Volume 21 Issue 4

ASCE International Fora Address Natural Disasters

At a recent ASCE International Roundtable on mitigating the effects of natural disasters worldwide, speakers noted a number of chilling statistics:

• Over one quarter of a million deaths was the toll estimated after the devastating Sumatra earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004.
• Half of the roughly 275,000 earthquake-related deaths between 1900 and 2004 stemmed from the seven deadliest earthquakes.
• The Philippines registers five earthquakes per day and 22 typhoons per year (five of the typhoons will be destructive).
• 74.5% of cities in China are in a seismic area, and 85.7% of Chinese cities have a population of 1 million.
• In applying quantitative risk assessment to the New Orleans of 10 to 15 years ago (without the benefit of knowing what happened with the Katrina hurricane), the probability of a category 4 hurricane could have been estimated at 20%; the vulnerability of the levees failing, 50%; the potential economic damages, $50-$200 billion, and the resulting fatalities 200-1500. With these projections, the calculated “economic risk” would have been $5-$20 billion and the “fatality risk,” 20-150.

Can civil engineers build safe communities that will survive nature’s forces? That question was posed to a room full of civil engineers from 25 countries who participated in the October 26 session at the ASCE Annual Conference in Los Angeles. Promoting research and development, learning from investigations, and educating children to mitigate earthquake disaster was the message from Professor Masanori Hamada of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers as he described a program undertaken in Sumatra. Professor Edward Wang, a member of the Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, noted how the Taiwanese engineering community promotes a cycle of monitor, forecast, predict, warn, prepare, and plan in dealing with natural threats. The inclusion of quantitative risk assessment in the standard education of all engineers was the call from Professor Al Ang of ASCE.

Participants spanning the globe joined hundreds of domestic attendees at this year’s ASCE Annual Conference, where they exchanged ideas, experiences and cultures. From meetings and tours to roundtable discussions, attendees were provided with many opportunities to interact and learn from one another. (Many thanks go to LA Section IAC members C.T. Bathala, Tim Hancuff and Shahan Ahmad for organizing the technical tour of the Seven Oaks Dam.)

Representatives of the eight member societies of the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) met for two days to evaluate the formation of technical committees in Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan; consider proposals for electronic publications; and plan the 4th Civil Engineering Conference in the Asian Region (4th CECAR) in Taiwan in 2007. Engineers Australia successfully bid for the 5th CECAR to be held in Sydney, Australia in 2010. For more information on CECARs go to www.acecc.net

Over 170 attendees came to the International Luncheon to hear Jelena Pantelic, Senior Operations Officer at the Corporate Secretariat’s Policy Support Unit of the World Bank, talk about disaster reduction for the poor. More than 95% of all deaths caused by disasters occur in the developing countries and losses due to natural disaster are 20 times greater in developing countries than in the developed world. Poor people typically live in areas susceptible to natural events and in unsafe structures and have few, if any, resources with which to protect themselves.

The ASCE Conference also provided an all-day forum on corruption in the construction industry, with numerous speakers reporting on the challenges and progress in this arena. For most of the year, signatures and support have been gathered while ASCE Past-President Bill Henry traveled to South America and Europe to discuss his initiative against corruption and bribery in the construction industry. To date, over 70 signatories have signed the Engineers’ Charter—a statement supporting the eradication of corruption, fraud and bribery in the construction industry. (Read an article about the global ethics initiative at http://enr.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl?page=enr_document&article=

nefiar051107a)

Following a well established tradition, the International Dinner was a relaxing event where cultural exchange took place. Guests were asked to sing a song from their native land, and it was entertaining to watch the interesting mix of people and backgrounds.

Around the World

What are the Agreements of Cooperation Societies (AOCs) doing?

The Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering (CICHE) Annual Conference will take place December 9, 2005 at National Ilan University, Yilan City, Taiwan.  “Progressing through History, Evolving to the Glory Era in Civil Engineering” is this year’s theme.  In addition to the sessions, take a tour of Taipei 101 – the world’s tallest building! For more information, email kkho@ciche.org.tw

The Civil Division of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) is organizing an International Conference on Bridge Engineering – Challenges in the 21st Century, November 1-3, 2006 in Hong Kong. The ASCE Hong Kong Section and ASCE Headquarters are supporting organization of the conference. The deadline for abstract submissions is November 30, 2005. More information is available at www.hkiecvd.org/BRIDGE2006.htm

The Institution of Engineers, India (IEI) will hold its 20th Indian Engineering Congress in Kolkata from December 15-18, 2005. “Global Leadership in Engineering and Technology: India’s Emergent Role” is the theme. For more information, please email ie_wbsc@vsnl.net

The Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) met September 7-9, 2005 for its 60th Annual Meeting in Tokyo. Find out more about the session themes and outline of the meeting at http://www.jsce.or.jp/committee/zenkoku/h17e/index.html

The Korean Society of Civil Engineers (KSCE) is collaborating with ASCE on the Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (D.WRE) specialty certification and posted the announcement on its website at http://www.ksce.or.kr/new_eng/home/index.asp

On October 20 and 21, KSCE held its 30th Annual Convention at the Jeju International Convention Center. The focus of the convention was on “Harmony of Nature and Civilization”. Visit www.ksce.org.kr for detailed information. For additional information, please also visit http://www.aawre.org/

The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) will hold its 31st National Convention at the Manila Hotel, Manila from November 17-19, 2005. The theme of the Conference is “Sustaining PICE’s Gains Through 32 Years By Fostering Unity and Vigilance”. The International Roundtable discussion will be on “Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness Strategies”.  For more information about the Convention and PICE, go to: http://www.pice.org.ph/console.htm

What are the ASCE International Groups and Sections doing?

 The ASCE Los Angeles Section’s International Committee is organizing its 4th International Engineering and Construction Conference July 28, 2006, at Calstate Fullerton. The deadline for abstracts for general papers has been extended to November 30, 2005. The student paper contest is still open until January 31, 2006. For details, click on http://open.asce.org/tasks/attachments/ASCE%20Conf%207-28-06%20General%20&%20Student%20Papers%20&%20Registration.doc

The Hong Kong International Section is planning to co-sponsor another Bridge Design Competition with the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers (HKIE) after receiving great feedback from last year’s competition. The 2006 software will be available in January 2006 on the contest website. More information about the West Point Bridge Design software can be found at http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/index.htm. Contact Christopher Leung at ckleung@ust.hk for information about the contest in Hong Kong.

The Philippine International Group’s 2005-2006 Officers and Board of Trustees Executive Director Potenciano A. Leoncio, Jr., ASCE- Philippines International Group, Co-Convenor and Past President has announced the new set of officers and trustees that will serve in the Board for Fiscal Year 2005-2006.  They are as follows:

Rafael T. Apostol, Ph.D. (Filipino), Managing Partner of Asiatic Consultants, as PRESIDENT; Rafael C. Yabut (Filipino), Assistant Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, as PRESIDENT-ELECT; Bonifacio V. Manuel (Filipino), President & CEO of P&C Systems, Inc., as SECRETARY; Armando Cazzola, Ph.D. (Italian), President of Foundation Specialist, Inc., as TREASURER; Jun Matsumoto (Japanese), Country Representative of Nippon Koei Company, Limited, as PRO (International) and Ernesto S. De Castro, Ph.D. (Filipino) President of ESCA, Inc. and Chancellor of the University of the East, as PRO (Domestic).  Immediate Past President Vincent F. Porrazzo (American) of Brooklyn, New York and Team Leader of Everest International Consultants, will serve as Ex-officio Trustee.

Establish an ASCE International Group

International Groups are formed to provide civil engineers in other countries with opportunities to organize activities related to the profession. The main purposes of a Group are to promote technical and professional development of ASCE members residing or visiting a country through meetings and other forms of communication, through study of local engineering practice, and through contact with ASCE World Headquarters; to achieve closer personal acquaintance and spirit of cooperation among engineers; to cooperate with other local engineering societies in matters of common interest; and to assist in attaining the objectives of ASCE. We currently have Groups in 14 countries: Brazil, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the UK. If you are interested in forming an International Group in your country, please contact Julia Kang at jkang@asce.org for further information.

