EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE DFI Is All About Outreach S omeone recently asked me to describe DFI in one word. Not an easy task considering all of the different activities and projects we have going on and the number of balls that need to be kept in the air to ensure our offerings are of high quality and useful to our members. But then the word popped into my head — OUTREACH! Our association provides members with opportunities for networking, education, communication and collabor- ation, but all four are achieved through outreach programs. The Wikipedia definition of outreach certainly matches DFI’s efforts to serve a multidisciplinary membership. It states, “Outreach is an activity of providing services to any populations who might not otherwise have access to those services. In addition to delivering services, outreach has an educational role, raising awareness of existing services.” Reading those words, I thought about the services we provide through our many conferences, seminars and workshops, and more recent ly webinars, plus our publications such as this magazine, our journal and technical papers and manuals available for download on www.dfi.org and OneMine.org . Through these outlets we reach people all over the world with assistance from the regional chapters in India, the Middle East and Europe. To assist those “who might not otherwise have access” we provide free student member- ship and discounted rates to young professionals and govern- ment employees; and we’ll be adding retired and self-employed individuals to that list. This allows a potentially unserved portion of our membership to join DFI, purchase a publication or attend a conference, and reap the benefits that help them in their professional activities. DFI also outreaches Theresa Engler Executive Director [email protected] These outreach activities not through the DFI Educa- tional Trust by providing scholarships, which assist students in pursuing their studies towards a career in our industry, young profes- sional/student mentoring forums , and act ivi ty programs that make it possible for students to visit jobsites to see first-hand the many opportunities that exist in deep foundations. Students that receive a scholarship or participate in these programs have all expressed their gratitude for the chance to network with potential employers and learn from those who may someday be their co-workers. Conversely, members benefit from having access to qualified future employees and learning about the research and aspirations of young professionals and students. Editorial Submissions Want to share your expertise, project experience and product information with the deep foundations community? DFI is always interested in editorial submissions for Deep Foundations magazine. We are particularly interested in articles on state-of-the- art projects (big and small) and new techniques, products and technology. Guidelines for writing feature articles are available on www.dfi.org — select ‘Publications’ and then navigate to ‘DFI Magazine.’ To discuss an idea for an article, contact Antonio Marinucci, Ph.D., MBA, P.E., executive editor, at [email protected] . Our association provides members with opportunities for networking, education, communication and collaboration, but all four are achieved through outreach programs. only educate, but also raise awareness. Our Women in Deep Foundations Com- mittee has been tremen- dously successful in gathering men and women to discuss issues that are important to women in the industry and that impact their decision to remain in our field. The creation of the DFI Traveling Lecturer gives us a new opportunity to raise awareness of geotechnical engineering and deep foundation construction and how DFI’s activities support the indus t r y. Al so, our involvement in industry- wide working groups on the safety of working platforms and risk mitigation are collaborative outreach activities that take a stand on best practices, safety and quality in geotechnical work. Our funding of the DFI Committee Project Fund is another vehicle that provides useful products that educate on the state of the practice. Above all, DFI’s outreach makes a positive impact on those involved and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring safety, promoting quality, providing durability and increasing sustainability. It’s our diversity with representation from a mixture of owners, constructors, designers, manufacturers, suppliers and education professionals from over 50 countries and 6 continents that allows DFI’s outreach to make a difference. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • NOV/DEC 2018 • 9
