American Society of Civil Engineers

ASCE Plot Points Podcast

A Careers , Business and Non-Profit podcast

#169 in Careers · 🇵🇰

Good podcast? Give it some love!

About the show

ASCE's News and Information Hub

Newest episodes

Episode 193: Zach Cormican, on finding meaning through civil engineering advocacy

Oct 28, 2026 9 min

Zach Cormican is making Fargo, North Dakota, a better place. He works in the area as a professional engineer for Moore Engineering in the water resources department. He volunteers as the ASCE North Dakota Section president-elect. And recently he discovered a passion for civil engineering advocacy as a new way to help his community. In episode 193 of ASCE Plot Points, Cormican talk about his hometown and how the ASCE Legislative Fly-In changed his perspective. Deadline to apply for the 2027 ASCE Legislative Fly-In is Nov. 20. Apply today. ASCE has a new resource help you maximize your advocacy experience. Download "From Expertise to Impact: ASCE's Guide to Effective Advocacy" for free.

Episode 192: Thomas Murphy, on the bridge that connects American history with its future

Jul 2, 2026 16 min

Amid all the America’s 250th anniversary celebrations this summer, the Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Bridge marks its centennial. Thomas Murphy, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., a senior vice president and chief technical officer at Modjeski and Masters, is the perfect person to talk about the bridge’s legacy. His company’s namesake Ralph Modjeski was the chief engineer for the Benjamin Franklin Bridge back in the 1920s. So, today, in episode 192 of ASCE Plot Points, Murphy speaks with Brian Brenner – professor, consultant, and bridge expert in his own right – about the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and its place in the lineage of American infrastructure.

Episode 191: Rory Linehan and Elizabeth Losos, on the secret to success for smaller cities to build resilient infrastructure

May 4, 2026 41 min

Infrastructure resilience is in a very enticing spot here in 2026. It’s arguably never been more important to ensure that your community’s infrastructure remains resilient. But the good news, meanwhile, is that you could make the case that it’s never been easier to make your infrastructure resilient. Technology is developing at such a rapid pace, and those new developments have made resilience far more accessible and affordable than ever. A new white paper – written by ASCE in partnership with Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, Bentley Systems, AECOM, and Microsoft – maps a path for smaller and mid-size municipalities to build more resilient infrastructure systems. “Built to Endure: A Smart Guide for U.S. Cities to Build Resilient Infrastructure that Lasts” is available now as a free download. And in episode 191 of ASCE Plot Points, two of the papers authors – Bentley’s Rory Linehan and Duke’s Elizabeth Losos – talk about the new technology making resilient infrastructure more accessible than ever and cite some of the paper’s case studies where these new ideas and innovations are already being put into practice.

Similar podcasts

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

A Bit of Optimism Simon Sinek

Create Momentum Podcast Shahzad Abdul

Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount Jeb Blount

Best of Luck with Kyla Scanlon Vox Media Podcast Network

Developing Concentration Skills: Strategies for Staying Focused Dr. Monika Khatwani

re:WORKING with Tim Campbell Bauer Media

The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia Phoebe Gates & Sophia Kianni

All episodes

Episode 193: Zach Cormican, on finding meaning through civil engineering advocacy

Oct 28, 2026 9 min

Episode 192: Thomas Murphy, on the bridge that connects American history with its future

Jul 2, 2026 16 min

Episode 191: Rory Linehan and Elizabeth Losos, on the secret to success for smaller cities to build resilient infrastructure

May 4, 2026 41 min

Episode 190: Xavi Fonoll Almansa, on getting creative with resource recovery

Apr 22, 2026 31 min

Earth Day 2026 finds the ASCE Plot Points podcast celebrating with a conversation between Xavi Fonoll Almansa, an assistant professor of environmental Engineering at the University of Texas, at Austin, and guest host Kuang Zhu of the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute’s Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee. In episode 190 of ASCE Plot Points, they discuss resource recovery, future technologies and processes, and Fonoll Almansa’s cutting edge research right now into hydrothermal liquefaction, converting organic waste into biocrude.

Episode 189: Kristin Schultheis, on working across the watershed

Apr 21, 2026 16 min

Kristin Schultheis is a senior project planner at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. And that likely conjures images of urban areas, working across the biggest city in Wisconsin. And that would be accurate. But Schultheis' work encompasses a much larger area than the city proper with challenges and opportunities that extend into the surrounding rural areas and even active farmland. In episode 189 of ASCE Plot Points, Schultheis talks with guest hosts Brianne Duncan and Wendy Cohen of the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute’s Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee.

