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2014 OUTSTANDING SECTION / BRANCH AWARD NOMINATION FORM Applications are limited to 12 pages plus a copy of one newsletter.

Please mail an electronic submittal (pdf files preferred) to Nancy Berson at ASCE: nberson@asce.org by October 30, 2014.

BASIC INFORMATION:

Award Classification (check one):

Very Large Section/Branch (> 2500 members)

Large Section/Branch (1001-2500 members)

Medium Section/Branch (501-1000 members)

Small Section/Branch (< 500 members)

Section/Branch Nominee: Pittsburgh Section

Name and Board Position of Contact Member:

N. Catherine Bazan-Arias, PhD, PE, F. ASCE, President-Elect

ASCE Member ID: 323783

Address: 570 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA 15146

Telephone: 412.372.4500, ext. 119

E-mail: Cathy@DiGioiaGray.com

A. COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS (10 Points Maximum) Newsletter (1 point per newsletter, 4 points maximum):

Number of Newsletters Published Annually: Nine (9)

Please include one newsletter with the Award nomination package.

Website (3 points maximum):

Website URL: http://www.asce-pgh.org/

Discuss the content included on your website:

Weekly updated events, news, online registrations, and new as of September 2014 a Section blog. Public data includes contact information for Section and Branch leaders; details on locally-held programs, events and activities; various industry-related news articles, and links to our Section’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). Posts by the Section are shown on our website so that everyone can see the social media data independent of account status. Additionally, there’s a members-only section showcasing job postings, the Younger Member Forum’s (YMF) annual resume book, discussion boards, and fellow members’ profiles.

Other Tools (3 points maximum):

Discuss any other communication tools used by your Section/Branch:

Via Section e-mail – newsletter distribution, reminders and Office Champions alerts for local and regional events and issues. Via technical, social and Section seminars, meetings and teleconferences: resolution of Section matters, strategic organization of events and activities.

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Via Social Media – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn: announcements and updates on events, activities, meetings and special Key Alerts.

Additionally, each Institute and Younger Member Forum (YMF) maintains their own email distribution list to keep their membership systematically informed. Some groups, notably our Younger Member Forum, have their own Facebook page. The Section also supports additional Section-related social media such as:

EWRI’s LinkedIn Group page and Facebook page

ASCE Pittsburgh Student Group/Chapter Facebook pages: o Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) o Geneva College o University of Pittsburgh (U Pitt)

B. PROFESSIONAL / LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES, AWARDS / RECOGNITION, AND SCHOLARSHIPS (10 Points Maximum)

Professional / Leadership (non-Technical) Committees (1 point each, 2 points maximum) Professional Committee:

Number of Meetings:

Presentation Topic(s):

Continuing Education

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Several meetings as part of the Engineers without Borders (EWB) and Carnegie Mellon University’s Project Symbiosis in Rampur India (Section F) and leaders’ seminars on media and continuing education web-series. (Details in Section C).

Educational Outreach

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Dec 2013 - “Outreach Training” to familiarize individuals with the tools and resources that are available highlighting a newly-enhanced toolkit containing various hands-on materials such as rebar, expansion joints, pipe pieces, soil bore samples, etc.; 01 Feb 2014 PA Junior Academy of Science – Four Section volunteers judged student project entries and assisted at this event at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Science Center; National Engineer's Week 2014 – Twenty-three Section volunteers promoted and staffed hands-on activities for young and young-at-heart.

Professional / Leadership (non-Technical) Seminars / Courses (1 point each, 3 points max.)

Date: Approx.

Attendees: Presentation Topics / Describe Seminar:

24Sep2013 35

The YMF hosted their third Interview Workshop in collaboration with the U Pitt Student Chapter. Participants comprised twenty (20) civil engineering students from both U Pitt and CMU and ten interviewers, including our Section President and YM leaders.

20Nov2013 &

22Jan2014 55

Educational Outreach Committee members participated in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) program, developing two modules for mentoring sessions. A geotechnical engineering module was developed and presented in November to students alongside hands-on activities that included a small model load test for shallow and deep foundations, and a bearing resistance and settlement calculation exercise. A structural engineering module was developed where a wind tunnel experiment demonstrates and calculates wind loading on a structure. This latter session was held in January.

