Announcements

Moving Forward After Hurricane Katrina

A Texas Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter deposits a 6,000 pound-plus bag of sand and gravel into flood waters as work progresses to close the breach in the 17th Street Canal. Photo by: Alan Dooley/US Army Corps of Engineers

ASCE and AEI are putting forth a significant response to the regions devastated by Hurricane Katrina. We share with people throughout the world our concern for the victims of this catastrophic event.  We pledge to work digilently to help ease their suffering, alleviate their losses, and aim to prevent such a disaster in the future.

Both humanitarian and technically focused activities have been initiated by AEI and ASCE. Relief activities include:(click here for full article)

Texas A&M University-Kingsville to Offer Architectural Engineering Program

by: Hector Estrada

A new bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville has been given final approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and is up and running this fall. The new program will be housed in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering within the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering, and will be chaired by Dr. Hector Estrada, Associate Professor. This new program is particularly important since there is only one baccalaureate program in architectural engineering accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in Texas, which is offered at the University of Texas at Austin (click here for full article).

AEI News

Caldwell Elected ASCE Technical Region Director

AEI Board of Governors member Stan Caldwell, P.E. has been elected as the first ASCE Board of Direction Technical Region Director.  Stan will represent the Institutes’ voice within the ASCE governing body.  Last year ASCE members voted for broad changes to the ASCE governance structure, the Technical Region Director is one component of this restructuring.With more than 35 years experience as a structural and architectural engineer and a licensed engineer in 6 states.

Please click here for complete election results:

The Building Security Council Concept Moves Forward

Recent events have highlighted the importance of building security. This topic has long been an area of interest at AEI, as illustrated by the establishment of the Committee on the Mitigation of Effects of Terrorism and by a number of conferences on this topic, including the January 26, 1999 conference “Combating the Vulnerability of Buildings and Infrastructure to Chemical and Biological Attack”, held in New York City, and the Building Security Symposium held March 11-12, 2005, also in New York City.(click here) .

New Standards Committee Holds First Meeting

The Recommended Electrical Installation Practices for Control, Communication and Power (C2P) for Critical Infrastructure Facilities Standards Committee held its first meeting on July 25, 2005 at the ASCE Headquarters in Reston, VA.

The new committee chaired by James Ruggieri, P.E. will conduct business under the AEI Committee on Guidelines and Standards. The purpose of this recommended practice is to identify architectures, methods and practices enhancing security, reliability and continuity of life safety and critical business mission services supporting critical facilities. The drive behind developing a standard addressing manmade, natural and technological events was inspired by the many recent incidents of global terrorism.(Click here)

Report on PERSI Planning Meeting

By: Ernest W. Parti, Ph.D., P.E.

Earlier this year ASCE's Technical Activities Committee on Sustainability, Chaired by, former ASCE President, Albert A. Grant, P.E., F.ASCE, launched an initiative, coordinated by Richard N. Wright, Ph. D., P.E., Hon. M.ASCE, to promote practices, education and research for a sustainable infrastructure (PERSI).  In this endeavor PERSI has enlisted the help of all of ASCE's technical units (Technical Activities, Institutes, and CERF), other professional associations, federal agencies, and other organizations and institutions with an interest in the built-environment.  After a successful first workshop meeting in February, (PERSI) held the second meeting ...(click here)

Conference Update

The AEI 2006 Conference: Building Integration Solutions is rapidly approaching.  109 abstracts have been accepted and the authors have been notified.  Final papers must be submitted by November 15, 2005. Five workshops will also be presented. Please visit the conference website for more information.www.asce.org/conferences/aei06

In addition to the conference sessions and workshops two field trips have been secured.  One to the Peter Kiewit Institute,

home to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Engineering and Technology and the University of Nebraska at Omaha's College of Information Science and Technology. Click here for more information.  And another field trip to the Holland Performing Arts Center, Omaha's new 2,000-seat symphony hall.  Visit http://www.omahaperformingarts.org/opac_photos.asp for more information.

