At ASCE, we have dozens of Board of Direction-level task committees. Many of these committees are engaged in worthwhile endeavors, while others have overlapping, redundant, or outmoded charges. Thus, one of my initiatives as ASCE President this year has been to achieve a restructuring of these committees.

Are you or have you been involved in these Board-level committees, or have you had contact with these committees? Was it time well spent? Has it had meaningful, valuable results? Or would you say that there are committees that no longer seem worthwhile?

Please share your experiences with Board-level committees below. I’ll accept anonymous responses this time if it helps you to be candid. I truly respect and appreciate what you have to say; it will help me enormously as I seek to make our committees’ efforts more targeted and focused on what is essential. Thank you.

All too often, the American general public fails to look beyond our own borders to explore how other countries get things accomplished, or to see how we measure up compared with other nations. So it is too with infrastructure.

An interesting article in The Economist magazine (produced in Britain and circulated worldwide) took a hard look at the U.S. transportation infrastructure, contrasted it with other developed nations, and found ours sadly wanting. The article alluded to ASCE’s Report Card, noting “America’s civil engineers routinely give its transport structures poor marks, rating roads, rails and bridges as deficient or functionally obsolete.” But did you know that according to the World Economic Forum, the United States ranks 23rd in overall infrastructure quality, between Spain and Chile? The article points up how falling behind other nations in infrastructure upkeep and expansion is affecting our global economic competitiveness. I urge you to read this compelling feature.

Because we as civil engineers adopt and apply the best standards and practices regardless of source, we know all too well that the state of America’s infrastructure has declined relative to most other industrialized nations. How do we persuade our neighbors – and legislators – that we have fallen woefully behind our global rivals, and that it’s having a serious impact on our economy? How do we influence  the public so that they regard infrastructure with the same sense of urgency as education, health care and other social issues?

On the heels of my latest posts about the need for civil engineers to be heard in Washington, and how inspiring youth can be, comes an inspiring letter from a Carnegie Mellon University student forwarded to me by ASCE President-Elect Andy Herrmann.

Andy was recently in Pittsburgh to speak at a meeting of Carnegie Mellon’s ASCE student chapter. He talked about how civil engineers should get more involved in the political process to make our concerns heard. It was a message that resonated well at CMU, as the university features an unusual field of study – Engineering and Public Policy, or EPP.

An undergrad at that talk wrote to Andy to thank him and to express how what he’d said clicked with her. Annie Blissit has a double major in EPP and civil and environmental engineering, and feels strongly that engineers in training should learn how to engage in discussions with public officials about potential decisions that affect our profession. She even noted how it ties into ASCE’s Vision 2025 initiative. Here’s part of how she put it to Andy:

“One idea I had while listening was to increase the number of programs, and the awareness of existing programs, like EPP. Unlike the core engineering majors, EPP brings to the forefront the idea that engineering does not happen in isolation, but must work with society to produce optimal results. One of the main components to this major is the project course. This brings together students from every type of engineering and computer science with those from social and decision sciences and policy majors to work in groups in order to solve any given technology-related problem proposed by their instructors. These situations really force us, as engineers, to step back and think about the broader picture of how exactly things get done in the real world. It’s not just a matter of going out there and creating something; but rather, all the ethical, social, and political components must also be accounted for. I think the availability of programs like this would have a really great impact on civil engineering as a whole. I already know a few civils doing the double major who intend on getting involved in the political arena, and hopefully one day they’ll be helping us achieve all these goals ASCE has set out for us for 2025. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, Carnegie Mellon is one of the only universities offering such a program and no matter how successful our department is with getting more civil engineers involved (about one-third of EPP double majors are pursuing Civil Engineering as their primary degree), we can only do so much in the grand scheme of things.”

I don’t know about you, but just reading these insights coming from a young CE student gave me a lift. What’s your reaction, also specifically about her suggestions? Do you think civil engineering students should learn how to engage in public policy decision-making as part of their undergraduate training? Should more universities include a public policy component in their engineering curriculum? Is this something that ASCE should encourage, perhaps emphasizing more in our Vision 2025 and Raise the Bar initiatives?

From March 29-31, more than 220 ASCE members joined me in Washington, D.C., for ASCE’s annual Legislative Fly-In. Together, we made visits to more than 340 congressional offices to talk about infrastructure renewal and its importance to America’s long-term prosperity and competitiveness. As successful as the Fly-In was, we need your reinforcement as an ASCE Key Contact, reaching out from home to your Senate and House representatives in Washington if our infrastructure message is going to have impact. This is a perfect and painless yet productive opportunity to engage (the E from my MOVE! initiative.)

When I’m at ASCE events and I ask attending members whether they’re a Key Contact, I am flabbergasted by how few hands are raised. It seems many members simply aren’t aware of our Key Contact program, which enables civil engineers to participate directly in the public policy process. So much of what we do is profoundly affected by the actions of government at all levels. In many cases, the government is a client. Funding for our work often comes from government coffers. And state governments are responsible for setting the standards for our licensure.

