The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/277771
48 Spring 2014 A GOOD ENGINEER must have technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and familiarity with the latest cutting-edge research in his feld. But often, as Joe Adams '75 has learned over nearly four decades as a successful geo- technical engineer, a good engineer must also rely on cultural sensitivity and a deft human touch. "I've seen the tremendous beneft of understanding how other cul- tures work, how other cultures look at the world," says the president of Energy and Industry with the 8,000-person international engineering and construction frm MWH Global. In addition, he's learned frsthand the importance of having a global perspective. Adams serves as chair- man of the board for the MWH-led joint venture, handling design for the $3 billion Panama Canal expansion. His team manages all oil and gas, mining, and hydroelectric projects around the world, a job that has tak- en him to as many as 25 countries in a single year. "What's striking to me is the balance that I must show, of understand- ing the political situation in a country, understanding the cultural situa- tion, and understanding the technical challenges," he says. "I think it is absolutely critical to the success of engineers today for them to have had an experience abroad." When Adams and his wife, Pat Habel, made a gift to WPI last year in memory of his father, Joe Adams Sr., it was with that idea in mind. The Colorado couple decided to use their $250,000 donation to create a scholarship for WPI's Project Centers, a program that allows students to fulfll their humanities and arts requirement or complete their IQPs and MQPs at off-campus centers in more than 35 locations around the world—including places as far-fung as Cape Town, South Africa, and Osaka, Japan. The money, Adams says, will allow students who might otherwise be unable to afford a semester abroad the opportunity to Global Perspective Inspires Gift if... campaign WPI_spring14_Advancement.indd 48 3/9/14 2:16 PM