• Jamestown 400 Middle School Engineering Summer Camp
  
  You May Have Your P.E., But Do You Know Your PR?
  
  Mid-Missouri Section Dissolving
  
  Save the Date! Rebuilding Together Activity at Annual Conference
  
  Maine Section Rehabilitates Home for Disadvantaged
  
  Pennsylvania Legislative Affairs Day A Success!
  
  Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina
  
  Cyberchase...Coming to a City Near You!
  
  Ask Counselor Tara (ACT)
  
  Membership
  
  Reminder - Comments Solicited on Draft Body of Knowledge (Second Edition)
  
  2007 Conferences
  
  Meet Your Member of Congress with ASCE Government Relations'' Back Home Visit Program
  
  Nominate Your Section for the SGR Award
  
  Opportuntiy to Serve Local Activities Division of the Structural Engineering Institue (SEI)
  
  EMI-Engineering Management Institute
  
  Symposium on Emerging Developments in Multi-Hazard Engineering
  
  Mark Your Calendar!
  
  Region Boards of Governors
  
  Committee on Geographic Units
  
  Executives
  
  Geographic Services Department
  
  Contact Information
  
• ASCE

In 2006, an ad hoc committee of various engineering groups gathered in Richmond to discuss commemorating Jamestown 400. Activities included a
high school scholarship competition, an engineering driving map
http://www.engineering2007.com/map/index.html

highlighting engineering in the areas of transportation, structures, water, energy and pioneers, and activities for middle school students.

ASCE Virginia Section participated in the middle school summer camp
activity. Debra Brand, ASCE VA Section President, and Cindy Allen, DJG,
were the co-chairs for the event.

The Jamestown 400th Middle School Engineering Summer camp was the prize
for the top 3 winners in the 9 school districts in Virginia. The winning students wrote approximately 1,000 word essays providing a design description of "Using materials available in 1607, design something to make life easier for settlers in 1607. Your design should impact transportation, housing, water or energy. The design description and how it works in 1607 will make up the essay." More then 100 students submitted essays. Twenty-five middle school students from across the state attended the conference.

The engineering summer camp was held at the Jamestown 4-H Center in Virginia. The middle school summer camp began on Friday, July 13 and ended on Sunday, July 15, 2007. On Friday afternoon, the students received an overall introduction to engineering through hands-on activities. One of the activities presented by Mike Matthews (The Structures Group) was to build a structure that could withstand wind. The structure were tested for height and stability.

Another activity by the mechanical engineering group given by Steve Osbourne (Bowman Foster) was to design the mechanical HVAC from selecting the AC unit, sizing ductwork, selecting grills and registers for the 4-H Center building Design started by measuring the building and rooms inside the small structure.

Langley Air Force base also presented a demonstration of robotics and technology at the summer camp. The students got to see the latest devices available by seeing demonstrations of robotics and technology involved in Airmen searching for and rendering harmless bombs, grenades, and landmines in combat zones.

A surprise visit was planned after dinner on Friday, July 13, 2007 from Ms Virginia 2007, Katie Jones. Katie Jones is a chemist at Environmental Engineering and Technology in Newport News, VA.

On Saturday, the group toured the Five Forks Water Treatment Plant in James City Service Authority in the morning. The Five Forks Water Treatment Facility (Facility) consists of five on-site wells drawing brackish groundwater from the Middle and Lower Potomac Aquifers.

Following the WTP tour the group visited the Jamestown Settlement in the
afternoon participating in the "Life in Jamestown" tour in the afternoon. Students visited the James Fort, Jamestown Settlement galleries, the Powhatan Indian village and the ships.

On Sunday, the top three finalist were announced. Each award winner presented his or her paper. The engineering summer camp was very successful with many students wondering about a similar competition for next year.

                               Get in the know and fly in to Washington, D.C. Nov. 9 for ASCE’s first ‘PR University’—a free workshop for civil engineers who want to learn more about how to incorporate public relations into their ASCE and professional activities. ASCE offers travel reimbursement to attend this tuition-free workshop, in accordance with ASCE's standard travel reimbursement policy.

