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ASCE - Houston Branch Newsletter - March 2010

Deborah Meroniuc — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:50:24 GMT

Hello [firstname],

Welcome to the ASCE - Houston Branch newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

Calendar Events

Houston Branch Dinner Meeting
Sponsor: AECOM
Day: Tuesday 16-Mar-10 5:30 PM
Location: HESS Club 5430 Westhiemer Road Houston, Texas 77056
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar

Texas Section Spring 2010 Meeting
Sponsor: MWM Design Group
Day: Sunday 11-Apr-10 8:00 AM
Location: AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center 1900 University Avenue Austin, Texas 78705
Mapquest | Add to Calendar

Gulf Coast Green
Sponsor: AIA Houston
Day: Thursday 15-Apr-10 8:00 AM
Location: Hilton - University of Houston 4800 Calhoun Road Houston, TX 77204
Mapquest | Add to Calendar

FEMA 55: Coastal Construction Manual
Day: Thursday 22-Apr-10 8:00 AM
Location: United Way Houston 50 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar

Articles

President's Message

Dear Fellow Engineers and Friends: We had a great meeting last month with a Technical Tour of Bush Intercontinental Airport followed by an Update of the Houston Airport System by Eric Potts, P.E. The tour took the group onto the runways and container area of the airport. It was an informative tour and interesting to have the planes land around us. Now that we know how the runways work, we need to go into the “belly of the beast” and see how the luggage system operates. In... [More Info]

Houston Branch Meeting Main Speaker

This month we are pleased to welcome Mr. John Blount, P.E., Deputy Director of the Harris County Public Infrastructure Department (HCPID) to discuss “Harris County – Green Roadway”. He will discuss Harris County's decision to participate in the LID design contest and what the County sees moving forward for incorporating sustainable solutions into infrastructure design. A question and answer session will follow his presentation. Please do not miss this interesting and... [More Info]

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #1

“Green Roadways – Low Impact Development and Houston”: This technical session will focus on Low Impact Development (LID), a storm water management strategy designed to mimic predevelopment hydrology using design techniques that filter, store, infiltrate, and detain runoff close to its source. LID is a growing design trend that looks to significantly alter the way we design infrastructure and manage storm water in the Houston area. This presentation will review the... [More Info]

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #2

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #3

The winners of the recent Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum´s Low Impact Development Design Competition in Urban Design will present their challenges and discuss how their project can be had at a lower cost to developers, which bodes well for their rapid adoption and implementation. The entry EaDo Promenade will show how LID technologies can be used to have far reaching impact and be an educational resource for communities. In the entry, team members paired localized... [More Info]

Younger's Member Report

Fellow Younger Members, Thank you to those who attended our events last month, especially our events held during Engineering week. We had very successful turnouts at both Mathcounts and the Design Squad Celebration. We received a very nice letter of thanks from the Children’s Museum for our volunteering efforts. We recently created a Facebook fan page. We plan to utilize the page as a tool to update Younger Members on news and upcoming events by posting short status updates along with a... [More Info]

Treasurer's Report

As of March 1, 2010 Paypal $ 1,441.87 Money Market $ 34,827.55 Main Checking $ 3,563.41 Section Mtg. Checking $ 32,456.35 Certificate of Deposit $ 40,638.54 Total $ 112,927.72

Membership Report

Currently, adjusted assignments to the Houston Branch include 3290 members. 85% of all National renewals (1909 members) elected to pay their Texas Section Dues. Thank you for your strong ASCE participation! 2009-2010 ASCE Houston Branch Membership Report Report Date Total Assigned Membership Total National Dues Paid Total Section Dues Paid September 9/2/2009 2981 2557 86% 2051 80% October 10/7/2009 3114 2602 84% 2105 81% November ... [More Info]

Monthly Trivia

Hope you enjoy the new and improved Trivia!! Questions of the Month The questions of the Month became interactive. Click the link below to test your knowledge!! http://www.ascehouston.org/en/sur/?4 Solution to February's Questions 1. What is the Golden Ratio? c. (1 + sqrt5)/2 http://goldennumber.net/ 2. What famous painting was laid out extensively using the Golden Ratio? There are several famous paintings where artists have used the ratio of phi to create art. An... [More Info]

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

9-Mar-10 1:50 PM

President's Message

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Fellow Engineers and Friends:

We had a great meeting last month with a Technical Tour of Bush Intercontinental Airport followed by an Update of the Houston Airport System by Eric Potts, P.E. The tour took the group onto the runways and container area of the airport. It was an informative tour and interesting to have the planes land around us. Now that we know how the runways work, we need to go into the “belly of the beast” and see how the luggage system operates.

