ASCE Civil Engineering Roundtable

If 2020 showed us anything, it was how quickly the world as we know it can change. In a world that’s ever evolving, how do civil engineers stay current? In a recent roundtable, ASCE Civil Engineering professionals discussed the value of staying current with ever evolving technology. 

In an article of the ASCE Civil Engineering Source online newsletter, Dennis Randolph P.E., PTOE, M.ASCE, the Director of Public Works of the City of Grandview, Missouri said, “It is a disservice to those who depend on me to build safe, efficient infrastructure [if] I don’t keep my engineering skills current.” He went on to say, “I have found the keys to keeping current is first admitting I do not know everything, and technical knowledge has an expiration date.”

This article also spotlighted a cross section of ASCE members who shared several key concepts they follow to keep current with new technology. These include:

After Action Studies

After each project it is important to evaluate all components including the strategy and budget. What went well? What are our opportunities for improvement? 

Community is Paramount

Being part of a professional community, it is essential to your success and ability to stay relevant in a quickly changing environment. Community promotes idea sharing. All engineering professionals should attend conferences, in addition to reading articles and professional journals.

Another important part of community is to have new and experienced engineers working together and learning from each other. New engineers are more familiar with new techniques and materials while more experienced engineers have more practical application skills. 

Client and Student Communication

Take the time to understand your client or student’s preferred method of communication. In a new era of video conference calls and remote meetings, it is important to understand these technologies and how to use them effectively. 

Be a Lifelong Student

Learn continuously. Find out about new tools, approaches, and materials. When starting a new project, ask yourself how you can do this differently and how your result can be better than your last project.

OEI’s Commitment to Continuous Learning

As a leading engineering firm, OEI recognizes the need to stay current on all industry standards and techniques. We deeply value teamwork and continuous improvement on all levels. By working together within our firm and by creating partnerships with other agencies, we create more. OEI actively pursues knowledge of the ever-changing world of engineering.