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Celebrating National Aviation Day

Today, August 19, 2025, is National Aviation Day, an annual observance dedicated to honoring the men and women who pioneered human flight and made significant contributions to aviation history. This day serves as a reminder of the incredible advancements in aviation and offers a chance for everyone to appreciate how far we’ve come in the field of flight.

Whether you're an aviation enthusiast or simply curious about flying, there are many meaningful ways to observe and celebrate National Aviation Day.
Here are some great ways to get involved:

1. Visit an Aviation Museum
Explore the rich history of flight by visiting an aviation museum such as the Intrepid Museum, the Cradle of Aviation Museum, or the Space Shuttle Pavilion. These institutions often feature vintage aircraft, interactive exhibits, and educational programs that highlight aviation’s evolution over time.

2. Attend an Airshow
Experience the thrill of aviation firsthand by attending an airshow in your area. Watch stunning aerial displays and aerobatic performances by skilled pilots. These events are both exciting and educational, showcasing the capabilities of modern and historic aircraft.

3. Take a Flight
Feel the excitement of being in the air by booking a scenic flight or taking a flying lesson. Many flight schools and aviation centers offer introductory flights, giving you a chance to experience what it’s like to be behind the controls or simply enjoy the view from above.

4. Volunteer with Aviation Organizations
Support the aviation community by volunteering your time and skills. Whether it’s helping at an airshow, assisting with aircraft restoration, or participating in outreach programs, your involvement can help promote and preserve the aviation industry.

5. Learn About Aviation History
Take the opportunity to dive deeper into aviation's fascinating past. Read books, watch documentaries, or join an online course to learn about the pioneers, innovations, and challenges that have shaped modern aviation.

On National Aviation Day, let’s come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements in flight and honor the legacy of the Wright brothers and other aviation pioneers. Whether you're in the air or on the ground, there's something for everyone to appreciate on this special day.

 

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Happy National Professional Engineers Day

Did you know that the first person to ever earn a Professional Engineer (P.E.) license in the United States was Charles Bellamy on August 8, 1907? Now, more than a century later, we celebrate Professional Engineers Day around the world.

This year, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, mark the tenth annual Professional Engineers Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about what engineers do, what it takes to become a P.E., and how professional engineers stay current with rapidly evolving technologies.

Thanks to the visibility this celebration brings, the U.S. now has more than 900,000 licensed professional engineers, with over 25,000 engineers taking the P.E. exam each year, according to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

A P.E. license is awarded to engineers who meet specific qualifications and pass examinations administered by NCEES. To obtain a P.E. license, candidates must first pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, followed by the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. Because licenses are issued by individual states, engineers can hold multiple P.E. licenses across different jurisdictions.

The P.E. exams are discipline-specific, and passing rates vary by field. While some disciplines are more challenging than others, the overall pass rate across all disciplines is approximately 65%. The most commonly taken P.E. exam is in civil engineering, which has an estimated 49% pass rate for first-time test takers, according to NCEES.

 

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Moon Landing Anniversary

Sunday, July 20th, 2025, will mark the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission, which was successfully fulfilled by astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. The astronauts took off on July 16th, 1969, out of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Kennedy Space Center in Florida and set foot on the moon on July 20th, 1969. To successfully achieve the Apollo 11 mission, it took hundreds of people working behind the scenes for years to fully execute this perfect mission, including NASA’s mechanical engineers crew, who also made it easier for other successful missions to take place later on. NASA’s mechanical engineers’ abilities to solve problems, design, and build were vital components that helped NASA organize, piece together, and successfully execute these missions. The mechanical engineer crew worked long hours and around the clock developing new technologies in addition to perfecting old ones. NASA’s mechanical engineers developed and worked on typical technology systems such as spacecraft, satellites, and engines. In order to be part of NASA’s mechanical engineer crew, one must have a range of knowledge and skills in disciplines such as aerospace, computers, and electronics to be able to work on various tasks and meet NASA’s strict criteria.

