September 2008
Volume 33, Number 9

Blaine D. Leonard, P.E., F.ASCE, has been elected to the position of president-elect by the members of asce. The membership also elected region directors, region governors, the Technical Region director, and an at-large director. Elected officers are to begin their terms at the annual business meeting that will be held in Pittsburgh in early November as part of asce’s annual conference.

The research program manager for the Utah Department of Transportation, Leonard earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering from the University of Utah and is a licensed professional engineer in Utah, Arizona, California, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. He has been actively involved in asce on the national, regional, and local levels, serving as vice president of Zone IV and director of District 11 and chairing numerous committees concerned with strategic planning, geotechnical issues, and codes and standards. In addition to chairing the task committee convened to help ASCE realize the goals set forth in The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 (http://content.asce.org/vision2025/index.html), in 2006 and 2007 he served on the task committee set up to explore a formal link with the group Engineers Without Borders–USA.

Leonard’s other volunteer activities include serving as chair of the Utah Engineers Council and as the founding editor of the Utah Engineers Council Journal. He has also lent his time and expertise to Chi Epsilon, the Rotary Club’s Utah district, and the Board of Appeals of Farmington, Utah, and has assumed leadership responsibilities in his church congregation and within his community.

In his vision statement, Leonard emphasized the importance of providing resources to local asce organizations, promoting technical interchange, reforming and improving engineering education, and aggressively shaping public policy. “If we as a group of civil engineers do not shape our own future, others will shape it for us. Bold steps have already been taken to envision our future, and it is imperative that we proactively identify and pursue objectives that will define the future and create an appropriate worldwide role for us,” he stated.

N. Catherine Bazán-Arias, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, a senior staff engineer for DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC, of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has been elected the Society’s at-large director. Bazán-Arias earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and earlier in her career she worked for GAI Consultants, Inc., of Pittsburgh. She currently serves as the editor of the Geo-Institute’s publication Geo-Strata and has been a member of the Committee on the Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice. She has also been a director of the Pittsburgh Section and has chaired that section’s geotechnical group and participated in the activities of the section’s younger member group. She is also a member of Engineers Without Borders-usa. Her other activities include serving on the board of directors of the American Cancer Society’s Pittsburgh section, on the community advisory board of the television network WQED, and on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Advisory Council. Bazán-Arias also heads a group that is working to have a room devoted to Latin American and Caribbean culture included in the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning.

Anthony M. Puntin, P.E., M.ASCE, has been elected director of Region 1. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Puntin is the director of civil engineering for the New England region of the Louis Berger Group, Inc., in Manchester, New Hampshire. He has also been employed at Earth Tech, headquartered in Long Beach, California; Holden Engineering and Surveying, of Concord, New Hampshire; and the Massachusetts Highway Department. Puntin has served as New Hampshire Section president and as Region 1 governor and has been a member of the New Hampshire Section’s governing board. He has also served on various committees, including the Committee on Government Affairs, the Committee on Geographic Units, a committee that prepared an assessment of New Hampshire’s infrastructure, and a committee concerned with research policy as it relates to infrastructure.

Norma Jean Mattei, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, has been elected the director of Region 5. Mattei earned both a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in civil engineering from Tulane University and is currently an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of New Orleans. Earlier in her career she was an assistant professor at Louisiana State University, a project engineer for Linder & Associates, of Metairie, Louisiana, and a design engineer for New Orleans–based Modjeski and Masters, Inc. Her asce involvement includes serving as governor of Region 5; as president, secretary, treasurer, and director of the Louisiana Section; and as president, vice president, treasurer, and director of the Louisiana Section’s New Orleans Branch. Mattei has also served on local and national asce committees, including the Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering and a committee on licensure and ethics.

Charles R. Spinks, P.E., M.ASCE, has been elected the director of Region 9. Spinks earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in civil engineering from San José State University. He is a vice president of Kimley-Horn Associates, in Roseville, California. He has also been employed by Berryman Henigar, of San Diego; Dudek & Associates, of Encinitas, California; Leedshill-Herkenhoff, of San Francisco and San Diego; and Tudor Engineering, of San Francisco and Denver. Spinks has been the governor and vice-chair of Region 9. He has also served as the president of the California Society of Civil Engineers, the president of asce’s San Diego Section, and the chair of the San Francisco Section’s hydraulics technical group.

Ronald E. Smith, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, has been elected ASCE’s Technical Region director. A self-employed geotechnical consultant, Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree and a doctorate in geotechnical engineering from North Carolina State University. His involvement in asce includes serving as a student chapter adviser to the University of Florida’s chapter, as chairman of the National Capital Section’s geotechnical group, as a member of a committee dealing with rock mechanics and engineering geology, and as a member of a task force set up to provide guidance on infrastructure policy in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He helped to establish the Society’s Geo-Institute and its publication Geo-Strata and has served as the institute’s president. Smith was also a member of this year’s Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award jury.

The winners in the races for the various region governor positions are as follows: In Region 1, David L. Westerling, P.E., F.ASCE; in Region 2, Robert A. Victor, P.E., M.ASCE; in Region 3, Stephen C. Chizek, P.E., M.ASCE, and John A. Frauenhoffer, P.E., S.E., M.ASCE; in Region 4, Sandra N. Knight, P.E., M.ASCE, Thomas M. Mlot, P.E., M.ASCE, and David B. Peterson, P.E., F.ASCE; in Region 5, Kenneth J. Fridley, Ph.D., F.ASCE, and William P. Grogan, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE; in Region 6, Crespin Guzman, P.E., M.ASCE, and Marc A. Long, P.E., M.ASCE; in Region 7, Jeffrey Lynn Fouse, P.E., F.ASCE, and D. Vaughan Griffiths, Ph.D., D.Sc., P.E., CEng, F.ASCE; in Region 8, Stacy J. Frost, P.E., M.ASCE, and Erika Pratley Moonin, P.E., D.WRE,  M.ASCE; in Region 9, Shahnawaz Ahmad, P.E., M.ASCE; and in Region 10, Emmanuel A. Adeyemo, Ph.D., CEng, F.ASCE, and Tai Sik Lee, Ph.D., P.E., A.M.ASCE.

In a letter dated September 3, ASCE’s External Review Panel (ERP)—the team of experts convened by the Society in November 2005 at the behest of Lieutenant General Carl A. Strock, P.E., M.ASCE, then the commander and chief of engineers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—provided their final analysis of the work performed by the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET), the body commissioned by the Corps to assess the performance of the hurricane protection system in New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana. Addressed to Lieutenant General Robert L. Van AntwERP, the present commander and chief of engineers of the Corps, the letter is largely positive about the IPET's work with respect to “Draft Final Volume I: Executive Summary and Overview” and “Draft Final Volume VIII: Engineering and Operational Risk and Reliability Analysis,” both of which are components of the June 2008 draft of the final report. However, the letter also speaks to the considerable risks that remain for the residents of New Orleans with respect to the effect of an enormous hurricane on the New Orleans area and of the dangers posed to residents.

“The latest drafts of both Volume I and Volume VIII of the IPET report are much improved over earlier drafts. We find little fault in these documents from a technical point of view or from the perspective of informing the reader about the lessons learned from [the] IPET’s work,” the letter states. “The ERP has been deeply involved in the work of [the] IPET throughout its process. We have conveyed numerous comments to [the] IPET throughout its investigation. We appreciate the care taken to consider our input, the professionalism demonstrated in the interactions between [the] IPET and [the] ERP, and the work that has been accomplished since earlier drafts.”

In their letter, the ERP members state that “we find that Volume I provides a detailed summary and readable account of [the] IPET's work, the results obtained, the conclusions reached, and the lessons learned. The report is generally candid about mistakes made in the planning, design, construction, and operation of the hurricane protection system and about the causes of the catastrophic failures during Hurricane Katrina.” The letter goes on to note, however, that “in a few places the report unnecessarily softens some of these frank assessments.” One such ‘softening’ cited: “The levee-floodwall designs for the 17th Street and London Avenue Outfall Canals and the [Inner Harbor Navigation Canal] were inadequate for the complex and challenging environment.” The letter notes that “the designs were indeed inadequate, and we appreciate this clear acknowledgment. The designs were flawed in several respects, described in more detail in IPET Volume V as well as in numerous recently published conference papers and journal articles. While a massive hurricane does create a ‘complex and challenging environment,’ engineers routinely are expected to design for such conditions. The fact that the design environment is complex and challenging in no way mitigates the inadequacy of the design. We suggest ending the sentence after the word ‘inadequate.’”

