HISTORY AND MOTIVATION
HISTORY
In Fall 2013, Teddy Theryo, an Indonesian civil engineer residing in Tampa, Florida, came up with the idea to bring together Indonesian civil engineers living in North America for networking, knowledge sharing, and giving back to the community. He reached out to several of us to bounce his idea of forming the Indonesian civil engineers group in America. With Maria Juliana Sudiono and Wira Tjong, an email chain was created to spread the proposed group to other Indonesian civil engineers residing in USA and Canada. At the same time, we circulated the database for members to fill in their information voluntarily.
After several months discussing the group’s missions, activities and name on the email chain, we unanimously chose ICESNA (Indonesian Civil Engineers’ Society of North America) as the group name on February 3, 2014, which was declared as ICESNA birthdate.
Short time later, the group held its first ICESNA presidential election and Teddy Theryo was elected as the first President. The group was steadily adding more members from all over the United States and Canada.
In late 2017, Teddy Theryo passed the button to Wira Tjong to lead ICESNA as the second President. We established our Bylaws and incorporated ICESNA Inc. in Georgia on June 2, 2019. On April 24, 2020, ICESNA was approved as a non-profit organization by Internal Revenue Service under IRC Section 501(c)(3). ICESNA has more than 100 members listed on our database by 2020. In December 2022, ICESNA elected the third president Dario Rosidi to lead ICESNA for 2023-2024 period.
MOTIVATION
As civil engineers, we were trained to build. We survey sites, investigate soils, design and build highways, bridges, buildings, airports, seaports, railways (light rails, heavy rails, high-speed rails), industrial structures, traffics, bus ways, dams, civil structures, marine structures and many others. Our role in building infrastructures in a society is critical, since the creations / products of civil engineers will improve the quality of life, economy and the sustainability of mankind.
As we (Indonesian Civil Engineers) enter the civil engineering industries in North America serving as consultants, contractors, government officials, military, educators, researchers and owner / authority representatives, there is a need to network, share information, and collaborate for our collective benefit. With increasing number of Indonesian Civil Engineers in USA & Canada, it is time for us to form our own organized professional group / society in North America. The members of the group will benefit socially and professionally through interactive communication, information sharing, social gathering, as well as through encouragement and advice between members. Such professional society will open up a larger perspective, horizon, and opportunity in advancing our career and contribute our expertise for notable impact to the communities we live in and came from.
Although many of us are already members of other professional societies and trade organizations, the proposed group / society will provide a better platform for Indonesian civil engineers to connect and bond with ease because we share the same cultural background and speak the same language.