2023 Inter-Society Officers Workshop

May 2, 2023

Register Here

The PSEC Inter-society officer’s workshop (ISOW) brings together volunteer leaders from all PSEC member societies. The objective of the workshop is to share best practices for running our volunteer lead professional societies. Each year three topics are chosen for discussion during the workshop. The topics change each year to encourage continued participation and the timeliness of the topic. Roundtable sessions of 30-40 minutes allow participants to discuss and share experiences focused on a topic.

When: Saturday – June 3rd, 2023, 10:30am – 2:00pm

Where: University of Washington Facility, 7543 63rd Ave NE, Building #5, Bay B, Seattle, WA 98115-8116

Refreshments will be provided (please register using the link above for planning)

Who:

All Officers (current & incoming) from all PSEC engineering Societies are invited to come and exchange ideas with Officers from each of the other local engineering Societies. This is a free, annual event for all PSEC member Societies.

All PSEC reps. should attend & try to also bring 2-3 other Officers from your local engineering Society.

Agenda:

Three 30-40 minute discussion sessions will follow a brief overview of PSEC & the planned program year.

There will be a short break for snacks & beverages (being provided), between sessions.

Discussion Topics:

1. Membership, recruiting young members: (i)how do we ensure continuation of student members into senior chapters? (ii) How do we engage young members as leaders? (iii) How do we define the value of volunteering?

2. How do we combine and improve communications between groups?: (i) Zoom and post Covid Meetings. (ii) How we get better engagement from other societies? (iii) Combining meetings and working together?

3. How do we onboard the next generation of leaders, sustaining and codifying?: (i) Where do you store this information and how do you hand off? (ii) Historical information storage process? (iii) Organizational charts, process documents, drop boxes?

Typed summaries of the discussions will be prepared later and sent out.

Please RSVP if you can attend (or contact with any questions)

Andrew Gall (206)390-6647

gallat@me.com

Next Page »

Green River College – Mentor Night, April 12th, 2023

March 24, 2023

Hi Mentors,

MESA  and PSEC are hosting the next Science and Engineering Mentor Night at Green River College on April 12, from 5:30-8:30pm. 

We are hoping to recruit professional scientists, technologists, and engineers from a variety of backgrounds; would you be interested in participating and/or do you know anyone else that might be interested?

If so, please sign up here or forward this link to interested colleagues: tinyurl.com/GRC-Mentor.

GRC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MENTOR NIGHT

At this event you will be able to share your work and education experiences with our science, technology, and engineering students, giving them guidance as they prepare to become the next generation of STEM professionals.

The event is intended to be one-on-one to small group interactions, and no ongoing mentoring relationship is expected.  Food and refreshments will be provided. Mentors are encouraged to bring a sample of work that will fit on a 30″ x 30″ table top for potential discussion with the students.

Free food and beverages!

  • APRIL 12, 2023 | 5:30-8:30PM (CHECK-IN 5:00PM)
  • Green River Community College 12401 SE 320th St Auburn WA 98092
  • Questions? Email kschroeder@greenriver.edu or call me at 619-729-2559

Sincerely yours,

Luis Leon
PSEC Mentor Night Focal
Fellow – ASM International
253.221.5899

Next Page »

Sign-up Highline College, Des Moines Mentor Night, April 20th, 2023

March 15, 2023

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhiLVYF3We3-ksktF3ugHGEIqMZ8ATITAfH4-Tf1wdZ7aDMw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Hi Mentors,

On Thursday, April 20th, the Puget Sound Engineering Council (PSEC) will be sponsoring a Mentor Night event at Highline College in Des Moines.

We like having a good variety of engineering disciplines, ages and both female and male role models. We need all fields of engineering and science.

All Puget Sound societies please forward this email note to those in your community who would love to be a mentor. Additionally, please appropriately forward this note to others who can support.

Through you, life changing decisions for the Highline College students on how engineering fits into their career path will be made. This Mentor Night event is always a lot of fun and provides the college students the chance to have their career questions answered.

Pizza and pop will be provided and separately, you will be getting a free parking voucher.


