George Washington. President Washington did not have a formal education but would use his skills in innovation, creativity and knowledge in building/surveying to apply towards his work in the Revolutionary War. Colonel Richard Gridley would become General Washington’s first chief engineer and Congress would establish a separate Corps of Engineers in 1779.
Illustration of the electric telegraph in 1837, engineered by Samuel Morse.
For decades engineers have shaped every aspect of our daily lives. At McGregor Surmount, we specialize in electronic engineering–arguably one of the most critical sectors of the industry. Electronic engineering is most popularly associated with great scientists such as Nikola Tesla or Thomas Edison however there have been millions of brilliant minds working to push the boundaries of its potential–and that is exactly what we want to celebrate.
Chris Harris, the Director of Engineering at McGregor had a few things to share about the observance:
“As we celebrate National Engineers Week, the pandemic, natural disasters, and recent fires have caused engineers worldwide to reconsider their design strategies due to the ever-changing supply chain challenges. So be good to yourself and partner with one of the many strategic parts-sourcing software solutions available on the market. For example, we partnered with Part Analytics and found it a valuable resource.”
- Chris Harris, Director of Engineering, McGregor & Associates Inc.
Power Distributor designed and developed at McGregor Surmount. Image courtesy of the McGregor Surmount Engineering Division. © 2023 McGregor Surmount. All rights reserved.
Our engineering division has some incredible projects that we will be revealing in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to our blog to read the news as soon as we release it.
Lastly, this one is for engineers everywhere. Whether you’re a trained professional working on a massive team or a hobbyist snapping pieces together in a garage–we tip our hats to you. Your contributions allow us to thrive and build towards a better future. We appreciate you.