American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Get Set for the Society's Premier Civil Engineering Forum

ASCE's 138th Annual Civil Engineering Conference: November 6-8, 2008, Pittsburgh

Help civil engineering leaders develop ways to grow the profession to tackle the nation's ever-expanding infrastructure challenges. ASCE is gearing up for an exciting annual conference in Pittsburgh, November 6 to 8, devoted to seeking solutions to these 21st-century issues. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an educator, or a student embarking on a career in civil engineering, you'll find much to gain from. Expand your industry knowledge at track sessions on tackling challenges in staffing engineering disciplines, managing risk and developing leadership skills. Short courses, technical tours, evening networking receptions, the ASCE Annual Business Meeting, and ASCE's first-ever CareerZone are just a few of the other dynamic events you won't want to miss.

Register online and get immediate confirmation -- do it today and still qualify for the early registration discount. Click here.
For more about the array of events and activities planned, check out a preliminary program and other conference information here.

Anti-Corruption Film 'Ethicana' to Debut at Conference

While in Pittsburgh, attend the premier of a dramatic film that's a powerful exercise in how to not only keep from falling prey to corruption in the global construction and engineering industries, but also have the ethical courage to expose it. "Ethicana" is the centerpiece of the Global Anti-Corruption Education and Training (ACET) Initiative, of which ASCE is a cooperating agency. Join 2009 ASCE President Wayne Klotz, 2005 President William P. Henry and others on Thursday, Nov. 6, for a viewing of the 41-minute training film followed by a panel discussion.

Learn more about the film and who's on the panel here.

Water & Wastewater Documentary Debuts

Check our schedule to see when your local PBS station is airing "Liquid Assets," a 90-minute documentary on the challenges the nation faces in maintaining and upgrading our largely hidden but threatened assets in water, wastewater and stormwater systems. Produced in partnership with ASCE by Penn State Public Broadcasting, the documentary is the centerpiece of an outreach effort to make the public more aware of the threats to our drinking water and processing of wastewater by our reliance on infrastructure that in some places is more than a century old. See the compelling documentary and encourage others to watch -- from your neighbors to influential decision-makers.

To find out when PBS affiliates will air "Liquid Assets," click here for a broadcast schedule.
Learn more about "Liquid Assets," the overall outreach effort, and how your Section can take advantage of it. Click here.

Independent Panel Submits Report On ASCE Assessment Procedures

An independent task force, created at the behest of ASCE President David Mongan to examine ASCE's procedures for conducting engineering studies of natural and man-made disasters, has submitted its findings to the Society. After several months, the task force headed by former U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert delivered conclusions and recommendations in four key areas. These include ways the Society can address transparency in our policies on such studies, how the studies are funded, the interaction between study teams and the media, and ways to mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

Read the task force's report, including its findings and suggestions, with a message of introduction to members from President Mongan. Click here.

External Review Panel Issues Final Comments On IPET New Orleans Analysis

Three years after Hurricane Katrina roared ashore, and in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, ASCE's External Review Panel has issued its final set of comments on the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force's New Orleans analysis of Katrina's impact. While the ERP noted significant improvement over earlier drafts of the IPET report, and found little fault in the report's technical merits, the group did take issue with the unnecessary softening of a few of the report's assessments. The ERP also continued to call for greater clarity in IPET's risk assessment, due to its essential impact on long-term protection for the region.

Read the ERP's comments to the task force here (PDF).
Follow ASCE's efforts to investigate and explain the impact of Katrina on New Orleans. Click here.

2009 ASCE Board Election Winners Announced

The officers who will lead your Society at the national and regional levels for the next year have been chosen by ASCE membership, and the results are in. Blaine D. Leonard, P.E., F.ASCE., research program manager for Utah's Transportation Department, is the incoming ASCE president-elect. N. Catherine Bazan-Arias, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, of Pennsylvania, will be the Society's at-large director. Three region directors, 18 region governors and a technical region director have also been chosen.

To see all the 2009 board winners and read their biographical statements, click here.

Civil Engineers Push for Historic Education and Licensure Changes

Next fall's class of civil engineering freshmen will witness historic changes in education and licensure during their careers. Guided by the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century, changes already underway in accreditation, curricula and licensure will better prepare them to be leaders and innovators. ASCE has released the second edition of the Body of Knowledge. In this new report, many of the original concepts and ideas have been clarified and sharpened, and their implementation will lead to the revision of current undergraduate and post-undergraduate education.

Learn more about the Body of Knowledge.

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ASCE's mission is to provide essential value to our members, their careers, our partners and the public by developing leadership, advancing technology, advocating lifelong learning and promoting the profession.

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