The Argentine Academy of Engineering was founded October 8,
1970 by initiative of the Argentine Center of Engineers, to
fulfill an old aspiration of many Argentine engineers. The
Founders Members were Engineers Enrique Butty, Justiniano Allende
Posse, Manuel F. Castello and Luis V. Migone, being all of them
outstanding personalities of the Engineering who initiated the
necessary process to formalize the creation of the Academy, to be
administrated under the Ordinance-Law 4362/55 that rules the
activities of national academies. The Founders, constituted in an
organizing committee, proceeded then to choose, previous
assessment of experience and merits, to other eighteen Members,
allowing them to celebrate a Constituent Assembly on October 4,
1971, during which they appointed the Members for the Board of
Directors: Engineers Antonio Marín, President; Salvador María del
Carril, 1° Vice-President; Luis María Ygartúa, 2° Vice-President;
Julio Vela Huergo, Secretary; Enrique Klinger, Pro-Secretary;
Gabriel Meoli, Treasurer and Eduardo M. Huergo, Pro-Treasurer.
Then, after completing the regulatory steps specified by the
General Inspection of Juridical People, the Academy obtained its
legal status on January 31, 1972.
It is worth to mention that Engineer Antonio Marín was
President of the Academy for almost three decades, from its
foundation until its death in the year 1999. Engineer Marín had a
clear understanding of the significance of Engineering in the
development of the country and was always committed to promote
this particular area for reaching the level that occupies today,
next to other much older national academies. His perseverance
allowed the inclusion of Academy in the régime of the
Ordinance-Law 4362/55, then becoming National Academy of
Engineering for Ordinance of the National Executive Power N°
2347/80 of November 11, 1980.
When the Academy was created, it was explained that
Engineering, considering its exceptional development, was no
longer identified with none of the existent Academies, and
although the National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural
Sciences embraces disciplines which are basic for Engineering,
this branch of the knowledge, with its numerous specialties and
action fields, could not be limited to a partial activity of an
academy of sciences, whose main orientation is toward basic
sciences.
The Academy of Engineering has Titular, Honorary,
Corresponding and Emeritus Members. In order to become a Member of
the Academy it is primarily essential to have an university degree
in one field of engineering, as well as an outstanding performance
in scientific or technical research, university chair or other
teaching posts, as a publisher in similar fields, or in his
career, in addition to have an excellent public reputation. In
particular circumstances, the engineering degree may not be
required, such as the situation of a well-known person working in
the field of engineering.
Among its regular activities we could mention organizing
symposia and public conferences of its Members as well as
professionals with academic prestige which are specially invited
for the occasion; and publishing reports, conferences and papers
of its Members. Currently, around sixty specialized publications
are available.
From its creation and inside its objectives, the Academy
has completed important stages. Outstanding Members have been
incorporated and fundamental steps have been completed favoring
the institutional life. Prizes were created to recognize
outstanding personalities; problems of national interest were
studied and conferences were dictated on topics of relevance in
the field of Engineering. The task accomplished has deserved the
recognition of institutions as well as of different sectors
interested in the progress of Engineering in Argentina.