Is it that ASCE members are reluctant to get involved in public policy debates? Is there a perception of politics being a “dirty business,” or fear of a conflict of interest? Elected officials at all levels are still charged with making decisions on the issues closest to the health and welfare of the public we serve. As civil engineers, it is our fundamental obligation to ensure the public’s safety, health, and welfare in the projects we develop. (See Canon 1 of ASCE’s Code of Ethics.)

While the majority of our public servants work hard at their jobs, they can’t always research every side of every issue. If we are not engaged in the discussion and actively offering our perspective – a valuable one when discussing issues such as infrastructure — they will be making decisions without hearing our side or being completely informed. Not only won’t these be ideal outcomes for civil engineers, they will be bad for the country as a whole.

Being an active Key Contact can also help you become a better engineer. There are valuable networking and professional development opportunities. In addition, keeping up with issues through the Key Contact Program’s resources will better prepare you to fulfill your civic duty come Election Day.

So I encourage you to become a Key Contact. Sign up online right now!!! And if you’re reading this and you are already a Key Contact, be sure to encourage other ASCE members to join — endorsement of a peer is the highest recommendation. If you have reasons why you’ve not become a Key Contact, please share them in the comments below.

I recently inherited an iPad. Yes, 11 years in, I’m entering the 21st century. The iPad is a mind-blowing piece of hardware, a touch-screen tablet of amazing computing power. So far I’ve only figured out how to play Scrabble and Angry Birds, but I’ve vowed to advance. I downloaded iPad for Dummies to my Kindle. Picture me now – the iPad is front and center, and I’m reading my Kindle to get the help I need. I’m going to just link the Kindle to the iPad so I can go from there!

What do you make of the rapid rise of technology in our lives? As civil engineers, much of this isn’t new to us as we’ve been able to take advantage of computers for many years now. We now have whole generations of engineers who have never touched a slide rule, who likely see them as more fun to display on a shelf, like a classic antique. We’ve been more innovative and been able to design for higher tolerances thanks to computing power. But it seems like we’ve witnessed even greater leaps in computing in just the past few years, in ways we have yet to fully exploit as professionals.

Which brings me back to the iPad. For all its impressive wizardry, in my brief experience, it seems more fun than practical. How do you use it? Are there any “apps” you can recommend, especially ones that have professional uses? And overall, are there ways that the iPad and tablet computing in general could be leveraged for civil engineering? What do you think we’ll be able to do that we haven’t before? Where do you see all of this going? This 21st century is proving to be some amazing time.

In spite of the challenges we face today, if today’s kids have their way, the world (and in some cases the universe) can look ahead to a positive, prosperous future. That’s how inspired I felt after serving as a judge at the National Engineers Week Future City Competition Finals in Washington, D.C.

The engineering community sponsors the Future City program as a way of stirring interest in engineering, technology, math, and science among middle-school students. The kids conceptualize different ways that advances in infrastructure can meet social needs and enhance our lives in the years ahead. They incorporate their ideas in the software “SimCity” and build models that capture their concepts. Their city and team work are illustrated in creative and entertaining staged oral presentations and they have envious public speaking skills. Based on their ideas, our transportation future would include maglev trains (almost every “future city” had them), various forms of pods (including “lock and load” style), and sidewalks that generate energy when walked upon.

I saw many examples that took “reduce, reuse, recycle” to heart, including “gray water” recycling, the use of algae to scrub air and as fuel, and many renewable energy concepts, from wind and tidal to solar and geothermal. As a judge, there were so many good presentations, it was hard to narrow down the 35 middle schools’ submissions to even a top five. Ultimately, a school from suburban Philadelphia won the grand prize for a city named Ville L’espoir focused on helping residents with type II diabetes, this year’s particular challenge. Our ASCE award for the Most Innovative Design of Infrastructure Systems went to the city of Trinitas Avenir designed by a team from the Michigan Region.

It was an incredibly uplifting experience to be around these optimistic, idealistic kids, who eagerly embrace change and believe that anything is possible. It made me stop and think about the cynicism that sometimes creeps into my own thoughts. They truly want to make the world a better place. I was honored to be a judge for their competition and glad to hear that many student come away from this experience looking forward to a career in engineering. I hope that they do not lose that desire and optimistic spirit when they get older and more aware of the limitations the “real world” can weigh us down with. What can we do to counter that, so that these innovators of the future do not become cynical and jaded and walk away from potentially promising careers in our profession?

The cycle of ASCE’s Multi-Region Leadership Conferences has just passed, with this year’s gatherings held in Portland, Maine, Fort Worth, Texas, and Costa Mesa, Calif. It was a great experience meeting so many of you who are passionate and committed to the causes of civil engineering issues and ASCE (unfortunately I missed Portland due to a broken shoulder).

If you’re not familiar with these annual ASCE gatherings, they’re intensive two-day events featuring workshops and sessions that expose the Society’s incoming and rising leaders around the country to the resources and operations of ASCE. Section and Branch, Younger Member, and Student Chapter leaders attend one of the three conferences depending on what area of the country they’re from. They’re given guidance such as setting and implementing an organizational vision, and gain insights on infrastructure challenges and funding, ASCE’s sustainability initiative and our competency strategy. The representatives also break out into discussion groups to share ideas about issues affecting their respective organizations. Opportunities are also provided to interact with the Society leadership, including Regional Governors and Directors. Of course there is time for fun, with networking, icebreakers and other social activities.

