http://enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/default.aspDr. Patricia D. Galloway, PE, is CEO of the Seattle-based Nielsen-Wurster Group. In June 2006 she was appointed by President Bush to serve a six-year term as a director of the 24-member National Science Board, the National Science Foundation's governing body.enThe McGraw-Hill Companies 2006Tue, 29 May 2007 17:04:25 GMTThu, 26 Jul 2007 17:18:52 GMThttp://enr.com/people/blogs/imgs/pat_galloway-def.jpghttp://enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/default.asphttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070726.aspLast week I shared my thoughts on the loss of institutional knowledge regarding older engineers and the new generation replacing them. But what happens when companies merge and are acquired? Today’s consolidation of companies--engineering, construction management and construction--are at an all-time high. Buy-out agreements and management replacements can often result in the loss of institutional knowledge regarding what made the acquired company profitable and successful. After all, in our industry, it is all about the people who own, manage and run them--not about a product that can be sold off the shelf. However, despite this most valuable asset, the most common reaction is for management to bail out-or to be replaced. What may have been successful in one firm however, may not work well in another.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{299ee34b-118c-b324-ceee-7df2f10d79d}Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:18:46 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070716.aspWe are rapidly reaching a point where the older engineers are retiring and taking with them the institutional knowledge of the last 30 to 40 years.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{c7db3190-bf29-ca6a-4804-548781776888}Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:17:46 GMThttp://www.enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070703.aspBefore we break records and build monuments, there are some questions that need to be asked.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{bc39c191-ded-dd90-e054-c53588c76200}Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:39:04 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070627.asp3-D modeling has been around for several years, but it isn't used enough.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{3cad8f7-feda-a36f-943-5b15a54a372}Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:51:12 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070614.aspI’m back! Hope you all enjoyed the series on ethics. Well, today, June 14, is a special day-my 50th birthday!enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{fd49b6e8-3729-c411-4724-cf1f70f88f27}Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:43:57 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070529.aspAs engineers, we are responsible for protecting the public health safety and welfare. enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{29645bb-9edb-f1d6-3038-3f88c6ce29ac}Tue, 29 May 2007 17:04:21 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070523.aspThere are perhaps no greater "soft skills" for the engineer to acquire than the ability to capably deal with ethical issues and behave in a professional manner, for these skills lie at the heart of the engineer's primary obligation—to hold paramount the public safety, health, and welfare.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{22797ca4-7a3e-1a14-dd41-5f192430f6ef}Wed, 23 May 2007 20:53:01 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070514.aspIt is time for a little R&R. I will be on vacation in Alaska for a few weeks. I have prepared a series of blogs on ethics that will post while I am out.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{751168-678a-7c31-6ffe-f9b38522caf9}Mon, 14 May 2007 19:59:47 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070509.aspIn Europe, an engineer who wishes to practice throughout the European Union can obtain an EU Professional Engineers License. enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{88397a1-669d-4961-d413-8fee29f2619e}Wed, 09 May 2007 17:22:57 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070428.aspOccasionally I think it is good to show what engineers do outside their "technical" life in order to show that we are indeed human and represent the population.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{c28c2f56-e666-62d8-c2f0-36ebe3a080a7}Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:02:57 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070426.aspAs I drove down the main highway from the Beijing airport to my hotel, I was amazed at what Beijing has accomplished in the last three years in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{f75ec90-fe65-1094-68a-b830d3335e77}Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:06:19 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070416.aspThe answer lies in the faces of the young girls I speak to across the country and their questions and comments.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{119341ff-2c9e-6cf4-ed56-2d0952b48b14}Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:20:38 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070409.aspWell, it's that time of year again when the students start searching for that summer job in hopes of adding to their experience and knowledge. enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{60c229b9-c906-1ad9-dac1-9d8eb7333b52}Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:35:34 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070330.aspWhy is it that: our neighbors don't know what a civil engineer is? Only a handful of our Congressmen are engineers. Only 30% of our Secretaries of Transportation are engineers.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{fc648999-4cda-18a3-8e42-3a68b59f3862}Sun, 01 Apr 2007 18:59:43 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070324.aspIn my keynote address to the annual Alberta Transportation Conference in Red Deer, Canada this week, I emphasized to the engineers in attendance that the design of a project in the 21st Century involves new considerations often overlooked or not thought of in the past.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{f06f8659-ef25-e6b9-661a-fa487edd27b3}Sat, 24 Mar 2007 18:53:48 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070315.aspince April 5, 1958, when the Chinese government issued the first document on the Three Gorges Project, "Opinion on the Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project and the Planning of the Yangtze Valley," the very mention of the project raised bristles on people around the globe like a cat in a dog-fight.