ASCE created the PR training program as part of its goal to bring effective public relations strategies to the ASCE Section and/or Branch level. During this highly interactive, one-day workshop, ASCE's Communications department will share techniques for effective communications, including media relations and outreach, through presentations and hands-on PR activities. A guest speaker from the media will also be on hand to give attendees the newsroom perspective. A PR Toolkit reference guide will be provided to each attendee in order to bring the tools from the communications classroom to the civil engineering profession. Part ‘how to’ manual and part resource guide, this Toolkit provides a practical introduction to public relations for civil engineers.

The workshop will take place downtown on Nov. 9 at the Keck Center for the National Academies from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Space is limited, so please submit your application early. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1.

>>For more information and to download an application, visit the PR Training Web site. (www.asce.org/prtoolkit)

The Mid-Missouri Section was founded in 1937.  It has 461 members (2007 ASCE Official Register) in 39 central Missouri counties.  The current officers of the Section asked the Region 7 Board of Governors (BoG) last year to consider dissolving the Section.  They cited years of poor participation by non-student members and difficulty in filling positions.  The officers concluded that present and future members of ASCE in central Missouri would be better served by the large active Sections in St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.  The officers mailed a letter in March 2007 to all Mid-Missouri members describing the plan to dissolve the Section and soliciting responses. 

Officers from the three Missouri Sections and representatives of the Region 7 BoG met in April to discuss Mid-Missouri Section’s proposed division of the state between the Kansas City and St. Louis Sections.  Subsequently, the Board of each Section passed a resolution agreeing with that plan.  The Region 7 BoG adopted these resolutions in July, officially dissolving the Mid-Missouri Section as of September 30, 2007. 

Mid-Missouri Section’s remaining funds will be donated to its two Student Chapters:  University of Missouri – Columbia and University of Missouri – Rolla.  The Region 7 BoG commends the officers of the Mid-Missouri Section for serving the best interests of their members, and the St. Louis and Kansas City Sections for their commitment to these new members.

Save the Date!

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007

7:30 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

The ASCE Committee on Volunteer Community Service and Rebuilding Together® of Central Florida, an organization devoted to revitalizing houses for low-income homeowners, invite you to spend a day performing community service while attending the Annual Conference.  This year our site is the Frontline Outreach Center in Orlando, a non-profit facility that serves children and families with pre-school programs, after-school programs, family education, and recreation.  Potential volunteer projects include rehabilitating their exterior parking area by performing a traffic flow study, striping the lot, pulling back the edge of the parking to proper setbacks, constructing a trash dumpster enclosure, improving the landscaping, and interior painting and projects.  Don’t miss this opportunity to put your engineering skills to work for a good cause and help us make a difference in Orlando! 

If you are interested in participating, please contact Alicia Karwoski (800-548-2723 ext. 6324, akarwoski@asce.org).  Look for more details on the Web and in the Section Informant as they become available.

Tim Merritt, P.E.

President, Maine Section ASCE

Twenty civil engineers and their friends, representing the Maine Section of ASCE, Neill and Gunter Consulting Engineers, and the UMaine Student Chapter, came together for one day of intense home repair on April 28 to assist a family in need.  This community service project was part of the national Rebuilding Together effort that took place across the country on the same day.  In the Greater Portland, ME area, a total of nine houses were rehabilitated under this program for low-income, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged families and senior citizens.

The volunteers spent the entire day repairing a house in Scarborough, Maine that was more than 100 years old and in great need of basic maintenance.  Utilizing approximately $2,000 in building materials and tools brought by the volunteers, small teams worked together on a variety of tasks including leaky roof repair, insulating the attic, fixing a collapsing toilet and bathroom flooring, replacing the front steps, replacing portions of rotted clapboard siding, replacing the front door threshold, building an insulated basement bulkhead door, re-connecting heating duct work, underpinning a rotten bedroom floor, caulking windows and doors, and repairing a leaking gutter system.  I estimate that on the order of $4,000 of free labor was contributed by the volunteers on the work day alone.

Volunteering for Rebuilding Together has given us a whole new appreciation for the most basic infrastructure- one’s home.  This project illustrates how civil engineers can make a difference at the most basic level right in their community.  Next year, the Maine Section ASCE will play a larger role in this event, as we plan to be involved in the organizing, fundraising, and have our own house project for which we will donate material and labor.

