ASCE Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch Awards Guidelines

The ASCE Metro LA Branch presents their awards each year in conjunction with the Los Angeles Section Annual Meeting.

In order to be considered, nominations should be submitted to the awards chair by June 30 of each year.

There is no formal application form; guidelines for nomination are included in the descriptive text below. Each nomination should include a cover letter which has the name of the award for which the nomination is being submitted, contact information for both the nominee and the nominating party, mailing address for the nominee and any documentation required under the award guidelines below.

The award nominations submitted will be evaluated by the awards committee. Branch award winners will automatically be nominated for Los Angeles Section awards.  All nominations and any supporting documentation are the property of the Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch and may be used at the Branch’s discretion.  Submittals will not be returned.

The award categories are as follows:

Outstanding Civil Engineer in Government

This award recognizes the engineering efforts of Civil Engineers in government service in the Los Angeles Branch, and efforts to further advance the field of civil engineering through innovative concepts, research, and materials. This award is given on the basis of outstanding engineering achievement within the previous fiscal year, with consideration given to the Branch member who has exhibited professional achievement and has made significant impact to the field of civil engineering.

In order to be considered for the award, please submit the nominee’s resume and qualifications, along with descriptive text explaining why the nominee should receive the award.

Outstanding Civil Engineer in Private Sector

This award recognizes the engineering efforts of private sector Civil Engineers in the Los Angeles Branch and efforts to further advance the field of civil engineering through innovative concepts, research, and materials. This award is given on the basis of outstanding engineering achievement within the previous fiscal year, with consideration given to the Branch member who has exhibited professional achievement and has made significant impact to the field of civil engineering.

In order to be considered for the award, please submit the nominee’s resume and qualifications, along with descriptive text explaining why the nominee should receive the award.

Outstanding Civil Engineer in Community Service

This award recognizes the efforts of Los Angeles Branch Civil Engineers in community service, who have further advanced the perception of civil engineers and civil engineering through community activities and ASCE      involvement. This award is given on the basis of outstanding service within the previous fiscal year, with consideration given to the Branch member who has made a significant impact through community, political, and social involvement. This award is intended to be awarded to individuals engaged in service beyond the field of Civil Engineering.

In order to be considered for the award, please submit a history of the nominee’s community service activities and qualifications, along with descriptive text explaining why the nominee should receive the ward.

Outstanding Younger Civil Engineer

This award recognizes the engineering efforts of younger Civil Engineers in the Los Angeles Branch to further advance the field of civil engineering through innovative concepts, research, and materials. This award is given on the basis of outstanding engineering achievement within the previous fiscal year, with consideration given to the member who has exhibited professional achievement and has made significant impact to the field of civil engineering. This impact may be through professional activities, ASCE involvement, research and innovative engineering solutions. This award is intended to be awarded to individuals aged 35 years or less at the time of award.

In order to be considered for the award, please submit the nominee’s resume and qualifications, along with descriptive text explaining why the nominee should receive the award.

Student Chapter Practitioner Advisor Award

This award recognizes the contribution of practitioner advisors to student chapters at schools located within the Branch geographic area.

In considering a Practitioner Advisor for a nomination, please address the following questions:

• Has the Practitioner Advisor regularly attended chapter and officer meetings?
• Has the Practitioner Advisor offered information on or promoted ASCE events such as: the Pacific Southwest Conference; Workshop for Student Chapter Leaders; Student Round-up; L.A. Section, YMF, or Branch scholarships; ASCE National Convention; Attendance at L.A. Section, YMF, or Branch meetings?
• Has the Practitioner Advisor provided guidance or assisted in: Arranging guest speakers; Arranging field trips; Organizing community service projects; Fund raising; Membership drives; Preparing the annual report?
• Did the Practitioner Advisor attend the Pacific Southwest Conference?
• Why do you believe the Practitioner Advisor is deserving of recognition of his/her service and commitment?

Also provide a brief description of his/her contributions, which you consider to be above and beyond normal duties. Don’t forget to include the practitioner advisor’s name, school, and contact information.

Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Award

This award recognizes the contribution of faculty advisors to student chapters at schools located within the Branch geographic area.