Summer 2013

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EWRI’s CMU Graduate Chapter’s Summer Film Series. Three films were presented throughout the summer on topics such as Global Climate Change, Future of Energy, and Privatization of Water. The three events were attended by about 32 students/professionals.

Awards Given by the Section/Branch

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Name of Award: Recipient: Describe:

American Bridge Leadership

Blaise Andrew Bucha

Honors outstanding achievement of emerging student leaders; the award aims to attract the highest quality of people to civil engineering. $5,000 cash award.

Civil Engineering Achievement

Wasilewski Water Treatment Plant,

Erie: largest membrane filter

plant in USA

Recognizes an exemplary project within our Section that highlights superior civil engineering skills and represents a significant contribution to civil engineering progress and society.

Employer Recognition

Award

Hatch Mott MacDonald

Publicly recognizes employers for exemplary employee support in encouraging participation in ASCE including, but not limited to, publishing articles, organizing seminars and conferences, and becoming part of the Section board.

Several Several Please see listing in annexed newsletter sample

Society Awards Received by the Section / Branch or its members

Name of Award: Recipient: Describe:

Edward Friedman Timothy Brett,

P.E.

Recognizes a Society member who has contributed substantially to the status of the engineering profession by establishing a reputation for professional service.

Roebling Michael D.

Flowers, P.E.

Recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of construction engineering.

ERYMC Outstanding Young Civil Engineer in the Public Sector

Adarsh Menon, E.I.T.

Recognizes a Society member in the Public Sector who demonstrates leadership in civil engineering.

ERYMC Outstanding ASCE Practitioner Advisor

Linda Kaplan, P.E.

Recognizes a Society member who has been actively involved with student chapter activities along with participation within ASCE national and local activities.

National Membership

Renewal Race

Large Group – Pittsburgh

Section YMF

The YMF received recognition for having one of the highest percentages of YMs to renew their ASCE membership. The award was a cash prize of $1,000.

Scholarships to High School Students (2 points maximum)

Name of Scholarship: Amount of Scholarship: Describe:

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Achievement (PJAS)

$50/each

Recognizes students in 7th

through 12th grades

for outstanding scientific achievement at the PJAS Regional competition – independent of other awards. Three awards in January 2014.

Scholarships to College Students (1 point maximum)

Name of Scholarship: Amount of Scholarship: Describe:

Achievement Award $500/each

Recognizes the outstanding academic and community involvement of up to three undergraduate students in civil engineering undergraduate programs within our Section. Three awards given in February 2014.

C. TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES (10 Points Maximum)

Section/Branch Technical Committees or Institutes (minimum of 2 technical meetings per year; 1 point each, 4 points maximum)

Technical Committee:

Number of Meetings:

Presentation Topic(s):

EWRI 7 “Potential Water Quality Impacts from Leaking Sewers: a Case Study

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from the Pittsburgh Region”; “Is Our Green Infrastructure Storing?”; “Brownfield Development and Innovative Remediation Techniques”; “HEC-RAS Workshop”, ”HEC-HMS Workshop” and “Natural Gas: An Inside Perspective into Pennsylvania’s Future.”

Geo-Institute

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“2012 Terzaghi Lecture: Geoenvironmental Engineering - Problems Solved and Challenges Remaining”, “Rehabilitation of the Thorn Run Dam”, “Geotechnical Design Services in the Marcellus Shale Gas Play”, “Seismic Modeling & Applications of FD Modeling to Rock Physics and Geomechanics”, “Recent Advances in the State-of-Practice of Ground Modification”, “Special Lecture: Impact Load Tests for Embassy Protection Against Terrorists”, various presentations at 12

th Annual PGS/AEG/G-I Student Night.

Structural Engineering

Institute 4

“National Steel Day Tour - CJ Betters Enterprises Slag and Pig Iron Recycling”, “BRADD Software Updates”, “I-90 Cleveland Innerbelt CCG1 - Expediting a Major Project through Design-Build Delivery”, “Verification of Computer Calculations by Approximation Methods”.