In 2006, the four Pennsylvania Sections of ASCE (Central Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia) collaborated to develop and release the Pennsylvania Statewide Infrastructure Report Card.  The Report Card rated various categories of infrastructure in the state, in the same manner as was done on a nationwide scale by ASCE National.  The Report Card gained considerable attention outside the engineering community.

As a follow-up to this effort, the Statewide Committee scheduled a day with legislators at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA on May 8.  Approximately 80 members of ASCE and other technical societies, along with a third-grade class from a suburban Philadelphia school attended.  In face-to-face sessions with more than 75 legislators, the attendees had the opportunity to review the findings of the Report Card, with particular emphasis of the staggering needs (over $1 billion annually) for transportation infrastructure funding as well as continued investment in engineering education.

While few of the legislators could commit to specific action at the meetings, most agreed that they would push for increased transportation funding.  In Pennsylvania, this has been a particularly sensitive topic as the state has never had a dedicated, consistent source for mass transit funds, with the result that its local transit agencies have some of the highest fares in the country.

Two months later, we are pleased to report that Governor Ed Rendell signed House Bill 1590 on July 17.  This landmark legislation provides $946 million a year, on average, during the next decade for mass transit agencies and for highway projects

The new funding initially will rely on borrowing against future toll revenues on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the conversion of I-80 to a toll road.  The state is still considering the privatization or lease of the Turnpike which could result in additional revenue that would be devoted to highway needs.  With the new funding, the state will be able to cut into the bridge backlog and tackle other unfunded but needed road projects.

Other engineering societies, including the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE), the American Public Works Association (APWA), the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE), and the Mid-Atlantic Section, Institute of Transportation Engineers (MASITE), along with ASCE, helped bring this issue to the forefront.  This shows that we do indeed have a voice in the process.

The devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed the vulnerability of our nation’s coastal communities to natural disasters and, unfortunately, uncovered significant flaws in the planning, design and management of the New Orleans-area hurricane protection system. The lessons learned from the study and analyses of these events have important professional and ethical implications for all civil engineers.

In a letter e-mailed last month to all Section and Branch presidents, ASCE President Bill Marcuson asked for help in disseminating this information to the broadest possible number of civil engineers. Sections and Branches are asked to host a special Web-based seminar developed by ASCE. The free webinar will be offered on both Friday, Sept. 14, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time and on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Resulting from the exhaustive research performed by the Interagency Evaluation Task Force (IPET) and ASCE’s Hurricane Katrina External Review Panel (ERP), this Webinar will explore new insights into how organizational, managerial and funding considerations can adversely influence public health, safety and welfare.

Gerry Galloway, professor of civil engineering at the University of Maryland and a retired brigadier general with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who led the White House study of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1993, will present the Webinar.

A free site registration for one of the two sessions will be provided to each interested Section and Branch. An unlimited number of individuals may participate at this location.

For more details, click here. To register, please contact Kelly Jarvis at (703)295-6164 or e-mail kjarvis@asce.org.

                                            Kids and families can team up with the Cyberchase gang to explore math and engineering problem-solving activities through a new traveling educational exhibit. Based on the award winning PBS cartoon, Cyberchase, the exhibit was developed by the Children’s Museum of Houston and is  currently on display at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY.

ASCE Sections and Branches are encouraged to explore educational partnerships with local PBS stations and sponsoring museums in association with the exhibition. For inspiration, get a free copy of the Cyberchase InventiveInnovations hands-on activity guide, developed in association with Engineers Week. The guide has instructions for leading five hands-on engineering activities most suitable for kids ages 8-11. Order your guide from outreach@asce.org.

A partial list of exhibiting museums as of July 2007 is below:

The Strong Museum, June 2007 - Sept. 2007, Rochester, NY

http://www.strongmuseum.org/exhibits/cyberchase.html

New York Hall of Science, Sept. 2007 - Jan. 2008, New York

Minnetrista, Sept. 2008 - Jan. 2009, Muncie, Ind.

Chicago Children's Museum, Jan. 2009 - May 2009, Chicago

Port Discovery, June 2009 - Sept. 2009, Baltimore

Austin Children's Museum, Oct. 2009 - Jan. 2010, Austin, Texas

Counselor Tara,

I took pictures at a Section event, and I’d like to publish them in our newsletter. Do I need to get a signed consent form from everyone whose picture I publish?

The rights and risks in publishing a person’s image in an Internet or print publication are a hotly debated legal issue, involving the interplay of several Constitutional rights: the publisher’s right of free speech, the public’s right of access to information, and the private citizen’s right of privacy.

As a general rule, if a person’s photograph was taken in a public setting, a publisher does not need to obtain that person’s consent before publishing the image. However, U.S. law has carved out several large exceptions to that rule, in which certain types or uses of a photograph can expose a publisher to civil liability for violation of the subject’s rights. In fact, state courts have recognized as many as four different claims by which a publisher can be held liable for the use of a person’s image: 1) intrusion; 2) false light; 3) disclosure of private facts; and 4) misappropriation.

The first claim, intrusion, involves an intentional intrusion on a person’s private area or affairs. This claim recognizes the fact that, even outside a person’s home, there may be certain areas in which a person has a right to privacy. The most obvious example of a use of photography that may give rise to an intrusion claim is the use of a hidden camera in a dressing room or restroom, but some courts have allowed intrusion claims in less obvious situations. In Arkansas, for example, a court found that a woman whose hip surgery was videotaped by a local news station without her permission had established grounds for an intrusion claim.

The second claim, false light, relates not just to the publication of the image itself but to the context in which the photograph was published. Much like a defamation claim, such as libel or slander, this claim involves communication of false or misleading information, which is done either knowing the information to be wrong or with reckless disregard of the truth and which would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. For example, a Washington, D.C. woman successfully brought a false light claim against a TV station when a newscast focused in on her as a pedestrian on a busy street with a voiceover stating, “for the 20 million Americans having herpes, it’s not a cure.”

The third type of claim, the private facts claim, also relates to disclosure of information in connection with an image; however, this claim concerns publication of truthful information about a person’s private life, if the information is not a legitimate public concern and would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. Because of the prevailing concerns against restricting the public’s right of access to information, this is probably the most difficult claim for a plaintiff to win, but some states have awarded damages in cases where the published information was found not to be “newsworthy.” For example, finding that the identity of participants in an in vitro fertilization program was not newsworthy, a Missouri court upheld a private facts claim against a news station that ran footage of a couple’s attendance at an event for program participants.

While the first three claims involve invasion of a subject’s right to privacy, the fourth claim concerns a person’s right to publicity. A misappropriation suit involves the use of a person’s likeness or name for a commercial purpose. This claim does not apply when an image is used to illustrate or advertise a related news story, and is most commonly brought by celebrities whose image has been used, without permission, to promote a product or service; however, U.S. law also allows private citizens the right to control and be compensated for use of their likeness in a commercial promotion. For example, in Georgia, a street musician won a misappropriation claim for use of his picture to illustrate an album cover.

One final point to consider when publishing photographs are the special concerns involved in publishing pictures of minors. The 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act prohibits commercial Web site operators offering services for children under the age of 13 from publishing identifiable information about such children without written consent from a parent or guardian. In addition to more obvious types of information such as a child’s full name or home address, COPPA also covers more innocuous information—such as photographs in connection with the name and location of the child’s school or youth group—that might allow an online predator to locate and contact a child. While COPPA is not intended to cover all Web sites or the use of information in other types of media, it suggests a course of action that is wise for any organization to follow in publishing images of minors.

Taking care that any photographs you publish were taken in a public place, are captioned correctly and appropriately, and are being used for a newsworthy rather than commercial purpose is crucial for reducing your organization’s risk of exposure to litigation, but not even these steps provide absolute protection from a privacy-related lawsuit. As a practical matter, the most risk-free course of action will always be to seek release forms from any identifiable subjects in a photograph you intend to publish.

