2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Developing a Team-Based Regulatory Framework for Mobility Engineering Professionals

Presented at Professional Development and Engineering Ethics Education

Transportation mobility has gained burgeoning attention in the past decades driven by the advancement of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) and ubiquitous Internet Communication Technologies (ICT). As the innovation of CAVs progresses towards an upper level of automation, safety concerns induced by advanced autonomous vehicle operation are becoming complex. To correctly manage uncertainties in protecting the public, it is critical to take long-term preventive measures by regulating mobility engineering practices in delivering autonomous driving solutions. To date, the lack of licensure for all mobility engineers remains one of the significant challenges. As we investigated NCEES exam products in the civil engineering domain, none of the exams are targeting the unique knowledge base and skills requirements for a mobility engineer profession. Without an effective mechanism to regulate this emerging occupation, ethical practice and quality assurance of engineering projects could be undermined. In this study, we investigated the current educational programs, job market, requirements, and engineering licensure mechanism in the United States. The analysis identified the gap between the requirements of the mobility engineers’ profession and the current licensing mechanism. As a response, we recommend further study of regulatory alternatives, including a team-based regulatory model to ensure reliable industry practice in the mobility engineering industry.

Authors

Ms. MAN LIANG University of Maryland College Park [biography]

Man Liang is a PhD student in Civil Engineering at the University of Maryland. She has over 3 years of working experience as a civil engineer conducting independent engineering designs for residential, commercial, institutional projects in the states of Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Texas, and etc. She specializes in site surveys, roadway engineering, pavement design, traffic analysis, site layout, site grading, sustainable stormwater management, utility connections, erosion and sediment control, construction management, etc. She has a M.S. degree in Construction Engineering and Management from the Ohio State University and a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from Beijing Forestry University. She is certified as PMP and LEED AP BD+C.
Mr. Michael P McMeekin [biography]

Mr. Mike McMeekin, PE, ENV-SP, co-founder of Engineering Change Lab-USA (ECL-USA), was selected as the first President / Executive Director of ECL-USA in the Fall of 2019. Mike has over 45 years of engineering experience. He spent most of his career in leadership roles at Omaha-based Lamp Rynearson. During his career at Lamp Rynearson, he played a leadership role in numerous signature projects in the Omaha area. Mike is a graduate of the American Council of Engineering Companies’ Senior Executives Institute, an advanced management, leadership, and public policy training program for current and emerging leaders of engineering and architectural firms.

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