Younger Member Forum

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Technical Dinner - The YMF’s highest profile event, part of our Section’s Dinner Series, on “The Demolition of the Civic Arena” (1 PDH). Technical Seminar: “Post Disaster Assessment Workshop” through ASCE’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure provided (6 PDHs).

Technical Seminars / Courses Offered with PDHs (1 point each, 4 points maximum)

Date: Approx. Attendees:

Describe:

21 to 23 Jul2014

300

ASCE Shale Energy Engineering Conference - Technical Challenges, Environmental Issues and Public Policy. Technical sessions on Environmental Regulation and Water Resource Management as well as political and technical issues associated with the responsible development of this valuable natural resource. (27 PDHs)

13 to 14 Aug2014

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“Trenchless Technology, SSES and Buried Asset Management”. Two-day seminar held in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Society for Trenchless Technology (MASTT), the Pittsburgh Section and the EWRI. Topics covered included: Sewer, Water and Manhole Rehabilitation, Cured-In-Place Pipe Renewal (CIPP), Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Pipe Bursting, Underground Structure Rehab, Chemical Grouting, and an overview of trenchless technology and the Buried Asset Management Institute. (12 PDHs)

16May2014 45

Continuing Education Seminar: EE for CE: Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering for Civil Engineers, “Basic, Practical Electrical Engineering Every Civil Engineer Needs to Know”, for civil engineers who wish to refresh their knowledge of how electricity and other electrical principles affect their projects. The seminar covered trends in the industry, electrical safety for construction sites, some cool “toys” (subsurface utility detection), and how pumps, motors, and electric valve actuators work. (7 PDHs)

29Mar2014 52

One-day short course, "Recent Advances in the State of Practice of Ground Modification Technologies", presented by Dr. James Collin, president of Collin Group, Ltd., on design guidance for a variety of ground improvement technologies, including deep mixing, aggregate columns, vibro-concrete columns, and shored mechanically stabilized earth. The course also provided an overview of the resources available through the GeoTech Tools website. (8 PDHs)

Other Technical / Educational Activities and Benefits for Section / Branch Members (2 points maximum)

Describe other technical / Continuing Education Dinner Seminar: Social Media for Civil

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educational activities and benefits for Section / Branch members:

Engineers, 10 Sep 2014 Topics and questions addressed were: Are you a seller-doer? Thinking about marketing your business or yourself with social media but overwhelmed and not sure how to get started? Not convinced that social media works? This seminar showed the value of using social media to reach clients, how it can lead to new clients and how it drives repeat business. The top 5 most popular social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest – were reviewed. (~25 attendees). Continuing Education (CEd) Made Easy Article Series: Committee chair Sam Shamsi, PhD, PE, F.ASCE published six articles in our Section newsletter also available from our Section’s Continuing Education Made Easy Web page. 1. Dec 2013, Part 1: CEd Basics; 2. Jan 2014; Part 2: CEd Requirements for Pennsylvania Professional Engineers; 3. Feb 2014, Part 3: CEd Requirements for Pennsylvania Professional Engineers (cont’d); 4. Mar 2014; Part 4: CEd Requirements for Other States and Certifications (e.g. OH, WV, DEP, AAEE, EWRI, etc.); 5. Apr 2014, Part 5: CEd Modes (instructor led, online, correspondence course, etc.); 6. May 2014, Part 6: CEd Documentation (logs, certificates, and audits).