Privacy laws vary from state to state, and not all states recognize all types of claims described here. For a listing of state case law related to the use of photographs, please see the  Photographer’s Guide to Privacy, at:  http://www.rcfp.org/photoguide/stateindex.html

If you have questions about this article, or about any legal matter concerning your ASCE Section or Branch, please contact Tom Smith, ASCE General Counsel, at (800) 548-2723 x6061 (tsmith@asce.org) or Tara Hoke, Assistant General Counsel, at (800) 548-2723 x6151 (thoke@asce.org).

Last month's column on disaster relief and volunteering failed to mention the resources available for ASCE members interested in joining relief efforts. ASCE's Committee on Critical Infrastructure has established a Disaster Assistance Volunteer Directory and and has issued a call for volunteers to enroll and identify their interest and availability to assist in relief efforts. For information, please see:

http://ciasce.asce.org/ASCEDisasterAssistanceVolunteerProgram.html

Keep Your Membership Records Up-to-Date

Tell your members to update their mailing address, phone number and e-mail address to ensure they receive pertinent information related to their membership.  Members can verify their information by visiting www.asce.org/myprofile or by calling (800) 548-ASCE (2723) or (703) 295-6300.

Spring Member-Get-A-Member Drawing Winners Announced

ASCE gave these 10 members $50 American Express gifts cards in the June 30 Member-Get-A-Member Drawing:

You or your members could be next!  Members who recruit between now and Sept. 30, will be eligible to win one of 10 $50 gas cards.  Plus, this is the final quarter in the 2007 drive, and the top recruiter title – and its $700 prize – is still up for grabs. Remember, each person sponsored who joins ASCE earns their recruiter an entry into the drawing. 

Help peers and colleagues discover why ASCE is the professional home to more than 140,000 civil engineers.

New Champions Web site Launched

ASCE announces the release of a new Web site dedicated to its Membership Champions.  Designed to boost your recruiting and retention efforts, this easily navigable site provides Champions with fresh membership acquisition ideas, how to answer the dreaded question, “Why should I renew?”, quick access to ASCE member benefits, a download section to access ASCE PowerPoints, applications and brochures, plus, coming soon, a Champions Forum so Champions can communicate with one another about their successes and share solutions to common problems.  Visit the new site today at http://content.asce.org/champion/.

Nominate an Outstanding Membership Champion

Your Section/Branch Membership Champion can be essential to the success of your Membership Drive, as well as membership growth and retention.  Now is the time to recognize your Champion for his/her hard work by submitting a nomination for the 2007 Outstanding Membership Champion Award.

The winner and the Section, selected by the ASCE Membership Committee at its fall meeting, will each receive $250. 

Nomination forms are due Sept. 1, 2007 and are available online at www.asce.org/inside/files/doc/2007OutsMemChairNomForm1.doc or by contacting Susan Blodgett at (800) 548-ASCE (2723) x6008 or sblodgett@asce.org.

ASCE Delivers at Your Next Meeting

Recruit your new ASCE Section/Branch members and volunteers by hosting a pizza party on us.   Champions can contact Erin Santiago at esantiago@asce.org to request materials and they will receive: ASCE cups, napkins, and plates, a PowerPoint presentation deliverable to non-members attending the meeting, as well as applications and brochures.  Plus, the pizza is on us!

Use FTP Data To Welcome New Members

In many cases, new members do not receive anything from their Section or Branch for 6-12 weeks after joining. By actively using your Section and Branch FTP database, you can welcome these new members sooner and retain their membership. Remember – members won’t automatically renew their membership each year – they need to see the value of being an ASCE Section or Branch member! Use this opportunity to establish a pattern of contacting new members every month, and welcome them to ASCE and your Section or Branch.

New members are identified in the membership data by their election date. For example, choose all members who were elected between July 1 and 31, 2007 to identify new members.  Also, be sure to welcome members transferring from another Section/Branch.  You can do this by checking the “Transaction Code” column which will indicate a new addition to your database with the letter “A”.

If you have any questions about how to use or access membership database via File Transfer Protocol (FTP), contact Michael Cook at (800) 548-ASCE (2723) ext. 6121, (703) 295-6121 or mcook@asce.org.