Episode 188: William Gonwa, on the power of numbers

Apr 20, 2026 23 min

This week, in recognition of Earth Day, the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute's Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee is bringing three conversations to the ASCE Plot Points podcast. The first, in episode 188 of ASCE Plot Points, is with William Gonwa, Ph.D., program director for civil Engineering, civil and architectural engineering, and construction management at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. With special co-hosts Brianne Duncan and Lauren Redfern, Gonwa discusses his more than four decades in the profession and how building your own statistical models can help solve your project's problems.

Episode 187: Meet ASCE’s new CEO, Peter J. O’Neil

Mar 30, 2026 27 min

Something is happening this week at the American Society of Civil Engineers that hasn’t happened in nearly 12 years. ASCE has a new leader at the Headquarters building in Reston, Virginia. Peter O’Neil officially started as ASCE’s new chief executive officer March 30. This is big news for not only the organization but for the entire civil engineering profession. O’Neil brings a wealth of executive leadership experience, in episode 187 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, O’Neil talks about why he’s excited to join ASCE, what members can expect, and the essence of culture building.

Episode 186: Manage your risk

Jan 27, 2026 18 min

Civil engineering risk management is not only an important topic, it can be a nebulous one. Gray areas, assumptions, communication breakdowns, in other words: a real mess. So ASCE has launched a new Risk Management Community of Practice – a space for engineers to share and learn and compare notes in hopes of removing some of the confusion around risk. Bill McAnally and Mitch Winkler are members of the ASCE Committee on Infrastructure Risk Management and together they have been the driving force to establish the new CoP. They’ve even developed a Risk Management Primer, to help simplify risk management for civil engineers. McAnally is a water resources engineer in Columbus, Mississippi. Winkler is a structural engineer by training with decades of experience in the oil and gas industry in Houston. In episode 186 of ASCE Plot Points, McAnally and Winkler talk about risk management. Listen to the episode above, and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. SUBSCRIBE IN APPLE PODCASTS SUBSCRIBE IN SPOTIFY And join the ASCE Community of Practice on Risk Management today and start sharing.

Episode 185: Give your infrastructure a low-salt diet

Jan 20, 2026 17 min

It’s snow season in a lot of places right now – which means salt season. And salt season isn’t great for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is contaminated water. So, Connie Fortin and Tim Olson have a new idea. They call it low salt design – a way of reducing the need for salt from the very start of the project. Fortin is a low salt strategist and Olson a water resources engineer, both for Bolton and Menk in Minnesota. In episode 185 of ASCE Plot Points, Fortin and Oloen discuss low salt design and why the solutions might be even simpler than you ever imagined. Learn more about low salt design, including a free download with suggested solutions. And dive deeper into the concepts in an article Fortin and Olson wrote for the ASCE Journal of Cold Regions Engineering.

Episode 184: Meet Ollie the Civil Engineer

Dec 9, 2025 15 min

After more than a decade of experience building teams that build airplanes, Lisa Schleuter has added a new job title to her resume: children’s book author. Schleuter has published a new book called Ollie the Civil Engineer aimed at entertaining and inspiring young children. In episode 184 of ASCE Plot Points, Schleuter talks about Ollie, her career in civil engineering, and how she came to find herself as a newly minted author.

Episode 183: Better understanding the AI impact on the AEC industry

Dec 3, 2025 17 min

AI takes up a lot of oxygen in the room right now. But when it comes to specific impacts, do we have a strong industry-wide understanding? Does anyone know? Mark Coates, vice president of the Infrastructure Policy Advancement team at Bentley Systems, set about finding out. His group helped lead a global study to better understand the topic, looking at AI in three main areas: readiness, risk, and returns. In episode 183 of ASCE Plot Points, Coates discusses the survey and what the results suggest about the future of the industry.