The letter also takes exception to the IPET's description of levee failures by overtopping. In that description, the IPET states that “the structures that ultimately breached performed as designed, providing protection until overtopping occurred and then becoming vulnerable to catastrophic breaching.” The letter notes that “while accurate per se, this statement does not make the more significant and compelling assertion, which is that consideration of overtopping was not included in the design. An additional statement along the following lines would make the summary of performance more complete: ‘The catastrophic performance element for these breached levees was a failure to account for overtopping, which was inevitable for an extreme hurricane.’ In addition, some of the overtopped levees were constructed of hydraulic fill, which is typically an erodible material. Some of these levees may have been able to sustain overtopping had they been built in compacted lifts using suitable cohesive material.

“Although Volume I states that the hurricane protection system did not perform as a system, it does not speak to the fact that it was never designed or managed as a system. Furthermore, on pages 1–2 and elsewhere, the report refers to ‘datum misintERPretation and subsidence.’ Perhaps a more accurate reference would be ‘datum choice, misintERPretations, and subsidence.’”

The ERP members go on to note in their letter that “on balance, the issues that we might take with the report’s usage of specific words or phrases, such as the examples above, are relatively minor and number few. And they are counterbalanced by numerous clear statements about what happened, and the implication. . . . We particularly applaud the section ‘Looking Forward.’ . . . Here, the report assesses the information collected and lessons learned and presents recommendations from policy to design criteria. The discussion . . . about the inadequacies of the ‘system’ is especially powerful and important. Similarly, the second ‘standards’ correctly points out that design for a 100-year storm is fraught with risk and is not necessarily the correct de facto standard. We also appreciate the statement in ‘resilience’ confirming that levees and floodwalls must be designed to survive overtopping. We believe the endorsement of resilient design on pages 1–7 should include a recommendation that provisions to protect levees and floodwalls from catastrophic failure caused by inevitable overtopping be specifically included in future congressional authorizations and appropriations.

“One thing that would improve the ‘Looking Forward’ section is to emphasize the mistake that policy makers and engineers might make in viewing all levees the same in terms of level of protection and risk—from protecting open farmland in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, to protecting towns along the Mississippi and its tributaries, to protecting hundreds of thousands of people living in urban areas that are at or below sea level, such as New Orleans. These are, the ERP believes, very different situations that require different standards. In addition, we are disappointed that there was no mention of the role and importance of external peer review in future projects.”
With respect to the topic of risk assessment, the letter states that “the risk analysis provides quantitative information on significant nuances—for example, the importance of both intensity and the size of the storm. The results of the analysis, principally in the flood potential maps, provide a sobering reminder of the potential impacts of an enormous hurricane on the New Orleans area, and of the hazards posed to residents. Because another massive hurricane is inevitable, the quantitative risk assessment points to the need to think more intelligently about the overall system and approach toward risk mitigation.”

The letter recommends that “the findings on risk need to be put into a larger context in both volumes. For example, figure 1 presents the IPET results in a chart [on which] the annual frequency of hurricane flooding is plotted against the number of predicted casualties. This chart shows the risk associated with the [hurricane protection system] pre-Katrina and as of June 2007. The chart illustrates a major difference between pre-Katrina and June 2007, primarily due to the installation of closure gates on the outfall canals. However, this difference is relatively small in comparison to what would be needed to significantly reduce overall risk in New Orleans. Also on this chart the [hurricane protection system] can be compared to international standards for large dams. This is not to suggest that these standards are appropriate for levees. Rather, it reinforces the urgent need for dialogue to generate meaningful standards for levees.”

The letter also recommends emphasizing two major lessons learned. “First, the risk is high because so many people and so much property are below sea level and are exposed to hurricanes. Second, this information needs to be better incorporated into all levels of decision making to more effectively manage and reduce the risk—something to the effect that if risk is going to be managed effectively, then it must be assessed and considered in federal, regional, and individual decision making. We as a society, with input and guidance from engineers and scientists, must determine the target for risk, how much we are willing to spend to achieve the target, and what the most effective use of our resources is in managing the risk we face.”

The letter notes that “the report states that the risk analysis for the 50-percent and 100-percent cases used the ‘name plate’ capacities for pumps. It goes on to say that these ‘capacities are considered ideal and do not reflect current or projected actual operational capacities.’ While we certainly do not disagree, we think this disclaimer needs to be both stronger and more prominent. Unfortunately, this type of analysis runs the risk of lulling the citizens of New Orleans into a false sense of security. Name plate capacities are based on ‘new pump’ operation at the most efficient point on the head versus volume pump curves. It is not likely that name plate capacities can be achieved. For example, because of subsidence and higher predicted hurricane tidal surges, all of the lakefront and Industrial Canal pumps must lift drainage water higher than when the pumps were installed. We suspect that during the peak of a hurricane tidal surge many of these pumps may not be able to move any water at all. Future analyses should account for the anticipated performance of individual pumps given the expected range of heads the pumps will encounter to determine the capacity under these conditions. . . . We are pleased to see a comprehensive definition of ‘failure’ in Volume VIII: ‘System failure refers to the failure of the hurricane protection system to provide protection from flooding in one or more protected areas, and it can be any failure of one or more components, overtopping of walls or levees, or open gates that prevents the hurricane protection system from performing its function.’ We recommend emphasizing this definition and moving it to the section ‘What Is Risk?’ on page VIII-2.”

The letter also notes that “the term ‘risk’ means many things to many people. Within both volumes [the] IPET makes a sincere attempt to put ‘risk’ in perspective. However, there are still several inconsistencies in the use of the terms ‘risk,’ ‘relative risk,’ and ‘residual risk.’ We recommend developing crystal clear and unambiguous definitions for these terms and ensuring that the terms are used consistently throughout the documents.”

The ERP also noted that it “would be helpful to further emphasize the term ‘residual risk.’ In this regard we recommend using a figure similar to figure 2, which was developed by the Corps to illustrate how risk can be reduced and how residual risk can be managed. This figure effectively demonstrates that there are many tools available to contribute to risk reduction and to risk management. . . . The figure illustrates that regardless of what is done, there is a residual risk that must be understood, accepted, and then managed. . . .

“Overall, we believe that the IPET used sound methods of analysis and investigation, and that its conclusions represent logical and appropriate findings from the data collected. In several areas, the IPET’s work has advanced the state of the art for analysis of hurricanes and the design of hurricane protection systems. The IPET’s report unquestionably presents a great opportunity to improve the planning and design of hurricane protection systems throughout the world, including New Orleans.”

Pursuant to subsection 7.3 of the Society’s rules of policy and procedure, the ASCE membership is hereby notified that the following vacancies will be available on the 2009 election ballot for terms beginning in fiscal year 2010. For information on how to apply for a vacant position, please contact the individual specified. The qualifications for the vacant positions are as follows:

• President-elect: A candidate must be a Society member in good standing from an eligible region and must have completed one full term of service on the Board of Direction or have served as an institute representative on the Board of Direction between 2000 and 2005.
• Technical Region director: A candidate must be a Society member in good standing and shall have served as a voting member on an institute board of governors. Any person who has been inducted as Society president-elect or as a vice president is
  ineligible for reelection as a Technical Region director. All other former Board of Direction members who were nominated by districts are eligible to serve. The term is for three years.
• At-large director: A candidate must be a Society member in good standing at any level except that of student member and must possess expertise or a special perspective deemed desirable by the Board of Direction. The term is for two years, and the person holding the position is not eligible for reelection as a region director.
• Geographic region director: A candidate must be a Society member in good standing and have an address of record within the region being represented and must have served as a geographic region governor. Any person who has been inducted as Society president-elect or as a vice president is
  ineligible for reelection as a geographic region director. The term is for three years.
• Region governor: A candidate must be a Society member in good standing and have an address of record within the region being represented and must have served as a section or branch officer, a member of a section or branch committee, or a member of a Society-level committee of ASCE.