ASCE International Partners

Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC)

The ACECC 12th Executive Committee (ECM) met in advance of the ASCE Annual Conference in Los Angeles, California, in a meeting hosted by ASCE. The next ECM will be hosted by the Mongolian Association of Civil Engineers (MACE) in June of 2006. Information about ACECC can be found at www.acecc.net and detailed meeting information can be obtained by emailing the ACECC Secretariat at chuchiayih@ciche.org.tw

North American Alliance for Civil Engineers (NAACE)

The 4th World Water Forum will take place March 16-22, 2006, in Mexico City. NAACE, with the leadership of EWRI (Environment & Water Resources Institute of ASCE), has submitted two sessions in the following thematic areas: Applications of System Analysis in Water Resources and Use of Integrated Water Resource Management to Achieve Socio-Economic Goals. For more information, visit http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx

Institution of Civil Engineers, UK (ICE)

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) and ASCE are hosting the Triennial Conference in London July 3-4, 2006. Among the ASCE speakers: ASCE Past-President, William (Bill) Henry, who will speak on Ethics and Anti-Corruption Initiatives; Henry James Hatch, ASCE International Activities Committee Chair, who will speak on Civil Engineering Issues in the Millennium Development Goals – US Viewpoint; Dr. Russell C. Jones, Chair of World Federation of Engineering Organizations Committee on Capacity Building, who will speak on WFEO: Capacity Building Initiatives; Professor Erick VanMarcke, Princeton University and Chair of the ASCE Council on Disaster Risk Management (CDRM), who will address Natural Disaster; and ASCE President Dennis Martenson, who will serve as a Sessional Chair. Further information on the conference can be found at http://www.ice.org.uk/

News from ASCE

ASCE Annual Conference

The new design of the 2005 ASCE Annual Conference proved to be a successful event. The theme of the conference, “Next Generation Infrastructure: Projects that Create the Future”, focused on vision, motivation and leadership. The goal was to provide sessions and workshops on leadership skills and taking projects from concept through construction. Four pre-conference programs were offered with attention to natural disaster, international, global ethics and younger members. Next year’s conference will take place in Chicago, Illinois and ASCE will host the Executive Committee and Technical Committee Meetings of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO). Mark your calendar for October 19-21, 2006 and we hope to see you there!

Region 10 Formation Team

Attendees of a preliminary Region 10 meeting

The first Region 10 Formation Team meeting was held on November 28, 2005, in conjunction with the ASCE Annual Conference. A presentation was made about the ASCE change in governance structure, explaining how Region 10 would incorporate all the ASCE international members worldwide, including Canada and Mexico, whose members were previously included within the USA structure.

Region 10 is scheduled to form by the end of 2006. The committee will work on developing a set of bylaws, rules of operation and procedure, and a transition plan that will lead to the establishment of the Region and the first Governor elections, scheduled for July 2007.

2006 India Conference

An International Perspective on Environmental and Water Resources

An International Perspective on Environmental and Water Resources, a conference organized and sponsored by EWRI and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur will be held in New Delhi, India, December 18-20, 2006. This conference will cover a wide variety of topics related to water resources and the environment. While technical sessions will include topics on both developed and developing countries, much of the focus will be on water resources and the environment in developing countries, especially in Asia. Participants, including paper presenters and attendees, will include engineers, scientists, and planners from all over the globe. The two and a half day conference will include a plenary session; concurrent technical tracks; followed by closing roundtable discussions. The conference will also include social and networking events as well as tours of Delhi. Post conference tours to Agra and Jaipur will also be made available for participants.

For a complete listing of conference topics, visit the conference website at http://www.asce.org/conferences/india06. The deadline for abstract submissions is January 6, 2006 and abstracts can be submitted electronically via the conference website.

