Erin Slayton, PE

Erin Slayton, PE, HDR Engineering, Inc

2015 Award Recipient

Nominated by the American Society of Civil Engineers

Erin Slayton, PE, HDR Engineering, Inc., has been selected as the recipient of the 2015 Kenneth W. Porter Award in recognition of her many contributions to the education of K-12 students by showing them the opportunities of an engineering
career. Most of her K-12 outreach activities have been in various capacities with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She chaired the Seattle Section Young Member Forum K-12 Outreach Committee for several years and organized many
outreach activities around Puget Sound. She served as the Popsicle Stick Bridge Chair which is the largest event sponsored by the Outreach Committee each year.

Ms. Slayton organized a partnership between ASCE and the Southcenter Mall to conduct a STEM event called “Kids Engineering a Better World.” The event, which targeted K-5 children, was very successful and engaged about forty volunteers who
guided the children through numerous learning activities. The following year the program was called “Engineering Rocks!” and attracted about 150 K-5 students.

Ms. Slayton engaged high school students by participating in the Math Academy sponsored by the University of Washington. This is a four-week program for high school juniors to help them prepare for the rigors of college level math and
engineering classes. She served on the Board of Directors for the Annie Wright School in Tacoma for six years. During this period, she championed advancements in the math and science curriculum. She mentored students and made presentations
about civil engineering. She co-chaired an Emerging Young Leaders Community Summit in March 2104, where the theme was “Plant Your STEM.” The event was open to middle school students throughout the Puget Sound region. The summit focused
on driving awareness and interest in STEM related subjects and careers.

Throughout her career, Ms. Slayton has been featured in a variety of visible outreach efforts to engage K-12 students’ interest in STEM fields by showcasing how exciting and rewarding civil engineering can be.