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{c6a7ee86-ca53-e410-2638-ab55c863dca2}Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:10:28 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070314.aspAs Chair of the Society for Social Management Systems, I am writing my blog this week from Yichang, China, as I lead the second International Symposium on Social Management Systems.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{93f9b97b-8889-d14f-b52d-3c7056f05b53}Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:32:09 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070302.aspThe issue of bribery and corruption is so massive it has become the biggest drain on improving infrastructure. The World Bank has identified corruption as among the greatest obstacles to economic and social development.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{7392a883-ffac-81a3-2289-4d8094f1ba1}Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:05:00 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070227.aspI can't even begin to identify the number of licensees, degree designations, and certifications that are out there in the industry.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{70822710-dda6-b31e-37b0-8a785c093332}Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:05:25 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070223.aspWith the new "mega projects" and governments having to lock in public dollars years ahead of construction and design-builders/construction managers having to guarantee overall project costs at 30% design, contingency has become a much more contentious issue than in the past.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{86c044f4-c672-e463-963b-7bb5f5b192b3}Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:52:44 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070213.aspI continue to be fascinated and amazed at the amount of research that is being conducted at our universities around the country and the vital links much of the research being conducted has to the construction industry. I just attended a National Science Board meeting at Oregon State University this past week where various research projects were presented to the board members including research on earthquake studies, tsunami research, old growth forests, climatic changes from studies of polar region ice cores, and phenomena of fish habitats off the Oregon coast. All these research projects are very exciting and all very useful to the future of our survival.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{e4e45398-9357-ee1c-e3a8-d3e772a8977c}Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:34:56 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/070209.aspThe response to my engineering education blog was very encouraging and leads me to venture into another aspect of engineering education—the licensure of professors who teach our future engineers. I’m for it. enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{f449a66c-9ed3-dbbd-d1e4-ae70cf3bc5e1}Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:39:59 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/070131.aspLast week I was interviewing a young engineer who will be involved in our international consulting services. For international work I have to rely on engineers who can understand cultural issues, diversity and globalization. They must be leaders and convey that to others.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{57667a44-af6-296e-6137-f05637a0cef1}Wed, 31 Jan 2007 22:01:36 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/070120.aspWhat does it mean to sign a contract? Typically a contract is a mutual agreement between two parties to perform certain activities to accomplish some scope of work and usually by an agreed time. Contracts have an interesting history. In Japan, it was not until a few years ago that a one-page contract even came into being. In a "mutual trust" society, honor is key and the agreement and promise to someone to do something is as good as gold. In the past few years, the key elements of the project, general scope, agreed cost and completion time have been reduced to a signed one-page agreement. However, the majority of the rest of the world works under a "mutual mistrust" concept. Contracts become more complex, detailed, legalized and often run hundreds of pages.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{f312eaf7-cd9d-2eda-62dc-fc6e1d119d75}Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:28:30 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/070113.aspI facilitated a workshop this week for an owner that primarily utilizes Construction Management-At-Risk GMP contracts. The proactive owner continuously employs feedback from the stakeholders who affect the process. Thus, invitees included employees of the owner who participate in the process, other owners in the same industry, A/Es and contractors/CMs. Some of the attendees had worked for the owner for years; others wished they could do so. Attendees responded to pre-workshop questions which served as the basis of the initial discussions. Regardless of the position or the experience with the owner, the participants were open, honest and passionate about what they had to say.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{3e98ff22-23bc-88b0-8f6-e3d5c1bb530}Sat, 13 Jan 2007 16:08:21 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/070106.aspMediation has become by far the fastest growing alternative dispute resolution method of today. With the high costs of litigation and unfortunately the rising cost of arbitration has resulted in more parties looking for an avenue to resolve their claims and disputes in a more timely and cost effective manner. So the question is: can mediation truly result in timely which the parties believe will achieve a result with which the parties can live with and justify to their respective shareholders, boards or the public?enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{999e2d58-2e60-113c-5d66-4979d970509c}Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:10:29 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/070102.aspSome say that Engineers are just regular people doing a job that employs engineering skills and are not "geeky" as the world as described us. While I personally do not consider myself "geeky", there must be a part of me and my friends that truly enjoy the "geekier" side of gifts as witnessed this past week. I watched several of my friend engineers and I get presents this past week that I doubt you would go buy Aunt Martha.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{2ab81a0f-b97a-1af2-c6ad-f13bc78e261a}Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:14:29 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061222.aspDuring the 1970s and 1980s many international agencies became increasingly concerned about the size of major development projects that they were supporting.