Typically, exotic locations evoke thoughts of relaxation and sun-bathing. In this case, engineers are volunteering at these locations to improve the health and welfare of others, and sometimes even save lives. In this web-exclusive article, running alongside CE News’ July issue online, Rod Beadle, P.E., CMF, president of Engineering Resource Associates, Inc., dives into his experiences in the developing world — specifically his work in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he and his team surveyed and designed a school, clinic, conference center, library, and other facilities to replace structures and infrastructure destroyed by lava from a volcanic eruption.

To read the full article, visit www.cenews.com

Green construction project management
Recently, “sustainability” has been gaining ground across all industries from packaging and food to transportation and, of course, engineering. And although it’s not always easy going green, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) sets an aggressive goal to measure and mitigate environmental impact beyond the minimum required statutes that regulate UDOT design and construction projects. So when it came to reconstructing a 2-mile section of I-80 in Salt Lake City, UDOT rose to meet the challenge. Learn how UDOT’s construction management process minimized environmental impact on one of the largest bridge reconstruction projects of its kind in the United States by visiting www.hubdot.net

Editor’s take on education
The June issue of CE News featured an exclusive about civil engineering education, asking educators and practitioners, “Do you think graduating civil engineers are well prepared for the workforce?” Surveys found 70 percent of educators said yes, while 52 percent of practitioners said no. The article also pointed out that 70 percent of survey respondents said enrollments are increasing. Spinning off from this article, in a web-exclusive article on www.gostructural.com, Jennifer Goupil, P.E., editor of Structural Engineering & Design magazine, offers her take on the issue, calling out relevant headlines in the news, including “ACE Mentor Program releases research results” and “Curriculum exposes students to engineering concepts at young age” from The New York Times.

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