Episodes
The $3B Project That Saved Fargo
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...
Why Great Engineers Never Stop Learning
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 project...
The “Doubt Tax” Driving Women Out of AEC
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...
The Future of Civil Engineering
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 o...
Systems Thinking & Construction Safety with Industry Experts
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, e...
Engineered for Integrity
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 jo...
The Engineer Who Saved a Town
In this episode, Dr. Dennis Truax speaks with BJ Elkins, P.E. , a water and wastewater engineer recognized by NSPE as an Emerging Leader. BJ shares how a simple message — “you can use math to help people” — sparked a career f...
They’d Never Seen a Woman Engineer Before
In this episode, Dr. Dennis Truax talks with Sangeeta Bhattacharjee, P.E., PMP , the first woman geotechnical engineer in her Terracon office, about resilience, servant leadership, and breaking gender barriers in engineering....
They Don’t Teach This in Engineering School
This edition of The 21st Century Engineer newsletter spotlights Alex Steelman , PE a 2025 NSPE Emerging Leader who shares her journey from aerospace aspirations to building communities through civil infrastructure. Guided by ...
Does the PE Exam Still Matter?
In this episode of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast, Dr. Dennis D. Truax sits down with Isaac Oakeson, founder of @CivilEngAcademy , to discuss the future of engineering licensure and why earning your PE still defines profes...
Why Civil Engineering Still Matters
Civil engineering isn’t a luxury it’s a lifeline. Dr. Dennis Truax sits down with Joe Dibbs (Applied Research Associates) to explore how growing up in Lebanon shaped Joe’s view of infrastructure as necessity, his unlikely sta...
What They Don’t Teach You in Engineering School
Welcome to the 21st Century Engineer Podcast, where we spotlight professionals shaping the future of civil infrastructure. In this episode, Dr. Dennis Truax interviews Clint Smith, a civil engineer and project manager at Half...
The Hidden Cost of America’s Crumbling Infrastructure
In this compelling episode of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast, Dr. Dennis Truax (former ASCE President) is joined by civil engineer and infrastructure advocate Ana Tijerina Esquino to break down the 2025 ASCE Infrastructure...
Bridge Engineering, War, and the Future of Civil Infrastructure
Tony Golopany escaped the Kosovo War as a child and went on to design and rate over 100 bridges across the U.S. — all before turning 30. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Dennis Truax explores Tony’s path from refugee to one...
Civil Engineers Are Burning Out
Civil engineers are overworked, underpaid, and undervalued — but Erin Robinson is proving it doesn’t have to stay that way. Named one of ASCE’s 2025 New Faces of Civil Engineering, Erin joins Dr. Dennis Truax to unpack the re...
Breaking Barriers in Engineering
What does it take to thrive as a minority woman in engineering and construction? And how do you navigate toxic workplaces without losing your purpose — or your power? In this compelling episode of 21st Century Engineered , Dr...
Why the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project Failed
What happens when billion-dollar environmental engineering relies on broken models? Dr. Dennis Truax sits down with veteran civil engineer Dennis Lambert to unpack the collapse of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project ...
Finding the Why in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering isn’t just about concrete and calculations—it’s about people, purpose, and the long game. In this episode of 21st Century Engineer , Dr. Dennis Truax welcomes Josh Burnett, founder of Redesign Studio LLC, to...
Bridges, Resilience & Civil Engineering's Future
What inspires someone to become a civil engineer? In Autumn Buesking’s case: a childhood bridge, a statewide flood, and a spaghetti-and-glue design contest. In this episode of 21st Century Water , host Dr. Dennis Truax welcom...
Impact, Identity, and the Engineer’s Purpose
What does it take to build a meaningful engineering career in the 21st century?In this episode of The 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis Truax sits down with Intisar Farhan Ahmed, geotechnical engineer and 2025 ASCE New Face o...
Why Engineering Licensure Matters More Than Ever
In this episode of The 21st Century Engineer , host Dr. Dennis Truax welcomes Monica Gilmore, Executive Director of the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. Together, they unpack why profes...
How LLMs Will Transform Civil Engineering
What happens when large language models (LLMs) become part of the engineering team? In this episode of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast, we sit down with William (Bill) Katzenmeyer, P.E., C.F.M. civil engineer, entrepreneur,...
Why 40% of Our Water Disappears
Welcome back to another episode of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast , where we explore innovation, infrastructure, and the minds reshaping our world. In this powerful episode, host Dennis sits down with Emma Quail , a season...
Breaking Barriers in Transportation Engineering
On this episode of the 21st Century Engineer, we welcome trailblazer Eileen Vélez Vega, PE, MSCE, a civil engineer and aviation specialist who made history as Puerto Rico’s first female Secretary of Transportation and Public ...