Engineering in the public interest

Periodically we learn of opportunities for engineers to serve as technical experts on matters of local public interest. Recent examples are: a request from the Federal Power Commission for names of advisers to local legislators and industries on energy conservation; information from the Center for Science in the Public Interest on their need for experts to assist consumer groups and citizens action groups; a similar need by the Environmental Defense Fund for expert witnesses in court proceedings, In such cases, the technical expert speaks for himself, not for IEEE.