ASCE Region 8 Newsletter | April 2023 | |
|
Message from the Region 8 Director
Region 8 Awards Highlights
Region 8 Elections
Region 8 Student Symposia 2023
Region 8 Student Chapter Spotlight-Saint Martin's University
Region 8 Student Chapter Spotlight - UAA & UAF
Region 8 In Memoriam
Region 8 Job Posting & Company Sponsorship
Region 8 Calendar of Events
| |
|
“Help you matter more and enable you to make a bigger difference” | |
MESSAGE FROM THE REGION 8 DIRECTOR | |
|
The focus for this month’s Region 8 Newsletter is on our ASCE student chapter members. On April 5 – 6, it was my honor and pleasure, along with Region 8 Governor Fausto Burruel, to make a visit to the ASCE Student Chapter at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver BC. This was the first time Region 8 had ever made an official visit to the UBC Student Chapter. A visit to UBC was contemplated by my predecessor, Tony Lau, but couldn’t be scheduled due to the onset of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. Governor Burruel, as part of his responsibilities for the Region 8 Board of Governors, has been responsible throughout his 3-year term of office for developing and maintaining contact with the UBC Student Chapter, which is currently the only officially recognized ASCE organizational unit in either Alberta or British Columbia. You may recall that the UBC Student Chapter had previously been scheduled to host the 2022 Pacific NW Student Symposium, but the BC provincial government cancelled those plans a few weeks before the event was to take place due to then-unresolved issues related to crossing the US-Canada border and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
| |
|
During our visit with the UBC students, Fausto and I had dinner with the leadership of the Student Chapter on April 5th, and I presented a lecture on ASCE’s Code of Ethics to the chapter on the 6th. During my lecture, I was able to unofficially inform the students that their application to host the 2024 PNW Student Symposium had been approved. This announcement was greeted with a cheer, and I’m confident they will do a great job as hosts next year. Originally the 2024 event was to have been hosted by the Washington State University Student Chapter in Pullman, WA, but those plans unexpectedly changed, and the UBC student chapter was given the opportunity to take WSU’s slot, which they quickly agreed to. All of us on the Region 8 Board of Governors congratulate the UBC Student Chapter and their faculty advisor Dr. Omar Swei, for demonstrating their continued commitment to ASCE by agreeing to host the 2024 event. Although our visit was a short one, we hope it sets the stage for future communication and interaction with our Canadian student members.
This past weekend Region 8 hosted not one but two regional Student Symposia: The Pacific NW Student Symposia at Montana State University in Bozeman, and the new Intermountain SW Student Symposium at the University of Nevada – Reno. It is unfortunate that both schools decided to host their respective symposia on the same weekend, which forced some of us to make a hard decision regarding which event to attend. Since I had previously been invited to help judge the non-technical paper competition at MSU, that’s where I went.
Montana State did a great job of hosting their event, which drew some 265 students from 14 colleges and universities in the Region who competed in several events including the concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions, sustainable solutions, a surveying challenge, the non-technical student paper competition, and the timber strong competition. Elsewhere in this newsletter Governor Bob Turner provides a breakdown of all the competitions and who were the winners.
| |
|
The steel bridge competition is always a favorite of mine to watch. The competition is guided by a thick rule book, and it takes the combined efforts of a large team of dedicated judges to make the event happen. I would like to recognize the special efforts of National Steel Bridge Competition head judge Javier Moncada and his team of judges who worked long hours to make the event happen. Javier made the decision to hold the event open until early Saturday morning to enable the University of Alaska Anchorage team to have a chance to compete, since their arrival in Bozeman was delayed by a volcanic eruption in Siberia that sent an ash plume over Anchorage on Thursday that closed the airport for several hours, forcing the team to fly the next day.
