While many engineers still seek permanent, full-time employment, others are turning to contract engineering as an alternative. What is contract engineering; what are the benefits; and what are the challenges?

The 2003 "Northeast Blackout" left more than 50 million people in the dark last August. What happened? The IEEE Power Engineering Society and IEEE-USA sponsored a “Blackout 101” forum for members of Congress and their staffs, to educate them on how North America’s electric power system works; what can go wrong; and how we can prevent future large-scale power blackouts.

The refueled debate over immigration has some thinking that corporations may press Congress for another H-1B increase. With the H-1B visa limit now set at 65,000, concern is growing about companies that seek talent from other countries misusing the L-1 visa program to make up for the smaller H-1B pool. Professional organizations and interest groups are divided on the visa caps issue.

While much talk surrounds the question of whether or not an engineering shortage actually exisits, many believe an issue just as worthy of debate and action is engineering equality. What is IEEE-USA doing to encourage young women, minorities, people with disabilities and the disadvantaged to consider engineering a viable career choice?

If you are just beginning your engineering career, you might be wise to concentrate on getting to know your customers – really know them. You'll realize your long-term development goals sooner and gain experience, as you earn your customers' confidence and respect.

Some years ago, industry leaders predicted that computers would help create a paperless office environment. Others forecast that most workers would work in virtual offices as members of virtual teams. The reality has been quite different.