Election to the Academy is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education, especially those who are pioneering new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education. The Academy is comprised of approximately 2,000 members and 200 foreign associates. Ten current faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.