Leadership and Management in Engineering Best Feature Article Award

Congratulations to Zhigang Shen and Wayne Jensen, authors of the 2010–2011 Best Feature Article in Leadership and Management in Engineering, “Civil Engineers as Master Builders and the Professionalization of Construction,” which appeared in the April 2011 issue.

The paper discusses the concept of master builder featured in ASCE’s Vision 2025 and describes its implications in terms of current practices and business models in the architect, engineer, and contractor (AEC) community, the bodies of knowledge published by both ASCE and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and the professionalization of civil engineering and construction management.

The authors write, “The master builder concept would be more beneficial if its intention were to produce civil engineers with construction knowledge that would enable designers to create more economical, constructible, and sustainable buildings and infrastructure. However, it is difficult to imagine the value of all or even most civil engineers becoming master builders.” Throughout the article the authors discuss the implications of these challenging statements.

The award was presented at the Leadership Luncheon during the ASCE Annual Conference at the Memphis Cook Convention Center on Friday, October 21, 2011.