ASCE Inland Empire Section Home

President's Message

Think Big

In mid-February, I attended the Regional ASCE Leadership Conference in Bellevue, along with Section Officers Matt Zarecor and Tim Martin. Later that month, we welcomed ASCE National President-Elect David Mongan as the guest speaker at our annual Section meeting at Anthony's. We learned that civil engineers who think big are doing some pretty amazing things around the globe.

During the Regional meetings, the Hawaii Section presented the results of their bridge building contest. Middle school students in Hawaii spend many hours planning and gluing their 700 Popsicle sticks together, and then travel to Oahu to test (and ultimately destroy) their bridges in the statewide competition in front of their peers and the ASCE community.

We heard about the Seattle Section's annual home improvement project for a needy family in their area. Members volunteer their time planning the work and arranging for community donations to ensure this ASCE-sponsored event is a success. Projects like these take a big effort.

Our national officers spoke to Section Leaders and Younger Members about ASCE Policy 465. It is a daunting task to "Raise the Bar" to a higher level in our profession, to implement stronger requirements to get into and remain in the practice of professional engineering, to even win approval of the concept. It will take many years to fully implement these ideas, but these ASCE leaders aren't afraid to think big.

Sometimes it may seem like the project you're working on, while important, is probably not going to win any awards or anything. Not everyone gets to be the new guy who was picked to finish last, but somehow wins the National Coach of the Year award. But it doesn't hurt to Think Big.

Chris Mansfield, P.E., M.ASCE

President, Inland Empire Section