Vision

Promote and facilitate collaboration between practicing civil engineering leaders and civil society to enhance the quality of life for all citizens.

Mission

Provide leadership and value to assist our members in enhancing their career skills by advancing technology, advocating lifelong learning, and promoting the civil engineering profession for protection of public health and safety and overall welfare.

Organization

The ASCE Los Angeles Section is comprised of seven (7) branches, six (6) younger member forums, one (1) life member forum, and twelve (12) student chapters. The section is part of ASCE Region 9, which consists of only California. The map shows the county or counties which make up the boundaries of the Section and of each of the branches. The LA Section is one of four sections that make up ASCE Region 9 which encompasses the State of California. With approximately 8,000 members, the LA Section is the second largest ASCE Section (the Texas section encompassing the entire state of Texas is the largest) and one of the most active ASCE sections in the United States.

Branches

Branches provide ASCE members opportunities to interact with others in their local communities. Branches in the Los Angeles Section are divided based on county.

Younger Member Forums

Younger members are those ASCE members who are 35 years of age or younger. The Section’s YMF groups provide leadership and activities to those younger members that are beginning their careers in engineering.  They sponsor activities that reach out to these younger people and provide guidance and fellowship.  In addition, the YMF groups reach out into high schools with unique events challenging the minds of young people throughout the greater Los Angeles area. The younger member forums are:

Life Member Forum

Life members are those who are at least 65 years of age and paid ASCE dues for at least 35 years. The Forum holds monthly meetings to listen to technical presentations, foster liaisons with the Los Angeles Section, Younger Members, and students, plan luncheon and social events, and receive progress reports from committees.

Student Chapters

ASCE has hundreds of Student Chapters in the US and around the world, all actively supporting students’ growth as future civil engineers.  Being part of a student community is just one of the many ASCE member benefits you can enjoy as you plan your next moves on the path to graduation. The Los Angeles Section includes the following student chapters:

  • University of Southern California. Chartered 1924
  • University of California, Los Angeles. Chartered 1959
  • California State University, Long Beach. Chartered 1964
  • California State University, Los Angeles. Chartered 1965
  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Chartered 1965
  • Loyola Marymount University. Chartered 1966
  • California State University, Northridge. Chartered 1974
  • California State University, Fullerton. Chartered 1976
  • University of California, Irvine. Chartered 1979
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Chartered 1980
  • California Baptist University. Chartered 2010

For further information about these student chapters go to the Student Chapters Page.

Committees, Institutes, and Technical Groups

Committees: The LA Section has several committees: Legislative Activities Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter Committee, Sustainability Committee, History and Heritage Committee, and Water Committee.  

Institutes and Technical Groups: Groups: The Society’s discipline-specific institutes and technical groups bring together volunteers from around the world to advance the profession's technical, business, and professional expertise. Knowledge, experience, and best practices are shared through conferences, workshops, peer-reviewed journals, books, manuals of practice, seminars, webinars, and consensus standards.

Local chapters of institutes and technical groups in the LA Section are listed below. These groups hold events throughout the year; more information can be found on websites, newsletters, and by contacting the LA Section VP of technical groups and institutes.

Outreach

The Section has developed programs designed for the younger generations of students. The LA Section’s Branches and Younger Member Forums sponsor a K through 12th grade school outreach program designed to introduce children to civil engineering at the elementary school level, such as the LA Section Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition.  

History

On December 3, 1913 the Los Angeles Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was founded largely by the efforts three civil engineers who worked at the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering: Homer Hamlin (City Engineer), Andrew C. Hansen (Deputy City Engineer), and Wilbur C. Sawyer (Engineering Draftsman). Since then we have had many of the most notable and important civil engineers of their time as part of our organization. These include:

  • William Mullholland
    • Section President 1916
  • Louis C. Hill
    • Section President 1918
    • Society President 1937
  • Wallace Chadwick
    • Section President 1946
    • Society President 1965
  • Irvan Mendenhall
    • Section President 1965
    • Society President 1981
  • William Carroll
    • Section President 1967
    • Society President 1989
  • Robert "Bob" Bein
    • Section President 1992
    • Society President 2001

Overview of ASCE

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was originally founded in New York City in 1852 and represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. ASCE’s mission is to deliver value to our members, advance civil engineering, and protect the public health, safety, and welfare. ASCE’s World Headquarters is located in Reston, Virginia and the Society’s Government Relations office is located in Washington, DC.