The History of AAEES

The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists® is a group of highly-qualified environmental engineers and environmental scientists who have imposed self-testing and review for entry qualification. Each Board Certified Environmental Engineer, Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member, and Board Certified Environmental Scientist, has not only met the standard prerequisites for specialty certification, but also has passed written and oral examinations and reviews by an admission panel of the Academy. The Academy's certification program is accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards.

The Academy is an active participant in the accreditation of environmental engineering curricula. Through this process, the Academy ensures that educational standards are responsive to the needs of the professional and that tomorrow's engineers will meet the needs of the profession.

The Academy further organizes multi-disciplinary teams of BCEEs, BCEEMs, and BCESs to participate in concept study groups. These groups seek solutions to major environmental problems. Once developed, the Academy provides these solutions to key policy makers in industry and government.

History

The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists® was founded in 1955 for the principal purpose of serving the public by improving the practice, elevating the standards, and advancing public recognition of environmental engineering through a program of specialty certification of qualified engineers.

The genesis of the Academy began in 1952 with a few dedicated professional sanitary engineers working in the public health and defense communities. Their concerns were addressed to the Committee for the Advancement of Sanitary Engineering of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Subsequent events led to the formation of the Joint Committee for the Advancement of Sanitary Engineering which was composed of the ASCE, American Public Health Association, American Society for Engineering Education, American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation. With the sponsorship and support of these five organizations, the American Engineering Intersociety Board was created in 1955.

The American Sanitary Engineering Intersociety Board, the predecessor of the Academy, was officially incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 21, 1955. So as not to compete with other associations or societies, it was provided that certified sanitary engineers would be identified as Diplomates (now known as Board Certified Environmental Engineers) of the American Academy of Sanitary Engineers yet be free to retain their memberships in other societies. The Board was responsible for annually preparing a Roster of current BCEEs and BCEEMs listing the names of each and the specialty(ies), recognized by the Board, in which they were certified. Other organizations joining as sponsors included the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 1957 and the Air Pollution Control Association in 1962.

In 1966 the Articles of Incorporation were amended to change the name of the Board to the "Environmental Engineering Intersociety Board" (EEIB) and the name of the Roster from the "American Academy of Sanitary Engineers" to the "American Academy of Environmental Engineers®" (AAEE). A year later, in 1967, the Board of Trustees changed the American Academy of Environmental Engineers® from just a Roster of certified engineers to an organization with its own rights, bylaws and officers. This new organization was charged with working cooperatively with the EEIB in the advancement of all aspects of environmental engineering. The American Public Works Association joined as a sponsor of these organizations in 1969.

The AAEE and the EEIB were merged into one organization in 1973. Since that time all the objectives of both predecessor organizations have been carried out by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers®. In 1976 the National Society of Professional Engineers became a sponsor of the Academy and it was followed by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors in 1977, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1981 and the Solid Waste Association of North America in 1988.

In January 2013, American Academy of Environmental Engineers® became the "American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists®"