Region 2 comprises the following sections: Central Pennsylvania, Delaware, Lehigh Valley, Maryland, National Capital, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

Region 3 comprises the following sections: Akron-Canton, Central Illinois, Central Ohio, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Duluth, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Quad-City, Toledo, and Wisconsin.

Region 4 comprises the following sections: Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Region 5 comprises the following sections: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Region 6 comprises the following sections: New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Region 7 comprises the following sections: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas City, Nebraska, South Dakota, St. Louis, and Wyoming.

Region 8 comprises the following sections: Alaska, Arizona, Columbia, Hawaii, Inland Empire, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Seattle, Southern Idaho, Tacoma-Olympia, and Utah.

Region 9 comprises the following sections: Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco.

Region 10 comprises the remaining geographic territory, including Canada and Mexico.

During its annual meeting, which was held in Minneapolis August 13–16, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) passed a resolution calling upon its leadership to commission one of its task forces to analyze the effects of a particular modification to its model law. The change in question calls for education beyond a bachelor of science in a program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, Inc. (ABET, Inc., is the recognized accrediting body for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology.) At its annual meeting in 2007, the NCEES voted in favor of a modification to section 130.10 of its model law. The purpose of the law is to provide guidance to states as they craft legislation pertaining to licensure. The change is expected to have a pronounced effect on engineering education by encouraging states to expand the body of knowledge requirements for the professional practice of engineering. The NCEES is a national nonprofit group comprising 70 engineering and surveying licensing boards representing all U.S. states and territories.

The change in the model law is of capital importance in implementing ASCE’s Policy 465 (“Academic Prerequisites for Licensure and Professional Practice”), which holds that engineering education beyond a bachelor’s degree be a prerequisite for licensure.

In particular, the resolution calls upon the NCEES president to commission one of its task forces to provide a written analysis of the potential educational, professional, regulatory, or economic effects of requiring a master’s degree or its equivalent. The task force is also to explore solutions other than requiring a master’s degree that could adequately prepare candidates for engineering licensure.

The analysis will be carried out by the Bachelor’s Plus 30 Task Force. In January that group sent three model language revisions related to the additional education requirement to the NCEES’s Committee on Uniform Procedures and Legislative Guidelines. The recommendations were as follows:

   1) Change the date of implementation of the modification to the model law from 2015 to 2020.

   2) Revise the language related to the credits above 120 that can be applied to meeting the new education requirements.

   3) Clarify whether someone with an advanced degree can still receive credit for experience after the new education requirements go into effect.
Section 130.10 (general requirements for licensure) will be amended to read as follows:

C. Professional Engineer or Professional Surveyor—To be eligible for admission to the examination for professional engineers or professional surveyors, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and shall submit five references acceptable to the board with his or her application for licensure, three of which references shall be professional engineers or professional surveyors having personal knowledge of the applicant’s engineering or surveying experience.

1. As a Professional Engineer—The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional engineer.
c. Licensure by Examination (Effective January 1, 2020)—The following individuals shall be admitted to an eight-hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering:
(1) An engineer intern with a bachelor’s degree, with an additional 30 credits of acceptable upper-level undergraduate and/or graduate-level coursework from approved course providers, and with a specific record of four years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and a character which indicate to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering.
(2) An engineer intern with a master’s degree in engineering from an institution that offers EAC/ABET-accredited programs, or the equivalent, and with a specific record of three years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and a character which indicate to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering.
(3) An engineer intern with a doctorate in engineering acceptable to the board and with a specific record of two years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and a character which indicate to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering.
(4) An individual with a doctorate in engineering acceptable to the board and with a specific record of four years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and a character which indicate to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering.

SITUATION: Newspaper clippings concerning the testimony of an engineer and ASCE member in a federal trial are forwarded to the Committee on Professional Conduct (CPC). The defendant in the trial, the chief executive officer of a large engineering firm, has been charged with obstruction of justice and perjury in relation to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into bribery and corruption of state legislators.

The federal investigators claim that the defendant made sizable payments to members of the state legislature to obtain their support for legislation that would be favorable to the executive’s company. The investigators further maintain that, when the chief executive officer learned of the impending FBI investigation, he took steps to cover up the illegal movement of funds, including the drafting of minutes of board meetings that never took place. The minutes were written to disguise the purpose and recipients of the transferred funds.

The ASCE member served as the secretary of the company at the time of the alleged bribery and cover-up. Testifying under a grant of immunity from federal prosecution, the member acknowledges that he signed the meeting minutes in his capacity as secretary even though he knew that the meetings had not been held and that the company was currently under investigation in connection with alleged acts of bribery.

QUESTION: Did the engineer’s actions in participating in a cover-up of an executive’s illegal activities violate ASCE’s Code of Ethics?

DISCUSSION: At the time of this investigation, canon 6 of the Code of Ethics read as follows: “Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the engineering profession.” Moreover, category (a) in the guidelines to practice for that canon had this to say: “Engineers shall not knowingly act in a manner which will be derogatory to the honor, integrity, or dignity of the engineering profession or knowingly engage in business or professional practices of a fraudulent, dishonest, or unethical nature.”

The CPC obtained transcripts of the member’s testimony and contacted the member to request an interview. During the meeting, the ASCE member claimed that he had no knowledge of the chief executive officer’s illegal activities and that his signature on the fraudulent minutes alone did not rise to the level of unethical conduct. Furthermore, he was of the opinion that his cooperation with federal prosecutors and his immunity from criminal penalties also should insulate him from disciplinary action by ASCE.

While the members of the CPC were satisfied that the member had not participated in the bribery itself, they believed that his involvement in preparing fraudulent documents, which was done with full knowledge of a pending investigation into the firm’s actions, violated canon 6 of the Code of Ethics. The CPC voted to suspend the member for a period of two years and contacted the member to advise him of his right to have a hearing before the Board of Direction or to accept the committee’s sanction and waive his right to a hearing. Instead, the member restated his belief that he had not acted unprofessionally and said that he would take no further part in combating what he deemed to be “frivolous and ridiculous charges.”

Despite the member’s refusal to present a defense, the Board of Direction’s Executive Committee, in accordance with article 3 of the Society’s rules of policy and procedure, conducted a formal hearing. Upon review of the CPC’s reports, which included transcripts of the member’s trial testimony, the board upheld the CPC’s finding that the member had violated canon 6 of the Code of Ethics. It voted to suspend the member for one year and to announce the action in an ASCE publication without citing the member by name.

In 2005 ASCE adopted Policy 510 (“Combating Corruption”), which spells out ASCE’s commitment to corporate transparency and to eliminating bribery, fraud, and corruption in the engineering and construction industry. (See www.asce.org/pressroom/news/policy_details.cfm?hdlid=508 for the current version of this policy, adopted in May of this year by the Board of Direction.) In accordance with that policy, ASCE has undertaken a number of initiatives in recent years to extirpate corruption in the global marketplace, among them revising canon 6 of the Code of Ethics in July 2006. The current version of canon 6 and its implementing guidelines includes a number of provisions expressly signaling ASCE’s policy of “zero tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption.”

Members who have an ethics question or would like to file a complaint with the Committee on Professional Conduct may call ASCE’s hotline at (703) 295-6061 or (800) 548-ASCE (2723), extension 6061. The attorneys staffing this line can provide advice on how to handle an ethics issue or file a complaint. Please note that individual facts and circumstances vary from case to case and that the general summary information contained in these case studies is not to be construed as a precedent binding upon the Society.

Although our training gives us the expertise to help communities recover from disasters, we all hope that we will never have to apply our expertise in this way. But events in recent years tell us that natural and man-made disasters are inevitable and that vital facets of our nation’s infrastructure are vulnerable. Our Code of Ethics guides us in the practice of our profession, and one of its basic tenets is that engineers are to hold paramount the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

ASCE is a recognized leader in making infrastructure resilient by designing and planning in a way that anticipates a multiplicity of hazards. We are also helping our members prepare for disasters through a variety of programs related to disaster preparedness as well as to mitigation, response, and recovery measures. ASCE’s programs provide guidance to members on activities that can make the vital components of our infrastructure more resilient.