Sincerely yours,


Luis Leon, Fellow ASM International
Mentor Night Focal
253.221.5899

Next Page »

2023 Engineering Fair – March 11 at Museum of Flight

January 31, 2023

The 2023 PSEC Engineering Fair will be held on March 11, 2023 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Museum of Flight (9404 E Marginal Way South, Seattle WA 98108). Engineering societies, engineering related groups and educational organizations wanting to encourage K-12 to explore science and engineering education and careers are encouraged to participate. The event occurs at the same time as the ASCE YMF Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition and is sure to attract a broad audience. Organizations wishing to participate can register for a booth on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-psec-engineering-fair-tickets-493067968567

A flyer for the Engineering Fair can be downloaded here

Next Page »

Professional Engineer of the Year 2023

January 29, 2023

Donald G. Anderson, Ph. D., P. E., G. E.

Jacobs Engineering Group

Donald G. Anderson, Jacobs Engineering Group, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Professional Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding service to the engineering profession and his lifetime achievements in the geotechnical design of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the Pacific Northwest including transportation, water storage and conveyance, wastewater treatment, and environmental restoration.

He has a long history of providing geotechnical engineering leadership and consultation on major projects in the Seattle area, as well as projects across the United States and Canada. He provides specialized expertise in the areas of earthquake engineering and soil dynamics. His work on highway and bridge projects involved geotechnical design of cut and fill slopes, approach fills, deep foundations, spread footings, and retaining walls. His work on port and harbor projects included design of deep foundations, embankment stability analysis, dredging studies, pile installation monitoring, and pile-load testing. His work on water storage and treatment facilities involved determination of foundation support requirements, earth pressures on buried walls, and seismic design criteria.

He has been actively involved in the advancement of geotechnical earthquake engineering and soil dynamics. He participated in the development of seismic ground motion design requirements included in the International Building Code and in United States and Canadian Building Codes. He has been an active participant in community affairs and technical society engagement. He has served as vice-chair and chair of the Seattle area American Society of Civil Engineers Geotechnical Group as well as a board director of the group.

Next Page »

Young Engineer of the Year 2023

Philip B. Yu

Mott MacDonald, LLC

Philip B. Yu, Mott MacDonald, LLC, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Young Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his excellent work as a marine structural engineer working on multiple marine projects along both the east and west coasts, his mentorship of junior engineers, and his service as advisor to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) University of Washington Student Chapter.

Since graduating from the University of Washington, he has been involved with the Seattle Section’s ASCE Younger Member’s Forum. He served as an At-Large Chair and assisted in organizing the annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition and served as the co-organizer and an instructor for the Fundamentals of Engineering Review Course. Later he became the Practitioner Advisor for the University of Washington ASCE Student Chapter and provided academic and professional development advice to the chapter officers. He is an Engineer-in-Training and in the process of pursing a Professional Engineer license in California.

As a marine structural engineer, he has provided engineering services on over 30 marine projects for a variety of public entities along the east and west coasts. From structural inspections, conceptual designs, and alternative analyses to submittal reviews and punch list site visits, he has worked on both recreational and commercial facilities of various sizes, including boat launches, breakwaters, marinas, piers, and wharves. Over the past year, he has assumed more responsibility at his company by being given entire deliverables to develop, junior engineers to lead and mentor, a client to focus on for business development, a university to engage with for recruitment, and an internal training program to conduct focusing on project risk, ethics, and finance.

Next Page »

Kenneth W. Porter Award 2023

Nicole Peden

Davido Consulting Group, Inc.

Nicole Peden, Davido Consulting Group, Inc., has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Kenneth W. Porter Award in recognition of her many contributions to the education of K-12 students, her service as K-12 Outreach Chair for the American Society of Civil Engineers Younger Member’s Forum; her participation in Discovery Days and the Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition, her development of virtual K-12 outreach events during the pandemic, and her commitment to developing interest in engineering among K-12 students.  

Soon after graduation from the University of Washington, she joined the American Society of Civil Engineers Younger Member’s Forum (YMF) and agreed to become the K-12 Outreach Chair during the height of the pandemic. Her goals were to work on rebuilding a network of students, volunteers, and organizations since most museums, schools, and facilities closed and no longer had in-person events. She recruited YMF volunteers to participate in various virtual events. Once in-person opportunities returned, she organized in-person events and recruited YMF volunteers to participate in them. During the summer of 2022, she arranged for YMF to host a rotation during the Museum of Flight’s Fly Forward summer in-person program. For this event, she organized an activity for middle school students to create spaghetti structures and learn about structural engineering basics. Later in the autumn, she arranged for YMF to host a booth at the Museum of Flight’s Back to School Spacewalk for middle school students. The students made marshmallow and toothpick structures and asked questions about civil engineering and the volunteers’ STEM experiences. This event showcased careers in various engineering disciplines. Dedicated to outreach of K-12 students, she is passionate about inspiring future engineers, especially women engineers.