In considering a Faculty Advisor for a nomination, please address the following questions:

• Has the Faculty Advisor regularly attended chapter and officer meetings?
• Has the Faculty Advisor offered information on or promoted ASCE events such as: the Pacific Southwest Conference; Workshop for Student Chapter Leaders; Student Round-up; L.A. Section, YMF, or Branch scholarships; ASCE National Convention; Attendance at L.A. Section, YMF, or Branch meetings?
• Has the Faculty Advisor provided guidance or assisted in: Arranging guest speakers; Arranging field trips; Organizing community service projects; Fund raising; Membership drives; Preparing the annual report?
• Did the Faculty Advisor attend the Pacific Southwest Conference?
• Why do you believe the Faculty Advisor is deserving of recognition of his/her service and commitment?

Also provide a brief description of his/her contributions, which you consider to be above and beyond normal duties. Don’t forget to include the faculty advisor’s name, school, and contact information.

Awards for Technical Excellence

As part of our ongoing development of awards, we at the Metro LA Branch have expanded the possibilities to include categories more in line with National awards. The awards for professional and technical excellence recognize the contributions of Branch members in specialized and nontraditional areas of Civil Engineering.

We encourage nominations for awards in the following categories:

• Research in Civil Engineering
• Computing and Information Technology
• Engineering Education
• Civil Engineering History & Heritage
• Construction and Engineering Management
• Forensic Engineering
• Disaster Response
• Urban Planning and Development
• Engineering Mechanics

In order to be considered for one of these awards, please submit the nominee’s resume and qualifications, along with descriptive text explaining why the nominee should receive the award. For further guidelines, please refer to the National ASCE website for information about professional and technical awards.

Branch Service Award (5 year increments)

This award recognizes the contribution of Branch members, in 5-year increments. This award is given on the basis of continuing volunteer service to the Branch, beginning with service of 5 years.

In order to be considered for the award, please submit the nominee’s history of involvement at the Metro LA Branch level.

Outstanding Government Civil Engineering Project

This award recognizes the engineering efforts of government organizations the Los Angeles Branch for outstanding government projects. This award is intended to recognize those government projects that are designed and completed by government civil engineers. This award is given on the basis of the completion of an engineering project within the previous fiscal year. The project shall exhibit innovative efforts, achievement over adverse conditions and improving quality of life for the public. Some of the criteria that can be used may include innovative approaches to funding, the use of advanced technologies and materials, and the public benefit of the project. Government employees, under the auspices of government organizations, must complete the engineering. Projects where the government office only has engineering oversight and management shall not qualify for this award.

In order for a project to be considered for the award, please submit a  description of the project, including a history of the project, project cost, any unique methodologies applied in the realization of the project, photos or other graphic depiction of the project and text explaining why the project should receive the award. Please also include the project name, location, completion date, and the names/roles of team members involved in the project. Outstanding project nominations must be limited to ten pages or fewer.

Private Sector Civil Engineering Project

This award recognizes the engineering efforts of private sector consultants in the completion of outstanding civil engineering projects in the Los Angeles Branch. This award is intended to recognize the efforts of the private sector to further advance the field of civil engineering through innovative concepts, research, and materials. This award is given on the basis of the completion of an engineering project within the previous fiscal year. This project shall exhibit innovative efforts and achievement over adverse conditions. Some of the criteria that can be used may include innovative approaches to funding, the use of advanced technologies and materials, and the immensity of the project. This award is intended to be awarded to the owner and the individual private sector consultants or teams consisting of private sector engineering firms.

In order for a project to be considered for the award, please submit a  description of the project, including a history of the project, project cost, any unique methodologies applied in the realization of the project, photos or other graphic depiction of the project and text explaining why the project should receive the award. Please also include the project name, location, completion date, and the names/roles of team members involved in the project. Outstanding project nominations must be limited to ten pages or fewer.

Outstanding Public/Private Sector Civil Engineering Project

Increasingly public agencies are contracting out the design and construction management of public Civil Engineering projects within the Los Angeles Branch.  As such they do not qualify for either the Private or Public Civil Engineering Project of the Year Award.  This new category has been created specifically to recognize the efforts of projects that are funded by the public but the Civil Engineering is performed under contract to the public agency.

In order for a project to be considered for the award, there must be a joint submittal by both the public and private project managers.  Please submit a description of the project, including a history of the project, project cost, any unique methodologies applied in the realization of the project, photos or other graphic depiction of the project and text explaining why the project should receive the award.

Life Member/Achievement Award

This award is to recognize the activities of a Los Angeles Branch Life Member related to the enhancement of the Civil Engineering profession.  Recipients for this award must be an ASCE recognized Life Member.  Applications must include a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s qualifications, work history and validate their ASCE status.