In highlighting one of ASCE goals to “Facilitate the advancement of technology to enhance quality, knowledge, competitiveness, sustainability, and environmental stewardship”, this month’s meeting will focus on sustainability. As many of you may know, the Low Impact Development Competition was held in January. This competition focused on three areas, Green Roadway, Urban Redevelopment and Suburban Residential. The purpose of the competition was to prove that Low Impact Development “practices can be adapted to Houston area conditions.” The benefits include “improving water quality in our streams, bayous and bays; reducing rainfall runoff flows that contribute to flooding; creating and restoring natural habitat; enhancing the natural aesthetics of our surroundings and improving quality of life in a variety of other ways.” Since ASCE Houston Branch sponsored the Low Impact Design competition’s “Green Roadway”, the meeting will feature the winners of each division for the technical sessions and Mr. John Blount, P.E., Harris County Deputy Director, will be the main speaker discussing why Harris County supported the competition and what will happen to the “Green Roadway “project.

In continued support for technical education, we have several technical seminars scheduled. In April, “FEMA 55: Coastal Construction Manual (for Residential Construction) is scheduled and in May a HEC-RAS seminar is being planned. Watch the ASCE calendar for upcoming events. Also, the Texas Section Meeting will be April 11-13 and early bird registration is open.

ASCE Houston Branch Board has been discussing the need to educate the public on infrastructure. The recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and Taiwan have brought engineers to the spotlight. Unfortunately, it takes tragedy for the public to understand the importance of infrastructure. The Board is committed to supporting education efforts and if you have an opportunity for us to present, let me know.

Sincerely,

B. Andrea Cheng Ranft, P.E.

8-Mar-10 11:00 PM

Houston Branch Meeting Main Speaker

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT

JOHN R. BLOUNT, P.E., LEED AP

John R. Blount is a 1984 graduate of the University of Houston. He has worked in the Civil Engineering Field for twenty-five years and is a Registered Professional Engineer (WI) (TX) as well as a LEED accredited professional. He has worked at the Harris County Engineer's Office for the last twenty-two years holding positions as an Inspector, Compliance Manager and Manager of Permits. He currently holds a position as Director of Architecture and Engineering for the Harris County Public Infrastructure Department. He serves on the National Sanitation Foundations’ (NSF) Joint Wastewater Committee and was previously chairman of the Texas Onsite Wastewater Research Council appointed by Governor Perry.

8-Mar-10 10:00 PM

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #1

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:00:00 GMT

“Green Roadways – Low Impact Development and Houston”:

This technical session will focus on Low Impact Development (LID), a storm water management strategy designed to mimic predevelopment hydrology using design techniques that filter, store, infiltrate, and detain runoff close to its source. LID is a growing design trend that looks to significantly alter the way we design infrastructure and manage storm water in the Houston area. This presentation will review the fundamentals of LID, walk through AECOM’s award winning LID Green Roadway project, and discuss the applicability of LID to projects across the Houston area.

Ross Gordon, CFM, LEED AP

Ross is a civil engineer, hydrologist, hydraulic engineer, and LEED Accredited Professional with AECOM in Houston. Ross earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering and his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Rice University and specializes in urban storm water management, environmental planning, municipal infrastructure, and sustainable design and Low Impact Development. He has worked on numerous storm water and roadway improvement projects in Houston and was the team leader for the award winning Green Roadway entry in the Houston Land Water Sustainability Forum’s Low Impact Development Design Contest. Ross also serves as a Lecturer in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at Rice University where he teaches classes on sustainability, hydrology, and water treatment.

Jim Sipes, RLA
Jim Sipes is an award-winning landscape architect with more than twenty-five years of experience encompassing a wide range of planning, design, research, and communication projects. His work is broad-based and multi-faceted and includes environmental planning and design, watershed management, park and recreation design, urban design, natural and cultural resource management, and community based design. In addition, Jim has taught site design, environmental planning, and resource management at the university level for more than 12 years and is currently working on a textbook called “Sustainable Solutions to Water Resources – Process, Planning, Design & Implementation Strategies”.

