President's Blog

Passing the Baton

2007-10-31T09:44:05-04:00

For my last blog entry I could reflect on my last year as president...but I'll be doing a lot of that at the annual conference this week. Instead, I'd like to talk about what brought me to this position and what's next for the role of president, as David Mongan takes the helm on Saturday.

One of the main reasons I was interested in filling the role of ASCE president was my desire to follow many of my heroes...leaders who lived a life of integrity. ASCE has been blessed with countless engineers who have stepped forward to spend a year in office. I believe that to truly fill a leadership role, you must understand "followship." Now that's a word that I just made up ( I guess you could call it a "Bill-ism" ) but the idea behind it is important for the role of ASCE president. I am proud to have followed in those leaders' footsteps over the past year. A lot of what I have done this year has followed in the great tradition of these role models and I am confident that David Mongan will be an inspiring leader. I know David to be a man whose life is based on ethics, integrity and high principles. He comes well prepared for this role as he has served in almost every chair that ASCE offers! He's had just about all the opportunities available to truly understand ASCE's past, present and future. David has a passion for diversity, Engineers Without Borders and implementation of Vision 2025. I wish David great success in his upcoming year. I encourage members to support him and his initiatives and get to know him a bit by visiting his president's blog. My job in the last days of my presidency is to finish my final lap of this relay race and to pass the baton to David, so that he too can run his lap to the best of his ability.

Thank you for making my first blogging experience a rewarding one. I've thoroughly enjoyed discussing important issues with our members through this forum and have appreciated all your comments and well wishes.

Minding the Gap

2007-10-26T10:37:10-04:00

In early October, I attended an induction ceremony, where Ray Krizek, a 1961 master's degree graduate in civil engineering was inducted into Innovation Hall of Fame at the University of Maryland. Krizek, who is currently a professor emeritus at Northwestern University, was inducted for his contributions to geotechnical engineering and the field of slurry mechanics. Only 23 engineers have received this distinguished honor, which recognizes engineers for their technological accomplishments and recognizes innovation at the concept, design or working levels of engineering.

I was surprised to hear that Ray is the first civil engineer to be inducted into this Hall of Fame. I wonder why this is and whether or not much of the clever innovative work of civil engineers has been accomplished. And if it has, why hasn't it been more recognized? Civil engineering has been around for 200 years and an amazing amount of progress has been made in that time. We've become good at doing what we do, but as we look to the future, the area that is bright for innovation is found in the borders of civil engineering and other fields, such as biology, chemistry, banking and finance, public policy, etc. Many young people might come into the field with a B.A. in biology and an M.S. in engineering, or a B.S. in engineering and an M.S. in public policy. These combinations can prove to be extremely important as the role of civil engineers evolves. What's important to note is that the gap between these areas needs to be filled, and I believe that research and innovation can accomplish this. These are the areas where civil engineers should take on a more creative role for the benefit of the profession.

How do you work to bring innovative thinking and technology to your job?

It Takes a Village

2007-10-17T15:39:29-04:00

There's an ancient African proverb that states: "It takes a village to raise a child." This proverb reinforces the idea that it takes a community of individuals supporting each other in order to raise a child. I believe the same can be said for ASCE. From the leadership at ASCE National to the elected Board of Direction to Section and Branch leaders working in their regions...it is the joint efforts of all these groups working with our staff that have allowed ASCE to grow and evolve over the past 155 years.

I will be in Washington, D.C. at the end of this week and during my time there I plan to visit ASCE National to thank our staff who continue to work diligently for ASCE and its members. While it is our volunteer members who establish the direction for ASCE, it is largely staff that executes many of these directions. Like the network of civil engineering professionals who comprise ASCE's membership, ASCE staff members possess diverse professional backgrounds and bring their expertise to benefit our Society and our profession. One very important thing that we all share is a love for the civil engineering profession. Each member of this community is vested in the continued success of our Society. I firmly believe that it is the team mentality and not just individuals themselves that drive success. As I like to say, there is no "I" in team and I think our Society is proof that through hard work and determination we will continue to see success for the next 155 years!

