Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part Three

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thorsten Wagener, Pennsylvania State University; Sarah Zappe, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

use are changingin many regions, causing significant problems for water resources studies. Such changes meanthat historical data are not representative for the region anymore, while most engineeringapproaches are based on the assumption that they do.As the demands on current and future hydrologists have changed, the concern arises thathydrology training has lagged behind necessary preparation for both research and application 1, 2,3 . There is evidence of hydrology as a science becoming more interdisciplinary and complex,evolving in its focus due to new scientific findings, computational and technical advances, andnew linkages to other disciplines4, 5, 6. The importance of hydrology education in this context issupported by results of a

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part Three

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie Ivey; Anna Lambert, University of Memphis; Paul Palazolo, University of Memphis; David J. Russomanno, University of Memphis

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

” characteristicsof value found in the Canstruction® project including the preparatory requirements, participantsinvolved, and the competition’s overall contribution to engineering education. We then discussthe “dormant” opportunities for civil engineering students and educators to use links betweenprograms such as the Canstruction® project and existing curricular content such as promotingmulti-level mentorship and “real-time” problem solving activities.Additional advantages of such links include opportunities for expanding instructional methodsand addressing critical crossover areas of the revised Criteria for Accrediting EngineeringPrograms (ABET )1. Throughout our discussion, we also share our experiences with relatedpedagogical theories and instructional

Conference Session

Issues in the Professional Practice of Faculty Members in Civil Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Rose, University of Pittsburgh -Johnstown; Norman Voigt, Penn State, New Kensington

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

, orretirements. In other cases, short term increases in student population may be addressedusing adjunct faculty. Some institutions consistently utilize adjunct faculty for courseswhere full time faculty lack expertise. In all cases, the use of adjunct faculty providesbenefits and challenges to the institution, students and adjunct faculty member. Inaddition to bringing their technical expertise into the engineering classroom, adjunctfaculty also bring their understanding and insights on professional engineering practiceinto the curriculum. This inclusion of professional practice issues into engineering andengineering technology programs helps programs better meet ABET criteria.1-2 In civilengineering, ASCE’s effort to modernize engineering education

Conference Session

Use of Technology to Provide Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Sutterer, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; shannon sexton, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

engineering SOIL MECHANICS course. The instructor and students used pen-based tablets with collaborative note taking software in class to manage lectures, discussions,example problems, classroom learning assessments, practice problems, and spreadsheet-basedproblem-solving tools. Assessment of learning is being conducted on four levels: (1)assessments of the students’ attitudes about using the technology and their learning; (2)independent, institute-level assessment at the beginning, middle, and end of the course; (3)evaluation of student performance on the final exam compared to prior course offerings; and (4)instructor reflection.The study found that students usually expressed a high acceptance of the learning process,believe both in class and out

Conference Session

Challenges of CE Education in a Global World

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fred Meyer, United States Military Academy; C. Conley; Joseph Hanus, United States Military Academy; James Ledlie Klosky

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

set they need to be successful as civil engineering leadersin Iraq and Afghanistan is much the same as civil engineers working in other developing nationshaving limited or inferior infrastructure.The Current CE ProgramThe current CE program at the USMA emphasizes fundamental civil engineering skills with afocus on structural engineering. Figure 1 depicts the last five of eight semesters for a typicalprogram of study with a focus on structures. 4th Semester 5th Semester 6th Semester 7th Semester 8th Semester CE 300 (L) CE 364 (L) CE 403 CE 404 (L) ME 306 (L) Mechanics and Mechanics of Structural Analysis Design of Steel Dynamics

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part One

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Bronzini, George Mason University; Michael Casey, George Mason University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

prior to the formal project presentations. This was intendedto allow a more in-depth evaluation of the technical content of the designs, and a presentation-day evaluation of the team presentation skills. The changes required a revised set of jurorevaluation forms, with both repeat of prior content and with sections that were not part of theprevious instrument. This paper reports on the assessment results for this revised senior designexperience. Two aspects are emphasized: (1) the relative degree of success of the simulatedclient-consultant relationships; and (2) comparative data for this offering vs. assessment resultsfor the prior three years. Participant views on the new jury evaluation process are also discussed.Senior Design Course

