Orange County, Calif., Water System Wins 2009 OCEA
Orange County wastewater purificationfacility, Fountain Valley, Calif.
For its creative, effective solution to water shortage challenges, the Orange County, Calif., Groundwater Replenishment System has been selected as the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement for 2009. With water demand soaring in southern California, Orange County needed a solution that was more cost-effective than importing water or desalination and would satisfy needs for decades to come. The county's Water and Sanitation District opted for a process that recycles and purifies wastewater and returns it to reservoirs and groundwater aquifers – one which also mitigates the impact of droughts. ASCE President Wayne Klotz calls the system "an excellent example of how civil engineering can contribute to a community's economic success, improve residents' quality of life and protect public safety." The award was announced and presented to Orange County water officials at the Society's OPAL Gala Thursday evening.
- Find out more about the Groundwater Replenishment System – read about it and watch a 2009 Report Card water systems video that shows how it works. See the five other distinguished projects that were contenders for the 2009 OCEA.
- View photos of the OPAL Gala, including the award-winning guests of honor. Watch brief video profiles with background on each of the Outstanding Projects and Leaders winners, the top OCEA project and five other nominees, plus the Pankow Award for Innovation and the Michel Award for Research winners.
New Details of 2009 Report Card's D Grade Released
Get the facts behind the overall D grade announced by ASCE in January. The complete 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure is now available, detailing the rationale behind the grades in 15 categories. Two months ago, with the new president, Congress and the nation debating how much of the economic stimulus package should go toward infrastructure, the Society chose to move up the release of the Report Card to draw more attention to the need for reinvestment. Now, the guidance from professional engineers that informed the grades is available. Visit the upgraded Report Card site for detailed yet easily accessible analysis of each category, an assessment of your state's status, case studies of successful projects, suggestions for actions you can take and ways you can get involved, and more.
- Discover the specifics behind the grades at the official 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure site.
- Share your comments and track the progress of action in Washington in ASCE's blog, Our Failing Infrastructure.
- President Obama has cited the Report Card and ASCE in making a case for infrastructure investment in everything from town hall appearances to his 2010 budget outline. Find out from the official White House blog what he said at a recent town hall. Learn more about the budget's reference to ASCE, and see the actual page (PDF) from the relevant section of the budget outline.
2009 OCEA Winning Project to Be Revealed
Which of six excellent nominees will win the 2009 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award?
The announcement will be made Thursday evening at civil engineering's premiere black-tie celebration of achievement, the OPAL Awards Gala, and will be revealed simultaneously here at asce.org. The gala also will salute the five great engineers who have received 2009 Outstanding Projects and Leaders awards for their lifetime contributions to the profession. Winners of the Pankow Award for Innovation and the Michel Award for Research also will be honored.
- See which projects are nominated for the OCEA and who will be hailed for receiving 2009 OPAL, Pankow and Michel awards.
Manage These Times With ASCE's Helpful Resource
Are you feeling the pinch of the recession, or are you fearing that you soon will? ASCE has a one-stop resource of what the Society has to offer that can help you continue to succeed and move forward in your professional and personal life. From assisting you in a job search, to building your professional skills, to making sure your personal finances can withstand the buffeting of the markets, Survive & Thrive includes links to a wide array of help available from ASCE.
- Check out the Survive & Thrive guide, and bookmark it for easy reference later.
Pankow CEO Looks Ahead -- Hear His Views in Podcast
Listen to the latest conversation in ASCE's new series of podcasts with noted civil engineering industry leaders, Insights. This month's guest is Richard M. "Rik" Kunnath, P.E., DBIA, the chief executive officer of Pankow Operating, Inc., the holding company for the various construction businesses that constitute the Pankow group of companies. Pankow is internationally recognized for its innovative construction methods, and as one of the industry's foremost practitioners of Design-Build as a project delivery technique. Rik joins Insights to talk about the need for additional creativity and innovation via economic incentives, as well as the challenges presented by existing project delivery methods in the engineering industry. He also touches on both the opportunities and threats that commoditization and globalization present for the future of the industry.
- Listen to the Insights podcast now or download it to hear at your convenience on your MP3 player.
CPC Completes Investigation
Following a 13-month investigation, the ASCE Committee on Professional Conduct has concluded its inquiry into allegations of ethical misconduct stemming from ASCE's role in an assessment of the performance of the New Orleans Hurricane Protection System following Hurricane Katrina. The CPC dismissed all charges of ethical misconduct. The committee did find that a news release issued by the Society contained two technical errors.
- Read the announcement of the CPC findings.See the External Review Panel report that was the subject of the press release (PDF).
Klotz Urges Engineers to Step Forward, Take Credit
ASCE's 2009 president, D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE., F.ASCE, wants to see fellow civil engineers take proper credit for the work they do in building and sustaining what he calls the "cathedral of modern civilization" — infrastructure. There's more at stake than just pride, Klotz said in his inaugural address at ASCE's annual conference — the public's lack of understanding about engineers' work also cuts into funding for projects. "We are not self-promoters, [and] that approach does not adequately inform our friends and neighbors about the value of what we provide every day," Klotz said.
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.
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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