Current News

Fall President's Message

The ASCE Minnesota Section board is transitioning soon! Look for election ballots in your inbox in the coming week.

I encourage you to join me at one of the following events/activities this winter:

  • November TBD Meeting: Hosted by the EWR Committee

  • December TBD Meeting: Joint meeting with SAME

  • January TBD: Membership Appreciation Event

  • Many other committee meetings, tours, and Student Chapter activities — watch your emails Instructions to check email address on file with us

Announcement: The Enviornmental & Water Resources Committee is seeking a representative to join the MN Water Resources Conference Planning Committee. This term would begin mid-December 2023 and last for 2 years. This is a great opportunity to work with our local water experts to choose abstracts for presentations and moderate conference sessions. Please email ewr@ascemn.org by November 17.

Past Events:

Follow us at ascemn.org or on LinkedIn.

Ariel Christenson, PE (MN, IN, NC, VA, WI), 2022-2023 ASCE-MN President

Elections are Coming - Update Your Contact Info

Not getting our emails? Switched jobs? Moved? Here’s how to update your contact information on file with ASCE MN.

  • Go to www.asce.org

  • Click “Member Login” at the top of the page

  • Log in with username & password

  • In the upper right corner in the drop down under your name, click “Manage my Account”

  • Your account page will then pop up, where you can update email, mailing address, communication preferences, etc.

This is your one-stop shop! Any changes made will automatically get updated at the local level (ASCE MN communicates via email). Still having issues? Email communications@ascemn.org.

Spring President's Message

It is my honor to serve as Minnesota ASCE Section President for 2022-2023. I've been part of this amazing organization since college, and have got to meet people along the way with so much drive and passion for our built environment. PEOPLE are the center of our civil engineering oath to protect public health, safety and welfare.

While it is only March, the leadership board pauses activities at the end of May, resuming with a summer planning meeting, and then again full strength in September with the next round of elections. So, time is flying by! I encourage you to join me at one of the following events/activities this spring:

Thank you board members for volunteering your time to this non-profit organization of the profession!

Follow ASCE-MN activities at ascemn.org or on LinkedIn.

Ariel Christenson, PE (MN, IN, NC, VA, WI), 2022-2023 ASCE-MN President

ASCE-MN Sponsors the 2023 Future City Competition

And the ASCE special award goes to… Team Rayon Del Miel from Mounds Park Academy!

Our #ascemn judges Sofia Puerto, Griffin Dempsey, Logan Pfaltzgraff, and Jeff Weisensel gave the Best Infrastructure Award to the team because of their City’s “bike wellness, raising bridges, hexagon design. Innovative solutions that positively affected residents. Multi-faceted. Researched. Solutions affected many layers.”

#ascemn President Ariel Christenson was a judge in the finals. The winning team VAXA represented Minnesota at the National Future City Competition in Washington, DC this past weekend.

Great job, students! You are the future of civil engineering!

Minnesota  - Future City® Competition

Report Card Presentation at the MN Senate

#ascemn Section President Ariel Christenson and Report Card Committee Chair Katie Zadrozny, P.E. presented to the State Senate Capital Investment Committee on January 17. We were honored to offer ourselves as experts in our built environment with the tool of the 2022 MN #Infrastructure Report Card. Our systems are aging! Let's get these overdue projects off the shelf TODAY.

2022-2023 Board Election Results

Congratulations to all of our new officers for 2022-2023 and thank you to everyone that voted.

Ariel Christenson President

Alysa Johnson President Elect

Andrew Nordseth First Past-President

Lauren Linderman Secretary

Riley Dvorak Treasurer

Hannah Albertus-Benham Director of Communications

Tumer Akakin Director of Awards

Meredith Lis Director of Outreach

Danielle Nielsen Director of Events

Elections are Coming - Update Your Contact Info

Not getting our emails? Switched jobs? Moved? Here’s how to update your contact information on file with ASCE MN.

  • Go to www.asce.org

  • Click “Login” in the top right corner

  • Log in with username & password

  • In the upper right corner in the drop down under your name, click “Manage my Account”

  • Your account page will then pop up, where you can update email, mailing address, subscriptions, communication preferences, etc.

This is your one-stop shop! Any changes made will automatically get updated at the local level (ASCE MN communicates via email). Still having issues? Email communications@ascemn.org.

Governor Walz’s Capitol Budget Bill Prioritizes Infrastructure

St. Paul, MN—Governor Tim Walz released his $2.7 billion 2022 capitol budget bill to the public on Tuesday, January 18th. Of the numerous appropriations in the bill, over $560 million was set aside for various infrastructure projects including $90 million for local road grants, $200 million for bridges, and $200 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The Governor’s bonding proposal includes a combination of General Obligation Bonds, Trunk Highway Bonds, and cash.

“The priorities in this bonding bill are an important start to make the infrastructure investments that are needed,” said Andrew Nordseth, President of the Minnesota Chapter of ASCE. “We have the opportunity to begin to close the infrastructure gaps that exist across the state. As our current infrastructure ages, costs will continue to rise. Investments are needed now and need to continue into the future.”

The Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is in the process of developing a 2022 Report Card for Minnesota’s Infrastructure. This report card examines all sectors of infrastructure across the state and assigns grades based on several criteria. The report will update the 2018 Report Card for Minnesota’s Infrastructure, which identified significant gaps across nine key areas including roads, bridges, and wastewater. The 2018 Report Card gave Minnesota a “C” average, which means our infrastructure is in mediocre condition and needs improvement.

“Our volunteer members are working hard to complete their analysis on Minnesota’s infrastructure needs and make recommendations of how we can improve,” said Katie Zadrozny, who is leading the 2022 Report Card team. “What I can tell you now is we’re seeing a continued need for ongoing, sustainable investments across the board.”

With a $7.7 billion surplus, the Legislature is not short on decisions to make during session. Adding to the decisions is $4.8 billion in federal infrastructure money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that is coming to the state. Most of this money requires a 20% state match and will only be available for five years. While increased federal investment is a good thing, Nordseth encouraged state lawmakers to take a longer view of things.

“The state has funding gaps and needs as far as 20 years into the future,” he added. “The new federal money is only for five years. What happens after 2026? ASCE urges policymakers to continue to look to the future. Even with this federal money, ASCE’s work shows that the cost of needed upgrades will soon outpace available funding. The Governor’s bill is an encouraging start, and we look forward to our voice being a part of the process.”

For More Information Contact:

January 18, 2022 Cathy Gillen, cgillen@asce.org

ASCE Minnesota section is now accepting nominations for MFESTS awards

The Board of the ASCE Minnesota section is now accepting nominations for the following Minnesota Federation of Engineering, Science, and Technology Societies (MFESTS) awards:

• Distinguished Engineer of the Year: This award recognizes outstanding lifetime achievements in the practice of engineering, contributions to the engineering profession, and actions enhancing the image of engineering in our society.

• Young Engineer of the Year: This award recognizes outstanding achievement by an engineer less than 35 years of age. Nominees are judged on the basis of educational and collegiate achievements; professional society activities; civic and humanitarian activities; continuing competence; engineering achievements; and overall professional experience.

These are highly prestigious awards and we want to do our part towards recognizing deserving individuals. Please see mfests.org/awards for additional information. If you have a nomination(s) for the board to consider for either of these awards, please email Riley Dvorak at awards@ascemn.org no later than December 31, 2021.