In June, we conducted the second annual workshop in the ASCE Infrastructure Champions Program, and those in attendance were acquainted with ASCE resources available to assist them in providing leadership on the grassroots level in protecting infrastructure and increasing its resilience. Those willing to assume leadership, that is, to act as infrastructure “champions,” form part of a national network committed to improving and protecting infrastructure. ASCE is encouraging them to also participate in the formulation of public policy, to take part in statewide efforts in this regard, and to help prepare infrastructure assessments, or “report cards,” on the state and local level. Visit http://ciasce.asce.org/InfrastructureChampions.html to become an infrastructure champion.

ASCE has sponsored disaster training workshops throughout the year, and last year in Orlando, Florida, we convened a workshop entitled “Prepare, Mitigate, Respond, and Recover: Engineers’ Involvement with Local Disasters,” where ASCE members and volunteers interested in infrastructure security and response activities were acquainted with various initiatives. ASCE also sponsored a three-part Web seminar (“webinar”) series in January, February, and March of this year focused on long-term disaster recovery challenges and lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.

ASCE also promotes and publicizes conferences and programs having a bearing on infrastructure resilience, a recent example being the Sixth National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways, which was held in Charleston, South Carolina, in late July. We have also compiled a list of disaster management training resources, including offerings by partner organizations. Many of the resources are available online at no cost. This valuable list of pertinent training courses covers emergency preparedness, response efforts, risk assessments, and mitigation measures. Visit http://ciasce.asce.org/CalendarofEvents.html for a list of ASCE training workshops and http://ciasce.asce.org/DisasterResponse.html to view the resources.

Earlier this year ASCE conducted a workshop in Honolulu on Applied Technology Council postdisaster safety evaluations as part of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute’s annual conference, and a workshop was also organized to supplement our regional leadership conference in Las Vegas. The workshops focused on safety evaluations of buildings and on procedures to be followed after earthquakes, storms, and floods. ASCE also recently released a field manual for the proper evaluation of buildings that can be used in assessing structures and other facets of infrastructure exposed to the depredations of earthquakes, winds, floods, and fire.

Our Disaster Assistance Volunteer Directory contains data on qualified ASCE members who are ready to assist when natural or man-made disasters require engineers to carry out damage assessments or oversee rebuilding efforts. The directory is available upon request to qualified parties, including local, state, and federal agencies, as well as to private consulting firms seeking professional engineering expertise. Visit http://ciASCE.ASCE.org/DAVD to add your name.

At this writing ASCE is finalizing a program for a workshop on the condition of dams in the United States that will be held on September 8 in Indian Wells, California, in conjunction with the Association of State Dam Safety Officials’ annual conference. Next March ASCE will be releasing a new report on the state of the nation’s infrastructure, and security and resiliency will be considered in the final grading process. Information generated at the September 8 workshop will form part of the methodology for the dams portion of our 2009 “report card.” ASCE is also developing an overarching resilience grading system for all infrastructure categories covered in the 2009 assessment. In its last national assessment, 2005 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, ASCE estimated that $1.6 trillion would be needed over a five-year period to bring the nation’s built environment up to acceptable standards. To review those findings and to survey recent developments, visit www.asce.org/reportcard.

A section of our Web site is devoted to infrastructure matters, and those visiting http://ciasce.asce.org will find a variety of resources and a calendar of events. Our Committee on Critical Infrastructure offers a monthly electronic publication, Critical Infrastructure Bulletin, or CRIB Sheet, that is designed to keep subscribers well informed of developments and activities in this area. Members may subscribe, free of charge, by visiting http://ciasce.asce.org/MonthlyBulletin.html.

ASCE’s daily SmartBrief includes top media stories on infrastructure issues, and it too is available at no cost to members. (To sign up, simply click on the icon “ASCE SmartBrief” on our home page, www.asce.org.) The Society’s critical infrastructure blog, www.ascecriticalinfrastructure.org, is a streamlined mechanism that enables ASCE members and related professionals to exchange information and opinions regarding infrastructure issues. ASCE members are entitled to author privileges, and nonmembers may post comments.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the principal federal body concerned with infrastructure’s role in emergency preparedness. ASCE recently coordinated the submission of comments on FEMA’s National Response Framework. We recommended that FEMA explore the idea of sharing engineering expertise and coordinating the work of specialists, and we welcomed the opportunity to assist in the development of the concept.

ASCE offers an in-depth view of both regulatory and legislative developments related to critical infrastructure through our Key Contact Program, which provides weekly policy updates from Washington and the 50 state capitals. ASCE’s key contacts are also called upon to write or call their elected officials to acquaint them with the engineering aspects of various issues. For face-to-face encounters with our nation’s leaders, our annual Government Relations Leadership Training Program and our Congressional Fellows Program give ASCE members firsthand exposure to the policy process. Find out about all these programs at http://www.asce.org/govrel.

Earlier this year, we educated ASCE younger members about the role of engineers in emergency management and critical infrastructure initiatives and activities in special sessions in Baltimore and Las Vegas. The presentations reviewed the four phases of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) and stressed the importance of properly crafted legislation and public policy. In support of this initiative, ASCE signed a memorandum of cooperation with the International Association of Emergency Managers in January in order to foster collaboration between engineers and emergency managers.  The agreement establishes a relationship designed to raise public awareness of infrastructure matters and to encourage the engineering community to lend its support to the efforts of emergency personnel.

Our Society is working to ensure that we maintain our leadership role in infrastructure issues and that we can be counted upon to develop new standards of practice and guidelines to improve infrastructure resilience.

I personally invite you to take an active part in efforts to protect and improve the vital parts of our infrastructure. To learn how you can become more involved, visit http://ciasce.asce.org.

—David G. Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE

ASCE Delegation Travels to Peru to Visit Machu Picchu and Tipon 

An ASCE delegation headed by asce’s president-elect, D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE., traveled to Peru July 23–28 to mount bronze plaques proclaiming and celebrating the engineering importance of the Inca sites Machu Picchu and Tipon. (The sites were formally recognized by ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program in 2006.) In ceremonies held at the sites, Klotz discussed the advanced feats of engineering that were undertaken by the Incas nearly half a millennium ago, including the construction of infrastructure revealing a deep understanding of civil, hydraulic, and geotechnical engineering.

Kenneth R. Wright, P.E., L.S., Dist.M.ASCE, and his wife, Ruth M. Wright, J.D., who for nearly three decades have carried out research at the sites, were made honorary professors at Peru’s Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco. The Wrights’ efforts have been compiled into two books published by ASCE Press: Machu Picchu: A Civil Engineering Marvel, by Kenneth Wright, Alfredo Valencia Zegarra, Ruth Wright, and Gordon McEwan, Ph.D.; and Tipon: Water Engineering Masterpiece of the Inca Empire, by Kenneth Wright, McEwan, and Ruth Wright.

Machu Picchu—Old Mountain in the Native American language of Quechua—is nestled in the Andes and was constructed in the middle of the 15th century. Largely unknown to modern civilization until the early 20th century, Machu Picchu is well preserved and is considered among the most important archaeological sites related to the Inca civilization. It was the royal estate of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, an Inca emperor, but was inhabited only for about 100 years, being abandoned when the Inca empire collapsed. Tipon was an estate of Inca nobility and includes such aspects of hydraulic engineering prowess as aqueducts, canals, and irrigated terraces.

In Peru’s capital city, Lima, Klotz was made an honorary professor at the Universidad Ricardo Palma. In addition to Klotz, his wife, Karen, and the Wrights, the delegation included Henry Petroski, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.m.ASCE, the chair of asce’s History and Heritage Committee and a professor at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, Catherine Petroski, his wife, and Cliff Schexnayder, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, a professor emeritus at Arizona State University’s Del E. Webb School of Construction and a member of asce’s International Activities Committee. For the past four years Schexnayder has been teaching graduate courses in civil engineering to working professionals at the Universidad de Piura, in northwestern Peru.

