Summer is over and fall is on its way here in the heartland of the United States. And what a brutal summer it has been here. Record temperatures combined with little rain have resulted in severe drought for the majority of our state.

Tens of thousands of private wells have dried up, including that of my daughter, Christina Zweig, who has a small horse farm east of Fayetteville, Ark. Fortunately for her, she spent the money for a buried tank and pump system that allows her to keep 1,000 gallons of water in reserve and also fill it from a water truck in cases of emergency. But for many, water is and is going to be a big problem – especially if the drought conditions continue. Crops are drying in the fields, hay prices are skyrocketing, and livestock is being slaughtered at a record pace.

All of these problems related to a lack of water – here and elsewhere – have to create opportunities for civil engineers, now and into the future. “The future is so bright you gotta wear shades,” as the song says. It is hard for me to imagine that this profession is not going to be one of the most sought-after there is in the years to come.

And it’s great to see more interest of young men and women in the field. Better yet (from my perspective, at least!) are those who are interested in both engineering and business. The entrepreneurship class I teach at The Sam M. Walton College of Business here at The University of Arkansas has two female civil engineering majors enrolled in it this fall. The water problems we face in the world will require both technical and business solutions.

That’s why CE News is aimed at both the business and technology of civil engineering. Both are critical to helping make the world a better place and improving the condition of mankind. It’s noble work you do; not everyone has a job or profession that provides such a strong sense of purpose as civil engineering does.

Enjoy our September issue! As usual, it’s jam-packed with information we hope makes you a better engineer, manager, and business person (if you are one). Thanks for reading!

Mark C. Zweig
mzweig@zweigwhite.com