Episode 182: Civil engineering as giving thanks

Nov 25, 2025 13 min

This Thanksgiving week we’re reminded of the deep connection between civil engineering and community service. Which of course means the civil engineers who have made that kind of generosity a way of life. Aleesha Toteja is one such civil engineer. A project manager for Halff in Austin, Texas, Toteja devotes countless hours to help a variety of causes both through her employer’s outreach programs, the ASCE Austin Branch, and her day-to-day public works projects. In episode 182 of ASCE Plot Points, Toteja talks about her her generous spirit and why maybe it’s a characteristic that a lot of civil engineers share. And next week on #GivingTuesday, when you donate to the ASCE Foundation, your generosity will go twice as far. Every gift to the ASCE Foundation made on Dec. 2 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000 by ASCE leadership. Learn more at ASCEFoundation.org.

Episode 181: Jerry Cavaluzzi and Dan Harpstead on managing risk

Sep 24, 2025 23 min

Infrastructure is risky business. The money is big. The stakes are high. And it’s not something that always gets talked about, but issues of risk mitigation can be some of the most important aspects of a civil engineer’s career – learning how to navigate potential pitfalls and start the right conversations at the right time. Part of that skillset starts with having the proper risk mitigation tools at your disposal. Jerry Cavaluzzi and Dan Harpstead, members of the ASCE Committee on Claims Reduction Management, recently wrote an article for Civil Engineering Source about project management tools that you can use to help mitigate risk. In episode 181 of ASCE Plot Points, Cavaluzzi and Harpstead bring that article to life in podcast form, discussing risk mitigation tools and why they’re essential to making any infrastructure project work.

Episode 180: Anna Lisonbee, on why leadership doesn’t have to wait

May 20, 2025 17 min

Anna Lisonbee is a water resources professional engineer in training for Hansen, Allen, and Luce in Sandy, Utah. And while she is admittedly still early in her career, Lisonbee is not simply passing time waiting until she’s much older so she can assert herself as a leader. She’s doing so right now – at work, among staff, on projects, and with ASCE. Lisonbee is the president-elect of the Utah Section and has become a front-facing leader among younger members in the entire organization. In episode 180 of ASCE Plot Points, Lisonbee talks about her perspective on leadership, how standing front-and-center wasn’t necessarily part of her original career vision, and why she’s come to see passivity when it comes to leadership as not an option for her.

Episode 179: Akhtar Zaman, on finding a civil engineering home

May 5, 2025 18 min

There are a lot of ways to get your message out to the masses in 2025. Social media, videos, podcasts. But not everyone can say they’ve shared their love for community and civil engineering with a mural. Akhtar Zaman did exactly that. Born and raised in Bangladesh, Zaman found a home in northwest Indiana. He’s a principal engineer for Advanced Engineering Services in Hammond, Indiana – just outside Chicago. And when the company moved into a new building with a parking lot that bordered a blank wall, Zaman had an idea. In episode 179 of ASCE Plot Points, Zaman talks about his community, his profession, and how he brought this mural to life.

Episode 178: Rod Jones, on generous leadership

Apr 22, 2025 23 min

Rod Jones is a project manager for Holder Construction in Ashburn, Virginia. But even as he is progressing in his own career – ENR named him a Top 20 Under 40 in 2024 – he’s acutely aware of attracting more people to the profession and helping others follow his path. He’s an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Morgan State University, and his online “Rod the Builder” lifestyle brand – through YouTube and social media – inspires young professionals and students to find their passion in the STEM fields too. In episode 178 of ASCE Plot Points, Jones talks about how he found his way into construction management and why it’s so important to him to share that story with others.

Episode 177: Isamar Escobar, on the perks of NOT being a wallflower

Apr 14, 2025 17 min

Isamar Escobar joined ASCE as a student several years ago. And since then, she not been a member in name only. She’s ranked among the most active of active ASCE members, planning this event, chairing that committee. So much so that even as a younger member she joined the ASCE Board of Direction as an at-large director. With ASCE Election season nearly here (voting opens May 1), Escobar talked on the ASCE Plot Points podcast about all her community engagement, how it’s helped her, and why your engagement as an ASCE member and participating in the ASCE Election go hand in hand.

Episode 176: Duncan Griffin, on integrated sustainable design

Mar 10, 2025 12 min

With the AI revolution upon us, it’s easy to see technology and human beings on opposite sides of a spectrum. But for Duncan Griffin, director of sustainability for HDR’s Health Design Practice, technological developments only enhance the possibilities for human healing and comfort. In episode 176 of ASCE Plot Points, Griffin talks integrated sustainable design and why a holistic approach to potential outcomes is essential to infrastructure.

