[President Perspective] [Meet the Member] [Monthly Meeting]
There is the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the National Air and Space Museum. But have you heard about our Capital's newest attraction? On April 14, 2005, ASCE unveiled the Monument to American Civil Engineering located at the ASCE World Headquarters Building. According to the monument's guide, it "honors the rich history and promising future of the essential profession of civil engineering. The powerful images presented in the monument illustrate how the greatest achievements of civil engineers became beloved icons of American culture." Twenty-one civil engineering accomplishments are highlighted, some of which are the Erie Canal, Golden Gate Bridge, New York City Subway, Hoover Dam, St. Louis Gateway Arch, and the International Space Station.
The Monument to American Civil Engineering was conceived during ASCE's 150th anniversary in 2002. One item contained in the monument that is not apparent to the casual visitor is a time capsule. It was installed in the fall of 2003, and will not be reopened until ASCE's bicentennial. Members sent in "relics of our present," such as photographs of our modern infrastructure, building codes, calculators, GPS units, university curricula, and student papers. Also included was the September 12, 2001 issue of the New York Times, as well as other follow-up reports to explain the terrorist attacks. Finally, the time capsule contains various members' predictions about the civil engineering profession in 2052.
How wonderful it is to be part of a profession whose products continue to serve the public for fifty years (if not usually longer). The engineers of fifty years ago would be amazed at what technology has done to assist our profession. However, the engineers of fifty years ago would not be hard pressed to find their creations. The time capsule certainly makes you ponder about the future . . . what familiar sights and fantastic inventions will exist when it is opened?
-Valerie Beard, P.E.
Eric Gobler is a Senior Engineer at the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Central Coast Region covers southern Santa Clara County all the way through Santa Barbara County. Currently, Eric supervises the Region's Military Base and perchlorate contamination clean-up efforts. This work includes investigation and cleanup activities, technical and monitoring report evaluation, well installation oversight, underground storage tank removals and landfill contamination cleanup for facilities like the former Fort Ord Army Base in Monterey and Vandenberg Air Force Base. Many closing bases, like Ft Ord, are being cleaned up for public use by the adjacent cities or for the State school system.
After graduating from the Environmental Engineering program at Cal Poly in 1975, Eric was hired by the State and helped start a RWQCB office in Redding. Eric then had the opportunity to come back to the Central Coast RWQCB, and has been working there since late 1978. In his 30 years with the RWQCB, Eric has worked in all areas of regulatory responsibility, including administering waste discharge requirements, NPDES permitting, wastewater and landfill regulation (including the Casmalia Resources facility), underground storage tank cleanups and non-point source contamination. He has worked in all geographical areas of the region except Santa Cruz. Locally, Eric was involved with the cleanup efforts at the Guadalupe Dunes Oil Field, the San Luis Obispo oil tank farm and the Avila Beach restoration project. He currently is actively involved with the 10-mile long perchlorate groundwater contamination plume in Southern Santa Clara County (Morgan Hill/ Gilroy area). Eric prefers working with soil and groundwater contamination cleanups to regulatory permitting of domestic and industrial wastewater facilities.
In order to maintain balance as a government employee, Eric believes it is important to work in the private sector understanding steps associated with public and regulatory permitting. He has gained this experience as a civil engineering consultant on residential projects involving grading, drainage and septic systems in addition to working for the RWQCB.
Needless to say, Eric doesn't have much time for hobbies, but is used to a workaholic lifestyle, which began where he grew up on a dairy farm in Kern County He learned early that work began when the sun rose and ended when the sun set. Eric is an engineer through and through; detail oriented with an affinity for knowing how machines work and fixing things that are broken. What he does find time for are his family, his faith and traveling. Eric and his wife have four children, three boys and one girl. All are currently on their own, scattered from San Diego to San Jose. He became a grandpa in October when his first granddaughter was born. The Gobler's are actively involved at their church, the First Assembly of God in Atascadero.
Their favorite family trip was to the Olympics in Atlanta in '96, when they were also able to hit Disneyworld, D.C. and Nashville while they were back east. Now their vacation plans are a little different. Eric and his wife are looking forward to their trip to the Greek Isles this summer.
by Courtney Howard
For our May luncheon, we are pleased to have our annual meeting with SCE, the student chapter of ASCE at Cal poly. SCE will have presenters talk about this year's Concrete Canoe, and the Seismic Design Competition. The Concrete Canoe team will discuss rule changes that went into effect this year and how the changes affected their design, as well as difficulties they had to overcome this year. Derek Benedict, a two-year veteran of the Seismic Design Competition, will be discussing the rules of the competition and how Cal Poly's team approached the design this year, as well as highlighting interesting design features of other schools. Finally, there will be a summary of how Cal Poly SCE performed at the Pacific Southwest Regional Conference this year. Be sure to mark your calendars and join us on Thursday, May 19 at AJ Spurs in Grover Beach for what promises to be a fascinating presentation.
Local Chapter Members with National Committee MembershipThis month, we would like to spotlight a few of those members in our local chapter who have volunteered to serve on technical committees of various institutes associated with the national ASCE organization. Many of these members serve on several committees. A partial current list of national committee membership is provided below.
The Structural Engineering InstituteGraham Archer-Emerging Computing Technology
Craig Baltimore-Design Practices Committee (chair)
Rakesh Goel-Seismic Effects; Structural Control
James Hill-Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Building Standards
Douglas Honeger-Earthquake Actuated Automated Gas Shutoff Systems Standards
Celina Penalba-Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Building Standards; Special Structures; Structural Condition Assessment and Rehabilitation of Buildings
Edward Sullivan-Advanced Technologies Committee; Environmental Issues Committee; Planning and Economics Committee; Publications and Newsletter Committee