Russell Bynum, PE

Russ is a civil engineer practicing in the transportation and transit group at AECOM in Houston. Russ also has a background in residential land acquisition and development. Russ earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Houston Bauer College of Business. His specialties are roadway design, transportation planning, and toll feasibility studies. Russ has been Younger Member Chair and Computer Practices Chair for ASCE in the past and is currently the Membership Chair for Urban Land Institute.

8-Mar-10 9:00 PM

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #2

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:00:00 GMT

In the Low Impact Development Design Competition held by the Houston Land and Water Sustainability Forum, the team of Edminster, Hinshaw, Russ and Associations, Inc., Davidson Landscape Architecture and Legend Homes was the competition winner in the Suburban Design Category. The design project consisted of developing a 640-acre tract for single family residential development using only Low Impact Development techniques to handle the increased storm water generated by the development while ensuring the developer could market and sell in the competitive Houston market. The EHRA team, led by Justin R. Ring, P.E. and Christopher D. Browne, LEED AP, came up with a unique design solution that met all of the developer’s requirements and still matched the Low Impact Development guidelines. EHRA participated in all three design categories and, along with team member Davidson Landscape Architecture, were the only firms to be finalists in all three categories.

Mr. Ring has been with EHRA since August 2002.As a Project Manager, Justin is responsible for supervising engineering design, plan production and plan approvals from regulatory agencies for municipal utility districts, county and city projects.He has experience in the design of water, sanitary sewer, wastewater lift stations, storm water drainage and paving facilities for land developments as well as government agencies.

Justin is a leader in the engineering community on utilizing Low Impact Development design techniques and how it can be implemented to enhance the operations and appearance of residential, multi-use and commercial developments throughout the region.

Mr. Ring has worked on projects for Harris County Flood Control District, City of Houston, Fort Bend County, the City of Richmond and City of Rosenberg as well as numerous private clients in the Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Montgomery County areas.

Mr. Browne’s responsibilities include the management and execution of EHRA’s Planning and Landscape Architecture projects including master planned developments, subdivisions, zoning, redevelopment and infill projects. Additionally, Chris is charged with leading EHRA into a practice of incorporating sustainable, low impact design techniques with an eye on up-front infrastructure cost savings and long term energy and resource preservation.

With over 18 years of experience, Chris has the ability to provide schematics, planning, platting and project management services. His vision enables him to realize the benefits of value added research to complete his projects in a comprehensive manner, including the incorporation of market research, traffic studies and impact analyses.

Mr. Browne has led design teams for the Midtown and Fourth Ward Redevelopment Associations incorporating traffic and transportation studies, land use analysis and community focus groups. In addition to neighborhood planning, Chris has worked on parks, recreation and regional growth studies as well as Comprehensive Plans for the City of Pearland, City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Galveston County.

8-Mar-10 8:00 PM

Houston Branch Meeting Technical Session #3

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:00:00 GMT

The entry "EaDo Promenade" will show how LID technologies can be used to have far reaching impact and be an educational resource for communities. In the entry, team members paired localized hydrological strategies that capture and use rain water with pedestrian oriented design, urban ecology and integrated architectural design guidelines that could leverage a neighborhood redevelopment and create new environments.

Kevin Sullivan, PE

A native of Houston, Kevin Sullivan received a B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of Houston where he was named Outstanding Student by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. He is a professional engineer and project manager at Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc., a firm that has designed some of the most important urban spaces and systems in America. He was part of the team to win the 2010 Low Impact Development Competition presented by the Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum in the Urban Redevelopment category. Kevin is also active in the Houston Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he currently serves as Land Development Chair.

8-Mar-10 7:00 PM

Younger's Member Report

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Fellow Younger Members,

Thank you to those who attended our events last month, especially our events held during Engineering week. We had very successful turnouts at both Mathcounts and the Design Squad Celebration. We received a very nice letter of thanks from the Children’s Museum for our volunteering efforts.

We recently created a Facebook fan page. We plan to utilize the page as a tool to update Younger Members on news and upcoming events by posting short status updates along with a link to our website for more information. The name of the page is “ASCE Houston Branch Younger Members.” Become a fan!

Below is a recap of last month’s events and also details on a few events to look forward to.

