Page 10 - CEGE Spring 2023

ALUMNIPROFILE CONT...
NANCY DAUBENBERGER
On what engineers bring to the table...continued
we could take and ensures we’re upholding the principles of ethics and public safety, as well as applying an equity lens. My background helps with stakeholder analyses, too, to understand who is affected by which decisions and how.
On preparing the next generation
of engineers and leaders...
A big challenge is getting prospective students interested in the civil engineering fields. The ability and the privilege to work on public projects is really a wonderful thing! I can say that because I have worked in the field a long time and I take great pride in what we have done as an industry and in the field of civil engineering, not just
in my time but looking back over the years. We really need to get students interested in the field, and we have to start young, at elementary ages, to get them interested in engineering in general and civil engineering in particular. For college students, experiential learning
is so important. We want to continue
to provide opportunities for work or internships, so they get a taste of what the work is. We should continually revisit the program to see what is relevant in regard to coursework and where we need to be going. And certainly, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is important. I have been impressed with the advances CEGE and UMN have made in the areas of DEI; however, there is still more work to do.
KATRINA KESSLER
that engineers have to think about
in their work. Having the credibility
that comes from understanding the science and data is helpful, but more important is how you are thinking about things and how you are encouraging others to approach problems and look comprehensively at problems.
Environmental Justice has been part
of the PCA’s work for over a decade,
but it has taken on a new urgency.
Part of that is because we have more data, and part is that, as a society,
we’re more aware that injustices exist. Those of us with power and privilege need to be working to make those situations better. The PCA Environmental Justice Group focuses on meaningful engagement with people who have
been disproportionately impacted, understanding how those terms are defined, analyzing existing data to determine impacts, and looking at common threads across populations. Environmental injustice exists across the state and across electoral districts, not just North Minneapolis or Frogtown in St. Paul. Many rural communities have experienced environmental injustice. People can begin learning about environmental justice by looking at how various parties define the term and working to have less environmental injustice.
BRET WEISS, P.E.
represented on the Chamber’s Board,
to lead that group and collaborate with those leaders for a year, I think that changed how some view engineers. I am hopeful people realized that having an engineer’s perspective on statewide business was a welcome addition to driving our economy forward and growth for Minnesota.
Stay curious. Ask a lot of questions
and learn from those around you. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and look for that advice from people outside your business. Use and continually build your network. The world is full of like-minded people—curious, fun, outgoing, and wanting to succeed. We can help one another be successful. I have gained so much by being curious and networking with fellow leaders inside the industry and outside. It has given me confidence, courage, and new insight to lead
WSB, and I’m confident it will help the engineers of the future.
10 CEGE | CSE.UMN.EDU/CEGE