The Association for Preservation Technology co-sponsored the Philadelphia meeting, which was attended by representatives of private engineering firms, engineering and preservation professional organizations and university engineering departments. Internships and co-op experiences must remain a key element in engineering education. Participants discussed ways to engage the interest of practicing engineers, professors and students. The preservation aspect of engineering might have a wider audience if it were connected to such topics as building diagnostics, building failures, decaying infrastructures and forensic engineering.
Engineers are problem-solvers.
Preservation philosophy and theory will enable them to define preservation problems and to find solutions that satisfy both engineering and preservation requirements. European schools may offer a model for preservation training for engineers. Preservation-related continuing education courses could be developed for practicing engineers. The group also discussed alternatives to standard classroom training. Distance learning and other innovations will influence the way preservation education and training will be delivered to engineers.