How do you feel that your ASCE involvement has benefited from this team mentality?

Preparing for Change

2007-10-08T09:13:38-04:00

Last week I was in Finland for the 8th International Symposium on Cold Region Development (ISCORD) Conference. ASCE was a partner in this ISCORD symposium, one of a series of international events bringing together the scientific and business sectors, as well as governments and administrators of cold regions to exchange information. The larger purpose is to advance technical, economic and social progress on the cold region issues.

While I was there, I offered remarks on the subject of global warming and its effect on cold regions. Several people presented data on this issue, mostly compiled in the last 50 years. I think the data shows that as engineers, we need to anticipate and prepare for the changes global warming can bring. If, over time, the sea level rises by a foot, areas like the Barrier Islands and the coastal marshes off New Orleans will face new challenges. As the world becomes warmer, a whole host of changes will affect our profession in a variety of ways. Changes in ocean currents and flows may have implications for the temperatures of some coastline cities, like San Francisco. The economic environment for fishermen and lobstermen may shift as the supply diminishes under different conditions. New national security issues may arise. What it all comes down to is the need for us to take climate change seriously. We may need to anticipate change and be more flexible in how we adapt to change and not think of ourselves as square pegs that can only fit in one size and shape hole.

How can we as engineers better anticipate, prepare and adapt to these changes when we cannot really predict the magnitude?

Banding Together Across Engineering Disciplines

2007-09-24T09:18:54-04:00

In September 2006, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) met in Anchorage where they voted in favor of a modification to their model law. The modification calls for education beyond a B.S. degree in a program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. To meet the new requirements, a student will have to earn either a master's in engineering or 30 additional credits in upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses from approved course providers. While this change cannot take effect until 2015, ASCE has worked diligently to drum up support for this initiative. Each state has to vote to adopt this law in their respective state in order for the change to go into effect in that state.

Last month, the NCEES meeting was held in Philadelphia and during that meeting, two states, Nevada and Maine, motioned to rescind last year's vote. A fair amount of discussion followed but after a lot of hard work, the motion to rescind was defeated by a larger number of votes than voted in support of the law a year earlier. This shows that our constituency is building. But it is still clear that we do not have everyone on board.

Change brings resistance. There are still a number of people who are not convinced of the value of this change. The problem is that NCEES is bigger than just civil engineers and it includes other types of engineers and land surveyors. We have the civil engineering segment behind it, but need to go beyond only addressing our constituents. The key is to convince engineering leadership in industry, professional/technical societies and academia to get behind this issue. By banding together, we can build an even larger constituency to support a move forward with this initiative which I see as critical to our future.

How can we begin to reach these engineering leaders? What can you do to help?

Competition on a Global Scale

2007-09-13T14:47:22-04:00

Earlier this week, I returned from a brief trip to the Netherlands to show my support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's efforts at the 30^th Anniversary BetonKanoRace at the University of Twente in Enschede. This year marked the 20th anniversary of our formal concrete canoe competition and for the first time, the winner of the U.S. competition traveled to Enschede to compete internationally.

From day-one of the competition, both the Madison team and I discovered some major differences between the U.S. and Dutch competitions. First of all, while the U.S. competition has a 70-page guidebook outlining rules and regulations, the Dutch competition rules are outlined in only two pages! Also, the Madison canoe weighed a good 100 pounds more than many of the other canoes. While the lighter canoes tended to get a faster start, the Madison canoe required a bit more energy at the beginning of the race to overcome inertia and get it going. Another interesting aspect of this race was the lack of lanes in the water. This made it easy for boats to travel all over the water in sort of a "bumper car" fashion. At one point, a Dutch canoe collided with the Madison canoe and accidentally almost knocked one of the Madison students out of her canoe!

All in all, I had a great time at the competition and was pumped up just being around these enthusiastic and energetic students. I'm happy to say that despite the differences, the University of Wisconsin-Madison team took first place overall, with victories in five out of the six race categories. I believe that the key to their success was their ability to have a competitive strategy and operate or control their canoe, which goes to show that when you are focused, dedicated, determined and have a vision, your goals are within your reach. Events like these are invaluable and offer a great out-of-the-classroom experience for civil engineering students, and in particular, these races offered a unique opportunity to compete on an international level. All of which, I believe, helps prepare you to succeed throughout your career in civil engineering.