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{d5b91a17-a245-d99d-36d3-95b0c18da7ce}Fri, 22 Dec 2006 18:32:20 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061205.aspLast month the Wall Street Journal issued its "50 Women to Watch" for 2006. While the insert portrayed an interesting group of women "at the top" that have broken through that ever feared "glass ceiling", there remained a striking void in engineering and construction. Despite the fact that the construction industry probably accounts for most of the dollars spent in the world today, no construction women were highlighted as being "women to watch."enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{eaeae8fa-52c1-7851-7e6f-8119cec07a21}Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:05:30 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061211.aspThis past week I attended and spoke at the annual Construction Superconference held in San Francisco. The conference is the only conference I am aware of that brings together so many different stakeholders from the industry. It is the only place where you can find the top consultants and top law firms serving the construction industry. It is the place to be to learn about current topics in the industry to assist you both on the front end and the back end of projects.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{5df3bb7e-d90f-a689-b1d7-1073ef8a3a1}Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:05:05 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061217.aspGiven the switch in power to the Democrats, I question whether our nation will truly see any benefit in budget spending for our country’s infrastructure.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{caf748f5-dda4-5200-d887-8bff330a43eb}Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:44:30 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061124.aspThis Thanksgiving week I was a speaker in Sao Paulo, Brazil, regarding “Practical Strategies for International Construction Projects.” enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{92ff34c-acc3-e0b-858d-4aa8eb2623ee}Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:46:10 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061118.aspLast week I spoke at the American College for Construction Lawyers and attended a National Science Board Summit on engineering education. While one venue primarily consisted of lawyers and the second venue primarily consisted of Engineering Deans in the US, the message was the same: our engineers do not possess the necessary skill sets to compete on the global front in the 21st Century. The contractors who spoke and attended included Bechtel, Haskell, Fru-Con, Zachary, The Beck Group, TIC Holdings, AMEC and the Washington Group. A/Es and Engineers present included Parsons Brinckerhoff, CH2M Hill, and AECOM. Owners from the public and private sector were also represented, including General Electric, the U.S Army Corp of Engineers and Princeton University. Everyone voiced the same concern: how are we going to prepare our engineers of today for the engineers we need for the future?enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{fc15b327-a10a-4b28-f7b4-56c4a531c234}Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:58:01 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061110.aspThis week I became an Old Master. Not sure how that makes me feel. While I am proud to have been selected by the students of Purdue University to be one of ten Old Masters to return to the school to impart my "wisdom", I do not thought of myself as old enough to impart wisdom! However, you are as old as you feel and I am still feeling pretty young!enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{162141bc-ad69-efe2-a3de-d545af6f3312}Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:59:42 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/061021.aspLast week I was in Santa Fe attending the National Academy of Construction. It was a great feeling to be part of such an esteemed group of construction professionals, including some of the top names in the construction industry. The academy studies several issues that affect construction including labor, education-specifically in regard to professors who have not practiced K-12 awareness through such groups as ACE. The Ace mentoring program is spearheaded by Charlie Thorton, a member of the academy. Another area in which the academy is making strides is dispute resolution. The Dispute Resolution Practices Group has made some great contributions to this area and will have a report out within a few months.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{7266c594-1aeb-df5b-d55-2c693013676d}Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:59:32 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061105.aspSustainability continues to be a hot topic. It was a prime discussion at the ASCE “Civil Engineering 2025 Summit” in June and was the key focus of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations meeting two weeks ago. enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{3a4e88e1-fabb-d8e9-913-d4b1b1daffd8}Sun, 05 Nov 2006 15:30:11 GMThttp://www.enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061029.aspWhile attending the annual American Society of Civil Engineers convention last week, I was handed a letter to provide comment relative to a matter I thought had died when I was president of ASCE.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{a4752913-97d5-4ae0-65ff-637c75ffa115}Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:35:16 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/061012.aspClimate change seems to be the "hot" current event topic-at the movies, in the newspapers, on television and in Congress. On the way back from a meeting last week, while on the plane, I watched the movie "An Inconvenient Truth." As an engineer, I agree that it is an issue that we need to address and should be addressing as a global issue in global partnerships since none of us have a monopoly on the atmosphere. However, as an engineer, I also believe it is important when people discuss the issue often referred to as "global warming" that they do so with all the facts. I feel that it is wrong to present a "Doomsday" picture to the public that we will all be under water in 50 years, or that our land will all be a desert. By presenting information in this way, while it may attempt to have an emotional appeal and to "get someone's attention," it also indirectly gives the impression that engineers are sitting back and doing nothing to address the issue.