February 19-25 marks the annual celebration of Engineers Week, the signature program of the National Engineers Week Foundation. It celebrates the positive contributions engineers make to our society (and I have a feeling we all know a few who have done so within our healthcare community) and provides outreach programs for children and adults interested in the field.

The theme for 2012 is based on the projected world population of 7 billion—focusing on the challenges that come with that number and the solutions engineers can provide. As healthcare systems around the country work to answer the needs of their local populations, as well as the changing healthcare landscape in general, our own niche industry must look for these solutions, as well.

Before kicking off the week, the foundation held Discover Engineering Family Day on February 18, 2012, at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., which will be followed on February 23 with Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.

This week also recognizes the New Faces of Engineering, young engineers nominated for their work by the program’s sponsoring societies, and New Faces of Engineering-College Edition, for those not quite in the professional arena yet. You can check out all of their faces—not to mention accomplishments—right here.

Let us all take a moment to recognize the engineers out there who have had a hand in making our healthcare facilities what they are today.