Chinese Institute of Engineers (Seattle Chapter)
CIE-USA founded in 1917

The Seattle Chapter of the Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE) has announced an important piece of news: The 2026 CIE Science and Technology Forum and Asian Talent Awards Ceremony will be held on September 27, 2026, at the Hilton Hotel in Bellevue .

The annual meeting organizers will invite industry elites, scholars, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and leaders of well-known local companies to participate in discussions and share insights on current top trends in technology and engineering, as well as the career development prospects and transformation of Asians in the technology and engineering industries.      The Chinese Institute of Engineers will release the rules and timetable for student scholarships and the selection of outstanding Asian students in May.

A review of the history and past activities of the Chinese Institute of Engineers:   
The predecessor of the Chinese Institute of Engineers was the Chinese Engineering Society, founded by Zhan Tianyou in 1911.

Since its inception, the Chinese Institute of Engineers ( CIE) has adhered to the principle of “exchanging knowledge and disseminating scholarship,” continuously promoting academic and practical exchanges in engineering . It holds regular technical discussions and closed-door seminars, bringing together top talents in various aspects of engineering technology in China at the time, making it one of the most important scientific and technological organizations in modern China. It laid a crucial academic and organizational foundation for the development and technological progress of modern engineering science in China and for uniting the engineering community. Since the pandemic, the CIE has persevered in organizing various activities for local Asian engineers, providing a platform for development and exchange of knowledge and scholarship, attracting nearly 10,000 participants. The 2025 annual meeting alone attracted over 1,500 attendees.

As the oldest and largest Chinese engineering and technical organization in the United States, the Association keeps pace with the times and works closely with local governments, businesses, community organizations and other non-profit organizations. It plays an important role in providing a platform for local Asian engineers to exchange ideas, learn and develop, actively encouraging outstanding Asian students to improve their skills and enhancing the collective image of Asians in the United States.

The Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY) award, presented by the Chinese Institute of Engineers, is the most prestigious engineering award for Asian Americans. It has been awarded to hundreds of Nobel laureates, prominent entrepreneurs, company executives, scientists, university professors, researchers, and Asian technical engineers in various corporations, government agencies, defense departments, and the military.

The Nobel laureates include the Physics laureates of 1973, 1976, 1997, and 1998, and the Chemistry laureate of 1986. They are Dr. Leo Esaki, Dr. Chang-Lin Tien, Dr. Samuel Ting , Dr. Steven Chu, Dr. Yuan-Cheng Fung, Dr. Daniel Chee Tsui , Dr. Albert YC Yu, and Dr. Yuan Tseh Lee.

The recipients of the Outstanding Asian Leadership and Entrepreneur Award come from well-known local technology companies and innovation enterprises. Examples include Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, Voxa, Coding Dojo, Lightel Technologies, blue Origin, Geek Wire.com, Curative AI, and Wyze. They also include technical leaders with engineering backgrounds from government departments, such as Xu Ruobing, former Deputy Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Li Ruilin, former Chinese-American mayor of Bellevue. (Listed in no particular order; positions are based on the year of the award.)

Volunteers from the Chinese Institute of Engineers provide guidance and support for STEM activities for Asian American students every year, such as math competitions, robotics activities, and the Future City competition. Each year, they select students from local high schools and universities who excel academically and are enthusiastic about community activities, awarding them prizes and scholarships to encourage the diverse development of Asian American students.