| |
|
Unfortunately, Spring had not yet put in an appearance in Bozeman, and the lake originally chosen for the concrete canoe competition was still frozen over and air temperatures were decidedly on the cool side. Fortunately, an alternative venue was found at Three Forks Ponds, some 30 miles west of the MSU campus, which was a former gravel borrow pit that was partially filled with spring water. Several of us had our fingers crossed that local weather conditions would comply with ASCE’s “85° F rule”, which requires the combination of air and water temperature at the canoe venue must exceed 85° Fahrenheit for competition to take place. Not always a sure thing in Montana in April! When we arrived at the venue around 10 AM, the water temperature was 45° F, but the air temperature was only 37° F – still 3 degrees below the minimum, but by noon, the air temperature had climbed into the mid-40s, the sky had turned sunny and bright with that incredible Big Sky blue, and we were set for an afternoon of what turned out to be very competitive racing.
| |
|
Since the concrete canoe racing was held on Saturday, the last day of the symposium, the steel bridge and other events had already concluded the day before, so virtually all of the attendees had an opportunity to come out to Three Forks Ponds and enjoy the races. The beauty of the concrete canoe event is, to my mind, the fact that it consists of almost equal parts of design and fabrication skill along with some athletic ability – plus a dose of luck sprinkled in for good measure. Some canoes looked very sleek and refined, and all showed the results of individual team ingenuity and hard work! Regardless of their appearance, until the canoes were put in the water and the paddlers dipped their paddles in the water, it was nearly impossible to predict who the eventual winners would be.
| |
|
Spending time at a Student Symposium and meeting and talking with our student members is, for me, one of the highlights of my role as Region 8 Director. The enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication of our future engineers to take advantage of the opportunities to excel that the Student Symposia creates is inspiring. I want to give a final thanks and shout out to all of the attendees and judges who combined to make the 2023 Pacific NW Student Symposium a safe and memorable event. I’m already looking forward to next year’s symposium in Vancouver, BC!
Larry Magura, Society Director
ASCE Region 8
| |
REGION 8 AWARDS HIGHLIGHTS: SEATTLE AND ALASKA SECTIONS | |
Seattle Section’s Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Awards (LOCEA)
ASCE Seattle Section hosts the annual Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Awards (LOCEA) program, featuring LOCEA presentations and awards. The annual LOCEA awards recognize outstanding projects in the categories of Geotechnical, Structural, Ports and Waterways, Water Resources, Transportation and Development, and Small Project and Non-Construction Studies. Eligible projects are those that: have been accomplished by a civil engineer who is a member of the Seattle Section; is located within the Seattle Section (includes the counties of King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island, Clallam, and Jefferson); was substantially completed in the calendar year 2022; and is predominantly civil engineering-related work.
Congratulations to the following 2023 award winners!
| |
|
2023 LOCEA Award in the Water Resources Category: Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station
In 2013, King County retained a Jacobs-led team to deliver the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station (WWTS) project to control two existing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Lower Duwamish Waterway.
| |
|
The Georgetown WWTS is a satellite treatment facility that will operate an average 20 times per year, processing about 69 million gallons of wastewater annually. This is the first new CSO treatment facility implemented under the County’s CSO Consent Decree. Jacobs and King County successfully met Consent Decree requirements, including submittal of a Facility Plan ahead of the December 2015 milestone. Substantial completion was achieved in 2022. | |
|
2023 LOCEA Award in the Water Resources Category: I-5 and SR11 Padden Creek Fish Passage
WSDOT faced a unique challenge; build a functioning fish habitat beneath an active interstate and do it with minimal traffic disruptions. To comply with a federal injunction requiring corrected fish barriers, WSDOT had to replace Padden Creek crossings at I-5 and SR11 near Bellingham, Washington.
| |
|
The KPFF/Granite team, including Geo Engineers, used innovative design and accelerated construction techniques to build 1,000 feet of new stream channel with over 100 habitat features, two fish-friendly culverts and two bridges that restored fish passage under SR11 and I-5 and provide access to more than five miles of upstream rearing and spawning habitat. | |
|
2023 Young Engineer of the Year: Mackenzie Capaci
Mackenzie Capaci serves as the Past President and Board Representative for the Seattle Section Younger Member forum. She is a Project Engineer for Kennedy Jenks, working on water/wastewater treatment projects across the west coast.
