As the 2017 Branch President-elect for the ASCE, New Orleans Branch, Karishma Desai, P.E., attended the 2017 ASCE Regions 1, 2, 4, & 5 Workshop for Section and Branch Leaders on 20 and 21 January at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott in Newark, New Jersey.
Approximately 300 leaders; members of the Younger Member Groups; and student chapter leaders from Regions 1, 2, 4, and 5, attended the conference. These regions cover certain states in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. Karishma’s goal was to employ tools, information, ideas, and experiences from the conference into strengthening and expanding the New Orleans Branch.
“I was really impressed with the number of student members who attended this event. They are the next generation of civil engineers,” Karishma said. “I was also amazed to see how many former branch leaders have stayed involved to serve as governors and directors. They are making sure our voices are heard beyond the branch and section levels. Our country needs civil engineers to have a strong influence on America’s infrastructure standards.”
Karishma met the incoming ASCE National’s president, Ms. Kristina Sallow, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE, of the City of Las Vegas, and ASCE National presidential candidates Ms. Robin A. Kemper, PE, LEED AP, the senior risk engineering consultant of Zurich Services Corporation; and Mr. K. N. Gunalna, PhD., P.E., D.GE., F.ASCE, the vice president of AECOM.
Popular topics at the conference included raising standards for civil engineering education; the ASCE 2017 Infrastructure report, which was published 9 March 2017 with a grade of D+ for America’s Infrastructure; the Dream Big film, presented at the University of New Orleans during E-Week in February; and outreach. Karishma also attended the Region 5 Assembly after the conference, where she met the region’s directors and governors. The purpose of the assembly was for regional members to meet and share information and learn about the region’s function and the role of the governors.