President's Blog

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?

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?

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?

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?

I've been fairly quiet on the blog lately...but with good reason!  I am currently traveling throughout Asia as part of my ASCE international trip. Right now I am in Japan, but over the next two weeks, I will visit China and Taiwan as well.

One of the first things I did in Japan was give a talk to about 200 researchers at the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management in Tsukuba. My talk focused on present challenges faced by ASCE as well as key issues for the current state and future of the Society and the civil engineering profession. In my talk, I emphasized the idea that each individual is in charge of his or her own preparation for the future and that ASCE is committed to helping our members prepare.  I also emphasized how specialized education plays a crucial role in being properly prepared for a future in the civil engineering profession. During my talk, I had an interesting question from a young engineer. She wanted to know what guidance I could give her if she wanted to have a successful career in research. I told her it was an interesting question and the first bit of guidance I could offer was to get a Ph.D. In my opinion, obtaining a Ph.D. could be considered entry-level education when it comes to a career in research. She responded that she already had a Ph.D from a university in the U.S. This led me to believe that many of the researchers present that day already have a top notch education in research, yet they still yearn for more guidance on how to be successful in a research career. These are the types of civil engineers I have been talking to in Japan and I really admire their drive to excel in their professional careers.

What sort of career do you aspire to have and what steps do you feel you need to take to get to that level of specialization?

I recently returned from the EWRI Congress in Tampa where I had the opportunity to mingle with the 800-plus attendees, which included a good number of faculty members and students ranging from undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates.  I chatted with Downey Brill, the former chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University, and with several of his grad students.  This reminded me of the benefits students get by attending ASCE conferences and events. They have the chance to work the room and make connections with working professionals. 

Through participating in student competitions, students can develop key leadership skills in a team environment, which will be central to their success as they grow into their professional roles.  The upcoming Concrete Canoe competition at the University of Washington in Seattle in mid-June is a prime example of an event that balances fun with leadership development.  Before and during this event, students lead their teams in determining the best ways to build their canoes, test them and ultimately participate in this national competition.  Leadership skills are the foundation of professional success. ASCE events offer unique settings for developing these skills. After you graduate, it is important to continue to engage in these events and to network as a young professional.  ASCE realizes the importance of supporting Student Chapters and wants to reward your Student Chapter for its instrumental efforts at helping you develop these leadership skills.  When you upgrade from student member to a full ASCE membership, a portion of your dues goes back to your Student Chapter to help other young civil engineering students realize their professional goals. You can find out more by visiting http://www.asce.org/inside/stud_chapacts.cfm.

What are you doing to develop your leadership skills and what are you doing to make a difference in your Student Chapter? Please remember there is no "I" in team.

One of my earlier blog entries prompted a response from a reader who hoped I would address some of the important issues facing the engineering field, among them, the economic status of engineers. As the reader's comment mentioned, in spite of the fact that most civil engineers are in charge of important projects affecting public health, safety, and welfare, our earnings are well below those of doctors and lawyers. What is the solution?

The way I see it, nothing that has been worthwhile in my life has necessarily been easy.  If you want civil engineering to be easy, then it's not going to be highly valued.  Extensive schooling in the law and medical professions may contribute to higher wages for graduates. ASCE's Policy 465 is doing a lot to raise the profile of civil engineers in the professional world by proposing higher academic requirements in order to obtain a degree and become certified.  By raising the bar academically, we can raise the bar professionally.  Often doctors and lawyers are seen as the epitome of excellence in our professional world.  I believe that engineers are right up there with them as we bring some of the best and brightest young people into the working world. There is no reason why engineers can't be looked at in the same light and be compensated as such.

What are your thoughts on the economic status of engineers?  How do you feel ASCE can help advance the profession?

I recently returned from the Region 4 & 5 leadership conference in Nashville where 250 members gathered to network with other professionals in their regions. These leadership conferences always offer opportunities to learn a bit more about what ASCE offers its members. I can safely say we all learned something new!

I rather enjoyed my time in Nashville and found the opportunities I had to interact with our members most rewarding. While I was there I gave a talk to ASCE's younger member group. I focused on the importance of building relationships through both mentoring and networking early in your career and how these relationships can ultimately shape your future as a civil engineer. While I received good feedback on my presentation onsite at the conference (and am happy to report no one fell asleep during it), it was an e-mail I received after the conference that has really stuck with me. One of the session attendees wrote that he wanted to further discuss my thoughts on mentoring.  A fellow graduate of the Citadel, this member hailed from Greenville. He had explored the mentoring model at his company but had encountered some road blocks along the way.  After my talk at the leadership conference, he was inspired to try again to make this a part of his company's practice and hoped I could help.  I was able to give him the names of two of my former classmates in his area who may be able to assist.  The network of professionals that I have developed over the years came in handy in this situation, and I cannot stress enough how mentoring and networking within the civil engineering profession can truly drive your professional growth.  I was happy to hear that my thoughts on preparing for your professional career resonated with this group and I look forward to more interactions during the next three leadership conferences. Next stop-New Jersey!

Is there someone who has mentored you in your professional career?  How has that relationship helped you grow to be the civil engineer you are today?

An old proverb states: "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." I got to experience this first hand as I was making my way to the University of Florida to give a talk to civil engineering students.  I live in Vicksburg, Mississippi which is a 12-hour drive to Gainesville, where the University of Florida is located. Yet it took me 15 hours to get there by plane due to equipment issues, weather delays, etc. It's hard to predict the obstacles you may encounter on many of life's journeys, and this was a perfect example.

Despite all the difficulty I encountered in getting to Gainesville, I was able to meet my commitment to speak with about 30-40 civil engineering students the next morning.  My talk was on the necessary characteristics of successful engineers and the importance of having a plan to be successful in your career and in life. A lot of civil engineering, and a lot of life, is looking at the future and predicting it, which is hard to do. While the future may remain a mystery, it's important to try to get your finger on the pulse of what is coming and plan accordingly. As civil engineers, we must look to the future to make sure that our profession of tomorrow is fully prepared. While a plan is just a plan and merely predicts what may happen, having no plan at all is a far worse alternative.

I told the students there are three capabilities that are necessary to properly plan for a successful future in our field. The first is technical capability acquired at the university level. The second is excellent skill in human relationships and team building. Students learn about teamwork through social outlets, including their ASCE student chapter involvement, fraternities and sororities, and athletics. The last critical component is leadership and vision.  It is important that students learn to lead early on in their careers, to always look to the future and to motivate others along the way.

Do you have a plan for your future as a civil engineer?  I'd like to hear about it!