Episode 175: Rossana D’Antonio, on what we need to know about the aviation industry

Feb 24, 2025 25 min

ASCE members know Rossana D’Antonio as a member of the Society’s Board of Direction. She is the executive director for NV5, a global consulting firm. Prior to that, she was the deputy director of the Los Angeles Department of Public Works. And she's been very active throughout ASCE - especially in sustainability and advocacy efforts. But what you might not know is the tragedy that struck her family nearly two decades ago when her brother - a professional pilot - died in a plane crash. D'Antonio found purpose in her grief. She spent years investigating the crash, learning about the aviation industry, and working to ensure similar accidents never happen again. And now she's telling her story in a book. "26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash" publishes on May 12 and is available for pre-order today through Simon & Schuster. In episode 175 of ASCE Plot Points, D'Antonio talks about brother, the book, and what we need to know about aviation safety.

Episode 174: Tania Stewart, on how she pursues two careers at once

Jan 21, 2025 15 min

Tania Stewart is a transportation engineer for the Maryland Department Of Transportation State Highway Administration. Tania Stewart is a professional photographer whose work has taken her across the globe. Both things can be true. The multitalented Stewart has been able to pursue both careers – civil engineering and photography – at the same time. In episode 174 of ASCE Plot Points, Stewart talks about how she makes it work and why each of her passions tie into and help the other. Learn more about Tania's photography business. Watch Tania talk about her dual careers. Tania's first solo art exhibit, "Black Joy," opens Feb. 1 at 2100 L Street NW in Washington, DC.

Episode 173: Isabella Salgado, on what happens when a wildfire rips through your neighborhood

Jan 14, 2025 19 min

The ASCE member mother-daughter team of Minerva Rodriguez and Isabella Salgado celebrated buying a new house last June in the very nice Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles. Rodriguez, P.E., PMP, M.ASCE, the mentorship chair for the ASCE Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch; Salgado, A.M.ASCE, the social chair. Both professional civil engineers. It was a storybook situation. Until last week. The Eaton Fire – part of a devastating series of wildfires in Los Angeles County – forced the family to leave their home abruptly last Tuesday night. Salgado shared her story with ASCE over the phone Saturday morning from a hotel room where the family was camped out for the time being. And in episode 173 of ASCE Plot Points, Salgado talks about what it’s been like to reckon with wildfires way closer to home than she ever imagined.

Episode 172: Isaac Kontorovsky, on the surprising parallels between civil engineering and IRONMAN racing

Jan 7, 2025 19 min

It goes without saying. IRONMAN triathlons are intense. Cold-water swimming for 2.4 miles, followed by 112 miles on a bike, and capped off with a 26.2 marathon run. It takes someone special to conquer such a challenge. Perhaps someone like a civil engineer? Isaac Kontorovsky is a principal and vice president for BKF Engineers as well as vice president of the ASCE San Diego Section, and he recently took on IRONMAN California. Swim, cycle, run – all of it. And he found a lot of common ground between his civil engineering career goals and the challenge presented by the most grueling of endurance sports. In episode 172 of ASCE Plot Points, Kontorovsky talks about the why and how of his IRONMAN experience and why it might be more relatable to civil engineers than most realize. Learn more about Isaac and his journey at his website.

Episode 171: Jean-Louis Briaud and Knut Eriksen, on the power of giving back

Oct 29, 2024 23 min

This ASCE Day – coming up next week, Nov. 5 – will mark ASCE’s 172nd anniversary. And that’s a very long time. For an organization to last for so many years, it needs great leadership and great leaders who give back. Jean-Louis Briaud and Knut Eriksen are two such leaders. Each is a member of the ASCE Foundation’s 1852 Society, a very select group of people who have generously given more than $100,000 to the Foundation during their lifetimes. In episode 171 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Briaud and Eriksen talk about their career trajectories and how they came to find that giving back was the best way forward.

