This hypothetical situation is modified from an actual case that was considered by ASCE’s Committee on Professional Conduct (CPC). Situation AN ASCE MEMBER maintains a personal Facebook page on which he regularly shares humorous graphics, videos, and popular memes. As evidenced by his postings, the member’s sense of humor runs the gamut from innocent to salacious, with topics ranging from family and home life to
CIVIL ENGINEERING is a sought-after profession with excellent job prospects. Data provided in the report Civil Engineers in the United States* indicate that employment for civil engineers is projected to grow by 12 percent between 2018 and 2028. However, global uncertainty and an unprecedented level of upheaval because of the COVID-19 pandemic could impact this promising trajectory. But change—whether in the form of new technologies,
FOR ENGINEERS with several decades of experience, the current economic crisis wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic is, in some ways, a familiar challenge. Experienced engineers who weathered the economic downturns of the early 1990s; the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; the Great Recession caused by the financial crisis of 2008; and other national and international crises have learned from the past. Yet
ENGINEERS, architects, and other designers are rapidly working with health-care experts on a range of efforts to help expand the nation’s supply of hospital beds. These endeavors are in addition to those being undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is converting several public spaces into care facilities in some of the United States’ hardest-hit cities. One of the chief emerging strategies involves
ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, and construction (AEC) forecasters are struggling to comprehend the economic hardship that is likely to arise from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting market influences. Although signs of a mild slowdown were prevalent before the pandemic, previous forecasts can be “thrown out the window,” says Richard Branch, the chief economist at Dodge Data & Analytics, of Bedford, Massachusetts. Several recent surveys of industry
KEEPING CONSTRUCTION personnel safe on-site during the COVID-19 pandemic is serious business. From safety guidelines to make transmission of the virus less likely to technology that enables heightened remote monitoring and site review, companies are working to ensure that construction sites remain safe as work continues or shuts down. On March 25, the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) published guidance documents for construction employers and
COMPARED WITH EMPLOYEES in other professions, ASCE members have fewer concerns regarding the short- and long-term viability of their companies in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by the Society and other organizations. And fewer civil engineering firms have had to let go of employees than other types of companies in the survey. Overall, the survey
DURING WHAT MIGHT turn out to have been the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, several engineering firms told Civil Engineering magazine that all, or nearly all, of their employees were working from home, relying on computer screens, internet connections, and other technology to stay in touch with one another and keep servicing their clients. Added to that anecdotal data are the results of a survey
ON APRIL 1, Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland announced that despite the COVID-19 outbreak, a portion of the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge’s current rehabilitation project finished ahead of schedule. The dual-span bridge, which crosses the Chesapeake Bay and connects Maryland’s Eastern Shore to the western part of the state, is commonly referred to as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Like many construction projects in
THE FULL IMPACT of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry will not be known for many years. Yet it is already clear that many construction projects are experiencing partial delays or full stoppages as the pandemic spreads across the globe. In North America, associations and companies have organized surveys and created tools to help the AEC industry better understand
