Join us at our ASCE East Central Branch Annual Luncheon! We will be celebrating those who served as officers for the 2024-2025 year and install our incoming slate of officers for the upcoming year. Award recognitions, scholarships, and a guest speaker will also be present. | | Calling all Branch members! ECB is pleased to announce our new mentorship program with the ASCE-UCF Student Chapter. The pilot mentorship program will run during the 2025-26 school year and provide a valuable resource to the next generation of engineers, but we need your help to make it happen! All Branch members (including Younger Members) are invited to volunteer as mentors. You will be paired with a student and meet with them monthly on your own schedule. See below for more information and please fill out the interest form to join. | | |
Call for Abstracts Now Open!
ASCE's Forensic Engineering Division invites you to the 11th Forensic Engineering Congress, scheduled for Orlando, Florida, October 22–25, 2026. Join other experts to discuss advances in forensic engineering under the theme "Decoding Failure"— covering case studies of major collapses to everyday performance issues.
Submit abstracts for papers, sessions, or panels on topics like AI in practice, forensic investigations, infrastructure and building failures, expert witness strategies, ethics, disaster response, and more.
Details here: Call for Abstracts | ASCE Forensic Engineering Congress
See you in Orlando!
Congress Chair
Jason Gregorie, P.E., M.ASCE
Civil / Structural Engineer
Applied Building Sciences, Inc. (ABS)
Learn More https://www.forensiccongress.org/
Important Dates
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Call for Abstracts Opens: August 25, 2025
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Final Paper Acceptance Notification: May 18, 2026
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Forensic Engineering Congress Dates: October 22–25, 2026
| | Interested in joining EWRI? This month, we’ll be selecting our 2025-26 officers! Join us on September 9th, 2025, virtually or in-person at the Geosyntec office (11301 Corporate Blvd., Ste. 305). Contact Tom Amstadt at tamstadt@geosyntec.com for the meeting invitation. | | |
The ASCE ECB SEI Chapter will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, September 10, from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM to discuss and plan future events. If you’re interested in attending, please reach out to Khanh Olka at khanh.olka@amermhi.com.
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Webinar recap: “"Understanding Wind and Tornado Load Provisions in ASCE 7-22" Luncheon
We had a fantastic turnout and an even more enriching experience at our recent technical luncheon, "Understanding Wind and Tornado Load Provisions in ASCE 7-22." With 25 members attending in person and 18 joining online, the energy and engagement were palpable from start to finish.
A Deep Dive into Wind & Tornado Design
Led by the brilliant Donna Friis and Nicholas Griffin from Walter P Moore, the session offered a comprehensive look into the latest updates in ASCE 7-22, focusing on wind and tornado load provisions. Attendees gained valuable insights into:
- How to properly design structures to withstand wind and tornado forces
- Practical tips for implementation in real-world projects
- A bonus takeaway: a FEMA design guide to support future design efforts
The content was so compelling that the Q&A session extended nearly 40 minutes beyond the scheduled time, with members eager to ask questions and absorb every bit of knowledge shared.
Food, Fellowship, and Appreciation
A huge thank you to Walter P Moore not only for their expert speakers but also for sponsoring a delicious lunch from 4 Rivers BBQ. The smoky brisket and savory sides were a hit—many attendees agreed it was the perfect complement to an intellectually satisfying afternoon.
Thank you again to everyone who joined us, and especially to Donna and Nick for their time, expertise, and generosity. We look forward to more events that feed both the mind and the appetite!
| | Save the date for our upcoming webinars. Registration information coming soon. | | Don’t forget! Our Habitat for Humanity volunteering event on October 25th! This Fall we will be at the West Orange location (near 13369 W Colonial Dr, Winter Garden, FL 34787). Registration information to follow soon. | | |
Last month was the start of another school year. As we get back into the swing of things, here are some events to keep in mind.
Teach-In occurs in November and is a great opportunity to present to your child’s school. The Florida Engineering Society plans several Engineers in the Classroom events, so stay tuned as the schedule is published.
FES also hosts Math Counts which occurs in February.
Other STEM opportunities are Odyssey of the Mind and SECME (hosted by UCF).
If you are interested in providing engagement to K-12 students, please contact Michael Olka (mike.olka@lakecountyfl.gov).
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The goal of the ASCE Younger Member Forum (YMF) is to promote professional development among young engineers. YMF hopes you will join us for some of our upcoming events.