Episode 170: Maxwell Fletcher, Mariana Vega, and Cing Kim, on the coolest part of being a civil engineering student in 2024

Sep 16, 2024 19 min

A new school year is upon us. That is a very exciting proposition for civil engineering students worldwide, for ASCE, and for everyone lucky enough to use and enjoy the infrastructure these young engineers will design and build in the future. But what’s it like being a civil engineering student in 2024? What’s the most exciting part? “Being a civil engineering student at any time had to be amazing, but being a student, particularly in 2024, is fantastic because of all the new opportunities and technology out there,” said Maxwell Fletcher, a third-year civil engineering student at the University of Florida. “We try to push the boundaries of what’s possible with what we know. So being able to use new technology, new modeling software, and even AI to improve our work is truly incredible.” Fletcher is one of 27 ASCE Student Ambassadors this school year, ready to share with the world all the coolest parts about being a civil engineering student in 2024. ASCE Student Ambassadors represent ASCE on their campuses and through social media, promoting Society events and resources that can help their fellow students advance their careers. It’s an exciting group of future leaders and an exciting time to be a civil engineering student. “We’re in an age where civil engineering is, honestly, boundless,” Fletcher said. “I’m very excited for what the future holds for my career and everyone else I’m in school with.” Fletcher joined fellow ASCE Student Ambassadors Mariana Vega, a civil engineering and surveying student at New Mexico State University, and Cing Kim, a civil engineering student at Illinois Tech, on the ASCE Plot Points podcast to discuss their favorite aspects of 2024 civil engineering student life.

Episode 169: Ayanna Howard, on how AI is changing civil engineering right now

Aug 27, 2024 13 min

Artificial intelligence is changing the way civil engineering gets done. Ayanna Howard, Ph.D., serves as the dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering and has been on the cutting edge of AI research for more than three decades. Named one of the most powerful women engineers in the world by Business Insider and a top 50 woman in tech by Forbes, Howard also will deliver the keynote at the ASCE 2024 Convention Oct. 6-9 in Tampa, Florida. In episode 169 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Howard talks about her history researching AI and what civil engineers can expect from the technology now and into the future.

Episode 168: Christine Rice, on what happens when a civil engineer goes on a game show

Jun 10, 2024 14 min

Christine Rice, P.E., M.ASCE, is a project engineer for Wood Rodgers in Sacramento, California, and former governor for ASCE’s Region 9. But as of last week, her resume might have a new top line: game-show contestant. Rice competed on the June 3 episode of “Weakest Link,” hosted by Jane Lynch on NBC. She brought all of her civil engineering knowledge and experience with her. Would it be enough to prove that she was not the weakest link? In episode 168 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Rice details her “Weakest Link” experience and explains how being a civil engineer turns out to be a huge help on a game show.

Episode 167: Marsia Geldert-Murphey and Jon Phillips, on if America is an attractive market for infrastructure investors

May 27, 2024 26 min

May in Washington D.C., means United For Infrastructure Week. ASCE marked the occasion by releasing a new economic study called Bridging the Gap, analyzing the additional potential costs to both the U.S. GDP and the American taxpayer if IIJA levels of infrastructure investment aren’t continued beyond 2026. Infrastructure Week also is a great opportunity for collaboration. Case in point: ASCE and the Global Infrastructure Investor Association, an organization representing the private sector on a global scale. In episode 167 of ASCE Plot Points, ASCE President Marsia Geldert-Murphey talks with Jon Phillips, CEO of GIIA, about the effects of IIJA on America's infrastructure and where the United States stands on the global stage in terms of attracting private investment dollars.

Episode 166: Diniece Mendes, on bringing the cities of the future into today

May 17, 2024 22 min

Diniece Mendes is director for freight mobility at the New York City Department of Transportation and serves on the ASCE Transportation and Development Institute’s Board of Governors. She’s also – as of this spring – a movie star. Mendes is one of five ASCE members to feature in the new IMAX film Cities of the Future, playing on giant screens around the world. In episode 166 of ASCE Plot Points, Mendes talks about the movie experience, living and working in New York, and what she sees as the most important things that civil engineers need to do to bring the cities of the future to life.

Episode 165: Ruwanka Purasinghe, on what makes Los Angeles the best place for civil engineers

May 14, 2024 24 min

Los Angeles is No. 1 on the 2024 list of ASCE Best Places for Civil Engineers. That’s three straight years for L.A., if you’re keeping track at home. So what’s the city’s secret to success? What’s so special about the civil engineering scene there? Ruwanka Purasinghe, P.E., M.ASCE, civil engineering associate for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and president-elect of the ASCE Los Angeles Section, has some answers. In episode 165 of ASCE Plot Points, Purasinghe talks about, yes, what makes Los Angeles such a great place for civil engineers.