Recap

Mathcounts: On February 13^th, we volunteered as graders and proctors for the Mathcounts competition held at Fluor Corporation. Ten Younger Members were in attendance to help the event become a success. For those not familiar with Mathcounts, there were three rounds, which tested math and logic knowledge. Afterwards, the top few teams competed in the lightning round. It was amazing to witness how fast some of these kids answer questions. The event was really fun and I encourage those who haven’t to volunteer at least once to see what it is about!

Children’s Museum Design Squad Celebration: On February 20^th, six of us volunteered at the Children’s Museum for the Design Squad Celebration. We were put in charge of several booths that help promote engineering to younger kids. I participated in helping kids use their imaginations to build a pinball machine and also oversaw a bridge building competition, which had kids build the strongest bridge possible by only using one sheet of paper and five paper clips. Special thanks to Laura Espinoza for helping organize this event.

Upcoming

Premier Concrete Plant Tour: On March 11^th from 11:30am to 1pm, Premier Concrete will be giving us a tour of their plant, which is located at 5102 Galveston Road/Houston, TX 77017. They presented to us back in December about their Shoretec technology, however the plant tour was postponed due to snow. Come watch and learn how their products get produced. Lunch will again be generously provided courtesy of Premier Concrete. Please RSVP by March 10^th to Julio Salinas (JSALINA@dot.state.tx.us).

St. Patty’s Day Social: Our Monthly Social for March is going to be on St. Patrick's Day, Wednesday, March 17th starting at 5:30pm. In honor of the day, we will be going to Sherlock's Baker St. Pub at 10001 Westheimer Rd. They will be serving green beer for the occasion! Contact Brian Ridley (bcridley@terracon.com) for additional information.

Camping Social: On the weekend of April 24^th, we will be joining the Dallas, Ft. Worth and Tyler branches for our annual camping trip. We have selected a campground on Cedar Creek Lake for this year’s outing. Additional information is located on our website (http://ascehouston.org/en/cms/1029/). Last year we had a big dinner on Saturday with some wonderful food. We can coordinate the food later when we have an idea on how many people will be there.

RSVP to Brendan McInnes (bmcinnes@browngay.com) prior to April 2^nd if you would like to join in on the fun. Bring your boats, jet skis, fishing equipment, and anything else you wish.

Last year we had a big dinner on Saturday with some wonderful food. We can coordinate the food later when we have an idea on how many people will be there.

9^th Annual Golf Tournament: On Friday, May 9^th at 8:00 am, the Younger Members will be hosting the 9^th Annual ASCE Golf Tournament to benefit our scholarship fund for our local universities. The four team scramble-style tourney will be held at the Cypresswood Golf Course. Burgers and Chicken will be served during lunch and snacks and beverages will be provided during tournament play. Bring your friends, clients or coworkers and join us for all the fun!

Registration fees are $100 for individuals, $50 for government employees and $50 for students. Registration is open until April 30^th and late registration ends May 7^th(Additional $10 fee applies). There are also sponsoring opportunities that range from our Bronze level ($150) to our Platinum level ($750). See our flyer along with the registration form attached on our website.

(http://www.ascehouston.org/en/cms/?1029)

Please contact either Scott Marr (smarr@fugro.com) or Jeri Ji (jeri.ji@kimley-horn.com) for additional information regarding the tournament.

Brett Pope

ASCE Houston Younger Member Forum Chair

If you are age 35 or younger and want to join the Younger Members Group, please email Brett Pope at bapope@terracon.com.

8-Mar-10 6:00 PM

Treasurer's Report

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:00:00 GMT

As of March 1, 2010
Paypal	$	1,441.87
Money Market	$	34,827.55
Main Checking	$	3,563.41
Section Mtg. Checking	$	32,456.35
Certificate of Deposit	$	40,638.54
Total	$	112,927.72

8-Mar-10 5:00 PM

Membership Report

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

2009-2010 ASCE Houston Branch Membership Report
Report Date		Total Assigned Membership	Total National Dues Paid		Total Section Dues Paid
September	9/2/2009	2981	2557	86%	2051	80%
October	10/7/2009	3114	2602	84%	2105	81%
November	11/3/2009	3140	2644	84%	2165	82%
December	12/3/2009	3160	1441	46%	1253	87%
January	1/5/2010	3202	1856	58%	1583	85%
February	2/3/2010	3242	2097	65%	1778	85%
March	3/3/2010	3290	2260	69%	1909	84%

Current active Members are eligible to win special monthly and quarterly prizes through the 2009-2010 Member-Get-A-Member drive (http://content.ascedrive.org/).

