Texas engineer serves on several prestigious boards.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian-American has been elected the treasurer and zonal secretary of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
Sockalingam “Sam†Kannappan, who works as an engineer in Texas, was elected to the aforementioned positions for the South Zone, which has 18 jurisdictions under its control. The entire NCEES supervises all 50 states, as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Virgin Islands.
In addition to the position he has just been appointed to, he currently serves on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Gas Pipeline Safety Research Committee, the Society of Piping Engineers and Designers (of which he is a board member), and the Asia Society of Texas (of which he is an advisory board member).
Kannappan was also recently appointed to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) by Texas governor Rick Perry, and will serve a term that lasts until September 26th, 2017. The TBPE “licenses qualified engineers, enforces the Texas Engineering Practice Act and regulates the practice of professional engineering in Texas,†according to the press release announcing Kannappan’s appointment earlier this year.
The NCEES is a non-profit organization dedicated to “advance licensure for engineers and surveyors in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.†Founded in 1920, it consists of various member boards, a Board of Directors, a regular staff, board administrators, and volunteers. Appointment to one of its head positions is considered a renowned honor in the field of engineering. Passing o the NCEES exam is mandatory for attaining and engineering license, such as an FE, PE, and SE.
A native of Tamil Nadu, Kannappan earned his bachelor’s degree from Annamalai University, and then went on to receive his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com