ASCE Plot Points Podcast

By American Society of Civil EngineersBusiness Careers Non-Profit

ASCE Plot Points Podcast episodes

November 08, 2022 Episode 132: Michel Bruneau, on the blessings of disaster, Part 1
Michel Bruneau, Ph.D., P.E., P.Eng, F.SEI, Dist.M.ASCE, has a new book out today, “The Blessings of Disaster,” that argues the best way forward – if not the only way – is by learning from the extreme weather events and other disasters that beset us.
In episode 132 of ASCE Plot Points, Bruneau discusses his new book, the “Three Little Pigs” fable, and why we must find blessings in disasters.
17 min
October 25, 2022 Episode 131: Jason Korb, on building up to the challenge
The ASCENT Tower in Milwaukee – at 25 stories – is the world’s tallest timber building.
In episode 131 of ASCE Plot Points, the architect behind the ASCENT, Jason Korb of Korb and Associates, talks about the unique challenges inherent to the ASCENT and how collaboration and innovation helped make history possible.
11 min
October 11, 2022 Episode 130: Duncan Wardle, on innovation on demand
Duncan Wardle, former head of innovation and creativity at Walt Disney Company, will serve as the closing speaker at the ASCE 2022 Convention, Oct. 26 in Anaheim, California.
In episode 130 of ASCE Plot Points, Wardle talks about innovation and how to do it.
13 min
September 27, 2022 Episode 129: Colette Easter, on why resilience starts with awareness
Colette Easter is not a native Kentuckian. But she’s lived and worked there a long time now, and she cares about the state.
An engineer with the Metropolitan Sewer District in Louisville, she played a huge leadership role in the 2019 ASCE state infrastructure report card for Kentucky. So when floods tore through parts of Eastern Kentucky this summer, it spoke to Easter both professionally and personally.
In episode 129 of ASCE Plot Points, Easter talks about the work she’s doing in Louisville to ensure water resilience for her county, and why that resilience so often starts with public awareness.
13 min
September 13, 2022 Episode 128: Sarah McEwen and Shawn Miller, on the water crisis in Jackson
Sarah McEwen has worked as a water resources engineer in Jackson, Mississippi, for nearly a decade.
Shawn Miller, entering his senior year as a civil engineering student at Jackson State University, has called the city home his entire life.
In episode 128 of ASCE Plot Points, the two ASCE leaders share stories from the recent water crisis as the city seeks a pathway toward resilience.
15 min
August 30, 2022 Episode 127: Stu Walesh, on adopting a growth mindset
Stu Walesh is an ASCE distinguished member; a longtime civil engineer specializing in water with experience in the public sector, the private sector, and academia.
Through it all, he's approached every day as a chance to learn something new.
In episode 127 of ASCE Plot Points, Walesh talks about how he developed that growth mindset and how it helps create positive disruption.

14 min
August 16, 2022 Episode 126: Melissa Hilsabeck, on arriving at your destination job
Every career journey has stops along the way. And for many people, those are just called jobs.
But for the lucky among us, those stops along the way eventually add up to a destination job.
But for Melissa Hilsabeck, EIT, A.M.ASCE, she’s found that destination job very early in her career.
She’s a capital projects coordinator in the construction management division for the Port of Long Beach.
On episode 126 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Hilsabeck talks about her career journey and the many exciting projects happening at the port.
18 min
August 02, 2022 Episode 125: Bentley Ruggles, on bringing projects to life with VR
These days it takes a lot of different people with a lot of different skills to make civil engineering happen.
It really comes down to teamwork and technology.
On episode 125 of the ASCE Plot Points podcast, Bentley Ruggles, a senior project manager for Dewberry, talks about how virtual reality technology is changing the way projects get done.
17 min
July 19, 2022 Episode 124: Mehrnaz Doustmohammadi and Michael Anderson, on a new way to do public transportation
Efficiency is essential these days.
There isn’t enough time or money for anything less.
And efficiency is borne of innovation.
The Office of Public Transportation in Alabama is one such innovation – a partnership between the state department of transportation and the University of Alabama in Huntsville with the simple goal of improving transit for the citizens of Alabama.
In episode 124 of ASCE Plot Points, two Alabama Office of Public Transporation leaders, Mehrnaz Doustmohammadi and Michael Anderson, discuss the collaboration and if the model could be a good fit in other parts of the country.
17 min
July 12, 2022 Episode 123: Joel Figueroa-Vallines, on the Surfside tragedy a year later
Joel Figueroa-Vallines, P.E., F.ASCE, is a structural and forensic engineer and president of SEP+A Engineering Consulting, headquartered in Orlando.
He left home to drive south for Surfside, Florida, last summer in the aftermath of the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium. He wound up staying for three weeks, helping where he could.
In episode 123 of ASCE Plot Points, Figueroa-Vallines reflects on the tragedy a year later and how he’s seen it change the industry.
17 min