D. MEMBERSHIP (10 Points Maximum)

Describe efforts to transition Student Members to Associate Members (2 points):

Undergraduate and graduate students receive e-mail updates from the Section and YMF for ongoing and upcoming activities. Students are purposefully intermingled between young and seasoned professionals at dinner tables and events to motivate open dialogue and interaction. Events such as interview workshops and panel discussions are hosted on local campuses to better serve students and highlighting the benefits of staying – or becoming – involved in ASCE post-graduation. The YMF focuses heavily on recruiting and retaining collegiate civil engineers and transitioning them to YMs and from Associate to Full-Member status. Student Chapter members are invited, sometimes personally, to YMF general body meetings, events, and activities and can attend Section and YMF fee-based events at significantly reduced rates. Over 10 of these events were planned during the nomination year such as: Alcosan Wastewater Treatment Plant visit – EWRI and the Carnegie-Mellon University (CMU) Graduate Student Chapter. A guided tour of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) WWTP, a 250 MGD treatment plant that services the greater Pittsburgh area. (~20 attendees) Bacterial Mineralization and its Applications Webinar at CMU with Dr. Damian Palin (TED Fellow). (~16 attendees)

Describe Member recruitment programs (2 points):

The role of the Younger Member Forum (YMF) within the Pittsburgh ASCE Section is a primary membership recruiting tool for our Section. The Membership committee also has a strong focus on hosting joint or co-hosted/co-sponsored events between the institutes to increase cross-technical participation and raise awareness among members from different specialties. This effort was extended to organizations that interact with our Section as a recruitment strategy, such as Section member firms and organizations.

Describe Member retention programs (2 points):

New in 2013, the Section initiated a letter campaign welcoming all new members who joined our Section per

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National’s database. Also initiated in 2013 was the Membership Committees largest initiative, a “Member Survey”. Over a year of planning, coordination, design and implementation has yielded the Section’s most robust Member Survey to answer pressing questions such as: How satisfied are our members? How can we best continue to provide benefit to our membership? How do we better retain members at risk? More on survey below. Our Section board members also reach out to “seldom seen members” to personally invite them to events.

Describe any recognition programs for employers supporting ASCE (2 points):

Outstanding employers are recognized with the Employer Recognition Award presented at the Awards Banquet during Engineer’s Week in February. This award recognizes employers who provide financial (dues, employer-paid compensation for events, time off) and non-financial (time flexing, speakers for events) assistance. The Section recognizes employers each month with their inclusion in the monthly newsletter/blog. Employers who are members of ASCE are eligible to enter the member’s only area of the website. Here, they have access to documents such as the Resume Book developed by the YMF. Lastly, employers are recognized at special events (technical dinners, fundraising and E-Week events, etc.) as sponsors.

Describe other Membership Activities / Events (2 points):

To build on member retention efforts (above): the Member Survey’s development is being completed by ASCE National’s Dan Wilson. It is being Beta tested and is expected to roll out in early Nov. 2014. The Membership Committee is creating a strategy to process the survey results and initiate the necessary actions to improve member satisfaction. Our Section and the YMF participated in ASCE National’s Renewal Race. Race information was posted on the Section’s website in addition to regular e-blast/e-mail reminders that went out to the Section’s/YMF’s list serve to remind recipients to renew their membership and pay national/local dues. This past nomination year the YMF won the Section’s first Renewal Race 2014 Large Team award for the highest number of renewals within the race period (award amount listed in Section B). The Section/YMF offers a multiplicity of events including camping, dodgeball, joint socials and local tours. Over 60 organized events such as: EWRI Formal Fall Networking at CMU. Students networked with local professionals in the engineering community to discuss career paths and the job market. (~30 attendees); ASCE Family Picnic. 17 May 2014. For the first time, ASCE hosted a picnic for all members of ASCE and their families (~10 attendees). Weather and location may have deterred attendees from participation this past year however the Section is planning on utilizing the member survey to determine whether this type of event is something the members really desire.

E. PUBLIC OUTREACH / EDUCATION ACTIVITIES (10 Points Maximum)

Describe outreach activities with elementary, middle, or high schools (2 points):

20 Feb 2014 – STEM Fair, Seneca Valley Senior High School – Section members attended the annual STEM Fair at this Western Pennsylvania school to represent and promote Civil & Environmental Engineering as a viable career option.

