Steven Abt Elected as Trustee for 2022-2025 |
The AAWRE is pleased to announce the election of Dr. Steven Abt, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE (Ret.), F.ASCE as the Trustee-Elect for 2022-2025. Dr. Abt will begin his 3-year term as Trustee on the AAWRE Board of Trustees on November 1.
Dr. Abt is an Emeritus Professor of civil and environmental engineering at Colorado State University and Retired Major General in the US Army. A founding AAWRE Diplomate, Dr. Abt served on the AAWRE Board from 2012-2015 and also served as EWRI President in 2006. Dr. Abt's service include serving as Co-Advisor to the Colorado State University ASCE Student Chapter; Director of ASCE Colorado Section; Executive Committee (and Chair) of the Hydraulics Division; Executive Committee of the Water Resources Division; Numerous technical task and ASCE Board level committees; Sixteen (16) years on national and international conference committees – chairing three (3) international conferences; Executive Committee/Board liaison member to the task committee revising ASCE Manual 54 on Sedimentation Engineering and to the task committee on Bridge Scour; reviewer for the ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering and Journal of Hydrologic Engineering.
After graduation, Dr. Abt served on active duty in the U.S. Army, Engineer Regiment. He then worked as a consulting water resource engineer in Denver, Colorado performing drainage, flood plain delineation, water rights analysis and computer modeling studies. In 1976, Dr. Abt joined the Civil Engineering faculty at Colorado State University as an Instructor serving in a teaching and administrative capacity. Dr. Abt has research experience and interests in hydraulic modeling river mechanics, dam safety, flow measurement, erosion and sedimentation, riprap design, stream restoration, hydraulic structures and tailings management. He has published over 400 journal articles, proceedings and reports: and has served as PI or Co-PI on projects worth over $15 million. Dr. Abt has served on over 170 graduate committees and advised over 100 graduate students.
Dr. Abt has served in numerous administrative posts to include the Civil Engineering Administrative Officer, Assistant Civil Engineering Department Head, Assistant to the Associate Dean of Engineering, the Civil Engineering Associate Department Head, Director of the Hydraulics Laboratory, Interim Head of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Engineering Research Center, Executive Associate Dean and Interim Dean.
Dr. Abt has served in the U.S. Army Reserve, Corps of Engineers since 1973. As a Army Reserve Officer, he has served as a Heavy Equiptment Platoon Leader, a Combat Heavy Engineer Company Commander, A Facility Engineer Team Leader, A Liasison Officer to the U.S. Military Academy, Health Command Civil Engineer, Engineering Support Group Director, and Facility Engineer Group Commander. Brigadier General Abt is the Deputy Commanding General for Mobilization and Training (IMA), U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Brigadier General Abt is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and teh U.S. Army War College.
Dr. Abt served as Director of Operations and Deputy Director (2-Star), Iraq Reconstruction Management Office in the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq. Responsibilities encompassed the project selection, approval, allocation and accountability of reconstruction funds that supported over 2,500 projects to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure.
Steve stated: "I have supported the concept of advanced engineering certification, particularly in water resources engineering, as President‐elect and subsequently as President of EWRI at the time AAWRE was created and implemented by ASCE. Subsequently, I served as a Trustee at Large on the AAWRE Board from 2012‐2015 actively promoting and growing the advanced certification sector of our profession. I sincerely believe that the recognition of exceptional engineering expertise in water resources provides the client/tax-payer assurance that technical work being performed uses state‐of‐the‐art techniques, meets established standards of engineering practice, and focuses on the public safety, particularly for complex engineering challenges.
Unfortunately, the concept of advanced engineering certification has not been fully embraced by the engineering profession nor by the markets that engage engineering services. Although each applicant for advanced certification is scrutinized for their educational credentials, engineering experience, licensure, and character, advanced certification is not always viewed as value added. Therefore, the concept of advanced certification perhaps requires rethinking, repackaging and/or needing remodeled to be considered viable.
It is important that advanced certification through AAWRE continue. I would enjoy the challenge and opportunity to join the Board and attempt to be a part of the “revolution” to sustain AAWRE and grow the advanced water resources engineering certification sector of our profession. Growing pains are expected, but continuing this effort is worthy of the investment. As a former consultant, university professor, Army officer and life member of ASCE, I welcome this challenge."
>To send a congratulatory note to Steve
