Greetings!
Happy June,
I hope everyone is planning their fun summer getaways to give ourselves a break and enjoy the Florida sunshine! In the meantime, the Branch is in full swing, as you’ll see in our packed newsletter below.
Society Elections: Thank you to all our members that took the time to participate in Society Elections. As I have previously mentioned, voting is pivotal to guiding the Society in the coming years. Please join me in congratulating Marsia Geldert-Murphy as ASCE 2023 President-Elect. Region 5 Governors Chris Radar (Former ASCE ECB Board Member!) and Rebecca Shelton. Here is a link for complete Society Election Results.
Speaking of Elections, the East Central Branch is looking for capable candidates for the position of Secretary for the next term (October 2022- September 2023). If you personally, or someone you know is interested in getting more involved, please let me know!
May was the Annual East Central Branch Icebreaker event, and it was [as always] a huge success. Thank you to the Icebreaker Committee for all the time and effort you put into the extremely enjoyable evening! If you were not able to make it this year, I strongly encourage you to attend next year.
A complete listing of upcoming events can be found in the newsletter below, including socials, institute events, and technical luncheons. I hope you find something that meets your interests and is able to participate!
Cheers,
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Melissa Burns, PE
ASCE East Central Branch President
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This issue
- Government and Public Relations
- Sustainability Committee
- Structural Engineering Institute
- Education Committee
- Younger Member Forum
- Student Chapter Activities
- Employment Opportunities
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The Senate Bill 4C
By Tonya Mellen, P.E.
The Senate Bill 4C that was signed into law by Governor DeSantis in April dissolves 5 special districts that were created before Florida ratified its constitution in November of 1968. In addition to Reedy Creek (Disney’s special taxing district), there are:
- Bradford County Development Authority
- Hamilton County Development Authority
- Eastpoint Water and Sewer District, Franklin County
- Bradford County Development Authority, Bradford County
- Sunshine Water Control District, Broward County
- Marion County Law Library, Marion County
In addition, the dissolution of the districts will take place on June 1, 2023. The districts can be reestablished on that same date. In essence, this bill does not have any real effect on Reedy Creek or the other 5 districts as they all have the next year to reapply under the current standards. As an example, the Hamilton County Economic Development Director, Chadd Matthis stated, “he does not believe this will have a negative impact on the HCDA in any way.” (from WCTV.tv by Madison Glaser published on April 22, 2022).
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SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
The Sustainability Committee’s core mission and function are to organize and facilitate outreach opportunities allowing the members of the East Central Branch to stay informed and promote sustainable engineering practices. Below are some upcoming events and interesting reads recommended by the committee.
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Climate Change and Engineering Ethics Webinar
Presenter
Jim D'Aloisio
When
Thursday, June 30 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Credit
1 PDH
Opinions about climate change run the spectrum. For engineers - designers of the world’s infrastructure and many of the systems that humans have come to rely on - the issue has special meaning. We will explore the role of the engineer in making sense of the available, credible data about climate change, and see how this exploration might compel us to take our findings into account in our engineering practices.
This presentation presents eight questions, and explores what the answers might be:
Do we have an obligation, as engineers, to...
1. Protect the public?
2. Minimize the risks to the public which are imposed by our actions?
3. Understand the long-term consequences of our actions, especially as they affect others?
4. Use our critical reasoning skills to decide for ourselves if anthropogenic climate change is occurring?
5. Consider the professional opinion of climate scientists about the connections between our actions and climate change?
6. Take changing environmental conditions into account in our designs?
7. Use our skills as engineers to develop solutions to problems that affect society?
8. Critically consider as yet-unproven end-of-pipe solutions (a.k.a. geo-engineering) to climate change?
Speaker Bio:
Jim D'Aloisio is a Principal with Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt, a structural engineering, landscape architecture, and building envelope services firm in East Syracuse, NY. He has over 30 years of experience as a consulting structural engineer, responsible for the design and assessment of new buildings, additions, and structural renovations. Jim is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Registered Professional Engineer (NY and MA), Certified by the Structural Engineering Certification Board (SECB), a LEED accredited professional (LEED AP), and an Urban Green Council-trained Crushing the Energy Code presenter. He is a member of the Order of the Engineer, through Syracuse University. He is a member of the ASCE StructuralEngineering Institute (SEI) Sustainability Committee and a member of ASCE’s Frost-Protected ShallowFoundation Committee. Climate Action Team. He is a former Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council'sNew York Upstate Chapter, and a former USGBC national board member. He has written over 20 articles on the relationship between building structures and sustainability and has presented over 100 times.
