The Importance of Politics in Engineering: Lessons from a Hands-On Experience

ASCE's congressional fellow for 2001 recounts her experiences in Congress. She stresses the importance of direct involvement in the political process on the part of engineers. After summarizing the state of the nation's infrastructure, she explains how engineers can make a difference in this area and thus ensure the safety and well-being of the public. In particular, engineers can use their status in the community to raise public awareness of the need for infrastructure funding. Projects in Massachusetts are cited to illustrate the economic benefits conferred by infrastructure improvements.