Members Needed for New Committee on Licensure Requirements

ASCE’s Committee on the Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (CAP³), the body charged with implementing Policy 465, is organizing the group that will be formally known as the Body of Knowledge Experiential Fulfillment Committee. This committee will work to create prelicensure experience guidelines that reflect the requirements set forth in the second edition of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century (www.asce.org/professional/educ/) and that would be suitable for inclusion in regulatory mechanisms regarding engineering licensure.

The experience guidelines are to complement and supplement the outcomes attained through the formal educational process (“B + M/30”)—a baccalaureate plus a master’s degree or approximately 30 credits earned in graduate or upper-level undergraduate engineering courses. (See “ASCE Releases New Edition of Body of Knowledge Report,” ASCE News, March 2008, page 1.) The new committee will be charged with laying down these experience guidelines, and it will be guided in its work by The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 (http://content.asce.org/vision2025/index.html) and the second edition of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century.

The CAP³ is interested in attracting civil engineering practitioners from a wide cross section of the engineering profession, especially those involved in helping engineer interns attain professional licensure. As many as 10 individuals will be selected as full members of the new committee, and up to 20 will be selected as active correspondents. The work of the committee will begin this December and is to be completed no later than October 2010. The time and work commitment will be considerably more than for an average ASCE or professional committee. Interested members are urged to review the draft charge of the committee and other documents related to the implementation of Policy 465 posted at www.asce.org/raisethebar. An application form for committee membership is posted at this Web site, and it should be returned to ASCE no later than October 31, 2008. It is anticipated that the application pool will be considerably larger than the authorized size of the committee. Questions regarding the new committee should be addressed to Monte Phillips, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, its chair, at mlphillips@unitelc.com; to Jeffrey Russell, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, the chair of the CAP³, at russell@engr.wisc.edu; or to Tom Lenox, Ph.D., M.ASCE, an ASCE senior managing director, at tlenox@asce.org.

Board of Direction Votes to Integrate CEFI Programs into ASCE

At its July meeting, the Society’s Board of Direction voted to support a recommendation to dissolve the Civil Engineering Forum for Innovation (CEFI), which has been separately governed, and to integrate CEFI’s leadership and innovation programs into the Society’s operations. The recommendation came from CEFI’s leadership itself, which saw the dissolution as eliminating additional layers of administration and streamlining CEFI’s programs within the Society’s organizational structure.

“This is an important strategic decision that is good for CEFI, for ASCE, and ultimately for the civil engineering profession,” says T.E. “Ed” Richardson, P.E., M.ASCE, the chair of CEFI’s Board of Directors and the vice president of Bechtel Corporation, headquartered in San Francisco. “We are delighted that the ASCE board accepted our recommendations and agreed to support the key functions of promoting innovation and engaging industry leaders.”

In place of CEFI, ASCE will initially form an advisory board to engage senior industry leaders. The Charles Pankow Award for Innovation and the Henry L. Michel Award for Industry Advancement of Research, which are conferred by CEFI and presented to the winners at the annual gala held as part of the Society’s Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) program, will now be awarded by the Society. The Society will also continue CEFI’s efforts to foster and promote civil engineering innovation by means of an innovation fund that will encourage new practices and creative solutions to infrastructure  challenges.

“ASCE has been working hard to streamline its operations to better achieve our strategic goals,” said asce’s president, David G. Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE. “We fully support the recommendations from the CEFI board, which are a significant step toward engaging industry leaders and advancing innovation.”

Thornton Honored by National Building Museum
Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE, the cofounder of Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., headquartered in New York City, will receive the 2008 Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology from the National Building Museum, located in Washington, D.C., on September 9. Thornton was selected for his work in founding the ACE Mentor Program of America, which seeks to acquaint high school students with career opportunities available to them in architecture, construction, and engineering. Thornton is also the chairman of Charles H. Thornton and Company, LLC, a management and strategic consulting firm based in Easton, Maryland, and the managing principal of Thornton Termohlen Group, LLC, of Henderson, Nevada, a project management firm and developer of industrialized building systems. Thornton earned a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College and both a master’s degree and a doctorate from New York University. The recipient of numerous honors, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997.

Geology Group Salutes Cornforth
Derek H. Cornforth, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, the founder and former president of Cornforth Consultants, Inc., of Portland, Oregon, has been named the recipient of the Geological Society of America’s Edward Burwell, Jr., Award, which is bestowed on the author or authors of a publication seen as advancing the theory or practice of engineering geology or applied soil or rock mechanics. Cornforth was selected in recognition of his book Landslides in Practice: Investigation, Analysis, and Remedial/Preventive Options in Soils (Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2005). He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Durham University, in the United Kingdom, a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering from Northwestern University, and a doctorate in geotechnical engineering from Imperial College London.

Rizkalla Named 2008 Distinguished Educator by PCI
The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) has chosen Sami H. Rizkalla, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, a professor of civil engineering and construction at North Carolina State University, as the recipient of its 2008 Distinguished Educator Award. The award is conferred on educators in engineering, architecture, and construction technology who have contributed in a significant way to the precast structures industry. Rizkalla is the director of the Constructed Facilities Laboratory at the university, and he also heads the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, which focuses on the repair of buildings and bridges containing composite materials. Rizkalla earned a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Alexandria University, in Egypt, and both a master’s degree and a doctorate in civil engineering from North Carolina State University.

New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame Honors Ettouney
Mohammed M. Ettouney, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, is being honored with the Innovators Award by the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame for developing a progressive collapse theory that meets a growing need for generic and universal approaches for evaluating this type of collapse. Ettouney’s theory is general enough to be applicable to all well-known progressive collapse cases and is compatible with all definitions of progressive collapse that are accepted by engineering professionals. He was nominated for the award by asce. Ettouney received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in structural engineering from Cairo University, in Egypt, and a doctorate in structural mechanics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also earned a master’s in business administration from Long Island University. Ettouney will receive the award on October 23 at a ceremony on the campus of the Stevens Institute of Technology.

Fellows Elected
The following members were elected fellows of the Society in recent months. ASCE fellows are legally registered professional engineers or land surveyors who have made significant technical or professional contributions and have demonstrated notable achievement in responsible charge of engineering activity for at least 10 years following election to the ASCE grade of member. Fellows occupy the Society’s second-highest membership grade, exceeded only by distinguished members.

Kenneth J. Fridley, Ph.D., F.ASCE, is a professor at the University of Alabama, where he also heads the civil engineering department. He has devoted his career to engineering education, having held prior positions at Purdue University, the University of Oklahoma, Washington State University, and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. He is well known for his innovative approaches to education and for his research accomplishments; indeed, he is internationally recognized as a leader in wood engineering research. His contributions have led to improvements in wood construction, and they are helping designers construct residential buildings that are more durable, more reliable, and less expensive. Fridley has numerous journal publications, books, book chapters, and presentations to his credit, and he is the coordinating author of the widely adopted Design of Wood Structures—ASD (McGraw-Hill), now in its sixth edition. He is also a coinventor of a novel composite steel and wood floor assembly, for which a patent is pending. In addition to his research and teaching, Fridley has been a leader in engineering education reform, serving as vice-chair of the ASCE committee that produced the second edition of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century (www.asce.org/professional/educ/) and chairing one of the subcommittees of the Committee on the Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice. His ASCE service extends to membership in the Department Heads Council Executive Committee, and he has just been elected a Region 5 governor. Active in the affairs of the American Society for Engineering Education, he is also a member of the Structural Engineers Association of Alabama’s Structural Engineers Emergency Response Committee and of a committee on design standards organized by the American National Standards Institute and the American Forest and Paper Association. Fridley holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Washington State University, a master of science in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and a doctorate from Auburn University. In addition to offering professional industry consultation as an expert witness, he provides engineering testing and design services.

