Engineering Change Lab-USA (ECL-USA) is a catalyst for change within the engineering community, helping it reach its highest potential on behalf of society
We are living in a world that is facing an unprecedented combination of technological change…
and rapidly evolving societal needs, driven in large part by environmental imperatives. As this uncertain future unfolds, maintaining the status quo is not an option for the engineering community. The imperative for change and adaptation has driven the formation of ECL-USA.
Learn More about ECL-USASummits
ECL-USA convenes two to three times a year to share perspectives, deepen our understanding of engineering’s emerging future, and to launch experiments and focused initiatives designed both to foster change across the entire engineering system from education to practice to research to licensure.
Upcoming SummitsOur Way Forward
Our way forward is through action inspired by the Engineering Change Lab-USA’s mission. ECL-USA was started in 2017, with the mission of becoming a catalyst for change within the engineering profession, by helping the profession reach its highest potential on behalf of society.
To achieve our mission, we will:
- Bring together stakeholders, innovative thinkers, and change agents to explore and generate new knowledge about the role of engineering in an emerging future.
- Self-organize as an independent (non-aligned) entity – complementing existing stakeholder organizations (professional societies and associations), not attempting to duplicate their efforts.
- Become a communications hub, linking and sharing knowledge between stakeholders engaged in creating the future of the engineering community (profession).
- Engage in and lead collaborative initiatives designed to transform the engineering community (profession) to help it thrive in an evolving world.
Recent News
2020 and the Future of Engineering
As 2020 comes to an end, all of us are reflecting on a year unlike any other in recent history.
• Early in the year, the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, more than 18 million Americans have been infected, over 300,000 Americans have died earlier than they should have, and our health care system has been strained to the breaking point. The pandemic has caused major loss of jobs and has had worldwide economic impacts that will be felt for years. There have been social and cultural impacts on the way we live and work. The greatest economic and social impacts have been absorbed by those with the least resources.
• In May, the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of the police triggered nationwide demonstrations and an awakening to the impacts of racial injustice, including recognition that systemic application of public policy has contributed to this injustice.
• We experienced another year of devastating impacts from extreme weather events, particularly wildfires and hurricanes, that were exacerbated by the continuing effects of long-term climate change.
• The 2020 election was unlike any other. Record numbers of Americans voted despite the pandemic. The election highlighted the sharp political polarities in our country and the dangerous impacts of conspiracy theories and misinformation spread using technology platforms.
• At the end of the year, we experienced a cyber-security attack that reached deep into multiple federal government agencies and infrastructure-related industries with still unknown impacts.
What has 2020 taught us about the future of engineering?
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Summit 10 Wrap-Up
ECL-USA Summit 10, Licensure Models for the Fourth Industrial Revolution is complete. The summit was presented in partnership with the National Society of Professional Engineers and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.
The participants in the summit explored the future of licensure for engineering and the role licensure and regulatory bodies can play in ensuring that engineers and organizations engaged in the development of the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution act in the public interest. The discussion was informed and framed by the perspectives of our summit provocateurs.... Read More
Summit 10 & Outreach Update
There is still plenty of time to register for our next Engineering Change Lab – USA (ECL-USA) virtual mini-summit, Licensure Models for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, on December 16, 2020. This summit will feature a half-day deep dive into the need for engineering licensure models to adapt. This summit will be presented in partnership with the National Society of Professional Engineers and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Register by clicking the button below.
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