COLUMN // WORKFORCE
The Human Engine
Fueling the next 40 years of engineering innovation.
Written by Neil Wilmshurst
Neil Wilmshurst
FOUR DECADES AGO, the leaders of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers realized that, while setting safety standards and advancing technical knowledge were vital to an industrializing world, the true future of the profession lay in a different kind of investment. They understood that the most critical component of any engineering marvel isn’t the steel, the code, or the machinery. It is the human being designing it.
In 1986, the ASME Foundation was established with a singular, clear mandate: to empower the next generation of engineers. Today, as I step into my role as the newly elected chair of the ASME Philanthropy Committee, we mark the Foundation’s 40th anniversary. This milestone arrives at a profound inflection point. We find ourselves standing at the intersection of a rapidly accelerating, AI-driven marketplace and a planet facing unprecedented environmental and humanitarian challenges.
To meet this moment, we must ensure our most powerful asset—the Human Engine—is fully fueled, diverse, and ready to lead.
Four Decades of Opportunity
The Foundation was born from a philosophy that no promising student should be left behind regardless of race, gender, or economic status. For 40 years, our community of donors has steadily built a continuum of support that sparks an early interest in STEM, nurtures academic success, and eases the transition into professional practice.
To honor this rich history, the Foundation is hoping to recognize 40 extraordinary students with 40 scholarships. These 40th Anniversary Scholars will be a testament to what is possible when the global engineering community comes together to lower financial barriers to an engineering education.
Breaking Down Barriers
As we look to the future, we recognize that traditional pathways into engineering are no longer sufficient to meet global challenges. Innovation requires new perspectives, and talent is distributed far more equitably than opportunity. That is why the ASME Foundation is actively expanding the engineering pipeline through inclusive workforce development.
Beyond scholarships, we are aggressively building and funding community college engineering pathways and technical apprenticeship programs. We offer Engineering for Change (E4C) fellowships that are empowering social entrepreneurs and early-career researchers. And initiatives like the ASME ISHOW (Innovation Showcase) and IdeaLab aren’t just teaching engineering theory—they actively help innovators and entrepreneurs scale physical products that reduce carbon emissions, improve agricultural yields, and deliver life-saving medical devices to underserved communities worldwide.
Photo: Getty Images
Diversity Drives Innovation
Why is this shift toward a more inclusive workforce so urgent? Because the nature of the challenges before us has fundamentally changed. We are no longer just building more efficient machines—we are engineering solutions for global resilience and to improve quality of life for everyone.
Tackling the climate crisis, transitioning to sustainable energy matrices, securing clean water access, and retrofitting infrastructure for climate change require immense creative problem-solving.
Inclusion isn’t an administrative metric or a corporate buzzword. It is a core engineering requirement. True innovation happens when people with entirely different lived experiences collaborate at the design table. A diverse workforce ensures that the technologies we create serve all of humanity.
Photo: Getty Images
Launching the Next Generation
As we look toward the next 40 years, our fundraising and strategic goals are firmly centered on a critical priority: preparing the next generation of innovative problem-solvers. In a shifting market, earning a degree is only the first step. The true measure of our success is helping young engineers successfully transition into meaningful, high-impact careers that can serve the greater good.
We are scaling our philanthropic initiatives to support aspiring young people at every stage of their journeys. Through targeted scholarships, mentorship networks, and professional development resources, we are ensuring that the next generation is technically adaptable, AI-ready, and deeply motivated.
The ASME Foundation’s first 40 years built a magnificent launchpad of opportunity. The next 40 years will be defined by how fast and how boldly we can propel the Human Engine forward. I invite every member of the ASME community to join us in this vital work. Together, we can build a diverse, dynamic workforce capable of engineering a more sustainable and equitable world.
Neil Wilmshurst recently retired from a longtime senior leadership role at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and today chairs the ASME Philanthropy Committee and the ASME Foundation’s Executive Council.
For more information about the ASME Foundation’s work to empower the next generation technical workforce, and to support our 40th Anniversary Scholars, visit asmefoundation.org.
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