Calling All Sections: Oct. 1 is an Important Nomination Deadline

Please help ASCE recognize members’ considerable achievements by nominating your supervisor, mentor or colleague for Honorary Membership or OPAL.  For more information on these prestigious Society awards, downloadable forms, and special resources to help create a persuasive nomination package, go to www.asce.org/awards.  

The Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (BOK) is defined as the depth and breadth of knowledge, skills and attitudes required of an individual entering the professional practice of civil engineering.  The BOK is strategic and foundational to our profession because it ultimately influences accreditation criteria, curricula, the Engineer Intern experience and licensure requirements.  ASCE released the first edition of the BOK in early 2004.

ASCE has released a refined, enhanced and updated version in draft form for your review.  This draft of a second edition of the BOK was prepared by the Body of Knowledge Committee of CAP^3 (Committee on the Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice) in response to widespread stakeholder interest in, use of and comments about the first edition.  CAP^3 is pleased to note that the BOK has proven to be a productive forum in which educators and practitioners come together to proactively determine how tomorrow’s civil engineers should be prepared.

You can download your copy of the draft report from www.asce.org/raisethebar now.  Your thoughts and comments should be sent to CAP^3 at comments@bok.asce.org.  Your input will be reviewed by the committee, and the final report will be modified as appropriate.  To consider your comments, the Body of Knowledge Committee must receive your comments on or before Oct. 1, 2007.  The Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century (Second Edition) is scheduled for release during Engineers Week in February 2008 – and will be available through www.asce.org/raisethebar.

Beam Me Up, Scotty!

The Aerospace Division of ASCE invites you to submit an abstract or paper for the Earth & Space Conference 2008, which will be held March 3-5, 2008, in Long Beach, Calif.  Technology transfer is a key goal!

Join the experts who will attend to discuss exploration, science, engineering, construction and operations in challenging environments on Planet Earth, in Space and on other planetary bodies such as the Moon and Mars.

A link to the Earth & Space Conference Web site will soon appear on ASCE’s calendar of events at http://www.asce.org/conferences/. 

Aloha All!

The theme for the World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2008 is Ahupua`a, Sustainability from the Mountains to the Sea.  Join us May 13-16, 2008, in Honolulu.

Ancient Hawaiian life was based around the ahupua'a system of sustainable land management. An ahupua'a was a watershed-based, political land division extending from the surrounding mountain ridges to the coastal ocean extending out to and including the coral reef.  The ahupua'a system evolved to protect the upland water resources that were a life-sustaining gift from the gods to be used wisely and conserved by all Hawaiians.

This Congress is for everyone interested in focusing on sustainability issues relating to water resources and the environment.  It will feature more than a dozen technical tracks covering local, national and global issues, with special focus on the Asia-Pacific Region.

The abstract due date for papers and posters is Sept. 15, 2007, and authors will be notified of selection by Oct. 31.  For Congress details and online submissions, visit www.asce.org/conferences/ewri2008.

What: GeoCongress 08

Where: Sheraton New Orleans

When: March 9-12, 2008

http://content.asce.org/conferences/geocongress2008/

What: GEESD IV

Where: Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel

When: May 18-22, 2008

http://content.asce.org/conferences/geesd08/index.html

What: ASCE’s 137th Annual Civil Engineering Conference  Infrastructure for All Generations: Plan Design Build Manage

Where: Buena Vista Palace, Orlando

When: Nov. 1-3, 2007

Our theme for the 2007 Annual ASCE Conference encompasses everything we should be doing as civil engineers. Planning and designing are the key ingredients for all infrastructure projects from transportation to growth, and good planning ensures long term results. Whether the engineer builds the project or provides oversight for the owner, we are ensuring the design will perform for the anticipated life span and hopefully beyond. Engineers can become the stewards of our infrastructure by managing the maintenance and upgrading over the life of each project so the project will serve the peoples needs for generations to come as economically as possible.

The conference Web page will be opening shortly.  Please visit it for a comprehensive listing of all conference details.  Stay on the look out, the registration page will be available soon after.

What is your Congressional Representative’s civil engineering IQ? Can you trust that he or she has the necessary knowledge when voting on issues affecting civil engineering, such as transportation reauthorization and science and technology issues?

How Can I Make My Voice Heard?

