| February 2001 PRESIDENT'S COLUMN By: Ron Leimkuhler President’s Column Every year for the past 50 years our nation has set aside the third or fourth week of February to recognize the importance of engineering by observing National Engineers Week. Set to coincide with George Washington’s birthday, who by the way was a surveyor, it is an opportunity to celebrate, and reflect on the importance of our service to society. Not every profession gets the President of the United States, State Governors, County Executives, and City mayors to proclaim one week in their honor. National Engineers Week 2001 will be observed February 18 – 24. On the local scene there are many activities planned. Starting off the week will be an Engineers Fair at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue on February 17th and 18th. The Fair is organized by the Puget Sound Regional Council and includes participation from local engineering societies, federal, state, and local agencies, private engineering firms, and industrial companies. The Seattle Section of ASCE plays a big part in the fair. The Younger Member Forum (YMF) will hold their Popsicle Stick Bridge competition as part of the fair on Saturday morning February 17th. Over 20 high schools will have their bridges judged for aesthetics and weight carrying capacity. This is a great event for kids. The Section also has an information booth at the fair. If you would like to spend a couple of hours answering questions about civil engineering, this is your chance to promote the profession. During the week the local emphasis will be on speaking at middle schools and high schools. Given the need for a continuous replenishment of the most creative thinkers and adept problem solvers, we must reach out and energize the next generation of civil engineers. Our University Advisory Committee is setting up a speakers’ bureau, see related article. ASCE National is also encouraging all members to get involved. To learn more about such activities as the Future City Competition, National Engineering Design Challenge, and the first national "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day", check out the National Engineers Week web site www.eweek.org. The site includes a section on "50 Ways You Can Participate". Locally, the week’s activities will culminate with Puget Sound Engineers Awards Banquet at 6:00 p.m. February 24th at the College Club in Downtown Seattle. The banquet features outstanding speakers and the presentation of awards to recognize individuals who have given long and outstanding service to the profession. The Seattle Section has two very worthy individuals who have been nominated this year; Jack McGuire, Director, Engineering Research and Development at the Boeing Company has been nominated for Industry Engineer of the Year, and Cathy Smith, with Golder and Associates, is up for Young Engineer of the Year. This 50th Anniversary for National Engineers Week is an opportunity to remind people that engineering ingenuity has created the quality of life that we enjoy today. It can also be a time to gather with colleagues and celebrate what you do every day. |
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ASCE Seattle Section Meeting Place:
Ballard Yankee Grill Cost: $20 per person*
Spouses and guests are invited. Credit cards, cash, or checks to the Yankee Grill are accepted.
Program The scheduled speaker for the evening is Tina Soike. Ms. Soike is the Assistant Director for the Port of Seattle’s Aviation Capitol Improvement Program. Please join us for what is sure to be an interesting and informative presentation. We will also be honoring our Life Members at the meeting. See article inside. |
| February Meeting to Honor Life Members Our section is pleased to recognize the following individuals who have achieved Life Member status within ASCE: Seattle Section: Kitsap Branch: North Branch: Please join us at the February meeting to congratulate these members who have been devoted to the civil engineering profession and ASCE. |
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Meet Your Senators and
Representatives March 1, 2001 Please contact Jim Thompson at Zipper Zeman Associates (425) 771-3304 for further information. |
| ASCE Seattle Section Executive Board
Meeting Minutes of January 10, 2001
Attendees:
David Schwegel, Don Northey, Susan Gardner, Ron Leimkuhler, Arthur
Fleming, Ann Epler, Ron Borowski, Bob Boudinot, Stan Boyle, Shannon
