President's Blog

The End of the Road

2008-11-03T10:30:00-05:00

As you read this I will be in Pittsburgh, attending ASCE's annual meeting. I hope that I will have the opportunity to meet many of you there. On Saturday, I will turn the presidency over to Wayne Klotz, an engineer from Houston. This will be my last blog as president of ASCE.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing these blogs these past 52 weeks. It has given me an outlet to express my feelings and share some ideas and issues that I have discovered along the way. I hope that you have found them stimulating and of value. I appreciate the comments that you have provided. I look forward to my continued service to you and ASCE in my role as immediate past president.

The Value of Diversity by Design

2008-09-29T10:00:00-04:00

One of my major initiatives as president was to attempt to address the workforce and diversity issues facing our profession. I am pleased to report that the Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering has just completed and published "Diversity by Design: Guide to Fostering Diversity in the Civil Engineering Workplace." This groundbreaking document is the first ever collection of best practices for attracting and retaining diverse civil engineers. It has chapters on a roadmap to diversity, the diversity landscape, retaining, recruiting and managing.

One might ask, "Why is a diverse force important?" If civil engineering is to be a "full service profession," then that profession must represent the people it serves. Currently, approximately 18 percent of civil engineering enrollment is comprised of women, and all other underrepresented groups represent 22 percent. This is significantly below the national percentages for these groups. Unfortunately, these percentages are not increasing but decreasing.

You only have to read a few statements from key employers such as CH2MHill, who state "Global companies must have an awareness and appreciation of other cultures, so that we are prepared to deal with issues that arise from doing business with them." Another from Klotz Associates is "Certainly, as the world becomes smaller and the issues become international, the more understanding you have of other cultures and people, the better the firm can perform."

Diversity is not simply sex or race or ethnicity or religion based, but is also affected by age. Clearly, those over 62 and a part of the silent generation have characteristics that are very much different than the Gen Xers or the millennials who were born after 1980. These differences can create conflict within organizations. The guide provides an overview of the working styles of these generations along with some challenges that may be faced within the workplace. It indicates that studies have found that effective workplace programs focus on organizational responsibility through affirmative action plans, diversity staff and diversity task force or diversity committees. Networking and mentoring programs demonstrated positive results. Throughout the guide are best practice examples of engineering firms and other organizations.

This guide is a must for every HR department in every consulting firm, government organization, business or university. I urge all of you to obtain a copy for yourself and your HR department, but like other documents, it is only useful if you embrace is and employ the techniques presented within the book.

Five Factors Facing Engineers of Tomorrow

2008-09-22T10:30:00-04:00

For a recent National Science Foundation workshop on research directions in civil and environmental engineering, Ralph R. Peterson, chairman and CEO of CH2M Hill and 2005 OPAL Award winner, presented a white paper on the global influences that will shape tomorrow’s engineering workforce. Drawing on his 40-plus years of witnessing changes in our profession, Ralph looked ahead to identify five key factors.

The first is changing populations in industrialized/developed countries. We tend to focus on our own demographics in the United States, but in Japan, one out of five people will be 70 years old by 2020. The populations of other western countries are also aging and shrinking. Meanwhile, developing countries’ populations are growing rapidly. This places new demands on infrastructure, goods, and economic growth as well as putting pressure on energy, natural resources and environmental issues. Ralph noted that a few years ago, CH2M Hill was considering offshoring as a means of finding less expensive engineering talent. They now believe that the challenge is not in obtaining lower cost talent, but applying the knowledge and talent resources to a greater advantage and having them become an integral part of the project management and leadership roles that have been traditionally held by American and Western European engineers.

The second force is economic globalization and industrial consolidation. Ralph cited Sam Palmisano, CEO of IBM, who has stated that their firm's strategy is about "putting people in jobs anywhere in the world based on the right costs, the right skills and the right business environment."

The third factor is integrated project delivery and risk management. The stovepipe stages of the typical engineering construction project need to be knocked over, Ralph said. The integration of project delivery through visualization tools and building information management system will accelerate project delivery and will integrate the various stages of the project to create value for project owners. Ralph also said he expected to see more projects adopt design-build, design-build-operate or design-build-own-operate-transfer (DBOOT) approaches.

The fourth factor is limitations on energy and natural resources as well as climate change. Currently, humans worldwide consume 13 terawatts of power a year. By 2030, global growth will demand another 10 terawatts a year, according to estimates. The problems resulting from this phenomenal energy growth and demand may be the primary concerns the world will face in the coming years. Ralph offered solutions such as clean coal technology, biofuel, nuclear energy, but all of these will take time and investment.