Back Home Visits provide ASCE members with an opportunity to meet with their local U.S. Representative at home in the district to discuss current legislative issues relating to civil engineering. The ideal time to arrange a Back Home Visit is during the August Congressional District Work Period, Aug. 6-31.

ASCE Can Help Schedule Your Visit

Please email ASCE’s Government Relations Staff at:  govwash@asce.org before Aug. 10 about your interest in participating along with your availability for a meeting during August in your local area. We will request a meeting on your behalf, coordinate scheduling and provide you with briefing materials in advance.

ASCE members need to communicate the society’s policy priorities to their Representatives and let them know what needs to be done to improve our infrastructure. Even if your daily work as a civil engineer doesn’t deal with these action items directly, remember that sound infrastructure is in everyone’s best interest.

Contact ASCE Government Relations at govwash@asce.org or 202-789-7850 with specific questions or concerns relating to Back Home Visits, the Report Card or the Infrastructure Action Plan.

Has your Section organized an outstanding government relations activity this year?  Do you want the opportunity to be recognized?  You just might win an award!  ASCE is still accepting nominations for this year’s State Government Relations Award.

This award is given out by the State Government Relations Committee to Sections involved in outstanding state government relations activities throughout the year.  Please complete the nomination form located at http://www.asce.org/govrel/2007.pdf or you can get one by emailing Adam Gagnon, ASCE’s Manager of State Government Relations, at agagnon@asce.org

Completed nomination forms are due back to Adam Gagnon by Aug.17th.  Applications must be submitted electronically to agagnon@asce.org.  Sections will be notified by the State Government Relations Committee of the results.

Serve on SEI’s Local Activities Division (LAD) Executive Committee.

Candidates must be active in their local structural organization and be able to attend meetings twice a year – at the Structures Congress and at the Annual Meeting for local STG Chairs. The four-year term begins Oct. 1, 2007. Younger Members are encouraged to apply.

DEADLINE for applications: Aug. 24, 2007

To Apply:

Send a cover letter stating experience in local activities and ability and interest to serve along with a current resume. Candidate must be a member of SEI or ASCE/SEI.

Current/Future Projects of the Local Activities Division:

Organize an annual meeting for local STG Chairs.

Provide low-cost continuing education courses at the local level.

Facilitate two-way communication with local groups.

Assist local groups to affiliate with SEI and establish themselves as SEI Chapters of their geographic area.

Send letter and resume to Mary Ellen Saville in the SEI office at mesaville@asce.org.

The ASCE Board of Direction at their July 2007 meeting in Detroit approved the creation of the newest ASCE Institute; The Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI), starting Oct. 1, 2007.  EMI will be a premier organization representing engineering mechanics by serving the needs of the worldwide engineering community and promoting both research and application of scientific and mathematical principles to address a broad spectrum of existing and emerging engineering and societal problems.  EMI also provides a home for those dealing with emerging areas of mechanics and will promote the interdependence of engineering mechanics and other disciplines by providing a forum for engineers, planners, industry representatives, citizen groups and public officials.  EMI is also responsible for the Journal of Engineering Mechanics, a high impact, international journal which will continue to keep the engineering mechanics field abreast of the latest areas of research & development involving engineering mechanics.

The President of EMI will be Wilfred D. Iwan, Ph.D., M.ASCE, and a professor at California Institute of Technology.  The remaining members of the new EMI Board include James L. Beck, Ph.D., M.ASCE; Alexander H.D. Cheng, Ph.D., M. ASCE; Roger G. Ghanem, Ph.D., M.ASCE; Chiang C. Mei, Ph.D., M.ASCE; Stein Sture, Ph.D., F.ASCE; and George Z. Voyiadjis, Ph.D., M.ASCE.

Topics to be explored include lessons learned from Sept.11 and Hurricane Katrina, fundamental measures to improve disaster resilience, multi-hazard engineering in Los Angeles and New York City, Federal Emergency Management Agency multi-hazard risk assessments, and improving resilience of transportation infrastructure. Nationally recognized researchers and practitioners from industry, academia and government will discuss a variety of solutions and applications, including adapting technologies developed for specific hazards to multi-hazard problems, and developing new technologies to mitigate a variety of threats. The goal of the symposium is to establish an integrated risk assessment framework for multi-hazard environments and address assessment and mitigation of risk from competing low-probability high- consequence hazards. For more information on the AEI-MCEER Symposium on Emerging Developments in Multi-Hazard Engineering, or to register online, visit: http://mceer.buffalo.edu/meetings/aei/default.asp .