Who do I contact with Membership questions?

Houston Branch Membership Chair:

Anthony Luce, aluce@browngay.com, 713-488-8146

National Membership Contact - memrec@asce.org or call 800-548-723

How to Join - https://www.asce.org/membership/howtojoin.cfm

Online Application - https://www.asce.org/online/

Renew Your Membership - https://www.asce.org/lib/redirect/

Additional Membership Information - https://www.asce.org/membership/

8-Mar-10 3:00 PM

Monthly Trivia

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Hope you enjoy the new and improved Trivia!!

Questions of the Month

The questions of the Month became interactive. Click the link below to test your knowledge!!

http://www.ascehouston.org/en/sur/?4

Solution to February's Questions

1. What is the Golden Ratio?
c. (1 + sqrt5)/2

http://goldennumber.net/

2. What famous painting was laid out extensively using the Golden Ratio?

There are several famous paintings where artists have used the ratio of phi to create art.

An example is " The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci. He also created the Mona Lisa.

3. What is the symbol for the Golden Ratio?

The Greek letter Phi

8-Mar-10 2:00 PM

ASCE Upcoming Events

Deborah Meroniuc — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Hello [firstname],

The Science Engineering Fair of Houston is coming up! Who wants to volunteer for this great event?

Please refer to the following link for more information:

http://www.ascehouston.org/attachments/files/402/HSF_Volunteers.pdf

The FEMA continuing education seminar's registration is now open. The main speakers are Chris Jones, P.E. and Scott Tezak, P.E.. Dont miss this great opportunity!

Please click on the link below to register:

http://www.ascehouston.org/en/cev/110

Your ASCE Houston Branch

3-Mar-10 12:00 PM

ASCE - Houston Branch Newsletter - February 2010

Lane Lease — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:33:40 GMT

Hello [firstname],

Welcome to the ASCE - Houston Branch newsletter of upcoming events, articles, jobs and more from our membership.

Calendar Events

Technical Tour of IAH
Registration Closed
Sponsor: Bush Intercontinental Airport
Day: Tuesday 16-Feb-10 3:30 PM
Location: Bush Intercontinental Airport
Add to Calendar

Houston Branch Dinner Meeting
Sponsor: HNTB
Day: Tuesday 16-Feb-10 5:30 PM
Location: Humble Civic Center 8233 Will Clayton Parkway Humble, Texas 77338
Register Mapquest | Add to Calendar

Articles

President's Message

Fellow Engineers and Friends: ASCE Houston Branch has been busy! The Low Impact Development Design Competition was amazing. Nine finalists vied for three prizes in Green Roadway, Suburban Residential and Urban Redevelopment. The presentations were fast-paced and innovative. The event was well-attended by engineers, architects and community leaders. We hope that the Branch will be able to host a “Sustainability Forum” and present the winners and ideas to the members. The... [More Info]

Houston Branch Meeting Main Speaker

Update on the Houston Airport System Eric Potts Eric R. Potts is currently serving as the Interim Director of the City of Houston's Department of Aviation. He is responsible for the overall management of the Houston Airport System’s three aviation facilities -- George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport – and its 1,600 employees. Since 2000, Potts has been responsible for overseeing all phases of major construction and logistical... [More Info]

Membership Report

Currently, adjusted assignments to the Houston Branch include 3242 members. 52% of all National renewals (1778 members) elected to pay their Texas Section Dues. Thank you for your strong ASCE participation! 2009-2010 ASCE Houston Branch Membership Report Report Date Total Assigned Membership Total National Dues Paid Total Section Dues Paid September 9/2/2009 2981 2557 86% 2051 80% October 10/7/2009 3114 2602 84% 2105 81% November ... [More Info]

Treasurer's Report

As of January 27, 2010 Paypal $ 4,288.21 Money Market $ 26,798.77 Main Checking $ 12,648.72 Section Mtg. Checking $ 32,456.35 Certificate of Deposit $ 40,424.57 Total $ 116,616.62

Younger Member's Report

Fellow Younger Members, Thank you to those who attended our bowling social this past month! We had about 12 attendees, none of which were shy about showing off their bowling skills (or lack there of!). The high game went to Matt Adams with a very impressive score of 192! Also last month, Gareth Young, Clay Forister, and I went to the Central Region Younger Member Conference in Cleveland. We each took away a lot from the conference that we hope will help us improve upon our Younger Member... [More Info]

