Port Authority Engineer Named New Face of Civil Engineering

Reston, Va. – The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) today announced that 25-year-old Jami Bjornstad, EIT, LEED AP, of Edison, N.J. has been named a New Face of Civil Engineering. Jami is a materials engineer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. An integral part of ASCE’s 2011 National Engineers’ Week (Feb. 20-26) initiatives, the New Faces program promotes the achievements of young civil engineers by highlighting their contributions to and impact on society.

Jami currently works at the World Trade Center site where she conducts inspections and tests on building materials (such as concrete and steel) to ensure they meet project requirements. She also reviews and develops drawings and specifications for new site projects. In the future, Jami would like to become more involved in sustainable projects.

An active member of Engineers Without Borders, Jami worked in Kipingi village in Kenya to help provide clean drinking water. She also helped design a pedestrian bridge to increase accessibility in a small village in El Salvador. Jami is inspired by the way small civil engineering projects can have a dramatic impact on a community—particularly in the developing world.

Jami has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Rutgers University and is working on her master’s degree in environmental engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.

Each year, ASCE names ten New Faces of Civil Engineering, some of whom are also submitted to the New Faces of Engineering program run by the Engineers Week Foundation. This inclusive national program includes representatives from the civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, industrial and manufacturing engineering professions. Selected New Faces profiles are featured in a USA Today ad during Engineers Week and are profiled on the National Engineers Week website at www.eweek.org, as well as at www.discoverengineering.org.

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 140,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information, visit www.asce.org.