Members of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section (BSCES) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) enjoy a number of benefits and can support the profession locally through various committees and technical groups. As a member, we urge you to get involved in the committees and technical groups and to connect with other members with similar interests.
BSCES is a local section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
In order to join BSCES, you must first join ASCE. Follow the steps below to gain the full benefits of ASCE and BSCES:
Once you have paid both ASCE and BSCES dues, forward a copy of your confirmation receipt along with your contact information to BSCES at [email protected]. This will allow us to establish your BSCES membership record to allow you to start receiving the benefits of belonging to the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/ASCE.
Your next yearly ASCE dues renewal invoice (due January 1) will designate you as a member of the Boston Section and include your yearly section dues.
The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. ASCE stands at the forefront of a profession that plans, designs, constructs, and operates society’s economic and social engine – the built environment – while protecting and restoring the natural environment. Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education, the world’s largest publisher of civil engineering content, and an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public.
BSCES has over 3,200 members across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, nine technical groups and institute chapters, over a dozen committees, and ten student chapters. We are the only section that publishes an engineering journal, we have our own television show, we support a legislative fellow who serves as a staff member to the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation, and we give away over $30,000 annually in awards, donations, prizes, scholarships and grants among other activities. BSCES has received a number of awards from ASCE, including the best Very Large Section Award, the Outstanding Section and Branch Website Award, the Section and Branch Diversity Award, the best Structural Engineering Institute Chapter, and the best Geo-Institute Chapter.
BSCES is unique in that it offers diverse technical lectures and seminars in various disciplines of civil engineering, professional networking opportunities with over 30 events annually, legislative advocacy through our Legislative Fellow and active Government Affairs Committee, public outreach through numerous STEM and K-12 programs, and several awards and scholarships to deserving recipients. BSCES members receive a reduced rate to attend events that allow interaction with industry leaders and clients as well as technical presentations regarding all aspects of civil engineering.
Many engineering organizations offer a combination of networking opportunities, diverse technical lectures and seminars, topical publications, government advocacy, or public awareness and outreach programs. BSCES, however, is unique. It offers all of these benefits as well as many others with a single membership.
BSCES sponsors over thirty events annually. The various technical programs, advocacy and outreach undertakings, younger member events, and project tours offer unique opportunities to meet fellow professionals across various disciplines. Members attend these and other events at a reduced cost. Furthermore, members are also able to join any of the technical groups, institute chapters, and committees that run BSCES. See the events calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.
Most of the thirty events that BSCES sponsors annually are technical presentations. Many of these are evening dinner lectures but they also include biennial Structural Lecture Series, Ladd Lecture, and Casagrande Lecture, the annual Freeman Lecture, Lawler Lecture, and Keville Dinner, various NHI courses, workshops, and webinars. BSCES is comprised of nine technical groups and institute chapters (Coasts Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute Boston Chapter; Construction Institute Boston Chapter; Engineering Management Group; Environmental and Water Resources Institute Boston Chapter; Geo-Institute Boston Chapter; Structural Engineering Institute Boston Chapter; Transportation & Development Institute Boston Chapter; Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute; and the Younger Member Group) that sponsor most of these events but other committees such as the Southeastern Massachusetts Committee and Program Committee also sponsor such events. See the events calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.
BSCES publishes an extensive monthly newsletter. Subject matters include technical issues, project summaries, and legislative matters. BSCES is also the only section that publishes its own Engineering Journal. Past issues of the journal are also available for purchase.
BSCES sponsors numerous government advocacy programs. The Government Affairs & Professional Practice Committee advocates for legislation that supports our profession locally and nationally. This includes building awareness for the need of long-term, sustainable funding for our infrastructure. BSCES sponsors a Legislative Fellow who serves as a staff member to the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation. Members actively participate in ASCE’s Fly-In in Washington, DC and Engineers and Land Surveyors Day in Boston.
The Public Awareness & Outreach Committee, Student Chapters Committee, and Younger Member Group sponsor numerous activities that promote STEM education, K-12 outreach, interaction between students and professionals, mentorships, and college advocacy. BSCES supports ten student chapters throughout the commonwealth and awards over $40,000 in awards, scholarships, and grants annually. BSCES also has a television show, supports volunteer efforts like Engineers Without Borders and the Greater Boston Food Bank, and fosters sustainable growth through our Sustainability Committee.
BSCES Member Types are determined by ASCE National and are selected when joining the Society.
You may also become a BSCES Life Member. This member type only applies to the section and is reserved for individuals who have been subscribing members of BSCES for 40 years OR are over the age of 70 and have paid section dues for 30 years. BSCES Life Members are chosen once a year and announced at the Annual Awards Celebration.