Wed Sep 05:Mentoring: Implementing a Program in Your Organization

Thu Sep 06: On-Site Circulation and Access Design for Commercial Developments ~Part II                  

Tue Sep 11: Live P.E. Exam Review I: Structural Analysis                                               

Tue Sep 1: Specifying Metal Building Systems

Wed Sep 12: Developing Effective Teams                                           

Thu Sep 13:  Intersection Design and Channelization                           

Thu Sep 13: Live P.E. Exam Review II: Structural Design                 

Tue Sep 18: Design of Moment-Resisting Foundations for Pre-Engineering Buildings          

Tue Sep 18: Live P.E. Exam Review III: Soil Mechanics                                                   

Wed Sep 19: Negotiating Better Engineering and Architectural Contracts

Thu Sep 20: Live P.E. Exam Review IV: Foundation Engineering                                  

Thu Sep 20: Traffic Calming: Best Practices, Part I

Tue Sep 25: Live P.E. Exam Review V: Hydraulics and Water Supply                           

Tue Sep 25: Renovation of Wood Trusses 

Wed Sep 26: Design of Wood-Framed Sloped Roofs

Thu Sep 27: Live P.E. Exam Review VI: Open Channel Flow                                          

Thu Sep 27: Traffic Calming: Lessons Learned, Part II            

August 1: Nominations due for Younger Member Employer Recognition Award

Aug. 4: Submission deadline for the State Public Affairs Grant Activity Report to ASCE Washington Office

Aug. 15: Nominations due for Casagrande, Construction Management, Kapp and Terzaghi Awards

Sept. 1: Outstanding Membership Champion nominations due

Sept. 24: Annual Section/Branch Membership Webinar

Sept. 30: 2006-2007 Member-Get-A-Member Drive ends

Oct. 1: Nomination deadline for Honorary Members, OPAL and Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prizes  

Oct. 30:

• Nominations due for the Workshops for Section and Branch Leaders and the Younger Member Council Meetings .
• Nominations due for the National Outstanding Section/Branch Award.

Nov. 1:

• Submission deadline for the Outstanding Section and Branch Newsletter Award

• Nomination deadline for Arid Lands, Bartholomew, Bechtel Pipeline, Bechtel, Jr. Energy, Bickel, Biot, Can-Am, Cermak, Chow, History and Heritage, Computing in CE, Croes, Duke, Einstein, Freese, Freudenthal, Greeley, Shortridge Hardesty, Herring, Hilgard, Hinds, Hoffman, Horner, Howard, Hydraulic Structures, Innovation in CE, International Coastal, Laurie, Lynn, Masters, Middlebrooks, Moffatt-Nichol, Moisseiff, Newmark, Norman, Peurifoy, President’s Medal, Reese, Rickey, Roebling, Hunter Rouse, Rowland, Scanlan, Smith, State-of-the-Art, Stevens, Surveying and Mapping, Terzaghi, Tipton, Turner, von Karman, Wellington, Winter, Wisely.

   

Nov. 2: State Public Affairs Grant applications due

Nov. 3: Annual Business Meeting with Society Awards Presentation (AM) and    Gala and Honorary Member Induction Ceremony (evening), Orlando, FL.

Nov. 30: Section Annual Reports are due at ASCE World Headquarters.

             Region Annual Reports are due at ASCE World Headquarters.

Feb. 1:

• Nominations are due for National ASCE Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement and the Daniel Mead Prize for Younger Members
• Nominations are due for Young Government Civil Engineer Award
• Nominations are due for Younger Member Group Award
• Nomination deadline for Collingwood Prize

June 1:

• Deadline for submission for the Outstanding Section and Branch Web Award Competition
• Nominations due for Ralph B. Peck Award, H. Bolton Seed Medal and The Professional Practice Ethics and Leadership Award