Monthly Trivia

Questions of the Month: 1)What is the Golden Ratio? a. 8 even pieces of pie b. Pi x r^2 c. (1 + sqrt5)/2 d. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you f. for every unit x times any given number of y units 2)What famous painting was laid out extensively using the Golden Ratio? 3)What is the symbol for the Golden Ratio? Solution to January Questions: What year was ASCE founded (Texas branch) c. 1913 Who was the first Texas Registered Engineer b. T. Taylor ... [More Info]

ASCE Texas Section Spring 2010 Meeting

Bounty Offered to Sections and Branches

“Bounty” Offered to Sections and Branches for Peer Review Referrals Sections and Branches appreciate additional revenue sources to help carry out their programs and services. There is now another source of income available from ASCE National. The Committee on Peer Review for Public Agencies is introducing a $250 incentive for referrals that result in a peer review. What is Peer Review? The purpose of ASCE's Peer Review for Public Agencies Program is to help public sector... [More Info]

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

10-Feb-10 12:33 PM

President's Message

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Fellow Engineers and Friends:

ASCE Houston Branch has been busy!

The Low Impact Development Design Competition was amazing. Nine finalists vied for three prizes in Green Roadway, Suburban Residential and Urban Redevelopment. The presentations were fast-paced and innovative. The event was well-attended by engineers, architects and community leaders. We hope that the Branch will be able to host a “Sustainability Forum” and present the winners and ideas to the members.

The January Meeting was overflowing with members learning about the Texas Department of Transportation’s Regionalization and what it means to TxDOT and the public. The February Meeting will offer a tour of Bush IAH and Eric Potts will provide an “Update on the Houston Airport System”. The tour is already full, so register for the meeting early. Also, we will recognize the Past Presidents for their leadership and guidance to the Houston Branch.

Engineers’ Week is here! We have an opportunity to tell people what we do and to showcase our achievements. The Mathcounts competition will kick-off the week on February 13, 2010 at Fluor and the Children’s Museum will end the festivities with Discover “E” exhibits and experiments. You can volunteer for these activities and share your experiences to future engineers. Why did you choose engineering? During Engineers Week, we will recognize our Young Engineer of the Year, Paul A. Voiles, P.E., and Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year, Julio C. Salinas, P.E. and salute the Engineer of the Year, Larry M. Barfield, P.E. Most engineers work behind the scenes, but we need to be proud of our contributions and let the public know how important engineers are to their community and quality of life.

Many challenges are ahead of us on the local, national and global level. City of Houston and Harris County are reducing infrastructure budgets. The Federal Government has not passed a transportation bill. In Haiti, the earthquake devastated lives and infrastructure; however, we can help support and rebuild them.

Sincerely,

B. Andrea Cheng Ranft, P.E.

6-Feb-10 11:00 PM

Houston Branch Meeting Main Speaker

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Update on the Houston Airport System

Eric Potts

Eric R. Potts is currently serving as the Interim Director of the City of Houston's Department of Aviation. He is responsible for the overall management of the Houston Airport System’s three aviation facilities -- George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport – and its 1,600 employees.

Since 2000, Potts has been responsible for overseeing all phases of major construction and logistical developments at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport. In addition, Mr. Potts is a retired and decorated Colonel of the United States Army.

After serving in the United States Army for more than 27 years, Mr. Potts joined the Houston Airport System in November of 2000. The expertise he brought with him included serving as the executive director of civil works for the Army Corps of Engineers, assisting with the oversight of the Corps emergency response mission and of the many engineering and construction activities that were carried out by the Corps during his tenure. Additionally, prior to retiring with the rank of colonel from the military, Mr. Potts supervised Civil Works activities for 38 districts across the country and assisted with the implementation of a $4 billion program that provided flood damage reduction and environmental restoration to the nation.

A graduate of the University of Missouri, Mr. Potts was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in 1973. In 1994, he was inducted into the university's

Eric R. Potts
© Houston Airport System

Athletic Hall of Fame and in 1999 he was once again inducted; this time into the school's Academy of Civil Engineers. During a Commencement at the University of Missouri, in December of 2001, Mr. Potts was awarded a Professional Degree in Civil Engineering.

The retired colonel also holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

His military decorations include two Legion of Merit medals, five Meritorious Service medals, two Army Commendation medals, the National Defense Service medal, and the German Silver Cross of Honor. Mr. Potts is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and of the Academy of Fellows and Army Engineers. He is also a recipient of the Silver Order of the Fleury Medal.

