ASCE President-Elect Blaine Leonard recently addressed a Portuguese conference on the topic “Engineering the Future” and discussed the creation and proposed implementation of the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025. Leonard also met with officials of the Ordem Dos Engenheiros (Order of Engineers) in Portugal--the society of licensed engineers in that country--to discuss areas of cooperation between ASCE and its Portuguese colleagues....read more

ASCE Takes Civil Engineering Vision of Change

to Leaders Worldwide

ASCE activists involved in reforming the formal education and pre-licensure experience of U.S. civil engineers and in promoting the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 have been hosted by numerous forums worldwide for the mutual exchange of ideas. Recently, ASCE Distinguished Member Stuart Walesh, Ph.D., P.E., answered the invitation of FAAP in Sao Paulo, Brazil--a private university that includes an engineering college--to share his expertise....read more

In Peru, ASCE Honors Ancient Inca

Civil Engineering Landmarks

To follow through on the 2006 designations of the Machu Picchu and Tipon archeological sites in Peru as International Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks, a Society delegation led by ASCE President-Elect Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE, recently traveled to those sites in the South American nation to present and mount bronze plaques commemorating the ASCE honors.

During ceremonies at each of those sites near Cusco, the former Incan capital, Klotz outlined the engineering and social significance of Machu Picchu and Tipon, noting that their infrastructure illustrates the advanced civil, hydraulic, and geotechnical engineering capabilities the Incan people held more than 500 years ago. Machu Picchu, both a royal estate for Incan Emperor Pachacuti and a surrounding community, was built in the Andes Mountains starting around 1450 and is considered one of the preeminent sites of Inca civilization. Due to its remoteness, the site was largely unknown to Western civilization prior to 1911, and has remained remarkably well preserved. Tipon, a self-contained, walled settlement that served as an estate for Inca nobility, is noted for displaying the Incas' mastery of irrigation and hydraulic technology.

In addition to Klotz and his wife Karen, among ASCE's delegation were History and Heritage Committee Chairman Henry Petroski, Ph.D, P.E., Dist.M.ASCE, and his wife Catherine; Ken Wright, P.E., Dist. M.ASCE, and his wife Dr. Ruth Wright; and Cliff Schexnayder, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE.

While in Lima, Klotz was awarded an honorary professorship at Ricardo Palma University. In addition, Ken and Ruth Wright were recognized for their efforts at documenting the wonders of Machu Picchu and Tipon, which they highlighted in books published by ASCE, and were made honorary professors at San Antonio Abad University, Cusco.

The Wrights' books remain available at ASCE.

For information, including how to order, click here for the Machu Picchu book, and click here for the Tipon book.

Click on each image to see a larger version.

	At the Inca Museum in Cusco, Peru, Wayne Klotz, left, ASCE president-elect, is joined by Victor Raul Aguilar, rector of the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco, at the official presentation of ASCE's International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaque for Tipon.
	At the entrance to the Machu Picchu National Archeological Park, ASCE's International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaque is unveiled with the help of, left to right, Ramiro Matos, former board of trustee of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; Sergio Orderique Tejada, Machu Picchu park administrator; and Wayne Klotz, ASCE president-elect.

Photos: C.J. Schexnayder.

ASCE 2008 President Explores CE Issues on African Trip

During August, ASCE President David Mongan and ASCE Executive Director Patrick Natale traveled to South Africa, Egypt and Tunisia to meet with ASCE members and civil engineering counterparts in those countries to explore ways to further civil engineering information exchange and strengthen the societies through mutual initiatives....read more