UPADI - Pan American Convention of Engineers

ASCE and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) represent the United States in UPADI and have joined together with the Georgia Institute of Technology to present XXX Pan American Convention of Engineers, UPADI 2006. The dates of the convention are September 19–22, 2006. Additional information can be found at http://www.upadi2006.com/

A UPADI Intermediary Meeting was held in Aruba, October 10-14, 2005.  For more information, visit http://www.upadi.org.br/n_aruba.html

World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)

The General Assembly of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) met October 16-21, 2005 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ballots were cast to choose the WFEO President-Elect and Barry Grear, the Australian candidate, was elected. ASCE Past President Patricia Galloway was appointed as a special advisor to the WFEO president. To access more information regarding the election, please visit http://www.unesco.org/wfeo/news.html

Technical Teams Report on December 2004 Tsunami

The Technical Council on Lifelines Earthquake Engineering (TCLEE) established the Earthquake Investigation Committee to evaluate the performance of lifelines following earthquakes. There were four reports done in the following areas: Sumatra-Andaman Islands, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. The reports are now available online. To download these reports for free, please visit http://www.asce.org/static/tsunami/tsunami_reports.cfm

Honors and Awards

The Duke Award is given to an individual who has made a definitive contribution to the advancement of lifeline earthquake engineering. This prestigious award was presented to Stuart D. Werner, P.E., M.ASCE during the International Luncheon on October 26. Mr. Werner is recognized for advancing the state of the art of transportation lifeline systems subject to earthquake effects; helping to improve the seismic safety of ports, harbors, and highway systems; and furthering the aims and objectives of the Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering.

The Civil Engineers Association of America (Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles de México), recently honored Oscar Vega Argüelles, P.E., Hon.M.ASCE, with an award for his work in developing hydraulic resources for México and other countries as well as his overall contributions to the profession of civil engineering. A member of the Mexican Academy of Engineering, formed by engineers throughout the Mexican Republic, Argüelles is the author of many professional articles, including, “Mexican Hydraulic Engineering” and “Mexican Civil Engineering and the Free Trade Agreement with the USA and Canada.” He has been a major voice of the International Commission on Large Dams, a non-governmental international organization devoted to fostering knowledge and collaboration in dam engineering, and is the recipient of many other awards, including Mexico’s National Civil Engineering Prize, which he earned for professional work that was of great benefit to Mexican society.

Help ASCE reward great achievements of younger members of the Society. The Honors and Awards Department invites you to nominate one of your colleagues for the Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement Award. Nominees are judged on their service to the advancement of the profession; evidence of technical competence, high character and integrity; leadership in the development of younger member attitudes toward the profession; contributions to public service outside of their professional career; and other evidence of merit. Nominees must be members of ASCE and younger than 35 years of age on February 1, 2006. For complete information on the Friedman and all other awards and for downloadable forms, visit www.asce.org/pressroom/honors/.

ASCE Assists in U.S.–Pakistan Capacity Building Program

ASCE has actively participated in reviewing proposals for an American-Pakistani program to

increase cooperation in engineering, science, technology, and education, thereby, helping improve Pakistan’s capacity in these arenas.

In 2003, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of Pakistan and the United States Department of State signed a comprehensive Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement that established a framework for such cooperation.

ASCE helped review more than 120 proposals covering water, energy, infrastructure, and construction management, with the intent to target about one dozen proposals that would be jointly funded by the US and Pakistani governments.  At a recent meeting of the review committee in Islamabad, Pakistan, an additional focus area is being considered to address the devastation of October 8, 2005, earthquake. 

Projects funded under the first round of the program, costing about $5.5 million, will contribute to enhancing education and research at Pakistani universities, promoting industry competitiveness, and using science, engineering and technology to improve the well-being of ordinary Pakistani people.

Attention Student Members!

Want to get more involved in ASCE activities? Want to network and meet civil engineers in your country? Contact your local International Group to see how you can get involved! For group information, please contact Julia Kang at jkang@asce.org

SUBMIT ARTICLES for the January issue!

Please send us current news and events from your institution and be sure to include a URL or email address. Articles should be sent to Julia Kang at jkang@asce.org no later than January 6, 2006.

Learn More About ASCE Internationally and Our Partners