Conference Session

Accreditation and Assessment Concerns in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thuy Nguyen, University of Texas at Austin; Kathy Schmidt, University of Texas at Austin; William O'Brien, University of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

thelearning module prototype, the most important findings from the data collected, as well as adiscussion on the learning modules designed as a validation tool for our framework.IntroductionAdvanced cyberinfrastructure – particularly in information integration and sensor networks – isincreasingly being developed to support the civil infrastructure of roads, bridges, buildings, etc.In particular, there is a call for the intelligent job site (IJS), which can be considered a domainspecific instance of broader visions for ubiquitous computing.1 The intelligent job site seeks torevolutionize construction practice in terms of safety performance and productivity throughdistributed computing and deployment of a variety of sensors. A wide range of research

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part Three

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wei Zheng, Jackson State University; HuiRu Shih, Jackson State University; Karen Lozano, University of Texas-Pan American; Karl Kiefer, Invocon, Inc., Houston, Taxes; Xinqing Ma, Inframat Corp, Farmington, Connecticut.

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

objectives for integrating nanotechnology for civil engineering into the existing curriculumare: (1) to introduce the application and cutting-edge research developments of nanotechnologyin civil engineering for undergraduate students; (2) to update traditional mainstream civil Page 13.543.3engineering curricula; and (3) to develop new teaching strategies and diverse learningopportunities to strengthen civil engineering curriculum and enhance engineering educationaloutcomes. Among mainstream civil engineering curricula, the course Construction Materials andLab deals with the properties of construction materials, as well as standardized

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part Two

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephan Durham, University of Colorado at Denver; Micah Hale, University of Arkansas; Seamus Freyne, Manhattan College

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

structure of wood. The authors havereceived positive comments regarding the use of these teaching aids and experiments in class.Students often mention how these teaching resources reinforce the concepts discussed in class aswell as creating more interest in course topics.Learning Styles for Engineering StudentsPeople learn in different ways. Learning styles are methods that people use to understandmaterial.1 Learning styles include these types: Visual Learners–prefer pictures, charts, and demonstrations Aural Learners–prefer the use of sound and music Verbal Learners–prefer oral communication and writing Physical Learners–prefer physical movement and active learning Logical

Conference Session

Use of Summer Research Programs in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dennis Truax, Mississippi State University; Emma Seiler, Mississippi State University; Donna Reese, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. However, using teams helped keep students fromhaving to rely solely on their personal skills. For this reason, teams were designed to keep theskill levels of each team comparable. By using group activities rather than individual projectactivities, we felt that each student would be able to participate at some level and become moreengaged in the project learning process regardless of their level of academic preparation.A generalized format for the daily schedule of activities was as follows. Start and ending timeswere selected so that participants did not have to compete with other students or campus traffic attime when either can be intimidating to younger people: Table 1. Generalized MSTI Daily Itinerary Time of

Conference Session

Accreditation and Assessment Concerns in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nirmala Gnanapragasam, Seattle University; Katie Kuder, Seattle University; Dragovich Jefferey, Seattle University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

part of the comprehensive examination is administered in the beginningof fall quarter and simulates the morning portion of the FE examination. Itconsists of 60 questions. The second part of the comprehensive examination isadministered within the first two weeks of the winter quarter. It simulates theafternoon portion of the subject specific FE examination and consists of 30multiple choice questions. Table 1 summarizes the topics covered in the fall andwinter quarter comprehensive examinations and the number of questions in eachcategory.Students are notified of the test dates, list of topics and number of questions ineach topic well in advance giving them plenty of time to prepare for theexaminations. The fall quarter examination is announced

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part One

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Seybert, Pennsylvania State University - Wilkes-Barre

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

class size of 20 students. Thesurveying program faculty designed a first-year seminar specifically for surveying majors andtaught by surveying faculty (Seybert, et al.4). The original structure of the course focused mainlyon building a strong sense of community among the surveying students while using groupexercises to develop collaborative learning and team skills. (Seybert5) The course is used tocompliment topics covered in the first-semester plane surveying course, but also to present skillsand information that will increase the chances for academic success. The course is designedaround four general areas: (1) academic learning and understanding, (2) essential academicskills, (3) academic support, and (4) the surveying profession.Academic