Ralph's final factor is that of stakeholder and social responsibility. More and more decisions can’t be simply made based upon an engineering/economic analysis. The social consequences and involvement of our stakeholders will be critical to the success of future projects. Nations and their citizens will demand that corporations act with a social conscience. Ethical responsibilities and expectations will be paramount. Stakeholder communication collaboration will be as significant as the pure technical aspects of a project.

Many of these points are similar to those that Ralph expressed during our summit on the civil engineer of 2025. Although that was about two years ago, I believe that they are just as valid today and will continue to be major factors influencing our engineering profession.

'Changing the Conversation' With the Public on Engineering

2008-09-15T13:30:00-04:00

Back in 2002, the National Academy of Engineering issued a report, "Raising Public Awareness of Engineering," which demonstrated quite dramatically that the engineering community does not have a coordinated campaign for raising public awareness. Six years later, the academy's new study, "Changing the Conversation," shares the basic premise that the various engineering societies still are not speaking with one voice, even though hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent. This latest effort focused on three objectives:

· Identifying a small number of messages to improve public understanding.
· Measuring the effectiveness of the messages.
· Publishing the results of the measurement effort.

The academy retained various firms to develop and test messages. The effort focused on youth (9 to 11 years old), teens and adults overall. A committee composed of key members of various societies, universities and the private sector oversaw the effort, including ASCE Executive Director Pat Natale.

Several different messages were created, including "Ideas in action," "Life takes engineering" and "A timeless imagination." These all represented various themes to help key audiences and the overall public better understand the role of engineering.

The focus groups were questioned to determine their awareness and understanding of engineering and to begin testing the message themes. Among students, the majority have a general understanding that civil engineers design and build, but don't understand what they really do. They have a positive impression of the profession, but think that they may not be smart enough for it. Many believe that engineering is sedentary and involves very little contact with other people. Also, salary was a career objective, but "making a difference" was also important.

A number of other messages were tried, including "Engineers shape the future" and "Engineers connect signs to the real world," as well as a set of taglines with concepts like "Turning ideas into reality," "Because dreams need doing," "Design to work wonders," "Life takes engineering," "Power to do," and "Bolder by design." One of the messages that tested best was "Engineering makes a world of difference."

The study produced a number of interesting conclusions. One in particular was that the image of engineering is by and large very positive. Another that stood out was that the continued focus on math and science is not necessary and can be a turn-off.

I urge all of you to obtain a copy of this important work, fully titled "Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering." (It is also available for reading online at the National Academies Press' Web site here.) ASCE is prepared to participate with our sister society in its very vital and important effort. Improving the public understanding, and in particular encouraging more students to pursue engineering degrees, is a key objective of mine and of the Society.

Helping Engineering Professors ExCEEd for 10 Years

2008-08-04T10:30:00-04:00

As you may know, ExCEEd stands for Excellence in Civil Engineering Education. The program has its roots in recommendations developed and issued during the 1995 Education Congress conducted by ASCE. One declared a need for more education in order to practice at the professional level. This led directly to ASCE’s Policy 465 a few years later. Another recommendation was that civil engineering professors needed more training in how to become better teachers. Fortunately ASCE had on staff some former professors from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and they were familiar with a program that had been developed to help Army officers be effective teachers. ASCE adapted their program and turned it into a weeklong workshop.

The successful workshop is now in its tenth year, with nearly 500 professors (out of 3,500 nationwide) having had ExCEEd training. Each year, two workshops are conducted. One is held in the West or Midwest. Last year, I attended the one in Flagstaff, Ariz. The other is held at West Point, which I had the pleasure of attending the last weekend of July. In order to be a participant, a professor has to submit an application for approval. The success of the program has grown to the point where ASCE has more applicants than the 24 slots available in each workshop.

The workshop is a very rigorous boot camp on how to be an effective teacher. The professors work with mentors and actually prepare and give a lesson. The first time, they ready and deliver that lesson just as they would have done it prior to coming to ExCEEd. They receive real-time feedback from an audience composed of their peers and mentors. The lesson practices are then given two succeeding times, and the level of improvement and change is dramatic. Interspersed with the lesson presentations, there are lectures on principles of effective teaching, communication skills, learning styles, teaching with technology and interpersonal rapport with students. This year's class at West Point included professors from as far away as Hawaii and Afghanistan. The program can claim credit for having trained the majority of engineering professors at a number of universities.