Episode 164: Aaron Shavel, on following his mother into a ‘golden age’ of civil engineering

May 10, 2024 14 min

Aaron Shavel is New York through and through. Born and raised there – and now works as a project manager for TCE, specializing in rail infrastructure. And New York breeds a certain kind of toughness. Where did Shavel learn his civil engineering toughness? From his civil engineering mom. In episode 164 of ASCE Plot Points, Shavel talks about growing up around his mom’s civil engineering projects as a kid and why he thinks now is a golden age for civil engineering.

Episode 163: Erin Novini, on tracking sustainability progress in the ‘environmental, social responsibility, and corporate governance’ world

Apr 24, 2024 19 min

Erin Novini has blended chemical engineering with environmental engineering as an engineering specialist for consulting firm Trihydro since 2005. And in that nearly two-decade span, she’s seen sustainability develop in the corporate world quite a bit. In the conclusion of the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee’s sustainability miniseries, Novini discusses her career, her work, and how she sees sustainability playing in the corporate space.

Episode 162: Christopher Chini, on making a tangible difference

Apr 23, 2024 18 min

It's part two of the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee’s sustainability mini-series on the ASCE Plot Points podcast. Christopher Chini started his undergrad studies at Texas A&M majoring in computer science. But found he wanted to make a more tangible, direct impact on communities and on the environment. Today, he’s a research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Labs and a former chair of the EWRI Sustainability Committee. And in episode 162 of ASCE Plot Points, Chini talks with guest hosts Brianne Duncan and Wendy Cohen about his sustainability work.

Episode 161: Emily Grubert, on sustaining the sustainability fight

Apr 22, 2024 11 min

This Earth Day, the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute’s Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee is a launching a sustainability mini-series on ASCE Plot Points. Three podcasts this week; three different sustainability professionals discussing how they’ve navigated their careers to keep issues of sustainability at the forefront. Up first is Emily Grubert, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, associate professor of sustainable energy policy in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Episode 160: Lauren Taylor, on civil engineering leadership in a modern era

Apr 9, 2024 21 min

Is civil engineering leadership about people? Or is civil engineering leadership about technical expertise? Yes. Civil engineering leadership is all of that and more in 2024. Lauren Taylor is a great example of civil engineering leader in the modern era, blending people skills with project management. Taylor Taylor works for WSP, based in Austin, Texas, as the Texas planning and advisory services lead. Last month, she was named an ENR Top 20 under 40 young professional. In episode 160 of ASCE Plot Points, Taylor discusses her approach to civil engineering leadership and why she loves it.

Episode 159: Isabella Salgado, on connecting your work to something bigger

Mar 18, 2024 16 min

“We all want to do something that matters,” Isabella Salgado says. She is a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and the social activities chair for the ASCE Los Angeles Younger Member Forum. And one way she’s found recently to connect to something larger is advocating for the profession as part of the ASCE Legislative Fly-In. In episode 159 of ASCE Plot Points, Salgado talks about her eye-opening trip to Washington, DC (including meeting one of her idols), and how she’s following in the footsteps of her civil engineering mother, Minerva Rodriguez.

Episode 158: Travis St. Louis and Michael Palmer, on why the future is modular

Feb 13, 2024 22 min

Travis St. Louis and Michael Palmer are evangelists of sorts for modular construction and design. Each took their backgrounds in architectural engineering and moved into the modular construction practice from different angles – St. Louis on more of the civil engineering side as an enclosure engineer and associate principal for Simpson, Gumpertz, and Heger based in Oakland, California; and Palmer more on the business side as head of strategy and real estate for the Volumetric Building Companies, headquartered in Philadelphia. In episode 158 of ASCE Plot Points, St. Louis and Palmer discuss all things modular, and why it might be the future of construction.

Episode 157: Alyssa Sooklal, on avoiding the trap of competing with other women in the civil engineering workplace

Jan 23, 2024 22 min

Alyssa Sooklal, P.E., M.ASCE, has accomplished a lot early in her career. She works as a water resources engineer for McCormick Taylor in Baltimore, and serves as president of ASCE’s Maryland Younger Members Group. But it hasn’t come without moments of frustration or insecurity. Office politics are a real thing, especially when you’re a woman in the civil engineering industry – and especially if you’re a woman sensing competition with other women in your industry. It’s not always easy to navigate. In episode 157 of ASCE Plot Points, Sooklal discusses how she’s worked to avoid those situations and focused on building partnerships not rivalries.

