21st Century Engineer

Dr. Dennis D. Truax, a renowned professional engineer, educator, and advocate for sustainable infrastructure. With over four decades of experience in academe, consulting, and environmental engineering, Dr. Truax dives deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of civil and environmental engineering. As the former President of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and Co-Founder of Bidcurement, Dr. Truax shares expert insights on workforce development, sustainable infrastructure practices, and innovative solutions for water resources and environmental management.

21st Century Engineer is a technology podcast hosted by Dennis Truax, with 36 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Dennis Truax hosts 21st Century Engineer, a technology show with 36 episodes published.

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  Episode #40

  The $3B Project That Saved Fargo

  Jan 21, 202646 minS1

  <p>After Fargo’s 2009 record flood fight when the community mobilized to sandbag and the city came within inches of disaster leaders knew a permanent solution was no longer optional.</p><p>Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with civil engineer Joel Paulsen, former Executive Director of the Fargo–Moorhead Flood Diversion Authority, about the Fargo–Moorhead Diversion Project: a $3B+ infrastructure effort combining federal, state, local, and private financing including a historic public-private partnership (P3) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.</p><p>They explore the project’s scope, the risk-management strategy behind the delivery model, the upstream landowne...

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  Episode #38

  Why Great Engineers Never Stop Learning

  Jan 3, 202647 minS1

  <p>In this episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Katye Miller McGinnis, P.E. about the realities of civil engineering growth: the learning never stops, mentorship takes adaptability, and great projects require empathy inside the workplace and out in the community.</p><p>Katye shares lessons from healthcare and complex site development, including how to mentor interns and new hires, how field feedback sharpens engineering judgment, why innovation often starts with operations, and how community engagement can determine whether major public infrastructure funding succeeds or fails.</p><p>Key topics include: mentorship + communication, learning styles...

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  Episode #39

  The “Doubt Tax” Driving Women Out of AEC

  Dec 21, 202548 minS1

  <p>In this special episode of 21st Century Engineer, Dr. Dennis D. Truax talks with Jennifer Todd about the “Doubt Tax” the hidden mental and emotional cost women pay in AEC just to be seen as competent.</p><p>Jennifer explains why this is different from imposter syndrome, how credibility pressure and bias drive talent out of civil engineering, and why fixing retention starts with leaders building systems that assume competence. The result: stronger culture, better quality of life, and a more productive workforce.</p><p></p>

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  Episode #35

  The Future of Civil Engineering

  Dec 14, 202543 minS1

  <p>Thomas Smith — longtime ASCE leader and Executive Director for the past 11 years joins Dr. Dennis D. Truax for a special edition of the 21st Century Engineer Podcast. They discuss civil engineering’s future through the lens of workforce shortages, AI, sustainability, extreme weather, and the critical role of advocacy, trusted engineering knowledge, and inclusive pathways into the profession.</p><p>Tom’s career path: civil engineering → law → ASCE</p><p>ASCE’s biggest profession-wide impacts (report cards, standards, public outreach)</p><p>Why AI must be applied “with purpose” — outcomes that serve humanity</p><p>Workforce development + career-connected learning</p><p>Infrastructur...

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  Episode #37

  Systems Thinking & Construction Safety with Industry Experts

  Dec 8, 202544 minS1

  <p>In this special multi-guest episode, we bring together three industry experts to take on one of the most urgent conversations in civil infrastructure today: how do we build safer, smarter, more resilient projects?Engineers, educators, and practitioners Bill Hayden, Dr. Ahmed Albayati, and Chad Morrison join Dennis to explore:🔹 Why safety must start at the design table, not the construction site🔹 The dangers of siloed thinking in engineering organizations🔹 How systems thinking can transform civil infrastructure🔹 Communication failures between designers & contractors🔹 Real-world examples of preventing injuries and saving lives🔹 Why owners, designers, and contractors must share responsibility🔹 The shift toward “upside-down d...

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