Which out-of-the-classroom experiences have helped shape your path in the civil engineering profession? Which skills did these experiences help you develop which served you well in the latter stages of your career?

Pearls of Wisdom

2007-09-05T09:15:00-04:00

I really enjoy good quotes that resonate with what I'm doing at a certain time or the place I am in life. If I hear or read a particular saying I like, I log it into my memory and later incorporate these sayings into my everyday conversations with people. Some of the following sayings I've collected over the years have served me well in talking about issues that affect young people. I can only hope that some of them "stuck."

1) Life is not fair or just.

2) Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

3) The best part of life is "making it on your own."

4) Give your kids enough money to do something, but not enough to do nothing.

The last one is derived from something Warren Buffet once said about providing for your children but not so much that they don't make good decisions. Now you could say that some of these quotes are a bit negative, but I believe that they are empowering. While life might not always be fair or come easy, the harder you work, the better you can face these issues head on.Once you've "made it on your own" it is all worth it. As a mentor to young civil engineers, you might be approached with concerns about entering the workplace and how one might encounter difficulties in succeeding in something they are passionate about. I've found these pearls of wisdom have served me well in guiding young people, and I hope you can use them to help inspire our young civil engineers.

Is there a particular quote that inspires you?

The Impact of Infrastructure on our Daily Lives

2007-08-24T16:47:55-04:00

Last week, I traveled to Chicago for the opening of ASCE's Me, Myself and Infrastructure: Private Lives and Public Works in America exhibit. I would like to thank Greg Dreicer from the Chicago Architectural Foundation for his partnership in bringing this exhibit to Chicago and putting the grand opening event together. The opening reception attracted a number of civil engineers and architects, in addition to others who were simply interested in learning more about the social impact of infrastructure. The relationship between civil engineers and architects is a special one. Engineers and architects are vested in the integrity of our infrastructure-both structurally and aesthetically. They depend on each other to make infrastructure sustainable and appealing for generations to come, which made the partnership on resurrecting this display very appropriate.

This display was originally conceived five years ago as part of ASCE's 150^th anniversary celebration. At the time, ASCE approached this display as an investigation of infrastructure as the public would see it. The re-introduction of this display is very timely as infrastructure has remained a hot topic in the years since the display was first introduced. The shocking bridge collapse in Minneapolis, and the failure of the levees in New Orleans have made Americans more aware of infrastructure issues, but the following questions still remain: How safe is our infrastructure? Who's responsible? And, how much will building and fixing it cost? The exhibit addresses these tough questions and encourages visitors to look at infrastructure as much more than just beams, pipes and roadways.

If you're in Chicago in the next several months, I encourage you to stop by and see the exhibit. It will be on display at the Chicago Architectural Foundation through November 16^th.

Levee Lessons Carry from Coast to Coast

2007-08-15T10:10:57-04:00

I recently attended a California levee conference sponsored by ASCE's Sacramento Section and the Society of American Military Engineers. While I was there, I spent a day riding around the Sacramento and San Joaquin delta areas. The levees along the Sacramento, American and San Joaquin Rivers were built by farmers and settlers more than 100 years ago and since then, have not been properly modernized or adequately maintained to protect the population in the area today. In light of the recently released Hurricane Katrina External Review Panel (ERP) final report, it is important to look at the situation in California and try to incorporate the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina to prevent a possible disaster in the California delta.

The ERP report found that many of the failings of the Hurricane Protection System (HPS) dealt with questionable decisions and management choices, along with inadequate communications between organizations in relation to the disaster. We learned that the HPS was constructed as individual pieces, not as an interconnected system. It also appeared to operate as such. These findings relate to the challenge that California faces today as they are going through a lot of the same organizational issues. Last year, ASCE members in California released a report that gave the state's levees and flood control system a failing grade. It is clear that more work needs to be done to prepare this system for a natural disaster, whenever it may strike. That's why I believe that the ERP report provides a guide for cities like Sacramento to recognize what went wrong and ensure that improvements will be made to understand risk and embrace safety, revamp management practices and demand engineering quality in their region.

