Engineers have helped build our nation since it's founding.  Our first president, George Washington, conducted engineering activities as a soldier and as a young man, surveying and mapping wilderness territories.  Today, engineers are essential for building and maintaining the systems that protect our health and safety, restore and protect our environment, make our factories run and contribute to our economic future.

Yet, for all these contributions toward building a modern world, there are many people who are not aware of what the more than 1.6 million engineers in this country do.  Engineers Week is a strong venue to inform our citizens of the value of engineers, celebrate engineering technology and innovation and cultivate interest in math, science and engineering among the nation's youth - tomorrow's work force.