Report

ASCE’s Taiwan International Group (ASCE-TWIG) organized the 5th Annual English Presentation Contest on June 13, 2009. The main goal of the contest was to elevate the international competitiveness of civil engineers in Taiwan. The contest broadens the vision of local practitioners, encourages students at both undergraduate and graduate levels to make presentations or to present technical papers at international conferences. Participants receive the unique experience of learning from judges and their peers. From analytical research to real world project case study, a proposed presentation outline must be submitted by the individual candidate prior to the presentation contest. Contestants are judged solely based on their oral presentation skills instead of the technical content of their presentations.

The winners of each level will receive an award certificate along with a cash prize at the Annual Meeting of the Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineers (CICHE) banquet scheduled for November 20 this year. Meanwhile, the winners of the undergraduate and graduate levels will also become representatives of CICHE to various international functions. For instance, the winner of the fourth Annual English Presentation Contest is invited by the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) to a ten-day trip to Japan this summer. Contests of this kind become an excellent way to select international civil engineer ambassadors from the local chapter. Since there is no specific requirement on the nationality of an individual, first place in the graduate level this year went to Paola Valdivia, a native-Spanish speaker from Bolivia. She is currently registered as a graduate student at the Chen-Kuo University of Science and Technology.

For more information contact Dr. Edward H. Wang, P.E., S.E., ASCE-TWIG President at ewang@must.edu.tw.