Next Page »

Industry Engineer of the Year 2023

Steven Chisholm

The Boeing Company

Steven Chisholm, The Boeing Company, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Industry Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his many contributions to the aviation industry as a mechanical and structural engineer; his leadership in ensuring the structural integrity of Boeing products; and his contributions to the aviation industry in the areas of safety, regulatory activity, advanced composites, and additive manufacturing.

As Vice President and Functional Chief Engineer for Mechanical and Structural Engineering (MSE), he leads the integration of people, practices, and tools for the MSE function across all business units within the company. He dedicated most of the last 36 years contributing to airplane safety. For more than a decade, he assessed the structural integrity of individual airplanes, reviewed and approved structural repairs, and interfaced with airline customers on maintaining the safety of their airplanes. He led the Federal Aviation Administration-sponsored industry group responsible for publication of industry guidance on mandatory actions for service issues, rulemaking on addressing in-service corrosion, and maintenance programs for addressing the potential for widespread fatigue damage. He led efforts in the industry to continue development of advanced composites and expand their use in airplane structures. He collaborated with external partners, both international and domestic, to explore more efficient airplane manufacturing processes to reduce airplane weight and to expand the ability to recycle airplane components.

He has made an indelible impact in the field of engineering. His technical and business leadership have positioned Boeing for success and helped create a pipeline of future talent for the company. His efforts to advance women have significantly amplified their voices within Boeing and in the industry.

Next Page »

Government Engineer of the Year 2023

Tony Allen, P. E.

Washington State Department of Transportation

Tony Allen, P. E., Washington State Department of Transportation, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Government Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his exceptional career as a geotechnical engineer, his development of standards for geosynthetic materials and retaining wall engineered products, and his participation in the development of improved design procedures for addressing stormwater infiltration.

He is an internationally recognized geotechnical engineer with 39 year of experience in the public sector. This experience includes leading the geotechnical engineering program for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the past 29 years as the State Geotechnical Engineer. He has been a technical policy maker who has significantly influenced both public and private sector geotechnical design and construction practice, both locally and nationally. He led the development of the WSDOT Geotechnical Design Manual that contains engineering design standards and construction specifications. This manual is widely used by local agencies, WSDOT, other state departments of transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration. He has been very active with the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials leading a committee responsible for development of design specifications for bridge wall and foundation design and leading a second committee responsible for development of a testing and evaluation program for geosynthetic reinforcement products.  He developed a research program to analyze the design of reinforced soil structures that use geosynthetic and steel reinforcement. The results were published in a technical paper describing a new, more cost-effective method of designing mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls. His paper won several awards, and the proposed design method has been incorporated into national bridge design specifications.

Next Page »

Academic Engineer of the Year 2023

Professor Pedro Arduino, Ph. D.

University of Washington

Professor Pedro Arduino, Ph. D., University of Washington, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Academic Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of his exceptional career as a geotechnical engineering educator, his significant contributions to the development and application of advanced numerical modeling techniques for analysis of soil behavior and the behavior of soil-structure interfaces, and his dedicated efforts as a teacher and mentor of engineering students.

He is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in computational geomechanics. He has been instrumental in the development of constitutive models of soils subjected to earthquake shaking, the development of advanced finite element models for soil-structure interaction, and experiential study of granular soils under complex loading conditions. He has been active in the development of the OpenSees finite element package that has the unusual ability of modeling both soils and structural elements, thus allowing direct investigations of nonlinear soil-structure interaction. He has also been a pioneer in the development of Material Point Method models that can be used to analyze particulate flow slides and to estimate forces due to the impact and damming effects of debris carried by tsunamis.

He has been recognized as one of the best and most popular instructors in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is known for his clear and enthusiastic style of lecturing and for being an early adapter of technology in the classroom. He has revamped the graduate soil mechanics laboratory course by installing new testing and automated data acquisition equipment. He also strengthened the graduate curriculum by developing new courses in computational geomechanics and constitutive modeling.

He also has served as an academic leader. He served as Associated Dean of the College of Engineering and as Associate Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Next Page »