About

The Infrastructure Show consists of monthly podcasts in which some of the nation’s top infrastructure experts discuss the design, operation, finance, and condition of U.S. infrastructure with host Joseph Schofer, Emeritus Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University (see Hosts page). Our intent is to explore, understand, and educate about what is both essential and interesting about infrastructure in our daily lives. 

Designing, building, operating and maintaining America’s infrastructure demands skills not only in engineering, but also in planning, finance, and management – a community of professionals. The focus of their efforts must be the critical infrastructure services essential to modern life, including water supply and wastewater treatment, energy generation and distribution, transportation, communications, buildings and housing, and waste disposal. A critical challenge is having and applying the resources to maintain the systems that provide these services in a state of good repair in settings where funds are limited and demands to build new can conflict with the need to preserve old. 

Assuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of American infrastructure requires making complicated and timely management and investment decisions based on knowledge of current and trending conditions, needs, threats, and opportunities for that infrastructure. This podcast is intended to contribute to that infrastructure knowledge base for both informed citizens and their decision makers.

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