Kinsella, Linda DeBoldt. December 13, 2000, Meeting Minutes Correction: The third sentence in Don Northey’s report should read: "Engineers Week Fair activities will take place between February 17 and 24, 2001." Approved as amended. Treasurer’s Report: Arthur Fleming presented the Treasurer’s report for the period ending January 8, 2001. Approved. Committee and Branch Reports: Committee reports were presented by Shannon Kinsella, Linda DeBoldt, Bob Boudinot, and Ann Epler. The Infrastructure Committee is active and is working on the local Infrastructure Report Card. The National Report Card is due out in March. The History and Heritage committee delivered the Civil Engineering Landmark plaque for the Cedar Falls Hydroelectric Project. They are working on a poster for the 2001 National Convention. The University Advisory Committee is working on the upcoming Mentor Night at Seattle University. The Student Presentation competition will be at Seattle U. on April 27 at 5 p.m. The top 2 presenters will present at the May Section meeting. Adam Slivers will replace Mary Holland as the House & Hospitality chair. Dave Schwegel, Public Information Committee chair, reported that the long legislative session presents many opportunities to get involved and influence legislation. Be prepared for a last minute announcement for the annual "Day-on-the-Hill with Legislators" coming up in February. This is another opportunity to promote civil engineering and the infrastructure report card. Volunteers Needed: (1) Phil Thompson and the University Student Recruitment Program are looking for volunteers to visit area high schools to encourage kids to become Civil Engineers. (2) Ray Walton is looking for a practitioner to coordinate the UW Corporate Program with the UW. This position involves locating companies interested in coming to the campus for increased awareness and recruiting purposes. (3) Volunteers are needed for the Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest on Feb. 17. Contact Ann Epler. (4) AELC is looking for a representative from ASCE to sit on a working committee to review State laws for Design Build GCCM. Contact Ron Leimkuhler. (5) Volunteers are needed to staff the ASCE booth at the Engineers Week Fair on Feb. 17 & 18. Contact Dave Crippen. OLD BUSINESS: The Board approved a proposal to provide a stipend of $10.00 to compensate our designated representative for participation at PSEC meetings. Reimbursement for ASCE designated representatives at other functions would be looked at on a case-by-case basis and would require that receipts be submitted. NEW BUSINESS: Jack McGuire of Boeing has been discussing with Ron B. and Ron L. methods for increasing participation in ASCE by some of the 1600 Boeing-employed Civil Engineers. How to best archive old Seattle Section documents, treasurers’ records, and history and heritage files is to be discussed at next month’s meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m. Meeting minutes prepared by Stan Boyle. |
| CECW Breakfast
A CECW Business Practice Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, February 7, at the Best Western Bellevue Inn, beginning at 7:00 a.m. "Web-Based Project Management" will be presented by Patrick Mays, AIA, Principal and chief Information Officer of NBBJ Architecture Design and Planning. For registration information, please call CECW at 206-623-5936. |
| Nominations Sought Now
It’s time to solicit candidates for Section Board positions for the 2001-2002 year. The open positions are President-Elect (essentially a 3-year position, moving into President, then immediate Past President), Secretary (a 2-year term), and Director (a 3-year term). Our Section is very dynamic and the role of a Board Member is vital to its successful function. Contact Susan Gardner, immediate Past President, at (206) 389-0291 or sgardner@halcyon.com for further information or to indicate your interest in one of the positions. Nominations are due by February 14. |
| Volunteers Needed
Here is your chance to do some community outreach and promote civil engineering. Volunteers are needed to staff the ASCE booth at the upcoming Engineers Fair on Saturday and Sunday, February 17th and 18th at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to spend an hour or two talking to the public about civil engineering. Contact Dave Crippen if you are interested, email: dave.crippen@metrokc.gov or ph: 206-263-4647. |
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Middle School and High School A speaker’s bureau is being formed in response to requests from local schools. If you are interested in speaking at a local high school or middle school, contact University Advisory Committee Chair Ray Walton at 425-646-8806, or rwalton@westconsultants.com. Ray has lots of good ideas, presentation aids, and handouts to help you prepare an exciting presentation. |
| Volunteers
Needed:
Volunteers are needed to staff the ASCE booth at the upcoming ENGINEERS FAIR on Saturday and Sunday February 17th and 18th at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to spend an hour or two talking to the public about civil engineering. Contact Dave Crippen, email: dave.crippen@metrokc.gov or by phone at 206-263-4647. |