Julie Hoppe, P.E., F.ASCE, is a project manager for Mead & Hunt, Inc., in Brookfield , Wisconsin. She has practiced in the transportation field for more than 20 years, primarily on projects for public entities, and she has worked for engineering firms that have included Earth Tech, Inc., and HNTB Corporation and for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. In 1998 she founded Heartland Engineering, Inc., and served as its chief executive officer until 2005, when it was purchased by Mead & Hunt. Her expertise is in wastewater and storm water, transportation planning, highway design, traffic control, and traffic impact and parking analyses. Hoppe is active within ASCE’s Wisconsin Section, currently serving as its secretary and chairing a technical committee dealing with transportation and urban planning. She also served on the committee that prepared an assessment (“report card”) of Wisconsin’s infrastructure. Hoppe has been the recipient of numerous awards from the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and in 2001 she received ASCE’s Daniel W. Mead Prize for Younger Members. Active as a mentor, she regularly speaks to groups of students and young people to acquaint them with opportunities in engineering, and she emphasizes to young women that they can become not just engineers but also entrepreneurs. A licensed professional engineer in Wisconsin and four other states, Hoppe holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a master of science in engineering management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Joseph E. Hummer, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, is a professor at North Carolina State University, where he has been on the faculty since 1992. Before that he was a member of the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earlier he worked as a traffic and transportation engineer with Goodell-Grivas, Inc., in Michigan. A leader in transportation education and transportation safety and operations research, Hummer has done pioneering work in sign and pavement marking retroreflectivity as an aid to drivers. He has been a leader in investigating and promoting “superstreets”—extended intersections that circulate traffic more efficiently—and other unconventional intersection designs. Recognizing the need for context-sensitive engineering, Hummer has developed courses and training materials for both students and professional engineers. He has been successful in transferring his research to practice, authoring six chapters in the Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies (Prentice-Hall, 1994), and he has also facilitated change within the North Carolina Department of Transportation in the area of school zone signs. Indeed, he led a large field evaluation of the new signage, and the change gained the approval of the Federal Highway Administration. Hummer has published his research findings in more than 50 refereed journals and has attracted more than $3 million in research funding. He is a leader in the area of unconventional highway facilities, and in addition to superstreets he has investigated innovative freeway interchanges referred to as nanointerchanges. A licensed professional engineer in North Carolina, Hummer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Michigan State University and a doctorate in civil engineering from Purdue University.

David E. Johnson, P.E., F.ASCE, manages a branch office of ESP Associates, P.A., which is headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Johnson has more than 30 years of experience in the land development industry, and in addition to working for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), he worked in Florida for the General Development Corporation and in New Jersey for the Union Valley Corporation. Prior to joining ESP Associates he was the owner of an engineering and planning firm in New Jersey. In that capacity he did planning work, represented owners, and provided engineering design services and construction management services. Johnson has been responsible for the design, permitting, development, and construction of residential, commercial, and industrial facilities, and he specializes in residential land planning and engineering for large-scale projects. He has a number of magazine and journal articles to his credit and has spoken on land development and construction at NAHB and ASCE workshops around the country. His book Residential Land Development Practices (ASCE Press) is now in its third edition, and earlier this year John Wiley & Sons published his Fundamentals of Land Development: A Real-World Guide to Profitable Large-Scale Development. Johnson holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from West Virginia University Institute of Technology and is a registered planner in New Jersey and a registered professional engineer in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. He is also a part-time instructor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he teaches land development courses in the civil and environmental engineering department.

Nikolaos D. Katopodes, Ph.D., F.ASCE, is a professor at the University of Michigan, where he has been on the faculty since 1981. The chair of the university’s civil and environmental engineering department from 2001 to 2007, Katopodes has also held positions at Germany’s Leibniz Universität Hannover and Universität Karlsruhe, Greece’s Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Japan’s Chuo University, and the Technische Universiteit Delft, in the Netherlands. He is internationally recognized as an expert in the development of analytical and computational methods in geophysical and environmental fluid mechanics, and his numerical simulations are used to investigate the hydrodynamics and mass transport of surface water systems and their interface with subsurface and atmospheric processes. His notable achievements include an operational model of the Nile River in Egypt, a safety and inspection plan for the Paraná River levees in Argentina, flood mitigation structures in Japan and South Korea, and a plan for controlling chemical spills in China’s Xiang River. He also has a large number of flood protection and water pollution control projects in the United States to his credit. His current research focuses on measures to control accidental or deliberate spills of hazardous material in such facets of infrastructure as airport terminals and highway tunnels using wireless microsensors and computer-actuated valves. A member of ASCE since 1976, Katopodes has served as an associate editor of the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering and the Journal of Engineering Mechanics. His committee work has included chairing the Fluids Committee of the Engineering Mechanics Division (now the Engineering Mechanics Institute) and serving on a task committee on education in computational hydraulics. Katopodes led the University of Michigan ASCE student chapter, which he established, to regional championships in the Student Steel Bridge Competition—organized by the American Institute of Steel Construction and ASCE—four years in a row and to the national championship in 2004. His honors include ASCE’s Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Prize and J.C. Stevens Award, and he won a best-paper award from the Environmental and Water Resources Institute. Katopodes holds a bachelor of science in aquatic science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from the University of California at Davis.

Fellow applications may be obtained from ASCE’s world headquarters, in Reston, Virginia, by calling (800) 548-2723, extension 6289. From outside the country, the number is (703) 295-6289. The e-mail address is fellows@asce.org. The application may be found on the Web at www.asce.org/pdf/fellowmemapp.pdf. Completed applications may be submitted online at www.asce.org/membership/fellowgrade.cfm (click on “Online ASCE Fellow Application”). Questions concerning fellow guidelines (including guideline waiver inquiries) or the application process may be directed to Patrick Ballou, the applications coordinator, at (703) 295-6169 or pballou@asce.org. Completed applications are reviewed monthly by the Membership Application Review Committee.

ASCE members are receiving something extra with their issue of Civil Engineering this month: the 2008–2009 Member Resource Guide. The guide will help you make the most of your ASCE membership by calling your attention to career-enhancing opportunities. Inside you will find industry information, technical and practice area resources, networking and career resources, and more. The guide should have been sent to you with the September issue of Civil Engineering. If you did not receive the issue or if your copy is missing a guide, please contact our customer service department by telephone at (800) 548-ASCE or (703) 295-6300 or by e-mail at member@asce.org.

Please join us at the annual business meeting, which will be held in Pittsburgh in early November in conjunction with our annual conference, where we will present the Society’s awards to this year’s winners. ASCE will be honoring a significant number of civil engineering professionals. The new selection cycle for Society awards has already begun. Please help ASCE recognize excellence in our profession by submitting a nomination for one of the 2009 Society awards now. For upcoming deadlines, nomination forms, and helpful downloads, visit www.asce.org/awards. Editors of ASCE’s professional journals have a unique opportunity to add luster to their publications by nominating outstanding papers for the Alfred Noble Prize, which is awarded to a technical paper of exceptional merit by an author 35 years of age or younger; for the Norman Medal, which is awarded to the author of a paper seen as making a significant contribution to engineering science; or for the Arthur M. Wellington Prize, which is awarded to the author of a paper addressing transportation in any of its forms. To learn more and to access downloadable forms, visit the Web site given above.

The History and Heritage Committee has produced a new brochure describing the various resources available to those interested in civil engineering’s past. In addition to describing such well-known programs as the Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program, the brochure showcases publications, symposia, and online resources found on the committee’s Web site. This brochure is compact and provides members with an easy way to give the general public a better understanding of our field’s history. It is also a good way for faculty members to introduce their students to the proud heritage of their chosen field. To request copies, e-mail Carol Reese, ASCE’s cybrarian and archivist and the staff contact for the History and Heritage Committee, at creese@asce.org.

The Society’s Committee on Volunteer Community Service, our Pittsburgh Section, and Pittsburgh Cares—an organization committed to building community spirit through volunteerism—have organized a community service event that will be held at the conclusion of our annual conference, the sixth time that our annual gathering will be rounded off in this way. Last year’s event, in Orlando, Florida, involved rehabilitating a parking area at a community center by performing a traffic flow study and striping the parking lot, constructing a trash dumpster enclosure, improving landscaping, and painting the center’s gymnasium floor and baseboards. Don’t miss this opportunity to put your engineering skills to work for a good cause and help us make a difference in Pittsburgh. If you are interested in participating, contact Alicia Karwoski, ASCE’s manager of professional practice, via phone at (800) 548-2723, extension 6324, or via e-mail at akarwoski@asce.org.