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Teaching Part One

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Suleiman Ashur, Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

the original proposal.MethodologyThe civil engineering program proposed curriculum was compared to 12 other Civil Engineeringprograms. Half of these programs are from schools in the State of Indiana that offer similar CEprogram and the other half from nearby schools in Michigan and Ohio. The modifications to the Page 13.1001.3current curriculum are proposed based on the comparison with other schools; results of a surveyof 27 local companies presented in the original proposal; and 2007 ABET criteria.The following are the list of the Civil Engineering Programs used in the comparison:Indiana: 1) University of Notre Dame, 129 credit hours. 2

Conference Session

ASCE Policy 465: Raising the Bar

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jon Nelson, American Society of Civil Engineers; David Hornbeck, Southern Polytechnic State University; James Lambrechts, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Joe Manous, United States Army Corps of Engineers; Robert Stevens, Arcadis U.S., Inc; Leo Titus, ECS, Ltd; Jeffrey Russell

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

infra-structure projects, which included leading efforts on the Fort Point Channel interchange for the Central Artery/Tunnel project in Boston and recently the US Rte.1/I-95 interchange for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project. Mr. Lambrechts holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland and a M.S. degree in geotechnical engineering from Purdue University. He is a licensed P.E. in Massachusetts. Mr. Lambrechts continues to be active with the Boston Society of Civil, severing several times as Chairman of the Page 14.940.1 Construction Technical Committee, and now as Chair of

Conference Session

Innovation in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Diane Bondehagen, Florida Gulf Coast University; Simeon Komisar, Florida Gulf Coast University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Resources DesignAbstractA first semester, senior level civil and environmental engineering course, Water ResourcesDesign is, for most, the first experience for students at Florida Gulf Coast University in workingwith non-trivial design projects. To make the course experience as transferable as possible tofuture graduate engineering employment, students learn and apply hydraulic software to projectdevelopment and execution. The course takes an innovative case study approach with 5 designprojects required with rotating teams assigned to each project. The projects are taken from "realworld" engineering problem assignments which impart to students an appreciation of theconstraints and uncertainties inherent in the design process. Project 1 necessitates

Conference Session

Integrating Computer-based Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ayhan Irfanoglu, Purdue University; Yating Chang, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

”, has been deemedsuccessful. It is hoped that it could be offered in a similar format in Spring 2010.IntroductionAs highlighted in “The Engineer of 20202: Visions of Engineering in the New Century”1, naturaldisasters can still have serious impacts on society. Of these disasters, earthquakes provide aunique challenge due to the fact that there is limited ability to forecast the level of damage futureevents would deliver to built-environment. The low frequency but high consequence nature ofmajor urban area earthquakes requires sharing of technical and societal experience at global levelto understand the processes involved and to develop successful engineering designs as well asorganizational understanding to minimize risk in urban areas. True to

Conference Session

Integrating Computer-based Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chad Caldwell, United States Military Academy; Joseph Hanus, United States Military Academy; Adam Chalmers, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges, assessments, and applied solutionsassociated with teaching a specific Civil Engineering software package at the United StatesMilitary Academy. The software is a state-of-the-art information technology platform. TheCivil Engineering profession demands rapidly advancing skills in information technology. Suchexpectations are embedded in Outcome 10 of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Preparing the Civil Engineer for theFuture (BOK2)1, which references Outcome 3k of ABET Inc. Proposed Criteria for AccreditingEngineering Program 2. The BOK2 Levels of Achievement Subcommittee recommends that civilengineers who have earned a

Conference Session

Laboratory Development and Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Torick, University of Pittsburgh; Dan Budny, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

with a well developed plan in order to ensure a successfulproduct. Our instructional design process can be summarized as a 6-step iterative process (Figure1); the unfilled arrow represents the iteration point in the process. Some of the productsdeveloped from this process will be discussed to further clarify the design process. Page 14.1198.2Figure 1- Curriculum Design ProcessLaboratory Development ProcessStep 1- Determination of Design ConstraintsAll design problems have a set of constraints and requirements that are important to clearlyidentify at the beginning of the development process. The main requirements for our newlaboratories are

