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Department of Civil Engineering
CIVL 1112 - Interesting Stuff
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Future Designs - Civil engineer make difference by shaping the world around us
by Elizabeth Todd (published in Mid-South Jobs, March 10, 1998)

Eddie Belk can go to work everyday knowing he has made a difference in the lives of thousands of Memphians.

Belk is a civil engineer. The fruits of his labors, and those of his fellow professionals, are everyday necessities that people often take for granted - roads, bridges, harbors, rivers and other public infrastructure.

There are many specialties within civil engineering, including structural, transportation and environmental. Transportation engineers plan and maintain roads, bridges, harbors and waterways. Environmental engineers are concerned with ensuring infrastructure projects adhere to environmental laws concerning issues such as air quality, water quality, waste water management, storm drainage and landfills. Structural engineers concentrate on designing the structural framework for buildings and bridges.

Belk graduated with a bachelors degree in civil engineering from Christian Brothers University in 1984 and he went on to earn a master's degree in engineering management. He has been a civil engineer for 14 years, most of that time with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"I would encourage people to think seriously about civil it engineering," Belk said, "It is a rewarding career and gives you the opportunity to improve the quality of life. It is stable and there is always a good, strong demand for engineering regardless of the economic situation."

And the pay is good. Starting salaries for engineering graduates with a bachelor's degree averaged $33,119 a year in private industry in 1997, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The median annual salary for all civil engineers who worked full-time was as $46.000 in 1996.

Public service

One of the biggest benefits of civil engineering is making an impact on the lives of fellow citizens, said John B. Jernigan, vice president of transportation/ civil engineering division at Ellers, Oakley, Chester and Rike Inc.

"If you live in it, ride on it or work in it, a civil engineer had a hand in the design and construction of it," Jernigan said. He has been a civil engineer for 38 years. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Mississippi and also has a master's degree in transportation engineering.

Jernigan has had a hand in many important projects that have shaped Shelby County. Right now he is working on designing a new taxiway at Memphis International Airport that will join the new eastside north-south runway to the Federal Express facility on Winchester Road. The project includes a bridge that spans across Winchester Road.

His firm is also working on improvements to Hacks Cross Road from Winchester to the Mississippi state line. The busy thoroughfare is being expanded from a two-lane rural road to a seven-lane urban street complete with curbs, gutters and thicker pavement to handle the increased traffic along the road.

Belk is especially proud of two projects he has worked on. One is a two-mile-long harbor in Helena, Ark., which that city hopes will spur economic development.

One of his most visible endeavors is the Memphis Front Project. It involved a number of river improvements, which included stabilizing the bluffs along the Memphis reach of the Mississippi River. This project added increased acreage to Tom Lee Park.
So the project served a dual purpose. It ensured the stability of the bluff while creating a larger public area that has been enjoyed by millions of Memphians and tourists alike.

Good qualities

When Jernigan considers hiring new for engineers for his firm, he considers how good their people skills are, how strong their math and science background is, along with arts, history and communication skills. "Communication is important in any field." Jernigan said.

Good civil engineers like to figure out how things work and how to make things work, Belk said. Engineers should enjoy public service and have good problem solving skills. Armed with these admirable qualities, civil engineers can embark on making the world a better place.


This website was originally developed by Charles Camp for CIVL 1112.
This site is maintained by the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Memphis.
Your comments and questions are welcomed.

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Department of Civil Engineering| 104 Engineering Science Bldg |Memphis, TN 38152 | Phone: 901/678-2746 | Fax: 901/678-3026 | Last updated: 02/15/2024