ASCE’s Leader Education and Development (LEAD) Program, an eight-month course designed to help managers become leaders and enable them to cultivate and draw on the talents of others, will begin again on November 13. The course will be given at ASCE headquarters, in Reston, Virginia. Participants learn how to better understand themselves and others, communicate in a way that motivates, lead difficult people, and promote change by creating the right environment. Both public- and private-sector participants have benefited from the interactive discussions, the faculty’s experience, and the exchange of ideas and lessons learned. Participants earn up to 45 PDHs and 4.5 CEUs and acquire skills that can be used immediately in their professional and personal lives. For information on the course outline and on dates, registration, and more, visit www.asce.org/lead or contact Alicia Karwoski, ASCE’s manager of professional practice, via phone at (800) 548-2723, extension 6324, or via e-mail at akarwoski@asce.org.

—Patrick J. Natale, P.E, F.ASCE
Executive Director

Courtland A. Collier, P.E. M.ASCE, died in mid-July at the age of 83. Collier was best known for his service as the city commissioner of Gainesville, Florida, a position he held for 18 years over a 30-year period. For many years a practicing civil engineer, he was also an esteemed faculty member at the University of Florida. Collier was known for his warmth and generosity as well as for his even temperament and unselfishness. He was the author of many of Gainesville’s ordinances, including its first “green space” ordinance, its first sign ordinance, and its first ordinance on indoor air quality. He is survived by his wife, Marian, his brother, Don, his sisters, Dot and Pat, and his children, Deborah, Lex, Amy, Mike, Becky, and Nathan, as well as by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Haven Hospice, 4200 NW 90th Boulevard, Gainesville, FL 32606, or to the Alachua Conservation Trust, 12 West University Avenue, Suite 201, Gainesville, FL 32601.

Richard N. “Dick” Davis, P.E. F.ASCE, died at his home in Herndon, Virginia, in early August at the age of 82. Davis was a partner in the engineering and architecture firm Dewberry, of Fairfax, Virginia, until 1986, when he retired. He joined the firm in 1958 as chief engineer and became a principal partner in 1966. Davis graduated from George Washington University in 1948 and during his career was involved in a number of high-profile projects in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including the initial extension of the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Greenway. He also managed the reconstruction of the Filene Center, part of Wolf Trap National Park, in 1982. Memorial contributions may be made to the Richard N. Davis Memorial Fund, which supports civil engineering students at George Washington University. Checks should be made payable to and sent to the School of Engineering, George Washington University, Tompkins Hall, Room 210, 725 23rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20052.

Edward R. Fisk, P.E. F.ASCE, died on August 5 in La Verne, California, at the age of 84. Born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Fisk worked in many fields of engineering, including engineering management, civil and structural design, construction, contracts and specifications, and forensic engineering. He also worked as a private investigator and provided expert testimony in federal and local courts in cases involving engineering or construction. Fisk earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Marquette University and did graduate work at the University of California at Los Angeles. Well known within asce as an instructor in its continuing education program, he taught short courses in construction management for approximately two decades and was a course instructor or lecturer at many universities and organizations, including the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Washington, California State University at Long Beach, and Orange Coast College. He was a registered professional engineer in 13 states and the author of several books, including Construction Project Administration, which went through eight editions. Fisk is survived by his wife, Antonia, and his four children, Jacqueline, Edward, William, and Robert.

John B. Herbich, Ph.D., P.E. F.ASCE, a professor emeritus at Texas a&m University, died on June 19 in Honolulu at the age of 85. Born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1922, Herbich fled his homeland and then left France following the Nazi invasions. In the United Kingdom he joined the Polish army and later enrolled as a student at the University of Edinburgh. He then worked as a research engineer in the hydraulics laboratory at the Technische Universiteit Delft, in the Netherlands. After working in Canada for several years, he moved to the United States in 1953 and earned a master’s degree in 1957 from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in civil engineering in 1963 from Pennsylvania State University. After completing postdoctoral research at the University of California at Berkeley, Herbich joined the civil engineering department at Texas a&m University in 1967 and was instrumental in founding the university’s coastal and ocean engineering program. He lectured and taught at many venues worldwide, served as a consultant on government and international projects, and authored more than 200 papers and several textbooks, including the Handbook of Dredging Engineering, first published in 1992.  Herbich was active in many professional societies and was the recipient of numerous awards. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Margaret, and their three children, Gregory, Barbara, and Patricia. Memorial donations may be made to any charity or to the John B. Herbich Memorial Fund, which focuses on supporting students through scholarships. Contact John Small, Engineering Development Office, Texas a&m, 334 Werc, College Station, TX 77843-3126.

Gary J. Teague, P.E. F.ASCE, the president and chairman of the board of Teague Nall and Perkins, Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas, died on August 7 at the age of 65 after battling brain cancer. Born in Fort Worth, Teague attended Arlington State College (now the University of Texas at Arlington), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. In 1966 he became a structural engineer in the Fort Worth office of General Dynamics. He was also employed as a design engineer in the engineering division of Fort Worth’s Public Works Department. In 1976 he founded Teague and Nall Consulting Engineers, which later became Teague Nall and Perkins. As the president and a founding partner of the firm, he supervised the design of highway improvement projects, site design for schools and hospitals, and the planning and design of residential and commercial projects throughout the Dallas and Fort Worth area. Teague is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann, his son, Brett, his daughter, Stephanie, and three grandchildren.

Bruno Thurlimann, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE, died on July 29 at the age of 85. He earned a degree in civil engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich in 1946 and then attended Lehigh University, where he earned a doctorate in 1951. Thurlimann was a professor at Lehigh from 1953 to 1969 and did pioneering research on concrete and steel structures. In 1969 he returned to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, where he focused on phenomena in prestressed-concrete structures. He was also called in to consult on complex projects worldwide, including Toronto’s CN Tower and Boston’s John Hancock Tower. A renowned member of the structural engineering community, Thurlimann was the recipient of numerous awards.

The following student members have been selected by the Committee on Scholarships for scholarships or fellowships:

Samuel Fletcher Tapman ASCE Student Chapter/Club Scholarship
Laura M. Burke, S.M.ASCE, Amy E. Henschke, S.M.ASCE, Marcus A. Miller, S.M.ASCE, Kevin A. Mueller, S.M.ASCE, Timothy J. Sansone, S.M.ASCE, and Joshua A. Wagner, S.M.ASCE, are each to receive the Samuel Fletcher Tapman ASCE Student Chapter/Club Scholarship. The $3,000 scholarships are made possible through a bequest made by Tapman, M.ASCE, in 1961.

Burke, a student at Michigan State University, has been on the dean’s list for three years and ranked within the top 10 percent of her graduating class. For the past three years she has been employed as an intern at civil engineering firms focusing on environmental engineering, municipal projects, and structural and historic preservation. She has also done volunteer work for such organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane Society. Burke attributes her inspiration and driving force to her faith, her family, and her friends.

Henschke graduated summa cum laude from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in May 2006, majoring in modern languages with a concentration in Spanish. She has since returned to the university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and is currently a junior. Henschke served as secretary of the university’s ASCE chapter last year and will continue in the position in the current academic year. She received a research assistantship through the Louisiana Space Consortium last year and has qualified for another during the coming academic year. Through that assistantship she actively participates in research at the university’s Center for Louisiana Inland Water Studies. Henschke plans to graduate in May 2009 and pursue a career in environmental engineering.

In his first year at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, Miller learned about ASCE and the benefits of being a member. Nevertheless, the school did not have an ASCE student club, so Miller, together with a friend, started one during his second semester. As he puts it, “The enjoyment of starting and organizing the club instilled in me a passion for ASCE that has remained with me since.” Upon transferring to Washington State University in August 2007, Miller immediately became involved in the activities of the university’s ASCE chapter and in this way has helped with numerous community service projects. He also participated in the manufacture and assembly of a steel bridge in a competition at a 2007 student conference in the Pacific Northwest organized by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and ASCE as well as the bridge entered in the national ASCE/AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition. Miller has worked part-time as a math tutor since his first semester of college. He spent this past summer as an intern at Swinerton Builders, headquartered in San Francisco.