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O-Town Compost provided services at the recent ECB Icebreaker at the Orlando Science center. Their service redirects organic waste from the landfill. If you’d like to reduce at home, visit O-Town Compost
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Upcoming Events
Highlighted Events:
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June 30: Sustainability Committee webinar on “Climate Change and Engineering Ethics” by Mr. Jim D’Aloisio, P.E., SECB, LEED AP BD+C – 12-noon to 1 pm – Approved for 1 PDH – Register for this free event today!
- July 14 thru July 15: ASCE FL Section Annual Conference in Orlando
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In addition to a track dedicated to Sustainability, there will be sustainable content incorporated into talks on other tracks. Register for the Conference today!
- RAFFLE PRIZE: Bring your reusable beverage container (RBC) to the conference check-in to be eligible for a lunchtime raffle of sustainable gifts co-sponsored by the East Central Branch Sustainability Committee and Ferguson Waterworks. One raffle ticket will be entered for each RBC shown at registration. Your RBC can be a coffee mug, reusable water bottle, etc. Winners will be drawn between the Award Announcements at the Awards Luncheon on Friday, July 15. MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!
Composting Starter Kit (countertop container & book)
Bamboo Toilet Paper (case)
Waterbob (alternative to bottled water for hurricane prep: https://waterbob.com/)
Biodegradable dog waste bags
Bird Strike Preventor (clear, exterior window tape)
- June 14: Volusia County Special Meeting regarding Green Ribbon Panel and LID
- 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center - 123 W Indiana Ave - DeLand, FL 32720
- ·June 14: ASCE FL Section Sustainability Committee Meeting
- 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
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Email Gregory Lee for Teams invite and agenda (Gregory.Lee@atkinsglobal.com)
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June 15: 2 pm to 3 pm - ASCE Society sponsored webinar “Dollars or Destruction: Building for the Road Ahead” – Free to register online
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June 23: Orange County Sustainability Advisory Board - Noon to 1:30 p.m. - WebEx Meeting
- June 28: East Central Branch ASCE Sustainability Committee Meeting - Noon to 1:00 p.m.
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Email: Steve Sommerfeldt for Microsoft Teams invite and agenda
- June 28: International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) Summit
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2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Register for free.
- The UN’s climate science body, the IPCC, shows timeframes for addressing climate change are narrowing. The next eight years will be critical. With escalating extreme weather and urbanization, infrastructure plays a vital role, and the engineering community must be part of the conversation.
- Join the ICSI at this virtual summit to consider ways to drive the transformative change needed to deliver people-centered, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure that is fit for all our communities and the Earth.
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July 12: ASCE FL Sustainability Committee Meeting - 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Email Gregory Lee for Teams invite and agenda.
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If you would like to join the ECB Sustainability Committee, please reach out to our Committee Chair Steve Sommerfeldt. The committee typically meets (virtually) on the last Tuesday of the month during lunch to plan out future activities and ideas related to sustainability. We welcome any new and/or seasoned individuals interested.
Want to hear more? Join the Sustainability Committee mailing list today!
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STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING INSTITUTE |
NET-ZERO EMBODIED CARBON STRUCTURES: THE SE 2050 COMMITMENT
When
June 21, 2022, at noon
Where
Online presentation
Fee
$5 to support SEI scholarships
Credit
1PDH
Abstract:
The Structural Engineers (SE) 2050 Commitment Program by the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a national program with the overarching goal of reducing the embodied carbon of structural systems to net-zero by 2050. SE 2050 is the only national embodied carbon tracking and reduction program focused on structural framing systems. In this presentation, attendees will learn about the program’s requirements for committed firms, the database used to track embodied carbon, and helpful resources on the program’s website.
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About the presenter:
Chris Jeseritz, S.E., P.E., LEED AP BD+C, is a Project Manager at PCS Structural Solutions in Seattle, WA, a consulting structural engineering firm in the Pacific Northwest. At PCS, Mr. Jeseritz manages a variety of project types and the company’s internal sustainability engineering team. He serves as chair of the Structural Engineers Association of Washington’s (SEAW) Sustainability Committee and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Structural Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Sustainability Committee and the Structural Engineers (SE) 2050 Commitment Program.
