Professional Societies

As the textbook explains, professional societies should not be confused with the provincial and territorial Associations, which license engineers and geoscientists. The difference is that you must obtain a licence from an Association to practise engineering or geoscience, but membership in a professional society is voluntary.

However, professional societies perform a vital role, and every engineer and geoscientist should join, and participate in, at least one society. Societies encourage research, communicate new theories, and disseminate information about new techniques and equipment. Societies also sponsor conferences and publications where you can learn about new theories, codes, standards, software, hardware and equipment. Chapter 16 of the text discusses the purpose, history, and importance of professional societies, and Chapter 17 explains the important role of professional societies in helping practising engineers and geoscientists to maintain competence through Continued Professional Development (CPD).

Professional societies advance the specific interests of the members, which may be classified by discipline, product, facility, function, or by other mutual interests, such as advocacy, location, or charitable work. The following links show a few professional societies of interest to Canadian engineers and geoscientists. An Internet search will reveal literally thousands more societies.

Canadian Discipline-Oriented Societies

CGS Canadian Geotechnical Society
CSCE Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
CSME Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering
CSChE Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
CSEM Canadian Society for Engineering Management
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers - Canada
CNS Canadian Nuclear Society
CIM Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum
CSAE Canadian Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food and Biological Systems
CMBES Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society
CIC Chemical Institute of Canada
MTS Canadian Maritime Section of the Marine Technology Society

U.S. and International Discipline-Oriented Societies

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers
AIME American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
AIChE American Institute of Chemical Engineers
ASAE American Society of Agricultural Engineers
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers
ASEE American Society for Engineering Education
AIPG American Institute of Professional Geologists
ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials)

Advocacy Societies

CFES Canadian Federation of Engineering Students
CSPE Canadian Society of Professional Engineers
OSPE Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
ACEC Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada
CMEA Canadian Military Engineers Association
NSPE National Society for Professional Engineers (U.S.)

Canadian Honorary Society

The Canadian Academy of Engineering

Canadian Charitable Societies

EWB Engineers without Borders
RedR Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief

Societies of Societies

The following societies are national “umbrella” organizations, formed to coordinate the activities of their constituent societies:

EIC Engineering Institute of Canada

The Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) is a federation of nine member societies: CGS, CSCE, CSME, CSChE, CSEM, IEEE-Canada, CNS, MTS and LMO (a charitable organization of life members of EIC). EIC is also now a leading provider and coordinating body for continued professional development.

AAES American Association of Engineering Societies

The American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) is a multi-disciplinary organization of engineering societies dedicated to advancing the knowledge, understanding, and practice of engineering.

*Most societies permit membership applications to be submitted electronically. Because of the value and usefulness of engineering societies, membership dues are deductible from personal income (for practising professionals, under Canadian income tax laws).