6-Feb-10 10:00 PM

Membership Report

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:00:00 GMT

2009-2010 ASCE Houston Branch Membership Report
Report Date		Total Assigned Membership	Total National Dues Paid		Total Section Dues Paid
September	9/2/2009	2981	2557	86%	2051	80%
October	10/7/2009	3114	2602	84%	2105	81%
November	11/3/2009	3140	2644	84%	2165	82%
December	12/3/2009	3160	1441	46%	1253	87%
January	1/5/2010	3202	1856	58%	1583	85%
February	2/3/2010	3242	2097	65%	1778	52%

Current active Members are eligible to win special monthly and quarterly prizes through the 2009-2010 Member-Get-A-Member drive (http://content.ascedrive.org/).

Who do I contact with Membership questions?

Houston Branch Membership Chair:

Anthony Luce, aluce@browngay.com, 713-488-8146

National Membership Contact - memrec@asce.org or call 800-548-2723

How to Join - https://www.asce.org/membership/howtojoin.cfm

Online Application - https://www.asce.org/online/

Renew Your Membership - https://www.asce.org/lib/redirect/

Additional Membership Information - https://www.asce.org/membership/

6-Feb-10 9:00 PM

Treasurer's Report

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT

As of January 27, 2010
Paypal	$	4,288.21
Money Market	$	26,798.77
Main Checking	$	12,648.72
Section Mtg. Checking	$	32,456.35
Certificate of Deposit	$	40,424.57
Total	$	116,616.62

6-Feb-10 8:00 PM

Younger Member's Report

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT

Fellow Younger Members,

Thank you to those who attended our bowling social this past month! We had about 12 attendees, none of which were shy about showing off their bowling skills (or lack there of!). The high game went to Matt Adams with a very impressive score of 192!

Also last month, Gareth Young, Clay Forister, and I went to the Central Region Younger Member Conference in Cleveland. We each took away a lot from the conference that we hope will help us improve upon our Younger Member Group. We plan to focus more on improving student outreach and community service events. There were some great ideas tossed around from other Younger Member Groups across the region. Look for more developments regarding these events in the near future.

As announced, Paul Voiles was the Mead Prize winner for the Branch and Texas Section for his “You Can’t Spell Engineering Without Engineer.” We wish Paul the best of luck as his paper is now being considered for the national award. You can view a copy of it on our website at /attachments/wysiwyg/7266/Voiles2010MeadPaper.pdf

February is already upon, how are you getting involved in Engineer's Week? We as Civil Engineers need to promote our field and express the importance of improving our nation’s infrastructure. Community outreach is just one of the many ways we can help make it happen at the local level. The Younger Members are doing our part to stay active within the community. During E-Week, we are very involved with Mathcounts and the Design Wonderweek events. We are always looking for volunteers to help out, even for a just a few hours of time. Below you can find additional information regarding these events.

Upcoming Events

Mathcounts:

On Saturday, February 13^th from 8am to 5:30pm the Younger Members will be helping volunteer for the annual Mathcounts competition. Volunteers are still needed to fill timeslots for proctoring, grading, or running. The competition will be held at Fluor Corporation, located at 1 Fluor Daniel Drive in Sugar Land, Texas. You can register at http://www.tspehouston.org/en/cev/157. Please contact Chad Gordon with TSPE (ccgordon@terracon.com) for additional information.

Children’s Museum of Houston Design Squad:

On Saturday, February 20th (10:00 am – 2:00 pm), ASCE YMG will be helping the Children’s Museum of Houston celebrate National Engineering Week! Volunteers will be helping kids with a ton of great engineering-related activities including designing a pinball machine, an “egg” drop contest, a bridge building contest and lots more. Come and help show kids how much fun engineering can be! If you are unable to make it during our timeslot others are available for both Saturday 2/20 and Sunday 2/21.

If interested, please register with Jennifer Belt (Children’s Museum) at jbelt@cmhouston.com and Laura Espinoza (ASCE) at lgespinoza@lan-inc.com.

Brett Pope

ASCE Houston Younger Member Forum Chair

If you are age 35 or younger and want to join the Younger Members Group, please email Brett Pope at bapope@terracon.com.

