We have all been witnessing price inflation, whether it is at the gas station or at the grocery store. Both inflation and material shortage have become part of our design considerations when we select and specify materials for our projects. The approach has been further emphasized over the last couple of years: the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) community should initiate design and construction projects with a thorough understanding of material availability, fabrication, delivery lead time, projected construction index price, and an evaluation of equivalent alternatives.
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Last month, I traveled to Chile for my brother’s wedding and took the opportunity to wander in Patagonia, the Colchagua Valley (wine country), Santiago, and a few other places. I don’t know if the pattern is common across my peers, but as for myself, travels are generally punctuated by a constant evaluation of the local infrastructure, design details, construction means and methods, and an assessment of the infrastructure challenges that each region faces.
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As we enter 2022, I wish our members a very happy and prosperous new year. It would be a shame not to recognize the accomplishments of the past year. Our hyperactive Orange County Branch committees did not stop interacting and implementing activities: I counted over 60 events held during the past year. I could not be prouder to belong to such a resilient and proactive organization. I thank my predecessor, Clint Isa, P.E., for spearheading the efforts, and all of our volunteers for your contributions over the past couple of years.
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In Memoriam: Hugh Howell Foreman, June 24, 1926 - April 23, 2021. Hugh Howell Foreman was the 5th President of the ASCE Orange County Branch, from 1956-1957.
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With the new fiscal year having begun in October, we felt this month’s President’s Column would be a good forum for our new presidents (Remi Candaele, ASCE OC Branch President; Ashlyn Alexander, ASCE OC YMF President) to introduce themselves and for me and YMF counterpart (Melissa Hilsabeck) to reflect on our respective terms as president of the OC Branch and OC YMF. I hope that the Q&A that follows helps you get to know more about each of us.
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Firmly entrenched in the midst of my career and fast approaching my 40th birthday, I have found myself thinking about legacies quite a lot lately. One of the unique things about being president of the ASCE Orange County Branch is that the position affords the ability to see legacies at various stages of development: ones that have been cemented, ones whose seeds have just been planted, and everything in between. In the ASCE Orange County Branch, I have noted some excellent examples of each over the past few months.
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