This paper discusses the development of a distance‐learning mode of study to supplement an existing full‐time and part‐time Master of Science course in construction management. Academic issues, organizational issues, institutional issues, and personal issues are addressed. Reasons for developing distance learning are explained and the mechanisms adopted are noted. Many lessons have been learned by all concerned. The course is an academic success and is projected to be a significant financial success too. As for any novel venture, the difficulties were considerable but so was the excitement, commitment, and potential rewards.

In a prior paper, the close interrelationship between seven key professional aspects in influencing the overall well‐being level of the civil engineering profession was demonstrated. Here, operating on each of these aspects, a number of strategies are studied to assess their potential in enhancing the health of the profession. These address the need to (1) Improve public profile; (2) attract the best students to engineering; (3) graduate excellent students; (4) control the quality of professional engineers; (5) change market conditions for civil engineering services; (6) improve employment conditions; and (7) promote innovation, and research and development. The advantages of each strategy as well as the constraints acting against their implementation are identified. A consolidated solution of the most promising strategies is proposed. It is argued that short of this concerted effort, little incentive exists to affect major changes in the status of the profession. The immediate implementation of this comprehensive action plan is advocated.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) represents a landmark antidiscrimination legislation. It gives civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities that is parallel to previous civil rights legislation. ADA is composed of five titles (sections), of which Title I deals with employment issues. Title I requires employers to give qualified individuals with disabilities the same consideration for employment that individuals without disabilities are given. This portion of the law is of special concern to the construction industry. Employers have to provide reasonable accommodations so that a qualified individual with a disability can perform the essential job functions. This paper examines the provisions of Title I of ADA and the employment process in the construction industry. A stepwise approach to compliance is described and key compliance issues are identified. ADA is an issue for everyone in the industry, including human‐resources managers and engineering and field site personnel. It is a law, and failure to comply with it can be costly. Action must be taken now to comply with the ADA.

The obvious and politically correct answer to the question is “No,” which may seem to be incompatible with the business realities of engineering. Compromising ethics certainly may make it easier to remain competitive. Ultimately, though, it will threaten the engineer's credibility and therefore his or her competitiveness. Educating the client is one of the engineer's principal responsibilities, especially when the client is not an engineer. The engineer must realize that while education can help clients better understand engineering issues, it will not eliminate a client's concern about cost. The engineer should remain sensitive to cost and realize that a finished product that exceeds the client's cost expectations may be considered a failure, regardless of the quality. In some instances quality‐based selection undoubtedly suffers from intense price competition. But when the client truly understands what is necessary to protect the public safety, health, and welfare, the engineer will be less likely to feel pressure to compromise his or her ethics to remain competitive.

A continuing project, titled “Praxeology and Engineering Problems,” has involved an investigation of subjects of concern for civil engineering education and practice. This paper provides a summary of suggestions derived from attendant case studies. An introduction to the life and work of Ludwig von Mises, the main originator of praxeological methodology, provides context and central organization for the studies reported. An appreciation on the part of civil engineers of the significance of Mises' extensive analysis of economic action will benefit the public served by the engineering profession.

An integrated approach to teaching technical writing requires a unified faculty commitment to improving student writing, student motivation, appropriate writing assignments, strong evaluation standards, and productive instruction techniques. Effective technical writing has certain distinguishing qualities: a clearly defined audience and purpose, careful organization and development of ideas, and a concise and accurate style. Students can best develop these qualities when writing assignments and instruction are presented in the realistic context of engineering problem solving. The writers advocate the collaborative development of student writing by both English and engineering faculties. In an effective collaborative program, all engineering instructors stress the importance of writing in engineering practice and in their evaluation of student writing assignments, while using effective teaching strategies like peer and self review of writing drafts, one‐to‐one conferencing, and portfolio evaluation.

The U.S. government plans to spend approximately $10 billion through NASA's Mission to Planet Earth to better understand global change. The program will produce enormous data sets of physical and biological parameters of the Earth. These data sets are being collected for scientific research, but can have great utility in engineering applications, notably those that fall within the province of civil engineering. To date, however, civil engineering interests are not represented in the program that represents the largest single project in the earth sciences ever undertaken. In the absence of strong civil engineering participation, the data produced will likely not be collected or formatted in the manner needed to ease use. Professional societies should exert a strong effort to ensure that the Mission to Planet Earth both profits from existing expertise and best serves the needs of civil engineering.

As part of a session during Engineer's Week, a class was prepared for high‐school students. The session was organized on behalf of the public outreach program on the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) project, in Boston. During the hour‐long class, students received an introduction to the project, a discussion about how civil engineers and planners perform their work. They were then challenged with a homework problem based on an actual design condition from the project. The class concluded with a discussion of practical steps to be taken to go from being a student to being a practicing engineer. The class was modified for presentation to college and grammar‐school students. The class can serve as an example of a way practicing engineers can contribute to the education of school‐age future engineers.

It is important for civil engineers to use language with care because some words have a specific meaning in the law. Examples include “guarantee,” “warrant,” “certify,” and “ensure.” These words should be avoided in reports because they can have legal definitions that increase the liability of the civil engineer. Other words such as “control,” “inspect,” and “supervise” can be legally interpreted to mean a level of project involvement well beyond the intent of the author. Superlatives, such as “maximum,” “minimum,” and “always,” are frequently used by civil engineers in reports, but these words imply an absolute or ultimate condition, with no margin for error. Some technical words can give false impressions, and they should also be avoided or clearly defined.

Should civil engineers be interested in the history of their profession? The paper affirms this question as it examines different approaches to the history of civil engineering. Biographical or “heroic” studies of famous engineers or artifacts attract young people to the profession. Historical knowledge provides designers or managers with new perspectives on contemporary design problems, or problems within the organization for which they work. Historical case studies instill a sense of professional identity, values, and responsibility in students, as well as broaden their technical experience. Knowledge of history and of methods of historical research also helps the profession deal with its burden of history, old infrastructure.

Civil engineering undergraduate courses in the U.K. require an essential element of laboratory testing to teach skills and techniques and to relate theories and principles to engineering practice. The ability of a tutor to effectively teach students in laboratory classes can be hampered by large student numbers and overstretched resources. A computer simulation to augment a laboratory test may improve the quality of the learning experience. The system described here models the geotechnical-laboratory shear-box test. The computerised test simulation guides the student user through the test with explanations, questions, and answers. The simulation is animated to perform on screen in a way that represents the actual test. The system runs on an Apple Macintosh computer using HyperCard, with a pictorial interface, and taking advantage of the Hypertext features of the application. The HyperCard stack also acts as a knowledge-based expert system to derive the shear strength parameters of the soil from a description of its physical properties.