If you are involved or know the department head at your alma mater, I would encourage you to have their professors apply for next year's workshops. The effectiveness of our civil and environmental engineering professors is paramount. The future of the civil engineering profession depends upon it.

'America 2050' Sees Infrastructure as Key to Prosperity

2008-07-28T10:30:00-04:00

At the ASCE Board of Directors Meeting on July 21 in Kansas City, we had the pleasure of hearing a presentation by Larry Frevert, P.E., president of the American Public Works Association.

Frevert's presentation focused on concerns related to our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure and its impact on the quality of life. He praised ASCE for our efforts, including our Report Card and our emphasis on infrastructure investment. Frevert directed our attention to America 2050, a committee created by the Regional Plan Association representing New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He believes its approach is very much on the right track, and strongly recommended that we learn more about the committee by visiting its Web site, america2050.org.

America 2050 recognizes that there is a global threat to America's economic prosperity. We are falling behind our competitors who have long-range strategies, whereas we lack a vision. The America 2050 strategy outlines public and private policies and investments to accommodate growth in the 21st Century. If followed, the America 2050 strategy will produce five major outcomes:

· A national framework for prosperity, growth and competitiveness.
· A modern multi-modal transportation system.
· Protection of coastal and environmental areas.
· Opportunity -- economically and socially -- for all society.
· Globally competitive mega-regions within the United States.

America 2050 recently sponsored a "Rebuilding and Renewing America" forum. Speakers included Robert Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association; Terence O'Sullivan, president, Labor's International Unions of North America; Ed Rendell, governor of Pennsylvania; and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon. One of the panels focused on transportation. Several comments focused on the public's understanding of what a "vibrant rail system could accomplish in the country and the fact that ideas for a system are out there, but it is a question of how and who will bring this vision together."

The closing keynote speaker was Jonathan Rose, president of Jonathan Rose Development Companies. He urged Americans to reconsider their core values and stop building soulless communities around retail. Moreover, the cheapest housing is often the furthest from job opportunities, thus condemning our lowest income residents to spend much of their incomes commuting to their jobs.

A report on this forum is available at the America 2050 Web site. I urge all of you to review it. I am sure that it will be part of the framework for the development of our 2009 Infrastructure Report Card.

Could Gender Gap Lead to a Gender Shift in Engineering?

2008-07-14T10:00:00-04:00

A recent article in The Sun, Baltimore's newspaper, focused on research into factors that explain the differences between boys and girls in math and reading test scores. These scientists examined math and reading scores on standardized tests given to thousands of 15-year-old students in more than 40 countries. They also examined how each country dealt with gender equality issues. Typically, females scored lower in math than males, but girls did better in reading than boys.

In countries that have very progressive gender equality policies such as Norway and Iceland, girls performed almost equally with boys on math skills, according to The Sun’s report on the research. The United States ranked somewhat in the middle, with boys outperforming girls, while other nations such as Turkey had relatively low test scores for girls as compared with boys. Throughout the world, girls have scored higher in reading, and that advantage has become even greater in those countries with a higher emphasis on gender equality.

This study generally tracks earlier studies. The findings of college professors in Maryland indicate that the gap in math between the genders has been shrinking over time. With the widespread acknowledgement that both sexes need to learn math, attitudes are changing. In 2007, more than 125,000 girls and 142,000 boys took the college board’s Advance Placement Calculus Exam. Ten years ago, the number taking the exam was half that size, but in roughly the same gender proportions. On the traditional SAT, girls are still scoring lower proportionally, but more of them are taking the exam.

For many educators, the differences in math, while important, aren't nearly as serious as the differences in reading skills. Boys are scoring lower in reading tests and as compared with girls, the gap is increasing. Maybe part of our emphasis in education should include social sciences and reading for men as well as sciences and mathematics. Our Body of Knowledge clearly identifies the social sciences as a key element that engineers need in order to practice at the professional level in the future.

Hands-On Engineering Aids Military Academies' Cadets

2008-06-30T10:00:00-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the U.S. Air Force Academy Field Engineering and Readiness Laboratory, on the academy's campus in Colorado. FERL is a unique program designed 15 years ago by Brig. Gen. David O. Swint (Ret.). Since cadets receive only three weeks off in the summer, they have little opportunity to have internships or summer jobs. Because of a concern that many of these cadets had no experience with construction and it was very difficult to relate classroom exercises to the field, FERL was developed under a motto of "Build First, Design Later." The program is open to engineering majors not only at the Air Force Academy, but also cadets from the U.S. Military Academy and Air Force ROTC students. The cadets, all rising juniors, are divided into teams (flights) of approximately 15 each. This year there are five flights. The intense three-week-long program fits within the cadets' time off.