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12 Mar 2014 – Moon Township School Group Outreach, Moon Township Library –Educational Outreach Committee members guided students through the presentation and video that the Committee has developed and refined over the years. The presenters brought several items from their “tool kit” and included structural and geotechnical engineering hands-on activities. 10Jun2014 – International Bridge Conference Outreach – In partnership with the ESWP an all-day High School program was organized where students received overviews on bridge engineering and then worked in teams to build two bridges: one using a single piece of paper and 7 paperclips with a load capacity of 100 pennies, the other our of newspaper with a load capacity of 3 full 2-liter soda bottles.

Describe outreach activities for colleges without ASCE Student Chapters (2 points):

Our Section supported the newly established EWRI University of Pittsburgh Graduate Student Chapter (EWRI UPitt). EWRI UPitt was formally organized on August 7, 2013 under faculty advisor Jorge Abad, Ph.D. and aims to address the technical, educational and professional needs of its members and to serve the Pittsburgh community in the use, conservation, and protection of natural resources and in the enhancement of human well-being. To date, EWRI UPitt has planned and organized several events even before their official start date. They hold general body meetings every two months, the officers meet every 2-3 weeks.

Describe outreach activities with your Practitioner Advisor and ASCE Student Chapters/Clubs (2 points):

Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) Practitioner Advisor, Linda Kaplan, PE is a member of three SEI National level committees: Aesthetics in Design, the Young Professionals, and Structures Congress Planning Subcommittee on Young Professional Activities. As part of her outreach, Linda attended the 2014 Structures Congress in Boston where she presented "The Cycle of a Structural Engineering Career: Learning & Leading". Further, Linda was very involved in planning and organizing the Ohio Valley Student Competition held at CMU which included interaction events such "Find a YMF" (they'll be wearing silly hats) and "Pie the YMF".

The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) hosted the 19-21 Jun 2014 National Concrete Canoe Competition with over 400 students from 23 universities in attendance. Stephanie N. Buncich, E.I.T., and William Confair, PE, UPJ’s Practitioner Advisors, collaborated with student leaders to organize, staff and successfully deliver a world-class event.

Describe outreach activities via media outlets (2 points):

This past year, our Section’s Public Affairs & Publicity Committee has grown in membership by 85% and has taken on a new strategic plan. Of note, we organized, promoted and lead the June 25th, 2014 Southwestern Pennsylvania press conference and release of the 2014 ASCE Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure: http://www.pareportcard.org/. The event included: writing and distributing embargoed press releases, securing an outstanding venue that represented aspects of the 16 infrastructure grades and organizing guest speakers such as Daniel Cessna PE, PennDOT Engineering District 11, District Executive; Dennis Davin, Allegheny County, Director of Economic Development; and Bill Flanagan, Allegheny Conference on Community Development Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations. The MC for the vent was ASCE Pittsburgh PARC Chair Gregory Scott, PE, M.ASCE, and the keynote speaker for ASCE Pittsburgh was Ralph Gilbert, PE, F.ASCE, Immediate Past President, Pittsburgh Section. Numerous television, radio and print

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media outlets covered and publicized the event. Sample print clippings and photographs from the press conference include:

“Pa. Infrastructure Grades Suffer Due To Poor Roads, Bridges”, 25Jun2014 – CBS Local – Pittsburgh.

“State's civil engineers give roads a D- in latest "report card"”, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 25Jun2014.

Describe other public outreach or educational activities (2 points):

On the heels of the release event, our Section members publicized PARC through participation in the following:

Comcast Newsmakers, Keystone Region – TV Interview

Repair America Town Hall, Erie – Guest Presenter

Our Regions’ Business, Pittsburgh – TV Interviews

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Letter to the Editor from Section President Kemal Niksic:

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2014/07/25/Congress-must-not-put-off-funding-solutions-for-infrastructure/stories/201407250027

The Section has also publicized awards and recognition in the media, the Section newsletter, website and social media for: • Pittsburgh Section Member Award recipients (all awardees listed in March 2014 newsletter annexed) • New Slate of Pittsburgh Section Board of Directors • Various conferences, seminars, activities and events particularly surrounding E-Week and student competitions.