To those who were there, THANK YOU for coming and for your continued service to ASCE! I’d like to pose a few questions: Did you find the conference worthwhile? If not, why not? If so, what made it so? What would you like to see more or less of? What more could be done to help you apply what you’ve learned once you get back home to your groups, and your meetings and activities?

If you’re a member of a Section or Branch, a Younger Member Council or a Student Chapter, what more could be done to make what is covered at the workshops beneficial to your group?

The year is still young, and it’s already turning out to be an exciting one of great progress for ASCE’s high-priority mission to encourage sustainable practices. We’ve partnered with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and the American Public Works Association (APWA) to create the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), a new association charged with creating and carrying out a system that will measure and certify the sustainability of every kind of infrastructure except for buildings. We’ve also established a Sustainability in Civil Engineering Award, to be presented for the first time in 2012.

ISI launched last week with the first meeting of its board of direction and the sustainability rating tool they have devised is modeled, in part, on the U.S. Building Council’s LEED “green” building rating system. Standing for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED certification plaques are displayed proudly in buildings that have met the standards. Perhaps you’ve seen such a plaque in a building’s lobby. Soon your infrastructure projects will be able to be measured for sustainability as well.

When ASCE decided that sustainability was a top priority for the profession, some among the staff recognized that our own six-story headquarters building in Washington, D.C.’s northern Virginia suburbs might be a prime candidate for the LEED program. As the building’s owner, the ASCE Foundation embraced this notion, and after some study, it is now moving forward with a goal of achieving LEED Gold certification. The required upgrades will cost about $403,000, though this is expected be recouped over the next 10 years by the operating cost savings of the renovations. We should be certified in about 12 months after the upgrades are completed, allowing the Building Council ample time to test the effectiveness of our changes.

Getting our office infrastructure to meet sustainability standards helps us urge civil engineers to apply sustainable techniques to the infrastructure they’re developing or overhauling. Put simply, ASCE intends to practice what it preaches. What are you doing at home and at work to be more sustainable?

ASCE, civil engineers and infrastructure have had some great exposure lately on prime time TV, which is still how the vast majority of Americans enjoy their evenings (despite internet related distractions). I’m sure you caught either President Obama’s State of the Union address, or the great episode on the same evening of the Discovery channel series “Dirty Jobs,” or both.

Did you catch the president’s reference to ASCE’s Report Card and our overall “D” grade for the state of the nation’s infrastructure? Let’s hope this call to investment leads to results in Congress. As I said following Obama’s address, “Not only must we dedicate ourselves to investing in the infrastructure of tomorrow, we also have to hold our nation’s leaders accountable for the success of this commitment.”  You can stay on top of what’s going to happen with infrastructure funding bills in Congress as our Government Relations team is tracking their progress.

The “Dirty Jobs” episode “Dirty Infrastructure” did a great job connecting the grades in the Report Card to their real-world effects. For the full hour, host Mike Rowe went category-by-category through the Report Card and connected items like the D-minus grade for wastewater to efforts such as the San Francisco sewer maintenance crews who can’t stay ahead of repairs to their century-old system. You can watch the entire show here. He ended the show by stating he didn’t know what the solutions were so I am hoping for the opportunity to share our ideas with him!

What do you think of these kinds of exposures? Do they help our cause? What more could be done?  Your ideas on how we can continue to get our message out to the general public or to maximize these recent spotlights are appreciated!

Sorry I’ve not been able to post lately — I broke my arm a few weeks ago, and bouncing back has been an ordeal. Needless to say, that made it tough to sit in front of a computer and type, but I’m back now, and eager to resume my weekly conversations with you.

Coming up in February is a great opportunity to encourage kids to aspire to become civil engineers – National Engineers Week. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the high-profile event gives engineers from all disciplines an opportunity to showcase what we do and ourt vast contributions to society. You can reach kids at the stage in life when they are wondering what they want to be, and are idealistically thinking about how they can “change the world.” And as civil engineers, we can certainly, easily point to our world-changing achievements.

You’ve heard me talk about getting engaged before – and I really want you to get involved with Engineers Week, either individually or as part of your Region, Section or Branch. Under the theme Engineers Turning Ideas Into Reality, Engineers Week will be Feb. 20-26.

We need your help to proudly showcase the civil engineers aspect of National Engineers Week. Events will take place all around the country, and likely in your community. Talk to middle or high school girls during Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on Feb. 24. Ahead of the week, Regional Future City competitions are being held; consider being a judge for the event. To learn about these opportunities and to download national resources, visit the National Engineers Week Foundation website.

Through ASCE, there are many ways to get involved at the local level. We have a host of outreach resources that can be ordered on our website. There’s even a top 10 list of tips for Section and Branch members to help celebrate Engineers Week.

Have you been taken part in Engineers Week activities in past years? Share your experiences, offer your own encouragement to get involved, and any suggestions that could improve or enhance ASCE’s activities in the comments below.