The objective of FERL is to develop knowledge, skills and responsibilities and provide the more traditional laboratory experience that might be obtained at a larger university so it can be applied to classroom theory. FERL is indeed a hands-on program. It has its own dedicated area on the academy campus. The cadets sleep in tents and live at the site for the three weeks. They focus on four major areas: geotechnical, structural, construction and environmental. They do soil analysis and pavement design. In the structural area, some of the items relate to bridge design, trusses and concrete beams. Construction relates to scheduling, constructability, surveys and project coordination. The environmental area focuses on hydraulics, units operations, water treatment, waste management and hazmat sampling. This effort is taught partly through classroom time, but it is 20 percent classroom and 80 percent field. In the field, the cadets perform a survey of a crash site to locate the debris. They take soil and water samples. They do roadway development by constructing a bituminous concrete paved road and operating heavy equipment. They pour cement concrete beams and pads. They design and construct a sprinkler system and build a large steel bridge that requires not only welding, but other types of connections.

The highlight of the cadets' effort is in building two-bedroom houses for the Navaho Indians. They build a house entirely using wood-frame construction. The only part that they don't build is the roof trusses. These homes are then shipped to the Navaho reservations, where they are placed on foundations. Over the course of FERL's 15-year history, they have provided 28 housing units for the Navaho Indians.

I was extremely impressed by FERL's professionalism and attention to detail. The cadet students are supported by mentors, some of which are active duty Air Force, reservists, Air National Guard and contractors. The faculty of the Air Force Academy also serves as support personnel. It is a highly unique experience; one that I think traditional college programs could model. I would especially like to thank Col. Seely, the department head, and Captain Hoisington for their hospitality in showing me around the FERL activities as well as the campus.

Innovations for a Sustainable Future Demand Research Now

2008-06-16T10:00:00-04:00

The civil and environmental engineering profession plays an increasingly important role in our global economy. The growth of underdeveloped and developing countries and their desire for infrastructure places a great deal of emphasis on our profession. Even in the United States, construction still accounts for more than 5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. This unprecedented demand for infrastructure, in particular sustainable infrastructure, requires advances in new techniques, products and materials. To accomplish this, appropriate research must be done to find these new innovations.

A year ago, a workshop was conducted by the National Science Foundation focusing on future research directions in civil and environmental engineering. The workshop covered four areas -- renewal; management and protection of complex systems; sustainability; global impacts; and energy. White papers were presented focusing on these areas. In future blogs, I will delve into more depth on some of these white papers. The issues surrounding these areas are very real and the needs of society are immense. The group felt strongly that research efforts must have significant impact, be interdisciplinary and socially relevant. The attendees also believed that civil and environmental research must be fused with other disciplines, particularly social and natural sciences. Much of the discussion focused on market approaches to integrate technology with the management of:

· Environmental systems;
· Nanomaterials;
· Advances;
· Integration models for infrastructure systems;
· GIS systems, health information and decision systems to address global infectious diseases.

From this effort, three broad topics for future discussion emerged. They are:

· Energy, carbon cycle management and climate change;
· Multi-scale systems based hydrologic cycle management;
· Mega-cities and livability.

This workshop produced a wealth of information. However, it will go for naught unless there are sufficient financial resources dedicated to beginning and advancing this research agenda. ASCE is deeply involved in supporting research at the federal level. ASCE routinely testifies before and works with Congress on various research funding bills. We are also part of the American Association of Engineering Societies' effort to garner more funding for research activities. I would like to thank Joseph B. Hughes, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Civil Engineering at Georgia Tech, for his excellent final report on this workshop.

Don't Leave Science Education Behind

2008-05-27T10:00:00-04:00

A headline about education in Baltimore's The Sun recently grabbed my attention: Battle Over Curriculum Hits Arundel -- Meeting Tests by Cutting Science, Social Studies Draws Wide Protests. The Anne Arundel County, Md., school district is a major jurisdiction between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. What is being proposed is that the amount of science and social studies classroom hours would be cut in half to make more time for teaching math and reading, which are at the core of state standardized tests. These state tests are mandated by the federal "No Child Left Behind" policy.