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Bridge the Gap Initiative
SEI is looking for professionals to assist with our “Bridge the Gap Initiative”. We are looking for four engineering professionals with experience with concrete or steel design/testing. These professionals are asked to commit to attending three meetings with students from Embry Riddle and/or UCF ASCE student chapters. The meetings will provide opportunities for the students and professionals to work together to create concrete and/or steel test specimens and to test the specimens for failure. The goal of this initiative is to foster stronger relations between SEI and the student chapters and to encourage/support students pursuing structural engineering. For more information, please contact Michael Olka, at molka@lakecountyfl.gov
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The SEI Standards Series debuted in 2021 as a 6-part sequence of educational, virtual sessions designed to showcase the six, unique, about-to-be-published SEI Standards that govern several niche markets. Now in 2022, the SEI Standards Series will preview ASCE 7-22 as a 5-part series that reviews the changes from ASCE 7-16. This unique program includes a dialogue between the leaders and experts who develop ASCE 7 and includes a detailed technical presentation on the specific changes and three main hazards - Seismic, Wind & Tornado, and Snow/Rain. In addition, information will be provided on the ASCE 7 Digital Products/Hazard Tool. Attendees will be encouraged to join the discussion for the extensive live Q&A portion of the session.
Schedule-At-A-Glance
- June 9, 2022: ASCE 7-22 Wind & Tornado
- July 14, 2022: ASCE 7-22 Snow/Rain
- September 8, 2022: How & Why to Use ASCE 7-22 in Your Practice
PDH:
1.5 PDHs available per session
Join ASCE/SEI now to receive member rate and all SEI benefits
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CALL FOR PROJECTS
The Structural Engineering Institute is seeking submissions from fellow structural engineers about their past or present projects. The submission is to quickly discuss the project's highlights, uniqueness, and/or challenges the structural engineer encountered during the project. This will provide ASCE-ECB members and aspiring student engineers with insight into the current structural engineering practices, and provide an opportunity for local or regional structural engineers to showcase their work. The submittals must include the following:
- At least one photograph of the project location.
- A summary of the project setting and background, such as location, new construction/restoration, private/government, etc.
- A summary of the challenges and/or unique aspects of the project, such as new design technology or use of new construction material not typically used in similar designs.
The submittals shall be sent to Rocio Rodriguez at rocio_rodriguez2@hotmail.com which we will review and prepare for the presentation in a future ECB newsletter.
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CALL FOR OFFICER
SEI is looking for members who would like to serve as an Institute Officer beginning in September 2022. Interested members should send a message to Rocio Rodriguez at rocio_rodriguez2@hotmail.com.
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EDUCATION COMMITTEE
(K-12 OUTREACH)
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FLORIDA BRIDGE COMPETITION
Deadline: June 15, 2022
The Florida Bridge Competition is underway. This competition utilizes the software formally known as West Point Bridge. The competition is open to Elementary through High School students within the East Central Branch area (Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia Counties). Please reach out to Michael Olka if you have any questions.
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2022 ASCE ECB STEM Teacher Award
Deadline: August 31, 2022
The ASCE ECB Education Committee is seeking nominations from local teachers of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM). The award is open to Pre-K through high school teachers working in public, private, or charter schools within Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia Counties. This award is to recognize teachers who teach or support STEM in their classrooms. The nomination should include the name of the teacher, their school, and a brief description of their efforts in teaching and/or supporting STEM in the classroom. Please email Michael Olka a completed nomination form by August 31, 2022.
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If you have any questions, or comments about K-12 Outreach or would like to join the committee, please contact Michael Olka molka@lakecountyfl.gov
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Join us on Wednesday, July 13th for the YMG outing to Escapology hosted by ECB YMF to kick off the Florida Section Annual Conference!
Don't forget to register for the FL Section Conference!
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May Activities
This month was the last of the spring semester, our members were taking finals so we did not plan many events for this month. Right after finals week, we collaborated with Embry-Riddle to host a beach day at Ponce Inlet Beach, it was a great way to have our members relax after the finals and get to meet other students from a nearby university. Every year we get the chance to host the Order of the Engineer for our graduating engineers, it is a great way to celebrate their accomplishments and we were happy to see such a great turnout. Some of our members also went to the annual ASCE Ice Breaker, it was a great way to network and meet other professional engineers, some of our members also tabled at the event.
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CAD / GIS Technician
Pegasus Engineering, LLC is a civil engineering firm currently seeking a CAD / GIS Technician to work in the Stormwater Department, at the firm’s headquarters in Winter Springs, Florida.
The selected candidate will provide support on various GIS-related projects including the preparation of mapping figures, exhibits, and databases primarily in ArcGIS (version 10.7).
Candidates should have a minimum of 1 to 2 years of working experience or some college experience with coursework in stormwater engineering design. Experience preparing construction plans using AutoCAD (version 2018 and later) is a plus as well as experience with establishing stormwater parameters such as drainage basin divides, weighted runoff curve numbers, and times of concentration. Working knowledge of MS Office and proficiency in Excel to be able to Integrate Excel with AutoCAD and/or GIS are needed. High school diploma/GED diploma required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree a plus. Ability to work on multiple projects and collaboratively with technical and non-technical team members, willingness to learn, and ability to ask questions to obtain desired results if unclear of the task at hand.
