Institution of Structural Engineers

Institution of Structural Engineers

Founded	21 July 1908
Location	London, UK
Area served	Worldwide
Services	Professional Membership Room Hire www.findanengineer.com The Structural Engineer Library
Members	Over 23,000
Key people	President Norman Train, Chief Executive Martin Powell
Website	www.istructe.org

The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) is a professional body for structural engineering based in the United Kingdom. It has over 23,000 members in 105 countries. The Institution is a learned body and provider of professional accreditation for structural engineers. The Institution publishes a monthly journal, The Structural Engineer.

The Institution is an internationally recognised source of expertise and information concerning all issues that involve structural engineering and public safety within the built environment.

The core work of the Institution is supporting and protecting the profession of structural engineering by upholding professional standards and acting as an international voice on behalf of structural engineers.

History

The Institution gained its Royal Charter in March 1934. It was established at the Ritz Hotel, London on 21 July 1908 as the Concrete Institute, as the result of a need to define standards and rules for the proper use of concrete material in construction industry. The first headquarters were established at No. 8, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, London; the first President was the Right Honourable Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth, in whose honour the largest meeting room at the current headquarters at 11 Upper Belgrave Street, London, SW1X 8BH - is named. Incorporated in 1909 as a charitable company limited by guarantee, it was renamed the Institution of Structural Engineers in 1922, when its areas of interest were extended to cover 'structures' of all kinds; 'structures' being defined as 'those constructions subject principally to the laws of statics as opposed to those subject to the laws of dynamics and kinetics, such as engines and machines'.

The Institution introduced an examination to qualify for membership in 1920. By 1925 the Institution had 1,700 members, growing over the years to the 23,600 currently.

Qualifying examinations for membership were introduced in 1920. At the same time, the first regional branches were formed, Lancashire & Cheshire being the first in 1922, followed by Western Counties in 1923. In 1937 the South Africa Branch became the first to be established outside the UK. There are now 32 branches, divisions and sections across the world.

