Special Issue on Diversity

In the 1960s diversity was envisioned as the dichotomy of two distinctly different groups—a privileged racial majority and a disadvantaged minority. Today, diversity has been broadly defined as being open to the individual talents, skills, ideas, and insights that everyone brings to the table. The differences of perspective could arise from race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation or identity, nationality, or physical challenges.

According to ASCE Policy Statement 417:

The lead group for promulgating and implementing programs on diversity for ASCE is the Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering. This special edition on diversity is one of the activities of the committee.

In this issue, Lincoln Forbes describes the classical case of diversity. He discusses and provides some suggestions for effective diversity-based management. Dwayne James paints a picture with and without diversity through a clothing analogy. James describes diversity as a free commodity that is valuable to a company and a lost opportunity if not utilized. Donna Riley and Jim Payne write about sexual orientation and disability in the workplace. Riley’s article concludes that a friendly LGBT workspace requires a set of policies that go above and beyond what is required by law, while Payne’s article uses a parable to increase our awareness of our own disabilities.

Norman Jean Mattei and Lisa Jennings write about a perspective on diversity not often expressed. If diversity is about embracing and utilizing the talents of all people, they point out that women and men who temporarily off-ramp from their profession are often forgotten. Mattei and Jennings describe the problem and offer some suggestions for engaging this group back into the workplace in their discipline of training. Finally, Lorraine Fleming provides a perspective of diversity from the academic workplace. She describes how she accomplished the climb through the academic ranks without having to be one of the guys. Fleming also sensitizes us to the need for diverse instructional approaches and curricula.

Another initiative of the Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering is a guide for fostering diversity in the civil engineering workplace. Although the courts have considered and provided decisions about the appropriate methods and processes for achieving diversity in our schools and workplaces, there are still some who ponder the advantages of a diverse working environment. For the civil engineering profession, the guide provides four advantages:

The guide provides suggestions and strategies for fostering diversity throughout the working life cycle of the civil engineer—emerging professional, the dynamic years, and leaders and seasoned veterans. Tracey Bessellieu, People Engagement Director of America PB, develops the tone and flavor of the guide with her statement, “Diversity is valuing everyone’s gift.”

I hope this special issue on diversity plays a part in increasing your awareness on this very important topic for the civil engineering workplace. I encourage you to continue your journey on understanding and promoting diversity in the workplace by consulting the references cited in the articles and the upcoming guide on diversity by the Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering.