Civil and Environmental Engineering - Thank you, Sonny Astani, for your generosity to the department!

December 01, 2007 — Sonny Astani & CEE chair

From right to left, President Steven B. Sample, Sonny Astani, Jean-Pierre Bardet, Andrew J. Viterbi, and Dean Yannis Yortsos.

— November 29, 2007
Speech by Jean-Pierre Bardet, Chair, at the naming ceremony luncheon

Thank you, Sonny Astani, for you generous gift to the Department Civil and Environmental Engineering!

Thank you, President Sample, Members of the Board of Trustees, Provost Nikias, Dean Yortsos, and eminent guests of the Viterbi School of Engineering for contributing to these memorable moments that will mark for ever the history of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC. It's an honor to be here this afternoon and make a few remarks about the USC
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. And it's an even greater privilege to represent the Department at this moment in its history.

The Department has a long record of contributing to USC's rise and to the emergence of the Viterbi School of Engineering as a national leader. We began offering courses in 1906, before there was even an engineering school... and since then we have educated many of the civil engineers who designed and built Southern California. Our engineers helped design and build the highways, bridges, dams and aqueducts that, in just one century, have transformed Los Angeles from a dusty way station into a gleaming metropolis — a "must" destination for the world. And our engineers shaped the style of Southern California, too. They built landmarks such as the Getty Museum, the international terminal at LAX, the Transamerica tower, the campuses of UC Irvine, and Pepperdine, and the buildings of the USC main campus. Distinguished alumni, such as Al Dorman, John Shea, and Gregg Brandow, revolutionized the construction industry and helped create structures of breathtaking architecture. Distinguished alumni, such as Ed Reynolds, solve environmental
challenges and build sustainable developments in California.

Just as we have helped shape Southern California, the needs of the region and the nation have in return shaped our research and educational programs. USC Civil and Environmental Engineering is a leader in research in the nation in such areas as pollution, transportation, structural engineering, earthquake engineering, tsunamis, and hydrology. And we offer innovative educational programs in construction management,structural engineering, water resources, transportation, environmental quality and geotechnical engineering.

Our educational programs are about to experience unprecedented demands because California and Los Angeles urgently need civil and environmental engineers, for major reasons... For instance, (1) Last year, California voters approved 42 billions dollar worth of bonds to upgrade our state civil infrastructures. (2) Los Angeles is growing as a megacity; as of today, there are 76 permits for tall buildings in the City Hall. (3) The Port of Los Angeles is the first in the nation and drive the economy of our region. Like all of USC, our sphere of influence has also expanded over the years. Where we once served a region, we now serve the world. While our role in Southern California is historic and we continue to serve the pressing needs of the region, our global outlook serves countries of the Pacific Rim such as China, India, and others. And now, with the emerging problems inherent to megacities, being in Los Angeles with a research laboratory right in our backyard, we are positioned to address and solve unprecedented challenges in environmental quality and health, sustainability, energy infrastructure and transportation.

In summary, USC Civil and Environmental Engineering is a bonfire of energy waiting for the right match – and I understand we are getting our light today. As chair, I am honored to thank Sonny for his vision and generosity on behalf of the Department. It is wonderful to have USC Civil and Environmental Engineering so closely associated with a name that is synonymous with excellence in our field, and with the vision to shape the future in Los Angeles, Southern California, and the world at large.

Thank you, Sonny, for your generous gift to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering! — Jean-Pierre Bardet, Chair