21st Century Engineer

After Fargo’s 2009 record flood fight when the community mobilized to sandbag and the city came within inches of disaster leaders knew a permanent solution was no longer optional.

Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with civil engineer Joel Paulsen, former Executive Director of the Fargo–Moorhead Flood Diversion Authority, about the Fargo–Moorhead Diversion Project: a $3B+ infrastructure effort combining federal, state, local, and private financing including a historic public-private partnership (P3) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

They explore the project’s scope, the risk-management strategy behind the delivery model, the upstream landowner challenges, and why stable funding is often the difference between a project that’s approved and one that’s actually built.

• Why Fargo floods: flat terrain + north-flowing river + spring melt

• 1997 Grand Forks and the wake-up call for Fargo

• 2009 record flood fight and near-loss event

• The diversion concept + flood control gates and structures

• Funding reality: appropriations, cost-benefit, and why innovation mattered

• P3 pilot project: how the delivery model was split

• Local sales tax + bi-state joint powers authority

• Rural impacts: litigation, mitigation, easements, and relocation

• Measurable benefits: floodplain removal + insurance + economic growth

• Leadership takeaway: never take no for an answer

In this episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Katye Miller McGinnis, P.E. about the realities of civil engineering growth: the learning never stops, mentorship takes adaptability, and great projects require empathy inside the workplace and out in the community.

Katye shares lessons from healthcare and complex site development, including how to mentor interns and new hires, how field feedback sharpens engineering judgment, why innovation often starts with operations, and how community engagement can determine whether major public infrastructure funding succeeds or fails.

Key topics include: mentorship + communication, learning styles, field-to-drawing translation, workplace culture and flexibility, and building a “personal board of directors” for your career.

• Katye’s path: healthcare + complex site development

• Mentorship: teaching concepts → drawings → construction reality

• Learning styles: how to support different people effectively

• The “pump station moment”: why learning never ends

• When training isn’t working: competence, ethics, and fit

• Innovation in hospitals: deliveries, traffic flow, and operations

• Workplace empathy and flexibility (especially for parents)

• Community engagement: why bond measures pass or fail

• Katye’s advice: build your personal board of directors

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In this special episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Jennifer Todd about the “Doubt Tax” the hidden mental and emotional cost women pay in AEC just to be seen as competent.

Jennifer explains why this is different from imposter syndrome, how credibility pressure and bias drive talent out of civil engineering, and why fixing retention starts with leaders building systems that assume competence. The result: stronger culture, better quality of life, and a more productive workforce.

Thomas Smith — longtime ASCE leader and Executive Director for the past 11 years joins Dr. Dennis D. Truax for a special edition of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast. They discuss civil engineering’s future through the lens of workforce shortages, AI, sustainability, extreme weather, and the critical role of advocacy, trusted engineering knowledge, and inclusive pathways into the profession.

• Tom’s career path: civil engineering → law → ASCE

• ASCE’s biggest profession-wide impacts (report cards, standards, public outreach)

• Why AI must be applied “with purpose” — outcomes that serve humanity

• Workforce development + career-connected learning

• Infrastructure investment advocacy and what comes next

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In this special multi-guest episode, we bring together three industry experts to take on one of the most urgent conversations in civil infrastructure today: how do we build safer, smarter, more resilient projects?Engineers, educators, and practitioners Bill Hayden, Dr. Ahmed Albayati, and Chad Morrison join Dennis to explore:🔹 Why safety must start at the design table, not the construction site🔹 The dangers of siloed thinking in engineering organizations🔹 How systems thinking can transform civil infrastructure🔹 Communication failures between designers & contractors🔹 Real-world examples of preventing injuries and saving lives🔹 Why owners, designers, and contractors must share responsibility🔹 The shift toward “upside-down design”🔹 How leadership, culture, and accountability create safer workplaces🔹 The role of education, research, and cross-discipline collaborationWhether you're a student, early-career engineer, construction professional, or industry leader—this episode gives a blueprint for the future of safe and sustainable infrastructure.

When a late-night call revealed foam discharging into the Mississippi River, chemical engineer Liz Rayfield had to make a decision—one that would shut down an entire plant for a week and cost millions.

In this episode, Liz joins Dennis for a raw and insightful discussion about:
• Ethical responsibility under pressure
• Speaking up when management wants silence
• The operator who trusted his gut
• Why “legal” doesn’t always mean “right”
• How young engineers build credibility and courage
• Industry, licensure, and becoming a true professional

A must-listen for engineers in manufacturing, energy, chemical, civil, or any safety-critical field.

This isn’t just engineering.
This is leadership.

In this episode, Dr. Dennis Truax speaks with BJ Elkins, P.E., a water and wastewater engineer recognized by NSPE as an Emerging Leader. BJ shares how a simple message — “you can use math to help people” — sparked a career focused on service.

From working in rural Uganda to solving small-town Colorado water crises, BJ opens up about purpose, ethics, continuing education, and what it really means to protect the public through engineering.

A powerful conversation for civil engineers, students, and anyone who believes infrastructure is about people, not pipes.

In this episode, Dr. Dennis Truax talks with Sangeeta Bhattacharjee, P.E., PMP, the first woman geotechnical engineer in her Terracon office, about resilience, servant leadership, and breaking gender barriers in engineering.
From growing up in Bangladesh to becoming a recognized emerging leader in Kansas, Sangeeta shares how faith, persistence, and mentorship helped her define success on her own terms.

A must-listen for young engineers, women in STEM, and anyone redefining what leadership looks like in the 21st century.

This edition of The 21st Century Engineer newsletter spotlights Alex Steelman, PE a 2025 NSPE Emerging Leader who shares her journey from aerospace aspirations to building communities through civil infrastructure. Guided by strong mentors and driven by a love for problem-solving, Alex reflects on early-career challenges, lifelong learning, and the importance of professional societies in shaping ethical, servant leaders.

Her story is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and commitment to the profession’s highest ideals: protecting the public, advancing knowledge, and mentoring the next generation.

#CivilEngineering #Mentorship #EngineeringLeadership #WomenInSTEM #NSPE #ServantLeadership

In this episode of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast, Dr. Dennis D. Truax sits down with Isaac Oakeson, founder of  @CivilEngAcademy , to discuss the future of engineering licensure and why earning your PE still defines professional competency in civil engineering.Isaac shares how his own struggles with the PE exam inspired him to create one of the leading prep platforms for engineers, how computer-based testing (CBT) has changed the game, and why the three-legged stool of education, experience, and examination still matters.They dive into:🔹 How Civil Engineering Academy helps FE and PE candidates succeed🔹 The pros and cons of removing the breadth section from the PE🔹 What the FE and PE really test — and how to prepare effectively🔹 Why professional licensure remains essential for protecting public safety🔹 The biggest exam changes from NCEES and what’s next for the PEWhether you’re studying for your FE, preparing to sit for your PE, or mentoring the next generation of engineers this conversation will sharpen your perspective on what it truly means to be a licensed professional engineer.