Episode 156: Ravi Shah, on if it’s possible to achieve a perfect work-life balance as a parent and civil engineer

Jan 16, 2024 20 min

Can you be a good parent and a good engineer at the same time? Ravi Shah thinks so. Or at least he’s trying his best to do both. Shah is a longtime active ASCE member in Orange County, California, where also works as a senior project manager for Mark Thomas. And more recently, he’s a father. In episode 156 of ASCE Plot Points, Ravi Shah talks about work-life balance and what he’s learned about juggling priorities.

Episode 155: Rebecca Neilon, on winning the grant to help fund your project

Dec 4, 2023 14 min

Even in this era of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, every project can use more money. It’s why grant writing is such a valuable skill in the world of civil engineering. Rebecca Neilon is a senior transportation engineer in Dewberry’s Sacramento office. And over the years she has developed a reputation of sorts as a go-to for grant writing. She has proven herself as someone who delivers the goods – she writes proposals and she wins grants. In episode 155 of ASCE Plot Points, Rebecca Neilon outlines the skills it takes to consistently win grants to help fund your project.

Episode 154: What civil engineers are thankful for this year

Nov 21, 2023 12 min

In episode 154 of ASCE Plot Points, we celebrate the season of gratitude by hearing what civil engineers are thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Episode 153: Shofiq Ahmed, on the great civil engineering balancing act

Nov 7, 2023 23 min

Shofiq Ahmed was a 2023 ASCE New Face of Civil Engineering honoree. So it’s clear that the traffic engineer for HDR, born in Bangladesh and now based outside Washington, DC, has made quite a name for himself. But it hasn’t always been easy. In episode 153 of ASCE Plot Points, he reflects on his journey and talks about how he’s adjusted his goals and plans along the way to stay on the path of success and happiness.

Episode 152: Craig Davis, on the 8 elements of infrastructure system resilience

Oct 24, 2023 17 min

A new book from ASCE Press called IRP 8, Infrastructure System Resilience: An Engineering Framework for Assessment, Management, and Governance, breaks the big picture of system resilience into interlinked elements, making application much easier for practitioners. It's a strong case for incremental progress in the face of complex and complicated problems. Craig Davis is a founding director of ASCE’s Infrastructure Resilience Division and the book’s lead editor. In episode 152 of ASCE Plot Points, he explains the eight elements of infrastructure system resilience and how practitioners can begin to employ this framework in their projects.

Episode 151: Nalah Williams, on how knowing who you are unlocks your career

Oct 3, 2023 20 min

The best thing you can do for your career is to make consistently smart, thoughtful decisions that align with what you are trying to accomplish in this life. But what exactly are you trying to accomplish? What makes you happy? Who are you? Nalah Williams is still early in her career, but she’s already got a great understanding of herself. She’s the owner Golden Mane Property Management in Dallas, Texas; she’s been active in the ASCE Dallas Branch as deputy treasurer and younger member chair; and she’s a past governor of the Construction Institute’s Young Professionals Council. All of this has been done with an eye on who she is, what she likes, what she doesn’t like, what she’s good at – crucial learning opportunities as she builds her own unique career arc. In episode 151 of ASCE Plot Points, Williams talks about the experiences that have helped her shape her career and how knowing who she is has guided those decisions.

Episode 150: Paul Lee, on his role in the new Cities of the Future film

Sep 19, 2023 18 min

ities of the Future, a new film for IMAX and giant screens, is on its way. The second in a partnership between ASCE and MacGillivray Freeman Films, following 2017's rousing success Dream Big: Engineering Our World, the film is scheduled to premiere in early 2024. Cities of the Future, inspired in part by ASCE's Future World Vision initiative, takes viewers into the future of what's possible for our built environment. Several ASCE members feature in the film, including Paul Lee, a young engineer from Los Angeles who has spent his career fighting climate change through different renewable energy and sustainability projects. In episode 150 of ASCE Plot Points, Lee talks about his work and what it has been like filming a new movie all around the world.

