ASCE conference leads to new skills, ideas

The Cecil T. Lobo Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers attended the Workshop for Student Leaders in Nashville, Tennessee from Friday, January 12 through Sunday, January 14. The workshop was an officer training session sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Committee on Student Activities. Attendees included President Matt Trowbridge, Vice President Andrew Pinkstaff, Secretary Rachel Howser, Treasurer Sebastian Mendes, and Kevin Sutterer, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering.

The first activity of the conference was “Engineering Ethics Live.” Sutterer, a member of the Editorial Board for the American Society of Civil Engineers Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, was chosen to moderate the session.

The Rose-Hulman students acted out two ethics-based skits where an engineer is put into a difficult situation.

After the skits, Dr. Sutterer fielded questions about the scenarios and provided five options that the engineer may choose to mediate the problem. The over 300 member audience then chose which option was most ethical. After that, a board of experts gave their opinion on the situation. Other activities included learning keys to a successful organization, brainstorming ideas for public service and educational outreach programs, learning to conduct a better meeting, finding ways to increase chapter membership, fundraising tips, and how to improve annual reports.

The American Society of Engineers requires that all student chapters complete an annual report which provides a comprehensive record of one calendar year of activities. The reports are then reviewed and awards are based on what activates were completed and how they were represented in the report. The most prestigious award is the Ridgeway Award which is given to the most outstanding student chapter of the year. Rose-Hulman’s chapter, has won the Ridgeway Award the last two years. The chapter was recognized for this achievement on several occasions during the conference.

Overall, the workshop was a great success. The newly elected officers learned more about their new roles in the America Society of Civil Engineers, gained many new ideas to implement over the next year, and really bonded for the first time. The officers are looking forward to next year and what it may bring.