Presidents of the Institution of Structural Engineers

• Right Honourable Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth (1908–10)
• Sir Henry Tanner (1910–12)
• E.P. Wells (1912–14)
• Henry Adams (1914–16)
• F.E. Wentworth-Shields OBE (1916–18)
• H.D. Searles-Wood (1918–20)
• E. Fiander Etchells (1920–23)
• Major J. Petrie OBE (1923–24)
• Sir Charles Tamlin Ruthen OBE (1925–26)
• H.J. Deane BE (1926–28)
• Lt-Colonel J. Mitchell Moncrieff CBE (1928–30)
• R.H. Harry Stanger (1930–32)
• Major E.C.P. Monson TD (1932–33)
• Sir Arnold Waters VC CBE DSO MC JP DL (1933–34)
• Ewart S Andrews BSc (1934–35)
• Dr Oscar Faber CBE DCL(Hons) DSc (1935–36)
• Lt-Colonel C.H. Fox OBE BSc (1936–37)
• Professor J. Husband DEng(Hons) (1937–38)
• Lt-Colonel H.S. Rogers CMG DSO (1938–39)
• P.J. Black (1939–40
• Captain M.B. Buxton MC MA (1940)
• J.F. Butler (1940–41)
• Dr W.K. Wallace CBE DSc (1941–43)
• Sir Arnold Waters VC CBE DSO MC JP DL (1943–44)
• Gower B.R. Pimm (1944–45)
• F.E. Drury OBE MSc (1945–46)
• Professor H.J. Collins MSc (1946–47)
• Sir Frederick Snow CBE (1947–48)
• L. Scott White OBE (1948–49)
• Leslie Turner BSc (1949–50)
• J.E. Swindlehurst OBE MA (1951–52)
• Ernest Granter BSc(Eng) (1952–53)
• Lt-Colonel R.F. Galbraith MC BSc (1953–54)
• Dr S.B. Hamilton OBE MSc PhD BSc(Eng) (1954–55)
• Stanley Vaughan BSc (1955–56)
• J. Guthrie Brown CBE (1956–57)
• Professor Sir Alfred Pugsley OBE FREng FRS DSc(Eng) (1957–58)
• G.S. McDonald (1959–60)
• L.E. Kent OBE BSc(Eng) (1960–61)
• Lt-Colonel G.W. Kirkland MBE(Mil) (1960–61)
• F.R. Bullen BSc(Eng) (1961–62)
• E.N. Underwood BSc(Eng) (1962–63)
• F.M. Bowen (1963–64)
• Sir Henry Charles Husband CBE FREng DSc BEng (1964–65)
• D.A.G. Reid CBE FREng BSc(Eng) (1965–66)
• Dr D.D. Matthews FREng MA MSc(Eng) DEng (1966–67)
• Brian Scruby CBE FREng (1967–68)
• Dr A.R. Collins MBE DSc (1968–69)
• C.B. Stone CBE DSO (1969–70)
• Dr O.A. Kerensky CBE FREng FRS DSc (1970-71)
• Dr W.G.N. Geddes CBE FREng FRS DSc (1971-72)
• Kenneth Severn MC MA(Cantab) (1972–73)
• L.R. Creasy CB OBE BSc (1973–74)
• D.R.R. Dick BSc (1974–75)
• Peter Mason BSc (1975–76)
• Dr W. Eastwood FREng PhD HonDEng CEng FIStructE FICE FIMechE (1976–77)
• Peter Dunican CBE FREng (1977–78)
• Professor Sir Alan Harris CBE FREng FCGI BSc(Eng) (1978–79)
• J.A. Derrington CBE FREng BSc(Eng) DIC FIStructE FICE FCIArb (1979–80)
• Professor M.R. Horne OBE FREng FRS MA PhD ScD (1980–81)
• T.N.W. Akroyd MScTech LLB(Hons) (1981–82)
• C.J. Evans FREng MA(Cantab) (1982–83)
• Dr R.E. Rowe CBE FREng MA(Cantab) ScD HonDEng FIStructE FICE (1983–84)
• Dr A.C. Paterson CBE FREng BSc(Eng) HonDSc ARCST FIStructE FICE FIMechE FCIArb (1984–85)
• D.J. Lee CBE FREng BScTech DIC (1985–86)
• Professor Sir Edmund Happold RDI FREng (1986–87)
• K.C. White FREng BSc(Eng) CEng FIStructE FICE (1987–88)
• P.L. Campbell FREng JP FCGI DIC CEng FIStructE FICE FIMarE (1988–89)
• Dr J.H. Armstrong OBE FREng BSc HonDEng CEng FIStructE FICE (1989–90)
• D.W. Lazenby CBE DIC DipCU FCGI CEng FIStructE FICE (1990–91)
• Professor A.R. Cusens OBE FREng BSc(Eng) DSc PhD CEng FIStructE FICE FRSE (1991–92)
• J.A. Waller BSc(Hons) FCGI DIC CEng FIStructE FICE (1992–93)
• Dr H.P.J. Taylor FREng BScTech PhD CEng FIStructE FICE (1993–94)
• Professor P.J. Dowling CBE FREng FRS BE DIC PhD FCGI CEng FIStructE FICE FRINA (1994–95)
• B. Simpson OBE CEng FIStructE FRSA (1995–96)
• B.P. Clancy JP BSc(Eng) CEng FIStructE FICE MCIArb (1996–97)
• Dr S. Thorburn OBE FREng BEng PhD CEng FIStructE FICE (1997–98)
• Professor L.A. Clark OBE FREng BEng PhD CEng FIStructE FICE (1998–99)
• Dr J.M. Roberts FREng BEng(Hons) PhD CEng FIStructE FICE (1999–2000)
• Dr J.A. Hill FREng BSc HonDSc CEng FIStructE FICE FIEI (2000–01)
• Professor D.I. Blockley FREng BEng PhD DSc CEng FIStructE FICE (2001–02)
• R.A. McKittrick BSc CEng FiStructE FICE (2002–03)
• Professor D.A. Nethercot OBE FREng BSc(Eng) PhD FCGI CEng FIStructE FICE (2003–04)
• M.W. Fordyce BSc MEng CPEng FIStructE FIEAust (2004–05)
• M.G.T. Dickson CBE FREng BA MS CEng FIStructE FICE HonRIBA (2005–06)
• D.I. Harvey MSc CEng PEng StructEng FIStructE FICE FASCE (2006–07)
• Sarah Buck BSc(Hons) CEng FIStructE MICE (2007-08-09)
• Graham Owens, MSc, PhD, CEng, FREng, FIStructE, FRSA (2009)

Membership

The Concrete Institute was established in 1908 with one hundred founder members. Membership rose quickly and by 1910 the first published list recorded 850 members.

By 1927, membership was in excess of 3,000, however there was some concern that the comparative ease of admission had contributed to the unsuccessful Royal Charter petition. More stringent entry requirements were introduced, resulting in a slow down of growth but an increase in standing, contributing to the second successful petition in 1934.

Membership has continued to increase steadily, both in terms of numbers and globally and currently stands at around 24,000 across over one hundred countries.

The Institution’s first female member Florence Mary Taylor (1879-1969), was elected an Associate member in 1926. The first Chartered female member was Mary Thompson Irvine (from 1955, Mary Thompson Lindsay) (1919-2001), who was elected an Associate Member in 1947. The first female Fellow was Marjem Chatterton (1916- present day), who was elected a Member in 1954.

For further information on becoming a member please take a look at the Membership section.

Membership of the Institution comes in different levels:

• Student Member - for students studying courses accredited by the Institution.
• Graduate Member - for graduates of accredited courses, who have not yet taken the professional review or exam.
• Technician Member - for structural technicians, usually without degree qualifications.
• Associate Member - usually for engineers without accredited degree qualifications who have passed the Associate Membership examination.
• Associate - for members domiciled outside the European Union and have at least five years experience.
• Member - for graduates of accredited degree courses who have passed the Professional Review and Examination
• Fellow - for members who are deemed to have sufficient experience and to have made sufficient achievements to merit fellowship of the Institution. Any member may apply for fellowship.

