Wednesday, 20 December 2006

Happy Holidays

This holiday season, I want to take the opportunity to recognize the tremendous contributions of our members to the mission of our great Society. During the past year, so many members have served the Society, coming forward to take on prominent roles in ASCE activities, shaping policies, sharing knowledge, encouraging innovation and steering the organization toward preparedness for our future.

I'd also like to thank those who read this blog.  This is a new endeavor for me and for ASCE and I'm happy to say its continued success is due in very large part to the comments you post on the blog and the interaction that stems from the topics we address together. I am really developing a new appreciation for the many ways technology helps advance our mission. I look forward to 2007 and a new year filled with many exciting challenges and leadership opportunities for our members that will bring even more prominence to our Society. With deep gratitude, I wish you and your family a peaceful holiday season.

Posted by Bill at 4:04 PM in /

Thursday, 14 December 2006

A Diverse Profession

In my most recent monthly message I addressed the topic of diversity within the civil engineering profession.  My full message can be found on the President's Page at http://content.asce.org/President%20Page/PresidentsPage.html. In this message, I urged ASCE members to offer their thoughts on how the Society currently addresses the recruitment, retention and inclusion of women and underrepresented groups in the profession, in addition to how this process could change in the future.  Our Board Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering will host a series of workshops to explore members' views on these questions during the Leadership Conferences this winter. I'm very interested in the opinions of all ASCE members.  As regular readers of my blog know, I like to pose questions to my readers to get your opinions on issues of importance to ASCE and the future of civil engineering.  I look forward to your comments.

Thursday, 7 December 2006

Putting the "Civil" in Civil Engineering

Civil engineering students are important to me. After all, they are the future of our profession. But what is important to civil engineering students?  Hundreds of engineering students get involved every year in Engineers Without Borders because it is important to them to use their engineering skills to help others who are less fortunate. ASCE also recognizes the importance of using engineering education to better the world around us.

In the past two years, ASCE's Task Committee on Engineers Without Borders has been working towards a formalized partnership with the organization. Both ASCE and Engineers Without Borders recognize the need to educate a new generation of globally responsible engineers who better meet the challenges and needs of the developing world by offering sustainable solutions to the endemic problems faced by developing communities worldwide. Engineers of the 21st century are called to become the facilitators of sustainable development and social change.  Today's civil engineering students prove they are up for the challenge. Our current students and future members are already choosing to participate in this effort and a formal partnership between ASCE and this fast-growing organization will strengthen this existing bond.  I see Engineers Without Borders as a funnel for students to come to ASCE.  A good percentage of those involved are civil engineering students and it is important that ASCE pay attention to where these students are going after graduation. In the past few weeks, ASCE has received requests from Sections and Branches for state public affairs grants to jump start Engineers Without Borders projects in their areas.

Have you ever been involved in a project through Engineers Without Borders?  I'd like to hear more about the project and how you got involved, so please send me your comments.