After Fargo’s 2009 record flood fight when the community mobilized to sandbag and the city came within inches of disaster leaders knew a permanent solution was no longer optional.Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with civil engineer Joel Paulsen, former Executive Director of the Fargo–Moorhead Flood Diversion Authority, about the Fargo–Moorhead Diversion Project: a $3B+ infrastructure effort combining federal, state, local, and private financing including a historic public-private partnership (P3) wit

In this episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Katye Miller McGinnis, P.E. about the realities of civil engineering growth: the learning never stops, mentorship takes adaptability, and great projects require empathy inside the workplace and out in the community.Katye shares lessons from healthcare and complex site development, including how to mentor interns and new hires, how field feedback sharpens engineering judgment, why innovation often starts with operations, a

In this special episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Jennifer Todd about the “Doubt Tax” the hidden mental and emotional cost women pay in AEC just to be seen as competent.Jennifer explains why this is different from imposter syndrome, how credibility pressure and bias drive talent out of civil engineering, and why fixing retention starts with leaders building systems that assume competence. The result: stronger culture, better quality of life, and a more productive

Thomas Smith — longtime ASCE leader and Executive Director for the past 11 years joins Dr. Dennis D. Truax for a special edition of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast. They discuss civil engineering’s future through the lens of workforce shortages, AI, sustainability, extreme weather, and the critical role of advocacy, trusted engineering knowledge, and inclusive pathways into the profession.Tom’s career path: civil engineering → law → ASCEASCE’s biggest profession-wide impacts (report cards,

In this special multi-guest episode, we bring together three industry experts to take on one of the most urgent conversations in civil infrastructure today: how do we build safer, smarter, more resilient projects?Engineers, educators, and practitioners Bill Hayden, Dr. Ahmed Albayati, and Chad Morrison join Dennis to explore:🔹 Why safety must start at the design table, not the construction site🔹 The dangers of siloed thinking in engineering organizations🔹 How systems thinking can transform civil

When a late-night call revealed foam discharging into the Mississippi River, chemical engineer Liz Rayfield had to make a decision—one that would shut down an entire plant for a week and cost millions.In this episode, Liz joins Dennis for a raw and insightful discussion about:• Ethical responsibility under pressure• Speaking up when management wants silence• The operator who trusted his gut• Why “legal” doesn’t always mean “right”• How young engineers build credibility and courage• Indus