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New President Klotz Declares
'Year of the Civilization Engineer'
The 2008 Annual Conference ended with the traditional passing of the gavel from Past President David G. Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE, to 2009 President D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE., F.ASCE. In his inaugural address, the new president reiterated the priorities for his year as "ABC" — Advocacy, Benefits and Change. Calling on fellow professionals to take more credit for the work they do, Klotz said, "Today, I declare this to be the Year of the Civilization Engineer! To do anything else would diminish our contribution to society. You better believe it."
- Read 2009 President Klotz's inaugural address here
- View photo galleries from each day of the Annual Conference here.
- View videos from the Annual Conference here.
Gusset Plates' Flaw Led to I-35W Collapse, NTSB Rules
The I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis on August 1, 2007, was caused by inadequate gusset plates that could no longer support the combined weight of bridge improvements over the years plus additional construction equipment and supplies. The plates' failure caused a collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145. About 24 of the gusset plates, which held the bridge's beams together, were made with only half the thickness required, a failure not caught when the bridge was built in the mid-'60s. Along with its findings, the NTSB has issued nine safety recommendations to federal and state highway officials. "Bridge designers, builders, owners, and inspectors will never look at gusset plates quite the same again, and as a result, these critical connections in a bridge will receive the attention they deserve," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.
- Get to the NTSB's synopsis and an archived webcast of its findings, plus ASCE's coverage here.
Anti-Corruption Film 'Ethicana' Debuts at Conference
While in Pittsburgh, ASCE members attended the premier of a dramatic film intended as 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. After watching the 41-minute film, members and ACET panel members discussed its message and its potential to make a difference.
- See highlights of "Ethicana" and find out more about the Global ACET Initiative here.
ASCE Urges House Panels to OK Infrastructure Stimulus
As a nationally recognized authority on infrastructure issues, ASCE again has been sought by Congress to offer expert testimony on the need for infrastructure funding that would be included in a new economic recovery and job creation package. On October 29, ASCE President David G. Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE, spoke before the House Ways and Means Committee, while Andrew Herrmann, P.E., F.ASCE, SECB, chairman of ASCE's 2009 Report Card Advisory Council, testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Both witnesses detailed the nation's urgent infrastructure challenges as identified in ASCE's Report Card for America's Infrastructure, and called for up to $40.7 billion in infrastructure aid.
- Read President Mongan's prepared testimony here (PDF file).
- Read Andrew Herrmann's prepared testimony here (PDF file).
- Review the updated Report Card for America's Infrastructure 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.
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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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U.S. Infrastructure Crumbling, According to Report Card 
ASCE Official Register Available Online
03 - 05
The World Engineering Convention
Seminar 