Mark K. Boyd PhD, PE, D.WRE

When did you first get involved with ASCE at any level (student chapter, local branch, section)?

I began as an SMU undergraduate student chapter member in 1982, I actively contributed to building a concrete canoe—and guess what? It didn’t sink!

When did you know you wanted to be a civil engineer?

My journey began with my father, a US foreign aid specialist for the State Department (USAID).  Entering college as a political science major, aspiring for a career in international diplomacy, fate led me to an all-engineers dorm floor at SMU during a housing shortage. My engineering friends, mostly in electrical and computer engineering, were surprised by my calculus skills and questioned my political science choice. Despite their advice, I switched to Civil Engineering, following my interest in an environmental career with potential for significant impact.   The rest, as they say, is history!

Give us your best 2-3 sentence piece of advice for the next generation of civil engineers.

As an adjunct professor at SMU’s Bobby Lyle School of Engineering since 2001, I’ve connected with numerous aspiring Civil Engineers. Whether individually or in class, I consistently emphasize three key points:

Engage in Professional Societies: I encourage them to actively participate in professional societies like ASCE. Additionally, I stress the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships beyond their workplace.
Prioritize People Skills: I emphasize that, for career success and fulfillment, people skills often surpass technical expertise. Even if it doesn’t come naturally, I advise them to step out of their comfort zones and continually work on improving interpersonal skills.
Embrace Change: I remind them of their innate flexibility as young individuals but stress the inevitability of change. Embracing change becomes crucial, as there’s no going back to the way things were.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Here’s my sincere and honest answer: Whatever I’m doing becomes meaningful when I’m with Monica, my wife of nearly 40 wonderful years. My adult kids, Natalie and Stephen, are extensions of her, so being with them is always enjoyable, regardless of the activity or location. 

What was your high school nickname?

It took some pondering. A few girls from my graduating class at the American Cooperative School (go Cougars!) in La Paz, Bolivia, affectionately called me “Marquitos.” The guys stuck with “Mark,” unless I made game-time mistakes during rare appearances on the varsity basketball and soccer teams. On those occasions, my coaches and teammates playfully dubbed me with Spanish names I won’t share here! In middle school in Panama, a camp counselor nicknamed me “Marcus Aurelius,” comparing me to the stoic Roman emperor. However, that nickname didn’t extend beyond summer camp!

Mountains or beach?

Without a doubt, mountains! I cherished hiking with my son Stephen and the Boy Scouts on the Weminuche Trail (Colorado) and the Inca Trail (Peru). Some of my fondest memories with my Dad involve fishing on a mountain stream at the foot of Villa Rica Volcano in Chile.

What would your superpower be?

Here’s the scoop: I’ve got a superpower – fluency in Spanish! Thanks to my dad, I went to all-Spanish schools from preschool to 8th grade, and I’ve had formal Spanish education in high school and college. I’m your go-to for on-the-spot verbal translations, as proven at engineering events in Honduras and elsewhere. Reading and writing in both languages? Piece of cake! My goal? In the future, I aim to shape my roles at ASCE to help Mexico expand its activities within Region 6. Simple, isn’t it?