ASCE has honored Martin L. Eskijian, P.E., DPE, M.ASCE, with the 2024 John G. Moffatt–Frank E. Nichol Harbor and Coastal Engineering Award for his advancement of seismic design, behavior, and performance of lifeline marine structures and the co-development of the Port Certificate Program curriculum.
Eskijian has been a champion for the protection of public health, safety, and the environment for more than 30 years. He is a role model for advocacy of waterfront design code development, advancing best engineering practices, and industry-wide knowledge transfer. A quick search on the ASCE website produces almost 20 citations beginning in 2010 of Eskijian’s collaborations and impacts on its membership, the industry, and society. Most notable is his collaboration on the development of the ASCE COPRI Port Certification Program. Upon the program's inception, Eskijian was an as-needed Moffatt & Nichol consultant and served as the Port Certification Program Committee Co-Chair. He developed the entire program's curriculum. Additionally, he was co-developer and instructor of the Introduction to Port Engineering, by far the most popular among six course offerings, with over 200 registrants.
Other notable contributions in his career include traveling the world for postassessment reviews of earthquakes to help advance the design and construction body of knowledge in the seismic community, including ASCE/COPRI field assessment teams deployed to Japan and Chile. In 2010, he advanced the body of knowledge in the tsunami community with early small craft guidance, and in 2011 he was a recipient of the prestigious Charles Martin Duke Lifeline Earthquake Engineering Award. His career parallels and models ASCE's strategic shift and actions to innovate, advocate, inspire, stimulate, magnify, and deliver for members, industry, and society. Eskijian has made a generational impact on the design and construction of the marine waterfront industry.
The John G. Moffatt–Frank E. Nichol Harbor and Coastal Engineering Award is given to a member of ASCE who has made definite contributions in the field of harbor and coastal engineering in the form of either written presentations or notable performance, and serves to recognize new ideas and concepts that can be efficiently implemented to expand the engineering or construction techniques available for the harbor and coastal projects.