Since the first mission, NASA has had several successful moon landings. Aside from Apollo 11, NASA launched Apollo 12 with astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad and Alan Bean; Apollo 14 with astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Edgar D. Mitchell; Apollo 15 with astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin; Apollo 16 with astronauts Charles M. Duke and John W. Young, who was also part of the Apollo 10 orbital; and Apollo 17 with astronauts Harrison H. Schmitt and Eugene Cernan, who was also part of the Apollo 10 orbital.

NASA also had difficult missions, one happening during the third moon landing mission called Apollo 13. After launching the Apollo 13 spacecraft, the astronauts never made it to the moon because they experienced malfunction issues that caused them to lose oxygen. One of the oxygen tanks exploded and almost caused a near disaster, but luckily the astronauts were able to loop around the moon and make a safe re-entry and landing in the Earth’s atmosphere. After studying what caused the failures on the Apollo 13 mission, NASA made multiple changes to the design of the spacecraft for increased safety, which allowed Apollo 14, 15, 16, and 17 missions to be successful.

If you are interested in NASA’s missions and mechanical engineering and would like more information, please visit https://www.nasa.gov/.

 

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International Women in Engineering Day

Today, June 23rd, marks the 12th International Women in Engineering Day (INWED). Initially, popularity and enthusiasm for the day expanded the celebration from its concentrated origin in the United Kingdom to become a worldwide event.

Originally launched in 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), INWED sought to recognize and celebrate the presence and importance of underrepresented women in engineering. WES’ own mission is to be active supporters of women, motivate women to pursue careers in engineering, collaborate with government agencies and policymakers, and challenge stagnant cultures, which merge into the yearly celebration of INWED.

This year’s theme, #TogetherWeEngineer, will focus on highlighting the incredible work that female engineers perform when they collaborate. INWED encourages all supporting groups, globally, to organize events in support of INWED. There are many ways in which the supporting groups can collaborate and/or get involved during INWED. WES encourages that everyone can get involved by either becoming STEM ambassadors; hosting networking, mentoring, career, or social events; signing up for the INWED newsletter and following their social media accounts, such as Twitter and Instagram at INWEB1919; joining WES as a corporate partner; and/or promoting this year’s theme with the #TogetherWeEngineer and #INWEB25 hashtags. Last year, all supporting groups made a huge impact globally, reaching millions of people. Together, we can make significant change and expand awareness of the importance of women in engineering.

For more information about INWED and how you or your organization can participate, visit www.inwed.org.uk.

 

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Celebrating Infrastructure Week 2025: Progress and the Road Ahead

Every May, communities, policymakers, and industry leaders come together to recognize Infrastructure Week, which is a national event that highlights the importance of investing in and modernizing America’s infrastructure. This year, Infrastructure Week took place from May 12 to May 16, 2025, offering a platform to reflect on progress, raise awareness, and encourage action across the country.

Infrastructure Week is more than a celebration; it's a call to action. From highways and bridges to water systems and broadband access, our nation’s infrastructure plays a vital role in our daily lives and the health of our economy. Throughout the week, events were held nationwide, including public forums, site visits, and social media campaigns, all aimed at engaging citizens and decision-makers in conversations about the future of infrastructure.

A major highlight of this year's observance was the release of the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The report card showed encouraging signs of improvement in several key areas, thanks to recent investments and bipartisan support for major infrastructure legislation. However, the overall grade remains short of where it needs to be, signaling that while we’ve made progress, much work still lies ahead.

So, how can you get involved? Supporting Infrastructure Week doesn’t require technical expertise, just a willingness to engage. You can attend local or virtual events, advocate for sustainable funding solutions, support infrastructure-related policies, or even explore careers in construction, engineering, and transportation. Sharing information on social media using hashtags like #InfrastructureWeek and #BuildForTomorrow also helps raise awareness.

As we look beyond Infrastructure Week 2025, it’s clear that continued collaboration and long-term commitment are essential to build a safer, more resilient, and more efficient infrastructure system for future generations. Let’s keep the momentum going—not just one week a year, but every day