Geotechnical Engineering Student Organization
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chapter of the ASCE Geo-Institute graduate student organization provides geotechnical graduate students with a forum to pursue and discuss their research interests in an educational and constructive environment as well as allow them to develop the leadership and interpersonal skills they will need as future engineers. The chapter continues to have frequent research roundtables, which include student member presentations on their current research and professional speakers from the private or public sector. Last school year, GESO sent a team of undergraduate and graduate students to the annual GeoCongress conference in Atlanta, Ga., to participate in the GeoPrediction competition. The U of I GeoPrediction team won third place, competing against other top geotechnical engineering schools throughout the United States and world. This school year, GESO plans on attending the GeoCongress conference in San Antonio, Texas, to participate in all three student competitions: GeoWall, GeoPrediction, and GeoPoster. For more information, please contact Steve Wilk at swilk2@illinois.edu.
International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research
The IAHR is an 80-year-old independent organization of engineers and scientists who work in the area of hydro-environmental sciences and their practical applications. The IAHR student chapter at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign organizes field trips to local hydraulic works and research facilities, professional development seminars and reading groups, and coordinates the exhibits for Engineering Open House at the Ven T. Chow Hydrosystems Lab. It also organizes social activities which include the annual Hydro T-Shirt design contest, pumpkin carving contest, cookouts and mixers. For more info visit: https://sites.google.com/ site/uiuciahriwra/ or email iahr.iwra@gmail. com.
International Water Resources Association
The student chapter of the IWRA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is dedicated to expanding the understanding of water resources issues by promoting education and collaboration in research and decision-making. The chapter works locally to raise awareness of water resources issues through educational
events open to the campus community. They also promote interaction among students and faculty within the lab, and provide members with networking opportunities. As of 2014, the main activity of the IWRA student chapter was to organize the annual Illinois Water Day, following the spirit of the United Nations’ World Water Day. The First Illinois Water Day, held on April 11, 2014, was a half-day conference featuring four speakers, around than 100 participants, and more than 30 posters. The second Illinois Water day was held on April 10, 2015, featuring a water resources-related documentary followed by panel of expert discussion to further engage scientists, students, researchers and the community. Additionally, they hold professional development seminars, support community activities such as Boneyard Creek Community Day, and host social and networking events to facilitate interaction between students, faculty, alumni, companies and other student chapters. They also publish a newsletter, Water, every semester. For more information, visit http://waterday.illinois.edu, https:// www.facebook.com/IllinoisWaterDay, or contact shafiee2@illinois.edu.
Steel Bridge Team
The Steel Bridge team is currently preparing for the regional competition at the University of Notre Dame. Their design approach was made more complex than past years in order for the team to try to win a place at the National Competition at the University of Notre Dame. For more information regarding the team or the competitons, please feel free to contact captain Anna Marie Cowan at avcowan2@illinois.edu.
Structural Engineers Association
The Structural Engineers Association student chapter serves to educate students about structural engineering through networking events and professional opportunities. They have monthly meetings given by structural engineers, tour active construction sites, give lectures on engineering software, visit engineering offices in the Chicago area and host various research panels. Their social events include barbeques each semester, bowling nights, broomball, field days and bar crawls with various other organizations within the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. This year they celebrated their 10th Anniversary by hosting a dinner and listening to speeches from
their past presidents to congratulate this organization on all of their achievements. To get involved or to ask any questions, please contact Peter Busch at pabusch2@illinois.edu or visit their website at https://sites.google.com/site/ seauofi/ for more information.
U.S. Green Building Council
USGBC Students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is officially affiliated with U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. USGBC is the developer of the LEED green building certification program and the convener of the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. USGBC Students is a registered student organization, and a member society of Engineering Council of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Their goal is to advance USGBC’s mission to move towards a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. Their activities include monthly general meetings, campus projects, service work and LEED GA exam study sessions.
Water Environment Federation
The Water Environment Federation-American Water Works Association joint student chapter is a place for students who are interested in pursuing fields related to water. They provide the opportunity to grow as students professionally, academically and personally through their network of professional connections and support. They take frequent drinking water and wastewater treatment plant tours, engineering firm office tours and host company representatives as well as professors to speak to their organization. Through their student design team, they compete with other universities at the regional level in Madison, Wis., and at the national level between Chicago and New Orleans during WEFTEC. As they grow, they anticipate expanding their involvement to attend more conferences and host more events. The best way to keep up with their organization and contact them is through their website http://publish. illinois.edu/wef-awwa-uiuc/.
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