PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Annual Branch Awards

June 2014

ASCE strives to advance civil engineering and serve the public good. We do that by advancing technology, encouraging lifelong learning and professional development, promoting professionalism and influence public policy and developing leaders. It’s up to ASCE members (you and I) to advocate for infrastructure, protect public health and safety, improve quality of life, and to advance the perception of civil engineers through community activities. Our ASCE Branch is constantly working to meet these overarching goals. I would like to highlight a few recent efforts our Branch wrapped up.

Technical Seminar. Cara Martinez, Branch Vice President, took the lead on coordinating this year’s technical seminar for members. She diligently sought out seminar topics, solicited your input, and pursued a locally relevant topic. Working with U.C. Davis Extension, she coordinated and hosted a Groundwater Law and Hydrology seminar at Cal Poly. Over 60 local members, professionals, citizens and decision makers attended. Through her efforts, we have grown our community’s local knowledge base on groundwater and its management. A big thank you to Cara and her helpers along the way! And a big thank you to our sponsors: Cannon Corp, Contech and Wallace Group.

Annual Scholarships. Anthony Severy, Branch President Elect, coordinated our Branch’s annual scholarship program. He solicited applications from college and high school students currently pursuing civil engineering degrees. He received applications from stellar candidates that are not only good students, but are actively engaged in the local community. Please help us to congratulate this year’s college scholarship recipients: Hannah Johnson ($1,500), Logan McNeil ($500), and Monica Fiedler-Ross ($500); and this year’s high school scholarship recipient: Jeremy Rands ($500; yes, Barry Rands’s son is continuing the family’s love of engineering at U.C. Davis next year!). A big thank you to Anthony and his review panelists!

Annual Branch Awards. Each year our Branch highlights local excellence through a series of individual and project awards. It’s incredible to me how much our small community of engineers, contractors, firms and municipalities accomplishes each year. This year’s nominations highlighted our members’ resourcefulness, innovation, and extensive community engagement. 

It is my honor to publish the final San Luis Obispo ASCE Branch 2014 Award Recipients:

• Outstanding Government Civil Engineering Project – Union Valley Parkway Interchange, Owner/ Design: California Department of Transportation
• Outstanding Private Sector Civil Engineering Project – Pismo Heights Water System Reconstruction Project, Owner: City of Pismo Beach, Design: Wallace Group
• Outstanding Sustainability Project – 21st Street Complete and Green Street Project, Owner: City of Paso Robles, Design: Cannon Corp
• Outstanding Younger Civil Engineer – Kyle Anderson, PE
• Outstanding Faculty Advisors – Dr. Garrett Hall & Dr. Eric Kasper
• Outstanding Practitioner Advisor – Jazz T. Gilbert
• Outstanding Civil Engineer in Community Service – Cara Martinez, PE
• Outstanding Civil Engineering Student – Susie White

In addition, the Branch has two awards that are reserved for major infrastructure projects, and engineers that significantly benefitted our local engineering community. 

• Lifetime Achievement in Civil Engineering - John L. Wallace, PE. He has worked in the industry— both private and public sector, and as an operator, engineer and leader— for nearly 45 years, and celebrated the 30^th anniversary of his local firm this year. As noted in the nomination, “If ever there is a person who embodies the spirit, character, and ideals of our civil engineering profession, it is John Wallace.” And his work only begins at the office, and ripples out into many facets of community and professional organization involvement.
• Project of the Year - Union Valley Parkway Interchange, Owner/ Design: California Department of Transportation. This transportation feat has been in the works since the 1960s. It serves as an east-west arterial connection between the US 101 highway, Route 135 and the Santa Maria Airport. The effort required creativity and pioneering in construction methods, strong partnerships and collaboration, and active community engagement. 

Please take a moment to congratulate each recipient and project team. These recipients will move on to the Los Angeles ASCE Section, for consideration at the Section (southern California) and Regional (statewide) levels. A big thank you to those of you who submitted nominations, and to our review panelists!

Report Card. Looking ahead, our Branch Younger Member Forum (YMF) received ASCE grant funding to develop a San Luis Obispo Countywide Infrastructure Report Card. The YMF Board is in the information gathering stage, and will be looking for local, seasoned professionals to help with future discussions and efforts. This effort offers our Branch the chance to engage with our community, and highlight local infrastructure needs. Be on the lookout for future emails asking for volunteers. 

Enjoy the first official week of summer! See you at our July 17^th Branch meeting to talk about recycled water.

Carolyn K. Berg, P.E.

ASCE SLO Branch President