Conference Session

International Aspects of Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Gash, United States Military Academy; Stephen Ressler, United States Military Academy; Eric Crispino, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

in 202510 (referred to hereafter as the Vision). This Vision foresees the demands ofglobalization requiring civil engineers to assume a greater role as leaders in society. Loomingissues such as population growth, competition over depleted resources, and ever-increasingurbanization will require engineers to BOK2 Outcomes CQ?develop innovative solutions. Right now we Foundationalare educating these engineers. In response 1. Mathematicsto the Vision, ASCE released in 2008 an 2. Natural sciencesupdated version of their Body of Knowledge 3. Humanities **(BOK2). The BOK2 outlined twenty-four 4. Social sciences

Conference Session

Implementation of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge and Recent ABET Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Welch, University of Texas, Tyler

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

research by any means, or does it? This was an experiment withhigh stakes as to whether a program can be built, assessed, and changes made to meetcurrent ABET criteria and CE program criteria based on the ASCE Body of Knowledge(BOKI).1 This was the challenge facing the new department chair in spring 2007.PreparationProgram Educational Objectives (PEO), Program Outcomes (PO), and Changes to theCurriculumThe first step was the development of POs in 2005 that would guide the program todemonstrate accomplishment of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes outlined within thefirst edition of the BOKI.1 This document modified using Bloom’s Taxonomy to definethe level of student activity was gaining acceptance to be the basis for the next round ofupdates to

Conference Session

Professional Issues in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ronald Welch, University of Texas, Tyler

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

emanate from Outcomes 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the UTTyler CE Program Outcomes (PO) presented in Table 1 which are derived from ABETOutcomes (3.d), (3.f), (3.g), (3.h), (3.i), and (3.j) in Table 2 and the CE program criteria.PO 9 specifically incorporates the new undergraduate professional requirements locatedwithin the CE program criteria. The difficulty arises in how do students demonstrate orfully understand what these outcomes are asking when the demonstration is possibly leftto a single event within the senior year. These professional outcomes have been referredto as “soft” outcomes by many when they were first presented as part of ABET EC2000Criterion 3. Others have used the word “squishy” when considering how difficult it is toassess

Conference Session

ASCE Policy 465: Raising the Bar

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Fridley, University of Alabama; Debra Larson, Northern Arizona University; Kevin Hall, University of Arkansas; Kevin Sutterer, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; James Alleman, Purdue University; Kenneth McManis, University of Louisiana; Jean-Pierre Bardet, University of Southern California; Brett Gunnink, Montana State University; George List, North Carolina State University; Roger Smith, Texas A&M University; Thomas Lenox, American Society of Civil Engineers

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. Both the BOK1 and BOK2outcomes have the desired level of achievement defined according to Bloom’s Taxonomy for thecognitive domain4. Additionally, the BOK1 and BOK2 have recommended outcomeachievement targets for each state of the fulfillment pathway: the baccalaureate degree (B), post-baccalaureate formal education (M/30), and pre-licensure experience (E).To assess the impact of the BOK1 and BOK2 on civil engineering curricula and to facilitatebroad adoption of the new BOK concepts in civil engineering education, the ASCE Committeeon Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (CAP^3) established a new committee – theBOK Educational Fulfillment Committee (BOKEdFC) in late 2007. This new committee ischarged with (1) fostering the creation

Conference Session

Integrating Computer-based Technology in the Civil Engineering Classroom

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vinod Lohani, Virginia Tech; Parhum Delgoshaei, Virginia Tech; Chelsea Green, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

industry for data Page 14.762.4acquisition and instrument control. LabVIEW provides extensive support for connecting   instrumentation hardware, a feature used in developing LabVIEW based activities in the course.Major programming concepts covered using LabVIEW are shown in Table 1.Table 1: LabVIEW Concepts/Applications in EngE1024Core Concept LabVIEW(LV) topic covered Activity/HomeworkA A: Introduction to LV Watching LabVIEW video that programming environment, VIs introduces the programming

Conference Session

Implementation of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge and Recent ABET Experiences

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Sutterer, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

categories, while three of the outcomes in thetechnical category include learning at the Master’s level. Those learning outcomes are (7)Experiments, (8) Problem Recognition and Solving, and (15) Technical Specialization.The three outcomes and the rubrics for assessing learning in those outcomes are in Table1 from ASCE’s second edition BOK report6.While the civil engineering community continues to discuss and evolve the BOK for civilengineers, departments of civil engineering would do well to examine carefully thecontent and intent of the BOK as a road map for the preparation of their students for the Table 1. ASCE Body of Knowledge outcomes rubric for outcomes 7, 8 and 156

