John Smeaton (1724-1792) was renowned as a prolific engineer and eminent physicist. He was responsible for the design of a bridges, canals and lighthouses, and he self-proclaimed himself to be the first “civil engineer”.
He is highly regarded by other engineers, having contributed to the lunar society and founded the society of civil engineers in 1771. he coined the term civil engineers to distinguish them from military engineers graduating from the royal military academy at woolwich.