Question:  I see PE following your name or other names.  What is a PE?

 Answer:  PE = Professional Engineer

http://www.pels.ca.gov/about_us/mission_vision.shtml  has a sort of overview of what we're all about.  Basically, people who are in professions where mistakes can cause serious problems or injuries get licensed.  

Civil Engineers are by far the most common type of PE.  Electrical engineers (dot commers are an exception that do not need licenses) and Mechanical Engineers are the next largest disciplines.  Within Civil there are all sorts of subdisciplines.  If you really want to know, read http://www.pels.ca.gov/pubs/consumer_guide.pdf

I am a licensed Civil Engineer, which is what we call a Practice Act.  That license gives me the legal right to practice engineering, to use the initials PE, or RCE, to stamp design drawings, etc.  I am also a licensed Traffic Engineer, but that one is what we call a Title Act, which means I get to use the title and associate myself with the body of knowledge that goes with the title.  A certain amount of experience and expertise is required to pass either exam.