Kenneth Severn Award 2025: Balancing technology with judgement in modern engineering practices

The winning entry to the Institution's Kenneth Severn Award 2025 – an annual essay competition for young engineers – responds to a question set by President Mohamad Al-Dah which asked: ‘How can we ensure our chartered membership requirements remain a marker of structural engineering excellence in an increasing digital world governed by big data and AI? How can we transform and maintain the 'gold standard' of structural engineering into the paperless age?' Pallavi Achanta argues that the IStructE membership process should be refined to ensure that candidates are digitally literate yet firmly grounded in engineering fundamentals, with engineers able to work with and critically evaluate AI-driven tools, but apply professional discernment so that technology enhances, rather than replaces, the engineer's role.