Enginers of the North

Since there are Canadians hanging out here, it’s only fitting to mention one insanely awesome thing that only Canadian engineers have: the Engineers Rule The World (ERTW) Ring.

Ok, actually, it’s called the Iron Ring (a name so descriptive that you have to be an engineer to see the poetry), though for practicality, and to minimize risk of tetanus, it’s now almost always made of stainless steel. It’s worn on the small finger of the dominant hand as a symbol of pride and responsibility (with overtones of self-flagellation for the younger engineer, since, allegedly, those facets are sharp when newly cast).

The ring is presented to graduating engineering students in a private (engineers only!) ceremony called The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, in which the candidates subscribe to an ethical pledge (the Obligation) and receive their rings. It’s not as Freemason-spooky as it sounds, because the rites aren’t actually secret, but I think part of the pledge involves avoiding publicity of the ceremony.

Receiving the ring isn’t a prerequisite to practicing engineering in Canada, nor does it constitute professional licensure (that comes later). It’s just really, insanely cool.

There was an attempt to bring the tradition south of the border in the 1970s, but the resulting program is a substandard imitation with minimal participation. MIT students do get something similarly cool in their Brass Rat presentation, but that does nothing for the rest of us, unless you count the ability to spot Institute alumni at a distance of 50 feet everywhere from Disney World to the DMV.