A Banner Year: Trailblazing Alum Marsha Anderson Bomar Elected ASCE President and Inducted into the NAE
Being inducted into the National Academy of Engineers (NAE) is recognized as one of the highest honors in the entire profession. And being elected president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which has more than 160,000 members around the globe, might well be considered the pinnacle of any career.
Marsha Anderson Bomar’s year included both those rare accomplishments.
Bomar — who earned her undergraduate degree in math in 1973 and her master’s in transportation engineering two years later — was one of only a handful of women students at what was then affectionately known as Brooklyn Poly. Six MetroTech, she recalls, actually had no women’s bathroom, despite being the location of most of the school’s classrooms and labs.
The last 50 years, it’s apparent, have been a period of immense growth for both the School of Engineering and for Bomar, who just last year earned a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia's College of Environment and Design.
A Legacy of Hard Work, Innovation, and Service
During her time on the Brooklyn campus, Bomar worked multiple odd jobs to support her education, from operating the telephone switchboard to serving as a key-punch operator and transcribing books for professors. The determination she demonstrated then would become the hallmark of a groundbreaking career in civil engineering and transportation.
As commissioner emeritus for the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation and former assistant general manager of MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transportation Authority), Bomar has been at the forefront of urban transportation solutions. Demonstrating both her technical expertise and entrepreneurial vision, she has also founded and led two successful companies — Street Smarts and Data Smarts — and she currently works as a strategic advisor at GHD, where she advocates for safer transportation networks and sustainable infrastructure practices.
Her election to ASCE's presidency comes after decades of distinguished leadership within the organization. She has been active in the group since 1984, serving, at various times, as head of ASCE's Transportation & Development Institute, regional technical director, and board member, among other roles.
What’s Next?
As ASCE president, Bomar will now represent the Society's members worldwide, speaking at international conferences, advising on government policy, and advocating for infrastructure investment and engineering education. "We are in an extraordinary time of focus on infrastructure, and it has highlighted the need for more smart, talented, and hard-working individuals to join our profession," she said upon her election. "We must be vigilant in leading an effort to transform the education of new civil engineers, so their skills are relevant now and are future-ready."
Historic Recognition
Bomar’s October 5th induction into the NAE recognizes her outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, and education. It is, by all measures, an exceptionally prestigious laurel: the Academy honors only those who have made major advancements in traditional fields of engineering or pioneered innovative approaches.
Her journey exemplifies the perseverance and excellence the School of Engineering strives to cultivate in all its students. “Marsha's story reminds us that the challenges our students face often become the foundation for their greatest achievements,” said Linda Ng Boyle, Tandon’s Vice Dean for Research and a Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering. “Her success continues to inspire the next generation of engineers, and we are deeply proud to call her an alum.”
