Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

08/11/2026

August is an opportunity to recognize the important profession of land surveying and its remarkable history. Surveying dates back thousands of years, with ancient Egyptians using measurement techniques to establish property boundaries after the flooding of the Nile and early civilizations using surveying to plan cities, roads, and major structures. Over time, the profession advanced through the development of instruments such as the compass, chain, transit, and theodolite, and today surveyors use sophisticated technologies including GNSS, total stations, drones, LiDAR, and 3D scanning.

Despite these technological advances, the fundamental purpose of surveying remains the same: providing accurate information about land, boundaries, elevations, and locations.

During August, BELS would like to recognize professional land surveyors for their precision, knowledge, professional judgment, and integrity, while honoring the generations of those surveyors who have helped shape the communities and infrastructure we depend on today.

08/06/2026

Surveyor, General, and President George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit on August 7, 1782; the honor was later revived and renamed the Purple Heart on February 22, 1932. BELS would like to extend our appreciation to all of those who have served, or still serving. To learn more information about this medal, please visit https://vawarmemorial.org/badgeofmilitarymerit/

08/05/2026

Today, we would like to honor our professional engineers.
Over the last decade, the engineering field has evolved significantly. Professional engineers are at the forefront of these changes, and their expertise not only enhances infrastructure and safety but also plays a crucial role in addressing environmental challenges and improving public health. As we recognize the dedication and skill of our professional engineers, let us also acknowledge their commitment to ethical practices and lifelong learning. Their continuous adaptation to emerging technologies ensures that they remain integral to society's progress. Today, we celebrate their achievements and look forward to a future shaped by their ingenuity and leadership. Happy Professional Engineers Day! from BELS.

07/20/2026

July 20 is designated Space Exploration Day in commemoration of the July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 Moon landing and the arrival of the first humans on its surface. People working at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville (Madison County) played a significant role in the development of the Saturn rockets that were used to make that historic event happen. The center has been the heart of the U.S. space program since its beginnings in the 1960s. In addition to the rockets that took the first man to the Moon, the center developed the first space station (Skylab), and has been an integral part of the programs that oversee the Hubble Space Telescope, the space shuttle program, and, more recently, the Artemis program, which seeks to return humans to the Moon. The photograph shows first the static firing of an eight-engine (full engine assembly) Saturn booster, in May 1960, on a test tower in Huntsville. Later generations of Saturn rockets launched the Apollo Moon landing and Skylab missions. (Photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress) Read the EOA article: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/marshall-space-flight-center/

06/29/2026

05/20/2026

05/05/2026

BELS is attending the Annual Code Officials Education Conference this week.