This is a full-time, permanent position with company benefits, a qualified investment (401k) plan with company contribution, health, vision, and dental insurance, and an opportunity for growth. Pay is commensurate with experience and capabilities. Preapproved overtime may be offered depending on the current workload.
Our company will provide consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, or disability status. Please send your resume for immediate consideration to careers@pegasusengineering.net. No phone calls, please. Non-smoker only.
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Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc. has an opportunity for a full-time Roadway Design Project Manager. The ideal candidate will perform project and team management and engineering services supporting our roadway design projects. The position includes project oversight, engaging with clients, mentoring support staff, and overseeing and assisting with the development and preparation of plans, estimates, specifications, or reports for the design of transportation facilities.
Essential Tasks
- Oversee the design and preparation of plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as highways, streets, intersections, interchanges, bridges, drainage, and pedestrian facilities
- Direct, manage, and develop plans and reports for transportation infrastructure projects according to established engineering standards and local, state, or federal criteria
- Assist and advise junior-level team members while being a positive mentor/leader for the team
- Perform QA/QC reviews to ensure completeness, accuracy, and conformity to engineering standards and practices
- Pursue and assist in the pursuit of transportation infrastructure projects and other business development activities
- Develop and monitor project budgets and schedules to ensure profitability and timeliness of deliverables
- Collaborate with others to identify, clarify, analyze, and resolve complex engineering problems
- Coordinate activities and assign work across multiple disciplines, both in-house and externally
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering
- PE license in the State of Florida (or if registered in another state, the ability to obtain registration in the State of Florida within six months)
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Seven or more years of prior practical experience successfully managing transportation projects and supporting business development efforts
- Familiarity or established relationships with FDOT and other municipal clients is a plus
- Strong knowledge of AASHTO, FDOT, and municipal design criteria, standards, and plans preparation requirements
- Experience writing proposals, scopes of work, and budgets for projected work and delivering presentations
- Ability to communicate technical and complex information and to work well with others
- Possess attention to detail, organizational skills, and a positive attitude
About Inwood
Founded in 1995, Inwood is proud to play a role in helping improve transportation infrastructure throughout Florida. Our team is full of engineers, ecologists, planners, designers, specialists, technicians, coordinators, and all-around awesome people that work hard every day to make a difference! Our talented professionals are committed to meeting our clients' project needs by applying innovative thinking combined with personal service on every assignment. To be successful at this, we feel it’s important to provide a great work environment for our team members. We enjoy year-round “summer hours”, on-site locker room facilities, and hybrid work opportunities. Some of our other benefits include paid medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage; 401k matching; paid time off; holiday pay; bonuses; and professional development.
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Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc. has an excellent opportunity for a full-time Utility Coordinator at our main office in Oviedo, Florida. The ideal candidate will perform utility coordination and track schedules to support our roadway design projects. The position includes coordinating utility issues with in-house design teams and external parties, including clients, subconsultants, and utility agency owners (UAOs), to ensure all utilities are identified and proper accommodation plans are prepared and communicated.
Essential Tasks
- Coordinate activities and act as a liaison across multiple parties, both in-house and externally
- Develop and monitor utility work schedules to ensure the timeliness of deliverables
- Perform records research and conduct field reviews
- Determine the need for Subsurface Utility Engineering
- Identify potential utility conflicts by reviewing plans
- Support the Engineer of Record in the development of utility conflict matrices
- Resolve utility/roadway conflicts through coordination with the Engineer of Record and UAOs
- Assist in determining the responsible agency for utility reimbursement
- Aid in the preparation and submittal of Utility Certification/Clear Packages
- Participate in constructability reviews
- Act as a backup to other staff in the Utilities group to perform related work as needed
Preferred Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent
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Four or more years of prior practical experience performing utility coordination for transportation projects according to established state and federal standards, policies, procedures, and design criteria
- Strong knowledge of FDOT utility coordination practices and processes, including FDOT Utility Procedures Manual, FDOT Utility Accommodation Manual, and FDOT Utility Work by Highway Contractor Plans Development
- Familiarity with municipal clients and their standards
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience with MicroStation or similar software
- Ability to communicate technical and complex information, multi-task, and work well with others
- Possess attention to detail, organizational skills, and a positive attitude
About Inwood
Founded in 1995, Inwood is proud to play a role in helping improve transportation infrastructure throughout Florida. Our team is full of engineers, ecologists, planners, designers, specialists, technicians, coordinators, and all-around awesome people that work hard every day to make a difference! Our talented professionals are committed to meeting our clients' project needs by applying innovative thinking combined with personal service on every assignment. To be successful at this, we feel it’s important to provide a great work environment for our team members. We enjoy year-round “summer hours”, on-site locker room facilities, and hybrid work opportunities. Some of our other benefits include paid medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage; 401k matching; paid time off; holiday pay; bonuses; and professional development.