Are these hard budget choices over curriculum happening only in Anne Arundel County? Unfortunately, that is not the case. A recent national study of middle schools revealed that one-fifth have sharply cut science, social studies, art, music and physical education to increase the amount of time devoted to math and reading. This emphasis on test results is being driven by the federal government's mandate. Lower test results ultimately mean less federal aid for the school system.

One possible solution is to increase the length of the school day by adding an additional teaching period. This of course has created a furor due to the effect it would have on after-school activities. Also, there would be an increased cost in teacher salaries and other such expenses.

What can you do? Join your local Parent Teacher Association. Help elect officials at the national and local level who understand the importance of science to this nation's continued economic well-being. We cannot continue to fall even further behind our global rivals in science, technology, engineering and math education. Here's hoping that "No Child Left Behind" has been elevating our children's math ability, but that shouldn't mean that science education gets left behind. I would be curious to hear if your local school district is experiencing these problems and what if any solutions they might have devised.

Building Up the 'Knowledge Builders'

2008-05-12T10:30:00-04:00

An interesting article I caught up to recently cited a number of college programs that seek to encourage middle and high school students to pursue a degree in engineering. The November 2007 edition of Prism, the publication of the American Society for Engineering Education, has an article entitled "Knowledge Builders" by Barbara Mathias-Riegel. It presented the effort of a Worcester Polytech Institute mechanical engineer and the mentoring that she does to high school girls with hands-on demonstrations. This effort, and that of others, is part of an evaluation being done by the National Science Foundation in reviewing its own nationwide K-12 program. Like one young lady from Worcester Polytech said about the girls she mentored, many of these college mentors say they have made "a connection with [the students], they understand me and I understand them."

The National Science Foundation has funded more than 140 K-12 projects in 46 states, plus there are private efforts also supporting K-12 programs. One such involves The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, which has 70 student chapters nationally. The funds provide for community service grants and stipends to help the students. One group of students from Duke University presented a two-hour lesson on circuits and circuit components by electrifying a pickle. The University of Colorado has a show featuring balloons, bouncing balls, space shuttle tiles and pieces of a foam mattress.

One of the continual concerns is ensuring that these student teachers have the adequate skills to keep these programs interesting and exciting. These student teachers need their own mentoring and coaching. This is an area where ASCE sections could be of great help and assistance. Has your Section discussed these types of activities with your local Student Chapters? Have you offered to help them develop the programs and skills that they can employ in the middle and high school classrooms? Does your alma mater have such an outreach effort? I think that this would be an excellent opportunity to provide a closer relationship between our Sections and the Student Chapters.

Generation X and Why They're Avoiding Leadership

2008-04-28T10:30:00-04:00

I recently read a commentary in a local Baltimore business newspaper entitled, “Gen X and Leadership: Are We Ready for the Challenge?” It was written by Bill Pisano, who is with Stephen James Associates, a national executive recruiting firm headquartered in Baltimore. Mr. Pisano is part of a committee that is reaching out to the younger generation by holding a high level speaker series featuring some of the region’s major business leaders. These sessions are excellent opportunities for gaining knowledge and leadership skills. He encouraged a number of his Generation X peers to attend one. Unfortunately, a very small percentage of the group agreed to attend.

Pisano wrote that this is not the first time he found a reluctance of Gen Xers to take leadership responsibilities from those Baby Boomers who will be retiring in the near future. "With the country’s largest and most influential generation on the brink of retirement, the need for capable and inspiring leadership is about to be greater than ever," he says.

It is not a lack of ability or effort that prevents many Gen Xers from seeking leadership roles. There obviously is not one simple answer. He cites the following circumstances that may play a part in Xers’ disinterest. First, leadership skills and knowledge may not have been passed on to the Xers. Boomers may not be proactive in sharing their success stories. Second, our companies don’t always offer leadership training. The slowing economy may force companies to cut corners, and educational benefits are often the first to go. Third, there is a difference in work priorities between Gen Xers and baby boomers. Xers thrive on flexibility, technology and a life-work balance. They tend to dislike hierarchical structure.

Given these circumstances, what can Xers do? Specifically, they can establish a presence by actively networking and joining professional development and civic groups. They can participate in company training programs, and if the programs don’t exist, they must seek them out on their own. Finally, they must always find ways to stand out; even in non-structured work situations.

Participation in ASCE local activities presents a excellent way to accomplish all this. ASCE offers many continuing education opportunities in the leadership and professional development area. What else can ASCE do to promote leadership and professional development among not just the Gen Xers, but all our members?