Civil Engineers: Guardians of the Infrastructure

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Civil Engineers Guardians of the Infrastructure

• By Reed Brockman, PE
• Sr. Structural Engineer / Inspection Specialist
• DMJM Harris

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Before I start preaching to the converted

• Who am I?
• An engineer inspecting and designing for DMJM
  Harris
• A volunteer, working to make sure we have a great
  next generation of civil engineers
• A dad

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Once upon a time
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And along came us
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And we developed
And developed
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Mostly good
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Some things needing work
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So here we are today
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Heroes?

• Do we keep the public safe?
• Do we solve problems thatmake real differences?
• Do we leap tall buildingsin a single bound?

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Infrastructure TLC

• Maintain what was built in the PAST
• Alter or add in the PRESENT
• Make sure it will be maintained in the FUTURE

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Taking care of the PAST

• Not just inspection
• How ARE things?
• Be part of the public!
• Sense the symptomsearly
• Was it good to beginwith?
• Understand the past and what has changed!

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Alter or add in the PRESENT

• Solve the right problem
• We dont design in a vacuum
• Not all infrastructure is good infrastructure
• Why are we doing this?
• Make it SUSTAINABLE
• Make it INSPECTABLE
• Make it both FUNCTIONAL and AESTHETIC
• Let the world know what youve done!

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Think to the FUTURE!

• Be a MENTOR
• Provide TRAINING opportunities
• Encourage kids
• Work with college students
• I consider it an important part of our job

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Problems with the FUTURE

• TECHNOLOGICAL ILLITERACY
• Misconceptions of Engineering
• Fighting against easy-way-out mentality

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Technological Illiteracy

• Black box products
• Dispose over fix
• Cant fix it yourself
• Few out there explaining their work
• Students hungry for hands-on design challenges

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Misconceptions of Engineering

• Really complicated and hard work, with lots of
  math science
• Not a job that makes any money
• Doesnt do anything to help people
• Just sitting in front of a computer all day

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Easyway-out Mentality

• Bring communities together with your projects
  have people help others
• Avoid too many virtualmodels
• Remember how everything got here
• Encourage thoughts of the Future!

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Ways to Reach Out Easy Starting Points

• Start local West Point Bridge Contest
• Meet many schools quickly
• Run a regional Future City or Model Bridge
  Contest
• These are more face-to-face
• Get to know the teachers
• Join educational committees or
  Start a TV Show

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THANK YOU!