Jason Dixson Photography It’s not quite accurate to say K.N. Gunalan – known fondly around ASCE as Guna – is emerging this fall on the world stage. After all, he’s worked on the world stage for a long time.
Born, raised, and educated in India, raised a family of his own and built his career in the mountains of Utah; global infrastructure leader for some of the largest engineering firms on the planet; and, of course, ASCE president in 2020.
So maybe it’s more precise to say that Gunalan is preparing this fall to take his global leadership to a new level. He’s a candidate for president-elect of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations. WFEO’s election will be in Shanghai in October.
“Engineers need to continue to collaborate to share knowledge, expertise, and experiences in addressing the challenges facing our entire world in the most effective and efficient manner so that we can continue to build trust in science and engineering,” said Gunalan, Ph.D., P.E., Pres.20.ASCE, BC.GE, NAC. “Our collective role as engineers transcends generations and borders, hence the importance of our global leadership.”
Gunalan spoke recently with Civil Engineering Source about his approach to global leadership, how ASCE has shaped him, and why he is best suited to lead WFEO into the future.
Civil Engineering Source: What experiences have you had to prepare for that kind of role in global leadership or thinking globally?
K.N. “Guna” Gunalan: Having chaired the WFEO UN Relations Committee and co-chaired the UN Scientific and Technological Community Major Group, along with the International Science Council, I have had the opportunity to interact with global leaders such as the various UN entities and its leadership teams, permanent representatives of various member states, as well as presidents of ECOSOC [the UN Economic and Social Council] and the 21 other major groups.
These interactions have given me a broader understanding of the various challenges and opportunities for engineers to contribute toward achieving the UN Sustainability Goals.
Having been born and raised in India and now living as a citizen of the United States has also given me an outlook on the profession that is extremely helpful in thinking globally and leading an organization for the benefit of all. Understanding the needs and challenges of an emerging economy with the deep knowledge of a developed economy, I can see what needs to be done and can be done, leaving no one behind.
Knowledge in isolation is detrimental to both humanity and the planet. So, organizations like the WFEO can and should lead the way in ensuring that we continue to innovate, validate, and incorporate state-of-the-art practices for the benefit of all.
Source: You are a volunteer leader who has worked at the highest levels of business development and project delivery. How do you think your business sense will help you lead WFEO?
Gunalan: My business development and project delivery experiences have provided me with the ability to be laser-focused on outcomes.
Organizations such as WFEO are not-for-profit organizations that represent millions of engineers worldwide with vision, mission, and objectives. However, these will need to be reviewed periodically and revised if necessary to be more relevant.
In this context, I envision WFEO as the “go-to organization for all matters related to engineering around the world.” I have a roadmap to help WFEO get closer to this vision. For example, I want WFEO to not only have a seat but a voice at the World Economic Forum table.
Source: What did your experience as ASCE president teach you about guiding a large organization?
Gunalan: My tenure at the helm of ASCE taught me a number of lessons that will be valuable in leading a global organization such as WFEO. ASCE is a global organization with individual members in over 170 countries, with an annual budget of over $50 million, covering the wide range of disciplines within civil engineering and topics related to the built environment.
Rising through the geographic region of ASCE as Region 8 director gave me the opportunity to work with great volunteers to support over 13,000 members and address a number of geopolitical issues in addition to technical issues. The organization provided the opportunity to serve alongside a veritable “who’s who” from the industry and to lead on a global scale.
On a personal level, it gave me the opportunity to have a vision for my leadership, ability to motivate and inspire volunteers, lead by example, communicate effectively, work collaboratively, have constructive dialogues, be a good listener, appreciate how to contribute to a cause, prioritize and manage priorities, and have a good presence.
Source: You have devoted a lot of time in recent years to ASCE’s civil engineering education efforts. Why is this such an important topic to you?
Gunalan: An educated society is an enlightened society. Though the fundamental principles have not changed over the years, the technology and tools available today are forcing us to rethink how the principles are taught, learned, and applied.
Engineering education needs to be nimble to meet the needs of today and the future, while anchored in sound fundamentals. The system needs to adapt, and I am passionate about helping to prepare the engineers of the future with the best resources today to meet those demands.
Source: You talked a little bit about this earlier, but could you expand upon your vision for WFEO under your leadership?
Gunalan: WFEO is a global organization representing our great profession, and I genuinely believe that it needs to be the “go-to organization” for any or all engineering-related issues.
Building on initiatives put forth by the presidents and leadership teams of the past, such as the academy, engagement with global organizations such as the UN and UNESCO, and work products of the standing technical committees and working groups, I intend to raise the profile of the organization to attract the attention of global leaders.
And to ensure its sustainability, I want WFEO to be an organization that is nimble, that is attractive and effective for generations to come.
Watch K.N. “Guna” Gunalan deliver a statement on behalf of WFEO about making AI beneficial to all at a recent United Nations forum.