What else can communities, such as Sacramento, learn from what happened during Hurricane Katrina? What can they do now in their systems to prevent another disaster?

Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis

2007-08-05T17:23:35-04:00

On behalf of our 140,000 members, ASCE extends its deepest condolences to the victims, the injured, their families and all others affected by the catastrophic bridge collapse in Minneapolis on Aug 1. The I-35W bridge's main 458-foot span collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, sending dozens of vehicles and tons of concrete and twisted metal into the waters of the Mississippi River 64 feet below.

Across our country, the sustainability of our infrastructure continues to come into question. Only a week and a half ago the civil engineering community was faced with a steam pipe burst in New York City. Now the Midwest is suffering from a catastrophic event that further illustrates that action must be taken by both lawmakers and civil engineers in the community to call attention to this important issue.

ASCE periodically assesses the state of our nation's infrastructure, most recently through the 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Our Infrastructure Action Plan spells out short term steps the U.S. Congress should take to improve our infrastructure. Together, we need to advocate for public policy action to make our country's infrastructure safer and sustainable for future generations. ASCE estimates that $1.6 trillion is needed over a five-year period to bring the nation's infrastructure to a good condition. Funds must be invested and significant steps must be made on the national level, as well as in state legislatures and local communities, to improve our nation's failing infrastructure.

What have you done, in your role as a civil engineer, to take action and influence how the government views the state of our infrastructure?

Revisiting Our Nation's Crumbling Infrastructure

2007-07-24T17:09:09-04:00

ASCE has established itself as a leader and expert when it comes to addressing our nation's infrastructure crisis. We have published several Report Cards for America's Infrastructure. The most recent gave our nation an overall grade of "D" in 2005. The importance of this issue was brought to our attention last week when an 83-year-old, 24-inch steam pipe burst during rush hour in New York City, killing one and injuring several others. Unfortunately, it often takes an incident like this to bring the issue to the forefront.

ASCE estimates that $1.6 trillion is needed over a five-year period to bring the nation's infrastructure to a good condition. The crumbling state of our infrastructure poses a real threat to public safety and the nation's economy, and financing the urgently needed repairs must become a priority for our nation's leaders. One way for ASCE members to get involved is to develop and promote Report Cards at the Section or Branch level for their cities, states or regions. Sections and Branches can localize the national Report Card by focusing on infrastructure that is relevant to their geographical area. Once it is completed, a Section or Branch can promote its own Report Card to influence local residents and key decision-makers to support infrastructure renewal. I think this is a great way to show the importance of this issue and get involved in an effort that could greatly impact your local community.

Has your local Section or Branch produced a state Report Card? If so, did any local government action happen as a result of its release?

Discussing Sustainability in the Asian Region

2007-07-11T15:38:32-04:00

Towards the end of my international trip, I had the pleasure of presenting at the 4^th Civil Engineering Conference in the Asian Region (CECAR) in Taipei, Taiwan. Over the years, ASCE has developed a strong partnership with the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC). ASCE was one of the founding members of the Council, which now has eight member organizations. Participation in this conference served to strengthen our existing bond with the ACECC and the conference host organization, the Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering.

My presentation focused on seismic design and analysis of embankment dams. This was of particular interest to the Asian region as Taiwan is on the Pacific Rim, which is a seismic source zone. A major earthquake, known as the Chi-Chi earthquake, shook Taiwan in September 1999 causing catastrophic damage to that region. In fact, ASCE sent a team to Taiwan to address the issue. An incident like the Chi-Chi earthquake makes us think about what can be improved to make our infrastructure more sustainable to withstand disaster. I co-authored a paper on the subject of seismic design which served as the basis for my presentation at the conference. My presentation offered some thoughts on what has transpired in the earthquake industry, in particular with investigating changes in embankment dams. It traced the changes in design and analysis procedures that have taken place since 1960. These changes greatly impact how we view the process today. The presentation indicated hallmarks along that journey and where our research filled knowledge gaps with solid data, as opposed to assumptions. I felt that this information was particularly useful to the civil engineers of the Asian region as natural disaster is always ready to strike. The presentations can be viewed online on my President's Page.