F. COMMUNITY SERVICE, PUBLIC SERVICE, HISTORY & HERITAGE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS (10 Points Maximum)

Describe public service projects (2 points):

Our Section’s Continuing Education Chair Sam Shamsi, PhD, PE. F.ASCE, is the Founder and Professional Mentor of EWB-CMU’s Project Symbiosis, Rampur, India, 2010-Present. This 5-year project aims to introduce a sustainable/renewable energy source to the community’s underprivileged elementary schools with little or no electricity. Dr. Shamsi traveled to India three times with CMU students for project assessment, construction, and monitoring purpose. The first phase of the project was completed in May 2012, on budget, in a record 2-year period. It included design and installation of a 5.3 KW rooftop photovoltaic solar system for a needy inner city elementary school which was getting most of its electrical power from an unsustainable diesel generator. The second phase, currently under planning, will install a similar solar system in a village school without electric power.

Describe History and Heritage Activities (2 points):

16 Jan 2014 - First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh – our YMF organized this engineers’ structural tour of a National Historical Landmark. The tour included data on the construction of 80 ft. ceiling beams and 30-ft. oak doors in the sanctuary. Our Section also appointed a new History and Heritage Chair, Todd Wilson in May 2014 to renew activities in this committee.

Describe Government Relations activities (2 points):

Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure Public Release Event. ASCE members participated in the Public Release Event of the PA Report Card at the Hofbräuhaus in Pittsburgh’s Southside Works Complex. ASCE Shale Energy Engineering Conference - Technical Challenges, Environmental Issues and Public Policy. The first ASCE Conference dedicated to shale energy was held in

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Pittsburgh on July 2014 sponsored by the EWRI Chapter. Kemal Niksic, our then President-Elect, was the Conference Chair. The conference was attended by engineering and industry professionals from across the country who participated in active discussions on a number of political and technical issues associated with the responsible development of this valuable natural resource. (27 PDHs)

Describe Sustainability Initiatives intended to advance the principles of sustainable development (2 points):

Our section formally created a Sustainability Committee during our November 2013 meeting. The committee spearheads sustainability outreach and programming. Tom Batroney, past EWRI Pittsburgh chair and current ASCE Pittsburgh board member, is the committee chair. Jason Borne, ASCE Pittsburgh Section member, is the Vice Chair. The committee immediately instituted a “Sustainability Award” for projects in the Pittsburgh region worthy of merit at the annual Section awards banquet. The 2014 winner was the Center for Sustainable Landscapes at the Phipps Conservatory. The committee also launched a website: http://www.asce-pgh.org/sustainability 22-23 Feb 2014 - Tom participated in the Section Branch Liaison two-day workshop in Atlanta, Georgia featuring presentations and discussions of sustainability initiatives from ASCE chapters and branches throughout the country. 10-12 Apr 2014 - Tom and Jason also participated in the South Side Green Infrastructure Charrette on behalf of our Section, a green sponsor for the event, and the Sustainability Committee. The charrette highlighted the stormwater management and sustainability principles of green infrastructure design for the 21st street corridor in the South Side, part of the City of Pittsburgh. Over 150 attendees, including engineers, architects, city planners, residents and community stakeholders developed six conceptual designs along the 21

st street corridor. http://www.southsidegreen.com

Describe Community Service events (1 point each, 2 points max):

13Sep2014 - CANstruction “Send Hunger to the Land of Make Believe” – Promoting creativity and construction skills amongst Section members and students while benefitting our community food banks. We raised 2200 lbs. of food (about 2500 cans). 05Dec2013 - Toy Drive benefiting Brashear Association - Provided $400 in donations and 20 toys to disadvantaged children of the Pittsburgh region. 07Sep2014 - Five YMF volunteers worked directly with the ALS Walk staff to provide post-race walkers with food, water and entertainment.

G. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION (10 Points Maximum)

Describe diversity programs (2 points):

The Diversity Minute was created as an opportunity for members to consider the importance of diversity and inclusion in our daily activities. By sharing a diversity or inclusion related quote or statistic at various section events (shared vocally or through event programming) we provide this regular reminder. “Minutes” will also change monthly on the Section website/social media to spark new conversations. As previously mentioned, the Section has a robust Outreach program. On Feb. 28, 2014 The YMF was invited to Central Catholic High School to present on civil engineering at an all-boys catholic high school physics class. Students reviewed

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structural engineering topics as they relate to their physics coursework and how that knowledgebase relates to the engineering discipline. Students were encouraged to keep civil engineering in mind as their future profession. D&I Partner Programs – On Sept. 18, 2014 D&I Co-Chair Angela Mayer and several other Section members attended a Women’s Roundtable Luncheon hosted by ASCE’s partner organization the Engineer’s Society of Western PA (ESWP). District Manager of the Allegheny County Conservation District, Jan Lauer spoke to the group about her 20+ years of experience in the corporate sector of environment and science discipline vs. government related field.

Describe leadership position for diversity (2 points):

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee Formed mid to late 2013 – 2014 D&I Committee Chair – Lauren Terpak A.M. ASCE D&I Committee Co-Chair – Angela Mayer, E.I.T., A.M. ASCE In addition to other committee volunteers.

Describe diversity among Section/Branch leadership (2 points):

Statically, women are underrepresented in the civil engineering, however, our Section has a strong leadership representation. Women occupy the following positions within our Board: Incoming President-Elect, Executive Secretary, Director (2), SEI Co-Chair, GI Chair; Committees - Communications (2) and D&I Chair and Co-Chair and Practitioner Advisor (3). For the first time in its history, an all-female YMF Board was voted into position. The incoming CMU EWRI Grad Student Chapter Board is also represented entirely by women. Further, Section Leadership comprises various ethnic groups and cultures:

Incoming President - Kemal Niksic, PE, M. ASCE, European American

Incoming President-Elect – N. Catherine Bazan-Arias, PhD, PE, F. ASCE, Latino American

Continuing Education Chair – Uzair (Sam) Shamsi, PhD, PE, F. ASCE, Asian American

SEI Co-Chair – Sonya Flournoy, EIT, African American

Describe participation in community diversity programs (2 points):

Oct. 19, 2013 – The YMF promoted and organized our Section’s participation in KaBoom. KaBoom addresses wellness issues related to children playing outdoors. Over 100 volunteers turned out to re-build a playground for under-privileged youth within the city of Duquesne, PA. A resident remarked “We’re building something up. We have the community coming together.” KaBoom’s motto is “Every Child in America should be able to walk to a park to play.”

Describe other diversity and inclusion initiatives (2 points):

Through various discussions and efforts in preparing this award nomination our Section realized a need, willingness, and desire to promote and foster D&I within their organization. Thus, we formed our D&I Committee mid-to late last year to execute new D&I related ideas. The committee is in its early stages yet has developed straight-forward, solid key goals:

Continue D&I awareness within our Section membership.

Facilitate D&I related topics, issues, events through the many Section committees such as Outreach and Continuing Education Committees that already have long-lasting established foundations within the Section.

New initiatives include:

Create and foster partnerships with related groups such as SWE, NSBE, ATHENA, and Strong Women Strong Girls.

Utilize what was ascertained via participating in ASCE National’s Best Practices webinar on D&I on 23 Sep 2014.

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Learn how diverse we are by providing diversity and demographic based questions through the use of the Section Member Survey.

Underway: series based on “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO.

H. ADDITIONAL SPECIAL SECTION / BRANCH ACTIVITIES (30 Points Maximum)

Type of Activity/Event/

Initiative:

Date (if applicable):

Describe:

6th Annual Sustainability

Conference, “The Water-Energy

Nexus: Conservation,

Innovative Technologies, and Practical

Solutions”

27 Mar 2014

Sustainable Pittsburgh’s Champions for Sustainability (C4S), the Green Workplace Challenge (GWC), our Section, and our EWRI Chapter, organized the most ambitious to date Joint Annual Sustainability Conference. Highlights:

Keynote address by Pittsburgh’s recently elected Mayor, William Peduto.

Local businesses competing in Pittsburgh’s GWC and a series of experts held panel discussions.

Conference showcased the region’s achievements and opportunities in water and energy.

Program featured regional progress from GWC competitors and highlighted front-line technologies gaining traction in some of the best practices on the national scene.

