Take Advantage of All Your IECA Membership Has to Offer
Have You Recently Visited the IECA Website to Explore the Education Offerings?
Every day IECA is working to expand our educational offerings. Over the next few months we will hold six live webinars that will allow you to learn valuable information and PDHs. In addition, we offer many e-learning opportunities that can be taken when and where it is convenient for you.
When Was the Last Time You Participated in a Chapter Event?
Chapters continue to provide local networking opportunities, such as recent Earth Day Socials and educational events. If you are interested in participating or becoming more involved as a volunteer at the chapter level, please reach out to your chapter representative. For more information, please visit www.ieca.org/chapter.
What Can You Do to Become More Active Within IECA?
IECA recognizes that it’s only as good as the people who support its mission. That is why we ask that any member at any level who has an idea as to how to better support our members, please let us know. IECA continues to strive to make your membership experience the best possible, but we need your help!
How to Join?
For more information about IECA’s benefits or to be part of the member organization that provides education, resource information, and business opportunities for professionals in the erosion and sediment control industry, please visit www.ieca.org/benefits.
IECA makes it easy for you to become a member. You can call-in (303-640-7554 or toll-free at 800-455-4322), e-mail ([email protected]), fax (1-866-308-3087), or mail in this application.
“For me it is an excellent opportunity to support a premier educational and industry organization.”
“IECA is helping me expand my professional network—primarily through the mentor part of the environmental connections conference.”
CICES CONFERENCE
Eighth Latin American Congress of Erosion and Sediment Control
Cartagena, Colombia, will become the headquarters of the eighth IberoAmerican Conference of Erosion and Sediment Control (CICES), which will be held August 14–18, 2016. The conference catchphrase is “Hugging the Soil,” as it’s the most important educational event in Latin America related to erosion control, sediment, and rivers. This event will raise awareness of the importance of protecting, repairing, stabilizing, and facilitating the harmony and interaction between soil and water. It will convene researchers, students, experts, builders, legislators, and the community in general.
Who Will be There?
Researchers, both from the industry and pure science; 22 universities; 14 research institutes; nine ministries and government agencies; and 90 companies specializing in erosion control and sediment.
Why Should you Attend?
There will be experts, not only from Latin America, but also from around the globe to discuss issues related to soil. There will be discussions about erosion from diverse viewpoints such as geotechnics, tectonics, atmospheric, marine, lakes, rivers, climate change, El Niño, biotic effects, infrastructure, mining, shipping, agricultural business, tourism, urban planning, and—of course—regulations and legislation in Latin America and the world.
IDEAM and the Ministry of the Environment will discuss the problems that Colombia faces with the erosion of its shorelines. In addition, there will be lectures held by universities regarding the Magdalena River. Attendees will also learn about how the Colombian government is planning to protect the roads and the different projects that exist to update its infrastructure.
ELEARNING
Many environmental technologies are introduced into the marketplace every year, and many of them offer innovative solutions for improving the environment and our standard of living. However, adoption of the technologies is often slow because of a lack of information on performance and cost effectiveness, as well as the perceived risk associated with implementing new products or practices.
Continuing education is key for your professional development. IECA has made it easy for you to take the courses you need in the professional fields of four educational tracks:
“IECA eLearning will now provide attendees with a user-friendly experience and many additional features, such as a refined search engine, tracking of student transcripts, and access to free member events,” says Joanna Fetherolf, IECA’s education coordinator. “IECA is constantly striving to improve our education and this is another step forward.”
Trending Courses
- A Comprehensive Stormwater Compliance & Inspection Training for Construction Sites
- Construction Dewatering
- Improving Infiltration and Vegetation in Post-Construction Soils
- Developing or Enhancing your IDDE Program
- Are you prepared for Sea Level Rise? Shoreline Protection: The First Line of Defense
- Erosion Control Products
- Installation Videos
10 Minutes With Southeast Chapter Member Barry Fagan
IECA honors one outstanding member who has shown dedication not only to the organization, but to the erosion and sediment control industry. We honor this member to show gratitude and support for all their accomplishments. This issue, it’s our pleasure to feature an outstanding member, Barry Fagan, P.E./PLS, CPESC, CPMSM, CESSWI.
Barry is the Environmental Program Engineer for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). He describes his current role as an environmental promoter, coordinator, communicator, educator, and problem solver within and outside of ALDOT. Barry also maintains a stormwater blog at www.StormwaterTools.com, where he regularly discusses leadership, water quality, and the occasional random thought.
Barry will be leaving ALDOT this fall after serving the State of Alabama for 26 years. He is creating a new firm, Stormwater Studio, where he plans to continue “helping good people get better at managing stormwater.”
Q: Why are you an IECA member?
A: IECA helps connect me. The association connects me with the current state of stormwater practice, with stormwater news and stormwater research, and with the foremost stormwater experts in our profession. IECA gives me a forum to learn and a forum to lead.
Q: Tell us about your IECA member experience.
A: Several years back, to enhance justification for travel approval, I submitted an abstract for my very first Environmental Connection. I was selected Presenter of the Year for that first meeting and I also found a new home. I have shared with my wife after nearly every IECA event that “these are my people.”
Most of us work for organizations and companies whose primary mission is something other than water quality protection. When I am with IECA people, I am with stormwater people. Not transportation people or contractor people or developer people, or municipal or federal people, but stormwater people. It’s good place to be.
