Do You Have a Breakthrough Invention?
Civil Engineering Jobs on the Rise
This Month in your Civil Engineering magazine
Make the Right First Impression
Creating Your Wireless Project Site of the Future
UNESCO Young Professionals Program
Geo-Denver 2007 - Call for Graduate and Undergraduate Papers
Announcing Student Competitions for the 2007 EWRI Congress
Don't Throw This Away!: The Civil Engineering Life
ASCE E-Newsletters
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October 2006 
Campus Commons
Discover rewarding ASCE member benefits and resources here. From dues discounts after graduation to networking opportunities with industry professionals, let us be the hook-up for your career in civil engineering.
You Could Win Great Prizes by Renewing Your Membership
Have you renewed your 2007 membership yet? ASCE's next early renewal drawing is Nov. 1, and you could win a Samsung Portable DVD Player with 12" LCD screen or other great prizes. While no payment is required to be an ASCE Student Member, you must renew each year. Plus, if you renew before Nov. 1, you'll have three chances to win prizes in ASCE's annual early renewal drawings. Renew online at www.asce.org/renewal or call (800) 548-2723.
Picture This: Your Face on ASCE's New Student Web site
It's all about you, and ASCE wants to keep it that way. That's why we want to feature you and your Chapter/Club peers on our new Student Web site. Send photos from your Chapter/Club activities to studentenews@asce.org for consideration. When the site launches this year, check in to see if yours were selected.
Announcements
Do You Have a Breakthrough Invention?
Have you been crafting the next great Modern Marvel of the 21st century? The History Channel® and the National Inventors Hall of Fame® present the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge. You could win a $25,000 grant and a national showcase for your invention. Enter by Nov. 20, 2006 at www.History.com/invent. Be inspired! Watch Modern Marvels Wednesdays starting at 8:00 p.m./7:00c only on The History Channel.
Civil Engineering Jobs on the Rise
Now is the perfect time to enter the workforce as a civil engineer. The profession's jobs are expected to increase 16.5% from 2004-2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Labor Review. Projected population growth, coupled with demands for infrastructure remediation and longterm sustainability, has thrust civil engineers into the spotlight and created a host of new positions. For more detailed information and analysis, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This Month in your Civil Engineering magazine:
Your online membership gives you instant access to the profession's latest innovations, remarkable projects and the expertise of your colleagues. See what's new in this month's CE.
Career Resources
Make the Right First Impression
First impressions are everything, right? In the world of online job applications, your cover letter is your first impression. Make sure your cover letter isn't just wrapping paper for your resume. Try these tips when applying for jobs and internships:
- Be direct and concise - Avoid gimmicky openings and simply state why you're writing
- Do your homework - Incorporate information reflecting your knowledge of the company and its opportunities
- Always write to a person - No matter how many phone calls, find out who your letter should be addressed to. Hint: It's never "Dear Manager."
Once you're ready, upload your cover letter to your personal Career Connections account and use it to apply to one of our more than 600 jobs and internships. Make sure your first impression isn't your last.
Younger Member News
ASCE Younger Members are your gateway to the civil engineering profession and a powerful networking community following graduation.
Annual Conference Recap
On Saturday, Oct. 21, Younger Members and Student Members gathered at the ASCE Annual Conference in Chicago. During the first session of the morning, members heard from the Younger Member Daniel W. Mead Award winner, Robert Parish, P.E., M.ASCE from Seattle, regarding his paper titled, "Is it ethical to transfer risk of a construction project solely to the Contractor indemnifying the Design Engineer and Owner?” This session reminded Younger Members and students that there are ethical issues everywhere you look, and it's not always a clear cut issue. The next session was entitled, "Leadership Development – It’s My Responsibility," presented by the Honorable James A. Rispoli, P.E., F.ASCE, F.SAME. Mr. Rispoli spoke about Stephen Covey’s, Seven Habits. The Younger Members look forward to interacting with ASCE students at future conferences, and we hope to see you, Nov. 1-3, 2007 in Orlando at next year’s Annual Conference.
Conferences, Competitions & Publications
Shake hands with industry colleagues, open doors to new professional opportunities, exchange ideas with fellow students, and stay on the cutting-edge of industry trends. ASCE conferences and publications are more than your gateway to specialty technical information.
Consider attending or contributing to these upcoming conferences:
The Construction Institute's Workshop on Creating Your Wireless Project Site of the Future
When: Nov. 7, 2006
Where: Rutgers University’s Busch Student Center, Piscataway, NJ
Details: content.asce.org/workshop/ci06/index.html
Register: Contact Tracie Smith at tjsmith@asce.org or (703) 295-6205
The Committee on Wireless Construction features a one-day session of seminars and vendor displays about wireless technologies. The student rate is $25.
Mondiaglo Engineering Award - Register by Nov. 30
Details/Registration: www.mondialogo.org/5.html
Apply your knowledge and expertise to improve living conditions in developing countries on a lasting basis. The Mondiaglo Engineering Award invites engineering students in developing and developed countries to form international teams to create project proposals addressing the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals.
Each team should actively engage in international cooperation and intercultural dialogue over a six-month period, from December 2006 to May 2007, to propose practical, high-quality engineering projects for the benefit of local communities in developing countries.
UNESCO Young Professionals Program
UNESCO has opened the application process for its 2007 Young Professionals Program, which will select only ten candidates worldwide. Selected candidates will be expected to perform high level of professionalism and geographical mobility.
If you are thinking of a career as a Young Professional at UNESCO, check first to see if your skills and abilities match the required profile at state.gov/p/io/unesco/programs/.
Geo-Denver 2007 - Call for Graduate and Undergraduate Papers
When: Feb. 18-21, 2007
Where: Denver, CO
Details:content.asce.org/conferences/geodenver07/CongressTopics.html
The Organizing Committee invites students to submit papers for consideration during the Educational Activities session of the Geo-Congress. The winner will present their original work during the session, in addition to receiving Geo-Denver 2007’s Proceedings and registration to Geo-Environment 2008.
Announcing Student Competitions for the 2007 EWRI Congress
When: May 15-19, 2007
Where: Tampa, FL
Details: www.ewrinstitute.org/committees/ewri_studacts.cfm
Participate in three student-focused competitions at EWRI’s 2007 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress:
- Student technical paper competition for both undergraduates and graduates
- Student photo competition
- Parsons Brinckerhoff Student Design Competition
Take this opportunity to showcase your technical knowledge and represent your university as part of this exciting competition.
Essential Extras from ASCE Press!
Don't Throw This Away!: The Civil Engineering Life
Price: $42.00 / Members $31.50
Details: Hardcover, ASCE Press, 2007, 160 Pages
Stock# 40888
Brian Brenner, a civil engineer’s civil engineer, reports on what it’s like to be a civil engineer in the 21st century: the mindset, the practice, the profession. Equally skilled as a writer and an engineer, Brenner ranges from serious discussions of suburban sprawl, technology run amok, and bridge aesthetics, to comical accounts of packrat habits, quacking moments, and engineering fashion. This entertaining collection of essays displays Brenner’s distinctive combination of quirky humor and engineering “right stuff.”