During the event, our EWRI Chapter also nominated the “Center for Sustainable Landscapes, Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens” (PC&BG) project for our Section 2013 “Civil Engineering Achievement Award”. PC&BG, continues to advance their mission of sustainability, commissioned with the third and final phase of their overall campus expansion. The goal of expansion project has been to design a center for education, research and administrative operations that would meet the requirements of the International Living Future Institute’s groundbreaking green building certification program, the Living Building Challenge. (~140 attendees, 5 hrs.)

“Infrastructure Opportunities and

Challenges Program”, panel discussion with infrastructure

leaders

21 May 2014

ASCE Transportation and Development Institute held a joint Luncheon Program with SMPS Pittsburgh.Panelists included: David W. Borneman, P.E., Director, Engineering & Construction – ALCOSAN; Victor Defazio, P.E., PennDOT District 11-0; & Rex Woodward, Commissioner, Port of Pittsburgh Commission; Chairman of the PPC’s Wireless Waterway Committee; and Executive Director of Pittsburgh Port Technology, Inc.

Annual EWRI Congress in

Portland, Oregon

01-05 Jun 2014

Section representatives and EWRI chapter attendees, Greg Scott, P.E. – Vice-Chair, Lewie Zhang, Ph.D. – Secretary, and Negin Ashoori – President CMU Graduate Student Chapter participated as follows: a. Lewei presented "A numerical simulation approach to evaluate the performance of pressure and tracer monitoring for CH4 leakage detection".

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b. Negin presented: “Water Supply for Los Angeles, California: Sources, Stressors, and Sustainability”. c. Greg represented us at the Congress and participated in the Education Committee meeting as the Chair of a new Professional Practice Committee in EWRI to be created under the Member Services ExCom in October 2014.

Strategic Planning

Meeting/Bylaw Update

12Jun2014

During our Section’s Strategic Planning meeting, each of the Institute Chairs, Committee Chairs, Student Chapter Presidents and YMF President provided an overview of their activities for the upcoming year including requests for financial support from the Section. The Section Budget committee met afterwards to discuss the formal proposals and to set the budget for the coming year. Strategic Planning initiatives include: • Engage/retain membership through the implementation of a Member Survey. • Revisit and revamp the Section’s Communications means and methods including a complete makeover to our website and monthly issued newsletter. • Updates to Section’s governance and processes including Bylaws, Operations Manual, Nominations and Section Awards.

YMF Recent Graduate Forum

23 Oct 2014

Three University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) alumni involved in our Section’s YMF, and Stephanie Buncich, E.I.T., recent UPJ graduate, conducted this outreach activity at UPJ as part of a student seminar. Approximately 100 students asked questions ranging from coursework to job applications, what to expect after graduation, and professional networking.

Multi-Regional Leadership Conference

(MRLC)

02Feb2014

Our Section sent seven YM’s and one student to Indianapolis to attend the ERYMC track of the MRLC. The Pittsburgh Section ended up securing the votes to hosting conference in 2016 thanks to the successful advocacy of our eight representatives. Seven additional students and YMF members arrived on time to attend the Conference’s WSCL.

Leadership Development Initiative (LDI)

Sep 2014

LDI Pittsburgh is a highly competitive nine-month program that focuses on shaping emerging leaders in our region. Our Section partnered with LDI in 2011 to initiate a pilot program offering a $1,000 scholarship to a YMF member. This was win-win: engineers were under-represented at the LDI program and the YMF enhanced their leadership formation. Additionally, our Section is building a broader network base and elevating civil engineers visibility. In 2012-13 an YM was selected to be in the program and currently acts as the ASCE-LDI alumni assisting future candidates with the application process. Due to the organization being highly selective the selected YM for the 2013-2014 LDI year was not accepted into the program.

Charleroi Lock and Dam

Construction Tour

01Aug2014

The Charleroi Lock and Dam tour was organized by the Pittsburgh YMF to host the ASCE Rochester Section. A member of the Rochester Section extended her stay and further enjoyed networking with YMs and visiting the City of Pittsburgh.