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Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc. is seeking a full-time Bridge Structural Engineer for our main office in Oviedo, Florida. Primary duties include structural design and plans production for bridges and other transportation or drainage-related infrastructure projects.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering
- PE license in the State of Florida
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Six or more years of prior practical experience performing structural engineering calculations for bridge elements, traffic signal foundations, and retaining walls as well as developing conceptual, preliminary, and final plans for bridge projects
- Familiarity with progressive bridge design on projects for FDOT and other local agencies
- Knowledge of AASHTO, FDOT, and municipal design criteria, standards, and plans preparation requirements
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Experience with Leap Bridge Concrete (Conspan & RC-Pier), MDX, FB-MultiPier, GT STRUDL, and MicroStation is a plus
- Ability to communicate effectively, thoroughly complete work tasks, and work well with others
- Possess attention to detail, organizational skills, and strong analytical skills
About Inwood
Founded in 1995, Inwood is proud to play a role in helping improve transportation infrastructure throughout Florida. Our team is full of engineers, ecologists, planners, designers, specialists, technicians, coordinators, and all-around awesome people that work hard every day to make a difference! Our talented professionals are committed to meeting our clients' project needs by applying innovative thinking combined with personal service on every assignment. To be successful at this, we feel it’s important to provide a great work environment for our team members. We enjoy year-round “summer hours”, on-site locker room facilities, and hybrid work opportunities. Some of our other benefits include paid medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage; 401k matching; paid time off; holiday pay; bonuses; and professional development.
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Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc. is seeking a full-time Water Resources Engineer for our main office in Oviedo, Florida. The position includes working closely with the project manager to assist with internal project management, mentoring and directing junior staff members, and assisting with watershed/stormwater modeling, pollutant loading analysis, water quality calculations, report writing, permitting, design, construction observations, and field reviews.
Essential Tasks
- Assist the project manager with directing the development and production of assigned projects
- Coordinate work group activities across multiple disciplines
- Mentor work group staff, check data entered into GIS databases, and review hydrologic, hydraulic, and/or water quality analysis and modeling to ensure completeness, accuracy, and conformity to engineering standards and practices
- Analyze stormwater or floodplain drainage systems to control erosion, stabilize natural water body flow ways and side banks, understand/reduce flooding, or repair channel sections
- Prepare environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data management and analysis, and field work
- Perform computer-aided design of stormwater channels, ditches, pipelines, and other drainage components to produce plans in accordance with various standards and criteria
- Utilize specialized computer software for the analysis, design, and plans production of stormwater systems, including ICPR modeling
- Produce detailed reports and other documentation
- Make decisions and design or develop solutions to problems by applying accepted procedures and methodologies
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering
- PE license in the State of Florida (or if registered in another state, the ability to obtain registration in the State of Florida within six months)
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Seven or more years of prior practical experience with watershed/stormwater modeling and leading stormwater tasks
- Familiarity with municipal clients and local experience completing watershed studies, stormwater retrofits, drainage design, permitting, and field inspections is a plus
- Knowledge of FDOT and municipal design criteria, standards, and plans preparation requirements
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, ArcGIS, ICPR, MicroStation, and GEOPAK Drainage or equivalent software
- Ability to communicate effectively, thoroughly complete work tasks, and work well with others
- Possess attention to detail, organizational skills, and a positive attitude
About Inwood
Founded in 1995, Inwood is proud to play a role in helping improve transportation infrastructure throughout Florida. Our team is full of engineers, ecologists, planners, designers, specialists, technicians, coordinators, and all-around awesome people that work hard every day to make a difference! Our talented professionals are committed to meeting our clients' project needs by applying innovative thinking combined with personal service on every assignment. To be successful at this, we feel it’s important to provide a great work environment for our team members. We enjoy year-round “summer hours”, on-site locker room facilities, and hybrid work opportunities. Some of our other benefits include paid medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage; 401k matching; paid time off; holiday pay; bonuses; and professional development.
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Sincerely,
Khanh Olka
Communications Chair
ASCE East Central Branch
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