In addition to offering technical presentations at international conferences, what are some other ways that ASCE can share technical knowledge to civil engineers throughout the world?

A Global Vision for Civil Engineering

2007-07-06T08:59:21-04:00

I recently returned from my trip abroad where I had the opportunity to meet with civil engineering leaders in Japan, China and Taiwan. Along the way, I also had the opportunity to speak with professors and students about education and the future of the profession. I told them that there are a lot of current challenges, but I wanted to talk to them about what keeps me up at night. And that is the notion that we American civil engineers must be global technology leaders if we are going to be competitive and worth what we should be in 2025. I believe we all must do everything we can to embrace the extensive civil engineering knowledge throughout the world so that we can truly be the leaders of this profession on a global scale.

These discussions made me think of ASCE's commitment to preparing the civil engineering profession for tomorrow's world. ASCE recently released The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025, which will serve as a guide for the future development of policies and plans within our civil engineering community today. The report provides direction to achieve the vision's goals and prepare for the profession's future. Vision 2025 envisions the civil engineer as a global leader entrusted by the public and we need to work hard to earn public trust. Additionally, we need to work as leaders in order for effective change to happen to better our civil engineering profession around the world. This made me think of a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. which says "A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." It is clear to me that this initiative, along with Policy 465, shows that ASCE is leading the way as a molder of consensus.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the differences between searchers and molders of consensus. How are you developing your skills to mold consensus?

Cuisine and Conversation

2007-07-02T09:32:01-04:00

With any trip, there is always a tendency to overindulge...especially when it comes to food!

As many of you already know, the Chinese are generous and gracious hosts. At every stop along my travels here, they have held banquets that offered endless opportunities to overindulge. The way meals are conducted over here demonstrates a sense of community and openness for discussion. Meals are served family-style on a round table with a Lazy Susan in the middle so everyone can see everybody else, chat and share exotic dishes. Dishes range from different types of salads and vegetables to both cooked and raw meats. Once your plate is empty, more food will be brought out and placed on your plate! I've learned it's best to keep a little food on your plate and stop eating to signal that no more food should come out of the kitchen. So far I feel like I have gained about five pounds!

As I mentioned, this set-up is really conducive to conversations around the table. Conversation is lively and multiple toasts are offered randomly throughout the meal. As part of these dinners I chatted with various civil engineering professors and department heads, as well as deputy director generals. We discussed developing relationships between their institutions and ASCE and other engineering topics. I found that most of our engineering colleagues in China understand spoken English, but translation is required for official business. I feel at a bit of a disadvantage since English is the only language I know well. Being bilingual can really help you succeed in the business world as our profession becomes even more global.

How has being fluent in more than one language helped you in your career?

Revisiting China

2007-06-22T14:39:08-04:00

This is my second trip to China. My first trip was in 1978 at the invitation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We landed in Beijing and traveled by bus to the Friendship Hotel. I recall that during that trip, we did not pass another vehicle on the road. At that time, the most popular way to travel was by bicycle and every highway was essentially a sea of bicycle traffic. I also remember that the presentations I gave during that visit had to be given at night using a 35 mm slide projector because there were no windows with shades in the building, making it impossible to darken the buildings during the daytime.

Almost 30 years later, here I am again in Beijing. Traffic patterns have changed immensely, mirroring congestion problems faced in the U.S. The glaring sun I faced in 1978 which made it difficult to give slide projector presentations is a distant memory as it is masked by the significant air pollution that plagues Beijing. In fact when we get up each day there is such a haze that you cannot see the tops of the tall buildings. At first I thought this would dissipate during the day, but in my three days here it has not. We have yet to see the sun.

These changes make me think about global environmental sustainability. What role should American civil engineers play in pollution control in countries like China? What sacrifices are we prepared to make to keep the sun shining over Beijing?