December 2014

WISCONSIN SECTION Environmental engineer named a 2015 New Face of Civil Engineering As an environmental engineer with Natural Resource Technology, Inc., Kenneth R. Mika, P.E., M.ASCE, has worked on several significant projects, including his current one as project manager and design engineer for an in situ solidification/stabilization project in eastern Wisconsin. His responsibilities include working with a team to lead a field investigation, design ISS and soil excavation remedy, work with the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulatory agencies on negotiating a final remedy, bidding the project out to a general contractor, and leading the field team to oversee the work for the client. Such early achievements made Mika worthy of selection as one of ASCE’s 2015 New Faces of Civil Engineering. “By working as an environmental engineer,” says Mika, “I am able to get the word out there that civil engineers can also give back to their community by cleaning up environmentally impacted sites instead of just building roads, bridges, buildings, and other infrastructure type work. “ Actively engaged in volunteer efforts, Mika in 2012 was on the Planning Committee for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Expo; an event for kids in grades K through 12 to come to the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and engage in STEM type activities. Sponsored by the ASCE Wisconsin Section Southeast Branch Younger Member Group, the Expo proved a great success. “We were able to raise over $8,500 for the event,” says Mika. “We had over 150 attendees and 120 volunteers that made the STEM Expo a success. In fact, the STEM Expo was such a great success that the planning committee decided to continue to host future events now yearly.” Mika’s volunteer efforts do not stop there, in the past four years he has also was part of the National Alliance of Mental Illness Walk, Corporate Capers, Earth Day Clean-Up, Future City, and food donations to Hope House of Milwaukee. “I get excited that I can work with other people who share my ideals about cleaning up the environment and giving back to the community,” says Mika, “It’s very gratifying.”  Section website>>

ILLINOIS SECTION Notre Dame doctoral candidate named a 2015 New Face of Civil Engineering As a Ph.D. student at the University of Notre Dame, Maria Gibbs, S.M.ASCE, conducts research on bridge aeroelasticity with applications to help the rural poor around the world. Gibbs’ early achievements made her worthy of selection as one of ASCE’s 2015 New Faces of Civil Engineering. A recipient of a prestigious National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship, Gibbs’ research looks at wind-induced motion of suspension footbridges to help design bridges built by Bridges to Prosperity (B2P), an organization that provides isolated communities with access to essential healthcare, education, and economic opportunities by building footbridges. Developing a method to collect dynamics data for B2P’s footbridges requiring only a smart phone app and a rope, Gibbs’ research allowed B2P to push the span limits of footbridge technology, increasing the reach of the organization’s efforts. “So my job,” Gibbs noted, “Was to erase that uncertainty and develop a tool that is going to predict how these structures are going to respond to the wind so that we can design and build these bridges safely, and to last a long time.” A dedicated leader, Gibbs recently spent a year on the B2P staff to develop the organization’s research and operational capacity, and continues to remain involved as member of its Board of Directors. Her dedication to the rural poor around the globe is reflected in her compassion, dedication, and integrity of her work as a young engineer. “I believe that people deserve the opportunity to be healthy, be educated and support themselves and their families,” says Gibbs. “That is what drives my work and will continue my work and what being a New Faces of Civil Engineering means to me.” Section website>>.

MICHIGAN SECTION Detroit plans giant sports and entertainment district RA new arena for the Detroit Red Wings is only part of a larger urban development plan that is meant to revitalize a large portion of downtown Detroit. Explore what’s envisioned in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine..

IN ASCE’S CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Pay trends indicate construction market changes Research reveals the emphasis that engineering and construction firms are placing on securing new business in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Explore a consulting firm’s findings in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine. .

IN ASCE’s CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE ONLINE Corps ‘embracing uncertainty’ in its project planning In adapting to climate change, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now models both historical and theoretical storms and consults a sea-level rise tool that it developed to gauge site vulnerability. Discover the Corps’ new approaches in ASCE’s online edition of Civil Engineering magazine.

Great outreach event or other activity? Let the whole Region know! If you’re a local ASCE leader and your Section, Branch, Younger Member Group, or Student Chapter has staged any special events, engaged in outreach from grade-school kids to lawmakers, done charity work, fund raising or anything of the sort, let ASCEnews Weekly know and we may include it in next month’s Region report. You may already have written about it and posted pictures in your newsletter, website, or social media. Share the details and any photos at asce.org/localnews. Got questions? Write to submissions@asce.org. See the other Region reports for December If you live adjacent to a Section in a different Region, or are merely interested in the other Region reports for December, click on each to view them:   Region 1   Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section, Buffalo Section, Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers Section, Ithaca Section, Maine Section, Metropolitan Section, Mohawk-Hudson Section, New Hampshire Section, New Jersey Section, Puerto Rico Section, Rhode Island Section, Rochester Section, Syracuse Section, Vermont Section Region 2   Central Pennsylvania Section, Delaware Section, Lehigh Valley Section, Maryland Section, National Capital Section, Philadelphia Section, Pittsburgh Section Region 3   Akron-Canton Section, Central Illinois Section, Central Ohio Section, Cincinnati Section, Cleveland Section, Dayton Section, Duluth Section, Illinois Section, Michigan Section, Minnesota Section, North Dakota Section, Quad Cities Section, Toledo Section, Wisconsin Section Region 4   Arkansas Section, Indiana Section, Kentucky Section, North Carolina Section, South Carolina Section, Tennessee Section, Virginia Section, West Virginia Section Region 5  Alabama Section, Florida Section, Georgia Section, Louisiana Section, Mississippi Section   Region 6  New Mexico Section, Oklahoma Section, Texas Section Region 7  Colorado Section, Iowa Section, Kansas City Section, Kansas Section, Nebraska Section, South Dakota Section, St. Louis Section, Wyoming Section Region 8  Alaska Section, Arizona Section, Columbia Section, Hawaii Section, Inland Empire Section, Montana Section, Nevada Section, Oregon Section, Seattle Section, Southern Idaho Section, Tacoma-Olympia Section, Utah Section Region 9 Los Angeles Section, Sacramento Section, San Diego Section, San Francisco Section Region 10   All International Sections, Branches, and Groups Missed last month's Region 3 update? See the November edition of  News Around Region 3 Share this page via social media and email: