The New Orleans Branch has been busy since the last Louisiana Section meeting in February.  To celebrate E-Week, the New Orleans Branch hosted a day of service event at New Orleans’ City Park on February 20, 2010.  Approximately 25 to 30 volunteers spent a beautiful Saturday morning doing landscaping work at a children’s playground at the park.  In March, we returned to our monthly Branch luncheon meetings with an interesting presentation on the role of engineers in the ongoing litigation pertaining to tainted Chinese drywall.  The presentation was given by Mr. Scott Wolfe of the Wolfe Law Group, and was held at the Parkview Terrace in the Timken Center in New Orleans’ City Park.  It was an interesting, and eye opening, presentation.  The ASCE - SEI New Orleans Chapter also held a meeting on April 8.  Mr. Richard Sealy, the president of ACI, gave a presentation on concrete sustainability at the University of New Orleans Engineering Building. 

The University of New Orleans’ ASCE Student Chapter faced the daunting task of not only participating in but also hosting the Deep South Regional Conference.  This annual event brings together student chapters from across the region to participate in the concrete canoe competition, the steel bridge competition, and other events.  Participating schools included the University of New Orleans, Mississippi State University, Southern University, University of Tennessee – Martin, Christian Brothers University, University of Mississippi, McNeese State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Tech University, University of Memphis, Louisiana State University, Arkansas State University, and Jackson State University.  The big winners in the concrete canoe competition and steel bridge competition were LA Tech and LSU, respectively.  We wish them the best of luck at nationals.

Our Branch has also been active in local outreach efforts.  We have donated $750 in cash awards to participants in the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair.  We also donated $1,000 to the UNO student chapter to aid in their participation in the concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions at the Deep South Regional conference.  Future events will include support of volunteers and assistance with cost for an ASCE sponsored kid’s tent at the 2010 Jazz & Heritage Fest.

In addition to these events, we have just been informed that New Orleans has been chosen to host the 2012 ASCE Multi-Region Leadership Conference.  This conference, attended by student chapter leaders, younger member leaders, and Branch and Section officers from across Region’s 1,2, 4, and 5, provides a unique opportunity for leaders at all levels of ASCE to interact with each other, to exchange ideas, and to learn about resources that are available to better serve our membership. 
Please visit www.asceneworleans.org for upcoming events and news.
As always the board is interested in hearing from our members and encourages your input. You can always contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions, comments or ideas how we can better serve our members.

Benjamin M. Cody, P.E.
ASCE-NO Branch President