6-Feb-10 8:00 PM

Monthly Trivia

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Questions of the Month:

1)What is the Golden Ratio?

a. 8 even pieces of pie
b. Pi x r^2
c. (1 + sqrt5)/2
d. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
f. for every unit "x" times any given number of "y" units

2)What famous painting was laid out extensively using the Golden Ratio?

3)What is the symbol for the Golden Ratio?

Solution to January Questions:

What year was ASCE founded (Texas branch)

c. 1913

Who was the first Texas Registered Engineer

b. T. Taylor

When was the Espada Acediua built?

a. 1731
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espada_Acequia

What is the tallest building in Texas

d. JPMorgan Chase Tower

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_by_U.S._state

Where is the 19th Century London Bridge currently located

b. Arizona

How many natural lakes are there in Texas

d. 1

How many Historic Lighthouses are there remaining in Texas

c. 5

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/tx.htm

Near Houston stands the worlds tallest monumental column, what is it

b. The San Jacinto Monument

What was the first Construction project requiring hard hats

c. The Golden Gate Bridge

What is the highest bridge in Texas

a. Rainbow Bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Bridge_(Texas)

6-Feb-10 7:00 PM

ASCE Texas Section Spring 2010 Meeting

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

6-Feb-10 5:00 PM

Bounty Offered to Sections and Branches

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:00:00 GMT

“Bounty” Offered to Sections and Branches for Peer Review Referrals

Sections and Branches appreciate additional revenue sources to help carry out their programs and services. There is now another source of income available from ASCE National. The Committee on Peer Review for Public Agencies is introducing a $250 incentive for referrals that result in a peer review.

What is Peer Review?

The purpose of ASCE's Peer Review for Public Agencies Program is to help public sector engineering and construction agencies improve the management and quality of their engineering services through a quick, confidential, and affordable process. Reviewers study an organization's policies and objectives and conduct staff interviews to determine how well those policies and procedures are understood and practiced. Management areas covered include: organizational management, project management, emergency management, technical procedures, human resource management, finance, and public relations. The focus may cover planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance -- and can include an entire agency or just a portion. The team concludes the process with an oral report to the engineer/director requesting the review, and if requested follows up later with a written report.

The process was modeled after a similar one used by the American Council of Engineering Companies in the late 1980's. Since 1987, almost 70 different local entities have benefitted from the ASCE Peer Review for Public Agencies program. Typical comments include “We were and still are very happy with the review that was performed.” and “Experience showed and was very valuable.” More information, including a brochure, is available on the ASCE Web site at

http://www.asce.org/professional/peereview/peer_review.cfm .

ASCE Peer Review is a voluntary and confidential program for public infrastructure organizations and is conducted by experienced government engineer/managers who are trained in the process. Timing is typically controlled by the requesting agency. A review can be done quickly. The turnaround time can be within 90 days of the request. Cost is low for this kind of study since reviewers volunteer their time, and therefore no cost is included for their salaries. The fee covers reviewer travel costs and administration. It typically ranges from $6,000 to $20,000 but depends on the size of the agency being reviewed and whether the agency requests a more customized review to address specific challenges or opportunities that they are facing.

Benefits of a Peer Review

A peer review provides an objective outside assessment of strengths and weaknesses by fellow government engineers experienced in leadership and management. They have no stake in future work; their intent is to provide a useful service to colleagues. Agency management can gain insights into procedural difficulties, communication obstacles, organizational problems, and employee morale but also positive reinforcement from staff feedback. This helps them prioritize and implement suggestions for improvement of effectiveness in a manner that utilizes both staff and management input.

Incentive process

Sections and Branches should email Becky Waldrup, ASCE's staff contact for the Committee on Peer Review for Public Agencies, at rwaldrup@asce.org to recommend an agency. Provide the following information:

1. ASCE Section or Branch name and contact, and

2. Government agency name and contact information.

Becky will acknowledge your submission, enter the contact information into ASCE's Peer Review tracking system, and follow-up with the agency to determine their interest. Upon completion of a review and payment of the review fee, the 'nominating' Section or Branch will receive payment of $250. There is no limit on the number of referrals that a Sections and Branches may make or the number of referral fees that they may earn.

Agencies who have used this service have found that the process is very valuable. The Committee on Peer Review for Public Agencies hopes that this incentive offer will increase the exposure of this service. Please consider participating in the referral program for the benefit of your local public agencies as well as for the financial assistance that it will provide to your Section or Branch.

6-Feb-10 4:00 PM