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Multidisciplinary Teams Provide Success My compliments to ENR for recognizing Bernard Amadei’s contribution to engineering pedagogy by plugging one hole in the education of the next generation of engineers with the creation of Engineers Without Borders-USA. The juxtaposition of EWB-USA’s story with Pat Galloway’s dialogue on the broad definition of what the 21st century will demand from the engineer-as-leader supports your selection of Bernard Amadei as this year’s Award of Excellence winner. However, one important contribution of EWB-USA that addresses both Bernard’s and Pat’s messages was not covered. Engineers in the Tufts University EWB program learned in their first assignment

At last count, the potential cost to U.S. taxpayers will be $12.8 trillion for the federal economic stimulus, bailout of financial institutions, purchases of toxic assets, financial aid to automakers, loan guarantees, tax breaks and other aid to fight the recession. The Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, Congress and the President have greenbacks flying off government printing presses, and as everyone except government decision-makers seems to know, that is a surefire recipe for inflation, especially the 1970s style. The U.S. inflation experienced in the late 1970s was unique in that it occurred during peacetime. All previous inflation spikes were during wars.

Local Rules Will Help Curb Crane Mishaps The article “New York City Official Blasts Federal Standards for Cranes” was interesting. One of the first crane accidents I remember was a crane “tip-over” in New York City in the early 1980s. A contractor was unloading materials from a delivery truck during the noon hour. The sidewalk was not blocked off, and the public was able to walk between the crane that was unloading the materials and the construction project on the other side of the sidewalk. The person operating the crane tipped the crane over, pinning a woman both under the

By one estimate, the federal government and the Federal Reserve have lent, spent or committed $12.8 trillion to combat the current recession—and the end is not yet in sight. These commitments include attempted bailouts of troubled financial firms, funds for automakers, loan guarantees, economic-stimulus funding for projects, tax breaks and purchases of toxic mortgages. Taken in its totality, this golden eruption dwarfs any federal spending plan ever undertaken. Related Links: Dollars Roll Out At Uneven Pace Therein lies the problem. With a potential prize roughly equal to the gross domestic product of the U.S. in 2008, every hustler on the

LUPO We kill three people every day in the construction industry. It’s an alarming statistic, especially given the exhaustive training, rigorous risk-management policies and tough laws that penalize contractors for safety infractions, injuries and jobsite perils. But there is another way to reduce this deadly statistic: create personal safety records for individual workers as an incentive for them to assume responsibility for safety. Recently, an employee made a decision to disregard a company’s 6-ft 100% fall-protection policy and disconnected his lanyard to climb across some formwork that was being stripped. He fell 14 ft and severely injured his knee. This

In good and bad times, there is an economic barometer in an auctioneer’s chant. When construction equipment is offered at auction to the highest bidder regardless of price, the market’s wants, needs and dislikes are starkly revealed, as well as hints of what the future holds. Recent major auctions show there are signs of life in the U.S. economy, and many of these pulses are being felt in the heart of America. From local road repairs to hospital upgrades, some industry demand is still pumping for the workers, equipment and tools necessary to improve the lives of everyday people. Though

Bernard Amadei, engineering professor at my alma mater, the University of Colorado-Boulder, was slowing down late last year to teach and write more after seven hectic years of trying to build the group he founded, Engineers Without Borders-USA. Then ENR called to tell him he was the 2009 Award of Excellence winner. But Amadei, his family, CU colleagues and industry associates were excited and gracious in allowing us to report his story and that of EWB-USA participants. Photo: Michael Goodman / ENR Rubin’s interviewing started at CU with Amadei. ENR takes home four Neals. Editor-at-Large Debra K. Rubin has covered

We no longer do five-year plans. We don’t do one-year plans. We do five-day plans, says Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay. With the onslaught of new communication channels, the reality is you’re only going to get five minutes to get a statement together when a crisis hits. Every first-rate building professional knows the necessity of a good plan. Well-defined plans are a huge portion of any project, but the plan shouldn’t stop with the building. You will face a crisis at some point. How you handle it is up to you. The good news is that a little pre-planning