Conference Session

International Aspects of Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Crispino, United States Military Academy; Andrew Bellocchio, United States Military Academy; Scott Hamilton, United States Military Academy; Aaron Hill, United States Military Academy; Stephen Ressler, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

EngineeringEducation (ExCEEd) Teaching Workshop hosted annually at West Point and other locations inthe US and adopted the content for the instructors at NMAA. The teaching workshop introducedthe new Afghan instructors to effective teaching methods inside and outside the classroom. Itincluded eight seminars, demonstration classes taught by the authors, and practice classes taughtby the Afghan instructors. The workshop seminars focused heavily on Joseph Lowman’s twodimensional model of effective teaching.1 This paper will describe the process of developingand implementing a new instructor workshop at NMAA and also highlight the many challengesand provide recommendations to growing a quality engineering faculty in any developing nation.The Crown Jewel of

Conference Session

ASCE Policy 465: Raising the Bar

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Musselman, CMA Engineers

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

engineeringeducation requirements by NCEES is the assertion that the body of knowledge related to thelicensed practice of engineering has dramatically expanded in recent decades and will continueto do so. Concurrently, the number of credit hours required for graduation has decreased dueprimarily to political and economic pressures in virtually all states to provide baccalaureateprograms with fewer hours of coursework. Thus, the body of knowledge required to enter thepractice of engineering in the future does not fit within the curricula currently provided byundergraduate engineering programs.This is generally reflected in the following statement, which is provided in the report entitled“Educating the Engineer of 2020,”(1) prepared by the National Academy of

Conference Session

International Aspects of Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aaron Hill, United States Military Academy; Scott Hamilton, United States Military Academy; Eric Crispino, United States Military Academy; Andrew Bellocchio, United States Military Academy; Stephen Ressler, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

unique experiences and our development as faculty members,stressing those things we brought back that have enhanced our teaching in the US. While ourefforts were focused on one program, in one country, these lessons could be applied to anyfaculty members building educational programs elsewhere in the developing world.Creating a Civil Engineering Program in AfghanistanThe National Military Academy of Afghanistan (NMAA) located in Kabul, Afghanistan,recently graduated its first class as a result of the combined efforts between US advisors andAfghan military leadership.1 Its short history began in August 2003, when the Vice Dean forEducation from the US Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, NY, went to Afghanistan andmet with Afghan and US

Conference Session

Educational Issues in Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anant Kukreti, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

conducted, theresearch training provided to the students, an overview of the projects completed by the students,the procedures used to evaluate the impact of the programs, the process used to track thestudents, and the outcomes of the programs. This paper will help others plan similar researchexperiences for engineering undergraduate students.IntroductionThe engineering schools in the U.S. now face internal and external challenges, impacting themarketability of our students. From 1985 to 2005, high school graduates went up 20.7%1 whileengineering bachelor degrees went down 5.7%2. The number of students indicating interest inengineering has dropped from 11% in 1985 to 7.2% in 20052. As we face this internal challenge,expanding global economy has

Conference Session

Educational Issues in Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wilfrid Nixon, University of Iowa; James Stoner, University of Iowa

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

pool of 36 semester hours (s.h.) of elective courses. The student’s portfolio and plan of study guide the selection of appropriate electives. The electives are used to fulfill two College requirements: 1) A general education component of 15 semester hours that ensures focused studies in non-technical areas; and 2) The remaining 21 semester hours provide flexibility for students to pursue a formal minor in an approved area or earn a certificate in a multidisciplinary area (e.g., Technological Entrepreneurship, Health and Biological Sciences, International Business, Law and Engineering) developed by the College in collaboration with other colleges on campus, or build strength in a technical

Conference Session

Sustainable and Urban Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sanjaya Senadheera, Texas Tech

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

social and political order in order to arrest the potentially rapid deterioration inthe ecosystem and escalating scarcity of resources. Societies must develop creative andinnovative ways to educate communities, the younger generation in particular, to understand the Page 14.21.2long-term impacts of their actions and to find ways to create a sustainable world order.The term sustainability has generally been used in natural resource situations where ‘long term’is the focus. The US EPA (2007)1 defined sustainability as “the ability of an ecosystem tomaintain a defined/desired state of ecological integrity over time”. However, sustainability