Pipeline Geo-Environmental Design and Geohazard Management
Edited by Moness Rizkalla. ASME Press, Three Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990. 2008. 360 pages. ASME members, $112; list, $140. ISBN 978-0-7918-0281-6.

This book is intended as a useful reference to widely applicable and critically important geo-environmental topics for pipeline engineers worldwide. The topics covered are: route selection, open cut and elevated river crossings, horizontal directional drilling, buoyancy control, and geohazard management. Authored by a team of recognized specialists in their respective fields and with practical examples from experiences around the world, this volume should give generalists with working knowledge of the topics addressed to better define design, construction, and integrity management issues, and to identify practical solutions.

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION
Myer Kutz. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. 2008. 336 pages. $120. ISBN 978-0-471-73911-1.

As the fourth installment of the Environmentally Conscious series, this volume describes and compares the environmental and economic impacts of renewable and alternative conventional power generation technologies. Major topic areas include: economic comparisons of power generation technologies, efficiency comparisons of power generation technologies, methods of improving the environmental impact of conventional technologies, solar thermal systems, photovoltaics, fuel cell technologies, the hydrogen economy, and industrial energy conservation, among others.

U.S. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE: A PLAN FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE BY 2020
Walter R. May, Ph.D. SFA International Inc., 6143 Sienna Arbor Lane, Houston, TX 77041-6038. 2008. 154 pages. Softcover. $20. ISBN 978-0-615-22327-8.

Author Walter R. May, who has worked in the petroleum industry in research and development since 1966, believes—along with myriads of others—that the United States is in the throes of an energy crisis. He contends that policies leading to energy independence must be a top priority of our nation. The purpose of this book is to review the current situation and consider what is needed for the U.S. to achieve energy independence by 2020. Attaining independence will be a challenge for every U.S. citizen and require sacrifices by all. People must learn to live within their means. “Consuming more energy than we produce is a form of living on credit and will ultimately impact our ability to control our destiny,” May says. The proposals in this book are meant to stir the pot and promote creative ways of resolving this current predicament. The author says the book’s goal is to stimulate the reader to better understand the seriousness of the situation and consider possible solutions.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Guruprasad Madhavan, Barbara Oakley, and Luis Kun, Editors. Springer Science+Business Media LLC, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013. 2008. 486 pages. Softcover. $39.95. ISBN 978-0-387-76494-8.

Bioengineering and biotechnology are exploding; the number of career opportunities is expected to increase twice as fast as for other science and engineering fields over the next decade, according to the publisher. This book seeks to provide a road map to the broad and varied career development opportunities in bioengineereing, biotechnology, and related fields. Eminent practitioners lay out career paths related to academia, industry, government and regulatory affairs, health care, law, marketing, entrepreneurship, and more. The authors share “war stories,” strategies for success, avoidance of common pitfalls, and discussions of their personal views and motivations. Among the pieces included is “Protean Professionalism and Career Development” by Steven Kerno, Jr., which appeared in the July 2007 issue of Mechanical Engineering under the title “Continual Career Change.”

LEAN PRODUCTION: IMPLEMENTING A WORLD-CLASS SYSTEM
John R. Black. Industrial Press Inc., 989 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10018. 2008. 202 pages. $44.95. ISBN 978-0-8311-3351-1.

While the concept of lean production is not new, the challenges of dramatic change management can stymie business leaders trying to put lean operations into place. This revised volume aims to provide a real-world road map for putting into place the strategy and tactics managers need to make lean production work and move their organizations—whether manufacturing or service-based—toward a world-class production system. Author John R. Black provides cases, anecdotes, examples, rationales, and concrete tools to help business leaders achieve lean production.

STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS AND VIBRATION IN PRACTICE
Douglas Thorby. Butterworth-Heinemann, an imprint of Elsevier, 30 Corporate Dr., Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803. 2008. Softcover. 420 pages. $49.95. ISBN 978-0-7506-8002-8.

The purpose of this book is to introduce the theoretical, practical, and testing aspects of structural dynamics and vibration as practiced in industry today. Written by an industry expert with more than 40 years of experience, it seeks to open up the dynamic behavior of structures and provide engineers and students with a practice-based understanding of the most important aspects of this key engineering topic.

REPORTING RESULTS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS
David C. Van Aken and William S. Hosford. Cambridge University Press, 32 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10013. 2008. Softcover. 168 pages. $19.99. ISBN 978-0-521-72348-0.

This book aims to be useful as a guide for science and engineering students and professionals who must communicate technical information clearly and accurately. The focus is on the most common communication forms, including laboratory reports, research articles, and oral presentations, and on common issues that arise in classroom and professional practice. Advanced courses will often use the same formatting as is required for submission to technical journals or for technical report writing, which is the focus of this book. It also covers important stylistic and grammar issues.