The Panama Canal: How It Was Built and Why It Matters
Joseph L. Schofer is Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University. A Fellow of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Dr. Schofer currently chairs the Standing Committee on Data for Decision Making for the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine. He also chaired the Congressionally mandated TRB consensus study on Investing in Transportation Resilience: A Framework for Informed Choices. Since 2009, Dr. Schofer has hosted “The Infrastructure Show,” a monthly podcast on which he interviews infrastructure experts.
Overview
The Panama Canal – which some say is the 8th Wonder of the World – is one of the greatest engineering achievements of the modern era; one which changed the pattern of global logistics forever. In this course, we will use archival materials to explore how the Canal was built: the challenges that were faced and how they were overcome from the perspectives of design, construction, and management. We will describe advances in technologies and leadership strategies that transformed an isolated, disease-ridden rain forest into a modern transportation link that–after 108 years–continues to function, substantially unchanged, as one of the busiest transportations links in the world. We will trace the history of the Canal through the implementation of the new, post-Panamax locks opened in 2016. Understanding the keys to the original canal will reveal useful principles that apply to the megaprojects of today.