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Upcoming Events
We’re excited to announce our 2025-2026 ASCE ECB YMF officer board! We’re looking forward to another year of continued success!
| Register now for our upcoming webinar on 3D Printed Living Seawalls on September 16th with Engineers without Borders. Proceeds from the webinar will benefit EWB-FL’s Guatemala and Nepal Water Supply projects. | Calling all athletes! Save the date and join us on October 4th for a Joint Field Day with the ASHE and FES Central Florida Chapters. Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or just want to network, we hope to see you there. Registration link to follow. | ECB YMF is pleased to have been recognized with the 2025 National Younger Member Group Award, and we want to celebrate! Save the Date for a Happy Hour under the Stars at the AC Sky Bar rooftop. More information and registration coming soon! | |
Event Recap
Thank you to everyone that was able to join us for our joint happy hour with UESI and to our sponsor Chen Moore & Associates. We hope you were able to make some new connections!
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September Report
With the fall semester in full swing, our chapter started strong by completing an engaging freshman welcome video that highlights ASCE’s mission and vision for new and prospective members. We also brought our advisors, competition captains, and officers together for a symposium preparation session to discuss this year’s objectives and roll out improved competition-prep practices. Additionally, we hosted an advisor dinner in appreciation of their continued support. At both Opening Knight and our tabling outreach in the UCF Engineering II atrium, our officers connected face-to-face with incoming students, sparking excitement about the opportunities our chapter offers such as projects, workshops, professional opportunities and socials.
In collaboration with ABC UCF, we organized a relaxed back-to-school pool social where new and pre-existing members bonded over games and refreshments, fostering friendships and mentoring connections. Building on that momentum, we held our first tailgate of the season before the UCF vs. Jacksonville State game—complete with activities, spirited games, and plenty of ASCE pride, unifying members and UCF students with campus spirit. With such a promising start, we’re excited to see all that this new year has in store for our chapter!
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Geotechnical Project Manager
About us
Pura Vida Engineering Services aims to provide prompt, high-quality, and cost-effective solutions that leverage the latest industry technologies to meet the specific demands of your project. We take great pride in offering a full range of services, including geotechnical engineering, drilling services, materials testing, surveying services, environmental science, and other related services. Our mission is to be the partner of choice in delivering comprehensive solutions that exceed our clients' expectations through a relentless focus on innovation, cutting-edge technologies, and exceptional results.
Pura Vida Engineering Services (PVE) is seeking a skilled Geotechnical Project Manager to join our team! This position manages moderate to complex geotechnical projects by providing the technical expertise required to exceed client expectations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in geotechnical engineering and project management and will be responsible for managing projects from conception to completion.
Responsibilities
- Manage geotechnical projects including site investigations, laboratory testing, and fieldwork
- Direct and manage associated field exploration and classifying soil and rock retrieved during drilling, review boring logs, and assign laboratory testing
- Review conceptual site plans, cross-sections and existing data
- Prepare geotechnical proposals and reports
- Perform intermittent site visits for scoping
- Communicate project updates and progress to clients and management
- Conduct analyses and evaluate data to develop solutions to geotechnical challenges
- Conduct analyses for slope stability, settlement, foundation design, bearing capacity, retaining walls, etc.
- Monitor project progress and ensure project deliverables are completed on time and within budget
- Design and analysis of various permanent and temporary earth retention systems such as concrete gravity, sheet pile walls, etc.
- Preparation of the final geotechnical engineering reports (Roadway Soil Survey and Structures). This activity requires excellent verbal communication skills as well as writing capabilities
- Direct and manage various types of projects in the government, industrial, and private sectors that will include highways, bridges, culverts and public infrastructure improvements along with various commercial and residential developments
- Computer skills including MS Word, MS Excel, FB-Deep, L-PILE, S-Pile, PONDS, etc.
- May prepare scopes of work and manhour estimates for projects
- Co-design and manage multiple geotechnical engineering projects, concurrently
- Work alongside project management teams to successfully monitor progress and implementation of initiatives
- Perform other related duties, as required
Qualifications
- Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or Master's degree in Geotechnical Engineering or a related field
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in geotechnical engineering and project management
- Strong knowledge of geotechnical engineering principles, practices, and codes
- Working knowledge of FDOT Specifications
- Experience working on FDOT, CFX, FTE, City and County projects
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Proficient in geotechnical software and analysis tools.
- Willingness to travel to project sites as needed.
Benefits
- Health Benefits – medical, vision, and dental
- 401(k) Matching
- Paid Time Off and Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Growth opportunities
- Positive and supportive company culture
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