Episode 149: Julia Williams, on how to be a changemaker in academia

Aug 29, 2023 16 min

Julia Williams has never done anything exactly as you might expect. So when she got her Ph.D. in English, she took a professor job at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has spent the past decades teaching writing and communication skills to STEM majors. And now she’s written a book about her experiences innovating and shaking things up in academia. It’s called “Making Changes in STEM Education: The Change Makers Toolkit.” In episode 149 of ASCE Plot Points, Williams talks about her new book and why teaching communication skills to STEM majors is so important.

Episode 148: Matthew Low, on finding your path to leadership

Aug 15, 2023 14 min

Matthew Low is the chief operating officer for Hoyle Tanner and Associates, based in Manchester, New Hampshire, and with regional offices in Florida and throughout New England. But he didn’t always have his eye on leadership. He grew into it – learning where his specific interests and talents lay and working to build his skillset from there. In episode 148 of ASCE Plot Points, Low talks about his career path into leadership and why taking proactive steps in your career always is the best plan.

Episode 147: Donn Digamon and Ahsha McQuain, on motivating and innovating with the Georgia Department of Transportation

Aug 1, 2023 15 min

The competition for civil engineering talent right now is well-documented. And in an industry still coming out of the pandemic shake-up, that means innovation and efficiency are paramount. In episode 147 of ASCE Plot Points, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Donn Digamon, a state bridge engineer, and Ahsha McQuain, a civil engineer, talk about how they’ve continued innovating and motivating during the often-tumultuous 2020s.

Episode 146: Jordan Kubenik, on turning student success into a career springboard

Jul 17, 2023 10 min

The 2023 ASCE Architectural Engineering Institute International Student Design Competition challenged student teams to consider a real building – the five-story Kaleideum North in Winston-Salem, North Carolina – and innovatively design it as a living building as it is retrofit into a new children’s museum. This includes all kinds of considerations – including green design elements, energy performance optimization, and embodied carbon reduction. And this year, the multidisplinary team from Penn State took first place in two categories – building integration and construction – and second place in the other three categories. In episode 146 of ASCE Plot Points, Penn State team lead Jordan Kubenik talks about how the Nittany Lions managed such a massive project and how it’s helped her get a jumpstart on her career this summer.

Episode 145: Jose Abinazar, on his not-so-simple civil engineering journey

Jun 19, 2023 21 min

It’s another week of work for Jose Abinazar, a project designer for Gannett Fleming in Miami, Florida. But the journey to get to this work week wasn’t so simple. His civil engineering college experience in Venezuela was interrupted; his family fled political turmoil and moved to Miami; Jose had to learn a new language, find a job, find a new school, and start all over again. But he made it work. In episode 145 of ASCE Plot Points, Abinazar reflects on his civil engineering story and why he won’t ever stop looking for the next chapter to write.

Episode 144: Eric Steward, on that time he promised to get a concrete canoe tattoo

Jun 6, 2023 15 min

With the first ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships approaching this weekend, June 10-12 at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville, there is an interesting drama playing out with the University of South Alabama concrete canoe team. Longtime faculty adviser for the South Alabama ASCE student chapter Eric Steward, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, made a promise to his students a decade ago. If a South Alabama student team ever advanced to a Society-wide competition, he said, he’d commemorate the accomplishment with … a tattoo. Ten years later, South Alabama has made the finals in steel bridge and concrete canoe. In episode 144 of ASCE Plot Points, Steward discusses the value in ASCE student competitions and how this tattoo promise is going to play out.

See all 187 episodes

–

0 ratings from members

Rate this podcast

No reviews yet — be the first member to rate "ASCE Plot Points Podcast".

This podcast, its content and its artwork are not owned by, affiliated with, or endorsed by Castquire.

Episode 193: Zach Cormican, on finding meaning through civil engineering advocacy

Share this podcast

Live Chart rankings

#169 Careers 🇵🇰 PK

Chart history

🇵🇰 Careers Best #169

Holding at #169 — the line fills in as this chart moves.

Podcast details

Created by: American Society of Civil Engineers
Status: Active
Latest episode: Oct 28, 2026
Episodes: 187
Release period: Every two weeks
Avg. episode length: 16 min
Explicit: No

Links

Official website ↗ Apple Podcasts ↗ RSS feed ↗

Is this your podcast?

Claim it to show it on your profile. Using the email from your RSS feed approves it instantly.

Keep listening

Discover more podcasts like this.

Browse podcasts See the charts