Society of Engineers UK
Encyclopedia
The Society of Engineers was a learned society
that was integrated with the Institution of Incorporated Engineers
(IIE) in 2005, with both societies later being
incorporated into the Institution of Engineering and Technology
.
It was the first Society to issue the professional title of Incorporated Engineer.
minimum age 21 years, a qualification BTEC, HND, HNC or GNVQ/NVQ/SNQ Level 4 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 3 years of engineering training. Pass Part I of SoE's Exams.
minimum age 23 years, ASE plus CertEng or BEng / BSc or GNVQ / NVQ / SNVO Level 5 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 5 years of engineering training /experience including 2 years practical or site work. Pass Part II of SoE's Exams.
minimum age 26 years AMSE plus DipEng or BEng(Hons)or similar approved qualification or MEng with approved project study at a participating university and 5 years engineering training/experience including 2 years practical or site work plus holding a position of professional responsibility for at least 3 years. Pass Part III of SoE's Exams.
minimum age 33 years, Corporate Members of at least 7 years standing, who in the opinion of the Membership Elections Committee endorsed by the directors are deemed to have had sufficient experience (including major responsibility in the design,
research or execution of engineering works) and who can also demonstrate continued career development. Services rendered to The Society in particular or to the profession of engineering generally are also taken into account.
Honorary Fellows shall be persons of distinguished position or scientific attainments nominated and elected by the directors who shall consent to become Members of The Society.
became an Honorary Fellow and approved the use of his name for the Society's senior award. Recipients have since included Sir Frank Whittle
for jet engine design, Sir Christopher Hinton
and Sir John Cockcroft
for their work on atomic energy, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland
for aircraft design, Sir Bernard Lovell
for radio astronomy and Professor Alan Wells for the Wells turbine
for wave power. Eminent Honorary Fellow was Sir Guglielmo Marconi
, the father of the Radio.
was formed in 2006 by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) and now has more than 150,000 members worldwide. This new Institution now incorporates all the Members of the Society of Engineers.
Learned society
A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...
that was integrated with the Institution of Incorporated Engineers
Institution of Incorporated Engineers
The Institution of Incorporated Engineers was a multidisciplinary engineering institution in the United Kingdom. In 2006 it merged with the Institution of Electrical Engineers to form the Institution of Engineering and Technology . Before the merger the IIE had approximately 40,000 members...
(IIE) in 2005, with both societies later being
incorporated into the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
.
It was the first Society to issue the professional title of Incorporated Engineer.
Establishment
Established in May 1854 in The Strand, London, The Society of Engineers was the third oldest professional engineering body in the UK. It promoted the interests of members worldwide and was concerned with all branches of engineering. It was founded as a means of reunion for former students of Putney College — one of few institutions giving technical and scientific training for engineers at that time.Examinations
To became a member the candidate was subjected to an examination divided into three parts:- Part I: General Engineering
- Part II: Design Paper (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical/ Electronics Project).
- Part III: Management
Membership Qualifications
- ASE: Associate Engineering (Non Corporate Member)
minimum age 21 years, a qualification BTEC, HND, HNC or GNVQ/NVQ/SNQ Level 4 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 3 years of engineering training. Pass Part I of SoE's Exams.
- AMSE: Associate Member (Non Corporate Member)
minimum age 23 years, ASE plus CertEng or BEng / BSc or GNVQ / NVQ / SNVO Level 5 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 5 years of engineering training /experience including 2 years practical or site work. Pass Part II of SoE's Exams.
- MSE: Member (Corporate Member)
minimum age 26 years AMSE plus DipEng or BEng(Hons)or similar approved qualification or MEng with approved project study at a participating university and 5 years engineering training/experience including 2 years practical or site work plus holding a position of professional responsibility for at least 3 years. Pass Part III of SoE's Exams.
- FSE: Fellow (Corporate Member) - No Direct Entry
minimum age 33 years, Corporate Members of at least 7 years standing, who in the opinion of the Membership Elections Committee endorsed by the directors are deemed to have had sufficient experience (including major responsibility in the design,
research or execution of engineering works) and who can also demonstrate continued career development. Services rendered to The Society in particular or to the profession of engineering generally are also taken into account.