For additional information on the conference site, Omaha, Nebraska please visit the Greater Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.visitomaha.com.

AEI Announces New Student Mentoring Program

AEI has a large number of student members, and what better way to help them in their future endeavors than to become a mentor.  If you are a student looking for advice and information on architectural engineering or if you are an AE professional willing to share your knowledge with the industry please email the AEI staff at aei@asce.org

What Would You Like To See in The Team?

Members are invited to submit articles, book reviews, events and photos for use in upcoming issues of The Team.  Please contact the AEI staff at aei@asce.org with your ideas and submissions.

Post an Internship on the AEI Website!

Does your company have an internship position you are looking to fill with a qualified architectural engineering candidate? We will post your internship opportunities on the AEI website and in upcoming issues of The Team.  Information regarding internship opportunities can be sent to aei@asce.org. Please include company name, time frame, and a brief job description.  Note all full-time job opportunities should continue to go through ASCE's Career Connections Website at www.asce.org/careers/ .

 ASCE is now accepting nominations for OPAL awards. 

 The Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) awards program recognizes individual achievement as well as exemplary civil engineering projects.  Under this broad umbrella, individuals (leaders) are recognized as lifetime winners in one of five categories:   (1) Design, (2) Construction, (3) Government, (4) Education and (5) Management.  The deadline to receive OPAL nominations is November 15.  For complete information and how to nominate for the OPAL, visit:   http://www.asce.org/opal/index.cfm.

Upcoming Events

The International Code Council Annual Conference

September 25 - October 2, 2005

Detroit, Michigan

This conference is the largest gathering of building safety and fire prevention professionals in the United States.  It will showcase Final Action Hearings, the Education Program, the Annual Business Meeting and the International Code Council Expo.

2005 Solar Decathalon

October 7-16, 2005

Washington, D.C.

The Solar Decathalon brings 18 college and university teams from around the world to compete.  The teams will design and build houses that demonstrate the advantages of the solar lifestyle. This year the National Mall in Washington D.C. will be turned into a "Solar Village" as teams compete in 10 contests that range from architecture, livibility and comfort to how well the solar homes perform in providing energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, lights and appliances. 

Security for the Built Environment Congress (ISBE 2005)

October 18 - 20, 2005

Jacksonville, Florida

SAME/TISP 2005 Joint South Central/South Atlantic Region Combined Conference and Congress. The event will focus on the security of critical, physical infrastructure and will involve high-level military and civilian government officials as well as representatives from prominent private sector organizations.

2005  Annual ASCE Civil Engineering Conference

October 27-29, 2005

Los Angeles, CA

The 2005 Annual ASCE Civil Engineering Conference will provide the tools needed to take your vision from concept through construction. The conference theme, "Next Generation Infrastructure: Projects that Create the Future," will focus on the leadership skills required to ensure that your vision is reflected in the final product. The conference will highlight projects in the areas of Transportation and Water as these have a major impact on the quality of life of the people we serve and are of particular interest to civil engineers who work on the urban landscape

Pre-Conference programs include:

• Natural Disaster Program - a symposium on the engineering aspects of the Asian earthquake and tsunami. Also included in this program is the symposium on Disaster Risk Management
• International Program - the topics of this program are “Disaster Reduction for the Poor” and “Surviving Nature’s Forces: Can Civil Engineers Build Safe Communities?”
• Global Ethics Program - this program will address ASCE’s role in fighting corruption in engineering and construction
• Younger Member Program - a program to discuss issues of interest to younger members

The 2006 Architectural Engineering Institute National Conference

March 30-April 2, 2006

Omaha, Nebraska

The 2006 Architectural Engineering Institute National Conference: Building Integration Solutions is the preeminent building event of 2006. Topics to be addressed include development processes, functions affecting development processes and building systems analysis, design, and integration. All building professionals including architects, engineers, builders, developers, owners, and government officials should plan to attend.

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