Only Members & Fellows of the Institution of Structural Engineers may call themselves a chartered engineer. To become a Member it is necessary to sit and pass the professional review interview and examination. The examinations are held once per annum on the first Friday in April. The examination is a test of the candidate's professional competence, taking the form of a seven hour examination in structural engineering design and practice, and the candidate must display a grasp of structural engineering principles, an ability to initiate and communicate structural design and provide an effective solution to a structural design problem.

Branches

As the Concrete Institute expanded into the Institution of Structural Engineers in 1922, there was a demand for more regional activity and involvement, culminating in the formation of branches.

The first branch to be established was Lancashire and Cheshire. Other branches soon followed, such as the Western Counties (1923) and Yorkshire and Midland Counties (both 1924).

In 1932, the first overseas representatives were appointed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India. In 1937, the first overseas branch (now a Division) was founded in South Africa, originally as the Transvaal Branch.

The Institution now has eighteen Branches and three Sections across Great Britain and Ireland and eleven overseas Divisions and Groups.

Governance

The Council is made up of the President (who chairs its meetings), Vice-Presidents, past Presidents, members who are elected for a period of three years, representatives from regional branches and co-opted members.

The Council elects, from among its members, the 'Executive Board', which is the governing body of the Institution.

Council 2010

President - Normal Train

Vice-Presidents - Professor Roger Plank, John Nolan, Yan-Kee Cheng and Nick Russell

Past Presidents - Dr Graham Owens, Dr Sarah Buck, David Harvey, Michael Dickson

The full council list can be found here.

The Library

The Institution's library contains over 35,000 entries and volumes, including textbooks, reports, journals, standards and audiovisual material.

The Library supports members of the Institution by making information available on all aspects of structural engineering.

Our collection includes material from the 1700s to the present day. The online catalogue contains over 60,000 references and is growing daily.

Opening hours: 09:30 - 17:30 Tuesday to Friday

(09:30 - 18:00 When there is an Evening Technical Meeting)

Awards

The Institution of Structural Engineers presents a number of different awards to individuals and organisations for achievements in structural engineering.

Maitland Lecture

The Maitland Lecture was established to celebrate the Institution’s Golden Jubilee in 1958. The lecture is intended to “review some aspects of contemporary affairs by a person of distinction” with the subject of the lecture not necessarily relating to engineering and being entirely at the lecturer’s discretion.

The Maitland Lecture is given biennially to commemorate the work of Major Reginald Maitland who was instrumental in shaping the Institution of Structural Engineers into the highly professional form we know today. After a distinguished military career, he was engaged in reconstruction work in France after the First World War and returned to London as a director of a contracting firm. Maitland became a member of the Institution in 1925, and served as its Secretary for more than 30 years from 1930 to 1961.

Pai Lin Li Travel Award

The Pai Lin Li Travel Award provides grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 to members of the Institution who wish to spend four to six weeks outside their own country studying current practice or trends related to the use of any construction material in the field of structural engineering.

The Institution is particularly keen to encourage take-up of the award in relation to innovative materials and construction techniques.

The award provides an unrivalled opportunity to sample the technical, economic, social and political conditions in another country and to examine how these various factors affect the practice of structural engineering.

Gold Medal Award

The most prestigious award the Institution presents is the Gold Medal, which is presented to those who have made exceptional and outstanding contributions to the advancement of structural engineering.

Structural Awards

Main article: Structural Awards

The Structural Awards are the industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony which celebrates excellence in structural engineering.

Established in 1968, the Structural Awards recognise and reward the work of the world’s most talented structural designers, their indispensable contribution to the built environment and showcase projects that lead the industry's development.

The Institution also makes annual awards to the structural designers of projects, in eleven categories:

• Supreme Award for engineering excellence
• Heritage Award for buildings
• Heritage Award for infrastructure
• Award for Pedestrian Bridges
• Award for Transportation Structures
• Award for Commercial or Retail Structures
• Award for Education or Healthcare Structures
• Award for Community or Residential Structures
• Award for Sports Structures
• Award for Arts, Entertainment or Leisure Structures
• Award for Industrial or Process Structures
• David Alsop Sustainability Awards
• Award for Small Projects

Other Annual Institution awards:

• Institution Awards
• Awards for papers published in The Structural Engineer
• Model and Full Scale Testing Award
• Young Researchers Conference
• Young Structural Engineer of the Year
• Kenneth Severn Award
• James Sutherland lecture

See also

• Structural Awards
• Construction Industry Council
• Engineering Council UK (ECUK)
• Institution of Civil Engineers

External links

• www.istructe.org – Official website
• www.istructe.ie – Republic of Ireland Branch website
• Structural Awards