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{89f37fc2-e2cd-395a-e12a-65bc736e429e}Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:38:26 GMThttp://enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/061006.aspFirst an apology to my readers for missing last week. I was in Singapore attending a meeting hosted by The National Science Board in conjunction with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings. I caught something that put me under the weather for a few days. While no "official" perspectives were exchanged, there was an interesting brainstorming session regarding how we could work together in research activities.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{e401631-829d-4b0e-aa40-aabbf15440ee}Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:45:54 GMThttp://enr.com/people/blogs/galloway/060922.aspGreat News fellow engineers: the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) at their meeting this past week in Anchorage, Alaska, voted 39-yes and 27-no on the following motion for State laws regarding professional engineering licensure:enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{d865da6b-c985-b258-7779-7033c312d2d7}Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:41:17 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060918.aspWith Tom Friedman's book, The World is Flat, and government issues on visas for Engineers coming to the U.S. to work, how many engineers really appreciate what is happening to us and are we doing anything about it? enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{74a93c0a-6c7b-3f85-2345-4af7ab941ad}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:55 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060907.aspLabor Day weekend includes the largest rodeo in the United States-the Ellensburg Rodeo in Ellensburg, Wash. This week's blog is slightly different since I wanted to focus on engineering in a way not many of us see nor would probably have any idea of how to address. The more traditional rodeo activities we think of such as roping calf, steer wrestling or barrel racing (my executive assistant is a pro barrel racer!), all involve a lot of skill and horsemanship. However, when it comes to bareback riding, saddle bronc and bull riding, the "g" forces that hit that cowboy during 8 seconds or less is probably more force than most engineers would consider in designing for an earthquake! (Note: 8 seconds is how long a rider must stay mounted on a horse or bull in order to be scored.)enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{2508e748-95da-b22f-b6ff-131a2b79191d}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:49 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060901.aspOver almost 30 years of engineering practice, one of the characteristics I continue to observe of engineers is the willingness to criticize lawyers. How many of us have not heard a recent lawyer joke or remark that the world would be better off without lawyers. However, as an engineer who made the decision to enter the management side of the world, specializing in management consulting, risk management and dispute resolution, I can tell you that the success of engineering and construction projects depends largely on good communications and clearly defined and communicated rights, risks and responsibilities, all of which are dependent upon sound contracts and a clear understanding of basic contract law. Unfortunately, many engineers pay too little attention to contracts and contract law, often times delaying their attention and education on such matters until a project ends up in the dispute phase, which by then is usually too late.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{c58ee0e5-5675-cdfb-dec1-e287c49cb3cb}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:41 GMThttp://www.enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060828.aspI have received a surprising number of comments about the recent blog on manufacturer's warranties and specifically, the differences between HDPE pipe and concrete pipe. As a professional, I thought I'd revisit the issue in light of those comments, which rightly pointed out that I may have over-simplified the matter regarding some of the opinions I gave.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{4e7b5a81-4053-c58b-700e-f2ce3cbbf570}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:34 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060822.aspI increasingly see more and more projects facing multi-million dollar claims as a result of lack of design coordination, primarily in public-works construction. More and more often, the lack of design coordination appears to be the result of the need to get bid documents on the street to meet referendums on the ballot, federal funding requests and/or commitments made with third party utilities in memoranda of understanding. The rush to get the design finalized and out to bid results in a high probability that the design has not been fully coordinated, especially when there are multiple design firms involved.enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{cde3a885-e272-a1c3-47a9-76564fc4b4de}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:25 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060814.aspArt and Engineering-whoever heard of such a thing!! After all, we know that artists think with the left side of their brain and engineers with the right side--or is it the other way around? For centuries, people have thought that artists are technically inclined become Architects. And we all know the battle between architects and engineers! Most people tend to think of engineers as people with lab coats, dark thick glasses and solitary individuals working behind closed doors devising solutions to problems based on math and physics. Architects, on the other hand, portray the beauty in what they do on paper and transform that art into physical buildings hoping for artistic awards. What aren't we getting?enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{cad13b20-ce5-d2-1a72-51551548bf7}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:18 GMThttp://enr.construction.com/people/blogs/galloway/060804.aspRecently, I have been researching the difference between the use of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pipe versus Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP) for drainage and sewer work. In interviewing several engineers who design pipe, as well as contractors who install pipe, I asked them what they believed the difference to be. The answer: it is merely a material substitution. The primary reason in specifying HDPE pipe over RCP pipe appears to be primarily cost and ease of installation. Some also indicated that they relied on the manufacturers’ warranties in their decisions. Benefits claimed life expectancies of between 50-100 years. If the manufacturer says it is true-it must be so. But is it?enr_web_editors@mcgraw-hill.comCivil Engineering{cdf98818-3163-a7e8-30b5-53083fd7c29a}Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:53:04 GMT