- HonFSE: Honorary Fellow (Corporate Member) - No Direct Entry
Honorary Fellows shall be persons of distinguished position or scientific attainments nominated and elected by the directors who shall consent to become Members of The Society.
Timeline
- 1854 Society of Engineers (SoE) founded
- 1884 Junior Institution of Engineers founded
- Date unknown Junior Institution of Engineers renamed the Institution of Mechanical & General Technician Engineers (IMGTechE)
- Early 20th century Association of Supervisory Electrical Engineers (ASEE) founded
- 1928 Cumann na nInnealtoiri (The Engineers Society) is founded in Ireland
- Early 20th century Institute of Engineers and Technicians (IET) founded
- Mid 20th century Institution of Incorporated Executive Engineers (IIExE) founded
- Mid 20th century The Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers (IERE) founded
- 1965 Institution of Electrical and Electronics Technician Engineers (IEETE) founded, incorporating ASEE (with support from the IEE)
- 1965 The Society of Electronics and Radio Technicians (SERT) founded by amalgamation of IERE with Radio Trades Examination Board (RTEB). SERT then supported RTEB renamed as the Electronics Examination Board (EEB)
- 1969 A number of Corporate Members of the Society of Engineers founded on the 27 October 1969 The Society of Professional Engineers (SPE) that maintains a register of Engineers who have proved their competence and can be accurately described as Professional Engineers and who on Registration can use the designation "P.Eng.";
- 1969 The Institution of Civil Engineers and Cumann na nInnealtóirí merged to form the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, now known as Engineers Ireland.
- 1978 The Institution of Technician Engineers in Mechanical Engineering (ITEME) founded (with support from IMechE)
- 1982 The IMGTechE and ITEME merged to form the Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers (IMechIE)
- 1982 IEETE renamed the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Incorporated Engineers
- 1990 IEEIE and SERT merged to form the Institution of Electronics and Electrical Incorporated Engineers (IEEIE)
- 1998 IEEIE, IMechIE and IET merged to form the Institution of Incorporated Engineers in electronic, electrical and mechanical Engineering (IIE)
- 1999 IEExE merged with IIE
- 2001 IIE granted Royal Charter and renamed The Institution of Incorporated Engineers
- 2005 EEB wound up
- 2005 SoE absorbed into IIE
- 2006 IIE and IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers) joined together to form the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology).
Eminent members
The Society has had many eminent engineers among its membership and in receipt of its prestigious awards — the most recent being the Churchill Medal. In 1946 Sir Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
became an Honorary Fellow and approved the use of his name for the Society's senior award. Recipients have since included Sir Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
for jet engine design, Sir Christopher Hinton
Christopher Hinton
Christopher Hinton, Baron Hinton of Bankside OM, KBE, FRS, FREng, was a British nuclear engineer, and supervisor of the construction of Calder Hall, the world's first large-scale commercial nuclear power station.-Career:Hinton's career began as graduate engineering apprentice with the Great...
and Sir John Cockcroft
John Cockcroft
Sir John Douglas Cockcroft OM KCB CBE FRS was a British physicist. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for splitting the atomic nucleus with Ernest Walton, and was instrumental in the development of nuclear power....
for their work on atomic energy, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland
Geoffrey de Havilland
Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS, was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer...
for aircraft design, Sir Bernard Lovell
Bernard Lovell
Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell OBE, FRS is an English physicist and radio astronomer. He was the first Director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, from 1945 to 1980.-Early Life:...
for radio astronomy and Professor Alan Wells for the Wells turbine
Wells turbine
The Wells turbine is a low-pressure air turbine that rotates continuously in one direction in spite of the direction of the air flow. Its blades feature a symmetrical airfoil with its plane of symmetry in the plane of rotation and perpendicular to the air stream.It was developed for use in...
for wave power. Eminent Honorary Fellow was Sir Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
, the father of the Radio.
Mergers
The merger with the IIE ensured continued recognition of The Society of Engineers name as its members retained their post nominal letters (MSE or MSEng.), also securing a broader membership base for IIE.Present status within the IET
The Institution of Engineering and TechnologyInstitution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
was formed in 2006 by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) and now has more than 150,000 members worldwide. This new Institution now incorporates all the Members of the Society of Engineers.