You have spoken (loudly and clearly). I want to thank everyone for engaging on this blog and for your candid opinions on our 40 Under 40 program.

We really do welcome your feedback and value your opinions. As I've stated on many occasions, DesignNews.com is as much your community as it is ours. So in that spirit, we're changing not only the name of the program (to Rising Engineering Stars), but also the requirements for entry.

First and foremost, it was never our intention to intentionally discriminate against anyone with our 40 Under 40 program, but that's the message that was received by some of our readers. Hence, we are removing the stipulation that the engineer must be under the age of 40 to enter our "contest," and we are encouraging all to participate.

One of the key reasons for this program is to give recognition to people who often go unnoticed. It's no secret that the number of engineers coming out of US universities is diminishing. Hence, we want to do our part to give recognition to the engineering profession.

My definition of a rising engineering star is someone who is influencing or has the potential to influence the design engineering community, and/or someone who is outperforming his or her peers. If you are a "rising engineering star" in your company or you work with or know someone who fits that bill, please nominate that person using our online form.

And, as always, keep the feedback coming.