The fiscal year that began in October 2003 and ended in September 2004 saw the profession make great strides. Civil engineers not only worked to improve their profession; they also assumed more prominent roles within the world at large. This evolution reflects efforts within ASCE, efforts that continue as we seek to improve the quality of life for people around the globe. For more than 150 years, ASCE and the profession have worked diligently to make life better for people everywhere and have always done so in a way that looks to the future. ASCE has reached across oceans and continents to partner with engineers from other countries to improve living conditions and to help governments—especially those of developing countries—better address infrastructure issues. Few countries have greater infrastructure needs than war-torn Iraq, where years of conflict have taken a heavy toll on public works systems. In December 2003, 110 Iraqi civil engineers convened in Baghdad to participate in an ASCE-organized teleconference to learn how the Society could assist them in reestablishing the civil engineering profession in their country. In March 2004, at the invitation of the U.S. undersecretary of state for global affairs, ASCE's president, Patricia D. Galloway, P.E., and its deputy executive director, Lawrence H. Roth, P.E., G.E., attended a meeting at the U.S. Department of State with Iraq's minister of municipalities and public works to explore ways in which ASCE and the American civil engineering community could become active partners in that country's reconstruction. Back at home, we are also proud of another new initiative: the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project. A coalition of more than 55 organizations with leadership from ASCE, the American Association of Engineering Societies, and the Society of Women Engineers and support from the National Academy of Engineering is developing an educational initiative to inspire young women to choose engineering as a career. The inaugural endeavor of the project will be its flagship publication, Women Engineers: Extraordinary Stories of How They Changed Our World. The book is to be supplemented with educational materials, a television documentary, and national outreach programs that will encourage young women to choose engineering as a career, to be proud of their choice, and to work to change the face of engineering around the world. In support of this undertaking, a major fund-raising campaign that offers a range of ways in which members can contribute was initiated in May 2004. Despite the extraordinary contributions made to society by engineers—civil and other branches—critical challenges remain. More than 60 countries are described by Transparency International, a Berlin-based organization that concerns itself with business practices, as having construction industries in which corruption is rife. As the preeminent civil engineering society, ASCE has joined forces with the World Bank, Transparency International, the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, and the World Economic Forum in a comprehensive effort to fight bribery and corruption in the construction and engineering industries. To confront this enormous challenge head on, the Society is working to formulate and disseminate global principles for professional conduct. The effort officially began with a workshop in October 2004 sponsored by ASCE and its partners in this area at which industry experts from around the world exchanged views on what these principles should be. A document setting forth the principles will be presented at the 2005 ASCE Annual Conference. The document will figure in ASCE's effort to garner commitments from organizations around the world to adopt, adhere to, and enforce the policies and principles in this important document. Clearly, the role played by engineers in contributing to the safety and well-being of society is every bit as important as that played by physicians and other professionals. It has become increasingly evident, however, that a bachelor's degree by itself will be insufficient to provide the skills and experience necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of a professional engineer in the future. We must strengthen the profession by raising the bar on the educational requirements for becoming a licensed professional engineer. The Society has undertaken the formidable task of defining the new requirements in education and experience for licensure. The result of that work was the release in February 2004 of a groundbreaking report that defines the post-baccalaureate education and experience that engineers will have to possess to become licensed professional engineers. This "body of knowledge," which incorporates upper-level education, work experience involving increasing levels of responsibility, and continuing education, will ensure that engineers will be highly respected and will be regarded as leaders. In the coming year, the Society will be working with the academic and licensure communities on ways of ensuring that candidates for licensure possess this body of knowledge. As a global leader, the Society must not just provide guidance and solutions to current challenges but also from time to time turn a critical eye on itself. The changes that follow from this practice benefit both ASCE and the civil engineering profession. It was through a process of self-evaluation that a proposal to redesign the Society's organizational structure and system of governance was drafted. More than 78 percent of the members who voted last summer approved the constitutional amendment to restructure the Society's governance model. The new structure, which reduces the size of the Board of Direction and forms nine new U.S. "regions," an international region, and a technical region served by two directorates, each with its own governors, will support ASCE 's efforts to maintain its role as the leader of the civil engineering profession by expanding leadership opportunities for members, bringing a broad range of viewpoints to the Board of Direction, and attracting those who are prominent in industry to the Society's leadership. Our members and staff will be able to play an even larger leadership role in influencing public policy here at home from our newly relocated office in Washington, D.C., at 101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., across the street from the U.S. Capitol. Through its efforts in this country and around the world, ASCE is working to make the world a better place for all its inhabitants. As the world changes-and we can be certain that it will—ASCE will continue to provide leadership to our members and to those whose safety and well—being depend on our work. William P. Henry, P.E., F.ASCE President Patrick J. Natale, PE, CAE, F.ASCE Executive Director