Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

In September, Iowa State University’s College of Engineering received a $500,000 gift from James Balloun (BSIMSE ’60) and his wife Julie to establish the Engineering Policy and Leadership Institute (EPLI). Shortly after, Ed Jaselskis, professor-in-charge of the construction engineering division, was named the first EPLI director. The EPLI will focus on increasing the engagement of engineering in state and national policymaking as well as the number of engineers in elected positions. Jaselskis will oversee the institute, which consists of three main components: the Engineering Leadership Program (ELP), the Engineering Faculty Fellowship Program, and the EPLI Thematic Year (ETY).

“I’m very excited about leading this new institute at Iowa State,” says Jaselskis. “Our society is just coming to grips with many challenging issues that will affect us today as well as future generations: global warming, water shortages, depletion of fossil fuel energy, and decaying infrastructure. Technology will play a vital role in solving many of these issues, and we will need more engineers in leadership positions in companies and government who can understand the ‘technical’ issues and can pass laws that use the best technologies to help our nation prosper.”

College of Engineering Dean Mark J. Kushner says the EPLI will serve as a conduit for faculty to assist the legislative process and companies needing expertise in addressing technical issues having societal impact.
“In turn, this work can provide greater exposure and funding opportunities for Iowa State,” says Kushner.

Jaselskis adds that a distinctive aspect of this program is its emphasis on developing public policy leadership skills at the undergraduate level.
“Iowa State will not only produce technically strong students with a grasp of key issues facing our society, but also individuals with the right skill set to provide leadership in industry and government to shape public policy in addressing these key issue,” he says.

The Engineering Leadership Program, one of the components of the institute, is a student-based leadership program launched in 2006 with support from 3M. The ELP admits cohorts of students who are committed to a four-year program in which they are engaged in increasingly higher levels of leadership experiences and responsibilities. The ELP experience includes internships with congressional or legislative committees and delegations with state or federal agencies.

The institute’s second component, the Engineering Faculty Fellowship Program, will sponsor engineering faculty who serve on the staffs of congressional committees, delegations, or with federal agencies, and annually will position two faculty members in residence in Washington, DC. Faculty will learn about the governing process and development of public policies dealing with technology and bring that knowledge back to Iowa State.

The third component, the Engineering Thematic Year, is a yearlong, thematically based activity to host visitors and conduct seminars and workshops focused on issues of national importance where technology is needed for resolution. The ETY will culminate with a capstone workshop where the results of the yearlong activity will be made public.