2005 Congress Highlights

The 2005 EWRI World Water & Environmental Resources Congress was held May 15-19th in Anchorage, Alaska. This year’s Congress boasted a positively excellent program, people from all over the world and puppies! This proved to be the largest EWRI Congress yet and one that will be remembered for years to come.

EWRI member Sheila Carpenter van Dijk enjoyed some puppy time during the opening plenary.

This year’s Congress had two plenaries, both of which were unique in their speakers and presentations. During the opening plenary, attendees were introduced to the spirit of Alaska by Martin Buser, four-time Iditarod Sled-Dog Race Champion. Martin regaled the audience with exciting tales of his numerous Iditarod wins and brought some future champion puppies along, much to the audience’s delight.  Presentations were also given by Loren Leman, P.E., Lieutenant Governor of Alaska and Deborah Williams, Executive Director of the Alaska Conservation Foundation. The opening plenary was followed by a special plenary on tsunami impacts where special insights were shared on the recent South Asia tsunami from Nalin Wikramanayake, M.ASCE, Dr. Rao Surampalli, P.E., M.ASCE, ASCE President William P. Henry, P.E., F.ASCE and emcee Don Phelps, P.E., D.WRE, M.ASCE. The Secretary General of the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water, Dr. Abdulamalik Al-Shaikh, offered opening remarks.

Cecil Lue-Hing received his 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award from EWRI President Michael A. Ports at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center Salmon Bake Event.

Over 40 awards were presented at this year’s Congress. Several awards breakfasts were held throughout the week as well as a special off-site event held at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center. There, attendees had the opportunity to tour the grounds and experience the history of the Native Alaskan people as well as honor one of the recipients of the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award, Cecil Lue-Hing, D.SC, P.E., DEE, Hon.M.ASCE.  The other recipients of the award, Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., M.ASCE and Kenneth R. Wright, P.E., L.S., F.ASCE were unable to attend the ceremony. The 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award is presented in recognition of these individuals’ life-long and eminent contributions to environmental and water resources engineering through practice, research, and public service. Other awards presented that evening included student awards and various service awards. A special thank you also goes out to the sponsors of the student competitions who were recognized that evening as well.

Relive the experience of this year’s Congress!  View photographs from the 2005 Congress at http://www.ewrinstitute.org/events/conferences.cfm.

Student participants in the Parsons Brinckerhoff Student Design Competition posed after receiving their awards at the Alaskan Salmon Bake.  Bethany Bezak and Jhana Fredericksen of Lawrence Technological University took first place, Bernadette Visitacion and Enoch Nicholson of Seattle University took second place, and Leslie Dellangelo, Chris Fehrman, and Kimbery Kimmes of Michigan Technological University finished third in the competition.