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National Academy of Engineering Code of Conduct

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is a private, independent, nonprofit institution whose mission is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. The NAE is part of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and operates under the Charter of the National Academy of Sciences.

The NAE has more than 2,750 peer-elected members and international members: senior professionals in business, academia, and government who are among the world’s most accomplished engineers. They provide  leadership and expertise for numerous projects focused on the relationships between engineering, technology, and the quality of life. The leadership of the field provided by the NAE, and the credibility of the expertise offered by the NAE, rest on its reputation, which cannot be distinguished from the reputation of its members. Therefore, membership in the NAE is a privilege predicated on its members adhering to the highest professional, including ethical standards. 
 
NAE members and international members shall conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, lawfully, and ethically so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and utility of the engineering profession. NAE members and international members shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
 
NAE members and international members shall not commit professional misconduct1 or research misconduct2. NAE members and international members shall promptly move to correct the record and/or their engineering products when errors are detected in their own work.
 
NAE members and international members shall not engage in discrimination, harassment, or bullying. These behaviors interfere with or sabotage engineering activities and careers, and create a hostile environment that reduces the quality, integrity, and pace of the advancement of engineering and technology. 
 
NAE members and international members shall disclose all relevant relationships, financial or otherwise, that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, the outcome of their engineering counsel, studies, professional engineering practice, or participation in specific NAE or NASEM activities.
 
NAE members and international members may take positions in their personal capacity and use their NAE affiliation. They may not present themselves as representing the NAE nor represent any position not stated in an NAE/NASEM document as being that of the NAE without explicit prior approval of the NAE president, or in his/her absence the executive officer.
 
A complaint alleging a violation of the Code of Conduct by an NAE member must be submitted in writing, signed, marked “Privileged”, and directed to the NAE Executive Officer using the form available on the NAE website (Filing a Code of Conduct Complaint). The complaint may be filed by an NAE member, a non-member, or an entity, such as a company or organization. The complaint must cite substantiated information that is available to the general public, such as investigative reports3 , findings or other public third-party documents from institutions, funding agencies, professional societies/organizations, and professional journals.
 
The NAE Council will assume responsibility to determine whether alleged misconduct can potentially impair the mission, image, or reputation of the NAE. The NAE will not undertake independent investigations of allegations.
 
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Adopted by NAE Council September 23, 2019
Revised May 6, 2025

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 1Professional misconduct includes failure of one rendering professional services to exercise the degree of skill and learning commonly applied by the average prudent reputable member of the profession with the result of injury, loss, or harm to the recipient of those services. Professional misconduct also includes infidelity in professional or fiduciary duties and illegal or immoral conduct. Adapted from Black’s Law Dictionary, 6th Edition, West Publishing Company, St. Paul, MN, 1990, p. 959.

2National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Fostering Integrity in Research. Washington: National Academies Press (https://doi.org/10.17226/21896). Research misconduct is defined as “fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reporting research.”

3An investigative report is a well-structured document that includes the findings and evidence of a specific formal complaint or allegation. An investigative report involves in-depth research and analysis and goes beyond traditional news reporting to explore complex topics. Investigative reports should include the verification and corroboration of  all information relied upon in the complaint even if these come from sources that are considered reliable or authoritative. laws.