During his sophomore year, Mueller, a student at Purdue University, was the cochair of the university’s Bridge Bust activity, wherein student teams are asked to construct a bridge using only balsa wood and glue. Mueller was elected president of the university’s ASCE chapter during his junior year and has been able to maintain an almost perfect grade point average. He was accepted into the university’s honors program and was asked to work as a student adviser. His professional achievements began when he became an intern in the construction industry at the end of his freshman year. After the internship he obtained employment in the consulting industry and has worked in that field since the summer of 2007. Mueller has gradually been given more responsibility and is currently helping with proposals for new projects in conjunction with site inspection and project management.

While attending Texas Tech University, Sansone gained experience not just in academic subjects but also in service and leadership. He was initiated into the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society for his scholastic attainments and his service to the community. (The society recognizes the top 50 seniors at the university.) He has served in a variety of leadership roles in ASCE as well as in his fraternity—Kappa Alpha Order—and has also been involved in student government. He served as the vice president of the university’s ASCE chapter and in 2009 will chair its committee overseeing the chapter’s participation in ASCE’s National Concrete Canoe Competition. At a meeting of ASCE’s Texas Section held this past spring, Sansone was awarded first place for a presentation entitled “The Solution to Building a More Efficient Infrastructure: An Ethical Response to Privatization.” He is currently a national officer in his fraternity and travels to meetings around the nation to discuss ways of enriching and improving the undergraduate experience. He plans to continue his engineering career in the field of land development and become a professional engineer.

Wagner, a senior at California State University at Sacramento, has passed the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying’s Fundamentals of Engineering Exam and will be graduating next May. His two areas of focus are geotechnical engineering and transportation engineering, and he plans to continue his studies and ultimately earn a master’s degree. He has been an intern at Parsons Brinckerhoff, of New York City, for more than a year and says that he is excited about graduating soon and continuing his education. Wagner has served as secretary of the university’s ASCE chapter and also established the chapter’s newsletter, The CE Spotlight. He enjoys developing ideas and discovering the best ways to help the next wave of students. Wagner is currently the chapter’s treasurer and has been instrumental in starting a free civil engineering computer software training program—Sessions—which focuses on teaching students and members how to use AutoCAD.

Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship
Derek J. Manwill, S.M.ASCE, has been named the recipient of the Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship. Recipients of the award receive a $3,000 scholarship as well as an opportunity to be interviewed for an internship at FIGG Engineering, of Tallahassee, Florida. Manwill is currently a student at Oregon State University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After receiving his degree he plans to obtain a master’s degree in structural engineering. He says that his passion for bridges has led him into the world of civil engineering and that his ambition is to one day found his own structural engineering firm to design bridges. Manwill is the president of the university’s ASCE chapter and a member of Chi Epsilon. He is also a cocaptain on a pedestrian bridge service project that the chapter is constructing for a local fish hatchery.

Y.C. Yang Civil Engineering Scholarship
Mahalia K. Miller, S.M.ASCE, and Susan M. Smith, S.M.ASCE, are this year’s recipients of the Y.C. Yang Civil Engineering Scholarship. Named after and funded by the chairman of T.Y. Lin & Y.C. Yang International, of San Francisco, the scholarship was set up in 2004 to encourage students to pursue civil engineering and specialize in structural engineering.

Miller, a junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is currently studying abroad at the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. Majoring in civil engineering, she specializes in structural engineering and is also interested in water engineering. At MIT she is president of her residence—German House—and has also been active in dorm government. Miller has investigated cement pastes and has also studied the moisture absorption of epoxy used in fiber-reinforced tendons. With LeMessurier Consultants, of Boston, she has also been involved in the design of low-energy homes in Frankfurt, Germany, a hotel tower, and a student center. This past summer she worked in the New Jersey office of the structural division of Arup. In addition to being a National Merit scholar and an MIT Burchard scholar, Miller has been inducted into Tau Beta Pi.

Smith attended the Florida Institute of Technology, where she served as the treasurer of the ASCE chapter. She received the Freshman Research Award in 2007 from the university’s civil engineering department and also received a grant for her research on a machine to test soil pressure. With the help of a graduate student, she conducted several tests with the machine and was able to demonstrate its operation to a group of juniors conducting soil research. For the past two years, Smith has also been an active member of the team that participates in ASCE’s National Concrete Canoe Competition, and the team took second place at the regional level both years.

Arthur S. Tuttle Scholarship
Laura C. Eads, S.M.ASCE, Brittany N. Montgomery, S.M.ASCE, and Benjamin S. Morris, S.M.ASCE, have been selected to receive the Arthur S. Tuttle Scholarship. This $2,000 award, named in honor of a former ASCE president, is for students who are in their first year of graduate studies.

Eads graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame last May with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She was awarded the Reverend Thomas A. Steiner Prize for her academic achievement in the College of Engineering and for her leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities. Her professional experience includes internships with Leslie E. Robertson Associates, of New York City, and HNTB, of Kansas City, Missouri. Eads is currently pursuing a master’s degree in structural engineering at Stanford University.

Montgomery is a joint degree candidate in transportation engineering and city and regional planning at the University of California at Berkeley, where her studies follow her passion for improving the quality of life in developing countries. Her current research through the Global Metropolitan Studies program and the University of California Transportation Center focuses on bicycle travel patterns in Jinan, part of the Chinese province of Shandong. Montgomery’s experience in development also includes a study of transportation options for Krabi, Thailand, and an internship at the World Bank. At Berkeley she heads a transportation student group and has held leadership positions in the ASCE chapter and the Society of Women Engineers. Montgomery holds fellowships from the Federal Highway Administration’s Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program and from the Eno Transportation Foundation, and in 2007 she received the WTS International Helene M. Overly Scholarship.

Morris, from Rochester Hills, Michigan, is currently a master’s student at Clemson University, where he is studying structural engineering. During his undergraduate career he worked for the university’s athletic department and general engineering department and was a research assistant at the Wind and Structural Engineering Research Facility. Morris also participated in student government as a member of the university’s freshman council and student senate. He served as vice president of the university’s ASCE chapter and has served on various chapter committees. He was a member of the team that participated in the Student Steel Bridge Competition—organized by the American Institute of Steel Construction and ASCE—for two years, and he is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Chi Epsilon, as well as a founding member of the Structural Engineers Association’s Clemson chapter. He is also a graduate of Clemson’s Calhoun Honors College. Morris’s accolades include the 2006 Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship, the 2007 Samuel Fletcher Tapman ASCE Student Chapter/Club Scholarship, and the university’s Rudolf E. Elling Scholarship. His current research includes an investigation of human-induced vibrations at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. Morris plans to graduate in December and hopes to pursue a career in bridge design.

Freeman Fellowship
Dragana Jankovic, S.M.ASCE, and Brian D. Swartz, S.M.ASCE, are the recipients of the Freeman Fellowship. This stipend, which ranges from $2,000 to $5,000, is to be used for expenses incurred in conducting research and experiments.

Jankovic began her scientific career at a research institute in Reykjavík, Iceland, in 1996 by assisting with experiments relating to the rheology of concrete. From 1996 to 1998 she was a research assistant at the University of Central Florida, and in 1998 she received a master’s degree there in structures and foundations. After spending the next few years at a company in Iceland, Jankovic decided to continue her research and enrolled in a doctoral program at the Technische Universiteit Delft, in the Netherlands. She is currently investigating the micromechanics of concrete, in particular moisture transport and microcracking. Jankovic has received numerous awards recognizing her academic achievements, among them the O.H. Ammann Fellowship, which is awarded by ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute.

Swartz received both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He has completed internships with FIGG Engineering, of Tallahassee, Florida, and Fru-Con Construction Corporation, of Ballwin, Missouri, and he worked briefly for Buckland & Taylor Ltd., of North Vancouver, British Columbia, before returning to Penn State as a doctoral student. His research, which is sponsored by the Portland Cement Association, is on prestress losses in bridge girders. Swartz’s work is also supported by fellowships and scholarships from ASCE, the American Concrete Institute, and the American Institute of Steel Construction. In addition to his research he is working as an instructor of civil engineering.