| |
|
|
Alaska Section’s 2022 Engineer of the Year Award Recipient
At the 2023 Annual Anchorage Engineer’s Week Awards Banquet, held in Anchorage, Alaska, among the 2022 Engineer of the Year nominees across several different local engineering societies, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Alaska Water and Wastewater Management (AWWMA), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), Society of Professional Engineers (SPE), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), ASCE’s Doug Simon received the 2022 EWeek Engineer of the Year Award.
| |
|
|
Doug Simon stands with 2021 Anchorage EWeek’s Engineer of the Year Recipient as he accepts the 2022 Engineer of the Year Award.
| |
|
Doug P. Simon, PE, serves a team of engineers and technicians as the Geotechnical Services Manager at HDL Engineering Consultants, LLC. His technical background includes a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He spent the first part of his career kicking dirt in the Midwest before adventure brought him and his family to Alaska more than a decade ago. Doug enjoys giving back through volunteering and mentoring. He has been an officer of the Anchorage Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a church council member. | |
|
He currently serves as the Vice President of the Alaska Section of ASCE. He is also active as a Board Fellow for Northaven Senior Living and volunteers at the Food Bank. Doug has led the ASCE Anchorage Branch’s Community Engineering Corps activities for several years, working on projects such as designing a new playground for the Salvation Army’s McKinnell House. Outside of work, Doug is a lifelong learner and is currently pursuing an MBA through the University of Washington. He also enjoys bow hunting, canoeing, and traveling with his family. | |
|
ASCE Society 2024 President-elect & Region 8 Governor Elections: Nominees
The time is now to help shape ASCE’s future. The ASCE Society annual elections for 2024 President-elect and Region 8 Governor elections are upon us. Voting opens May 1st through June 1st. Nominees are provided with links to their bios to help you decide, and VOTE!
2024 President-elect Official Nominees – (2 Nominees)
| |
Region 8 Governor Official Nominees – (4 Nominees) | |
2023 ASCE REGION 8 STUDENT SYMPOSIA | |
In April, ASCE Region 8 Student Chapters hosted two student symposia, the Intermountain Southwest Symposium, and the Pacific Northwest Symposium. Among the many activities and competitions for students at the symposia, two highly contested events are the Steel Bridge and Concrete Canoe student competitions, with results provided below. Congratulations to all the student competitors, along with host universities: University of Nevada, Reno (UNR); Montana State University, Bozeman; Carroll College; Montana Tech; and Montana State University, Northern. | |
Intermountain Southwest Symposium: April 12-15, 2023 | |
Schools attending the Symposium include: | |
| Arizona State University | Salt Lake Community College | | Boise State University | University of Arizona | | Brigham Young University | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | | BrighamYoun University, Idaho | University of Nevada, Reno | | Idaho State University | University of Utah | | Northern Arizona University | Utah State University | | |
|
Concrete Canoe Competition Results:
1st place – University of Nevada, Reno
2nd place – Utah State University
3rd Place – Brigham Young University, Idaho
Steel Bridge Competition Results:
1st place – Brigham Young University
2nd place – University of Arizona
3rd Place – Utah State University
| |
UNR Student Organizers for the Symposium | |
Pacific Northwest Symposium: April 14-15, 2023 | |
Schools attending the Symposium held at Montana State University, Bozeman Campus include: | |
| Carroll College | University of Alaska, Anchorage | | Gonzaga University | University of Alaska, Fairbanks | | Montana State University | University of British Columbia | | Montana State University, Northern | University of Idaho | | Montana Technological University | University of Portland | | Oregon Institute of Technology | University of Washington | | Oregon State University | Walla Walla University | | Portland State University | Washington State University | | Saint Martin's University | Washington State University, Tri Cities | | Seattle University |
| | |
|
Concrete Canoe Competition Results:
1st place – University of Washington
2nd place – Montana State University, Bozeman
3rd Place – University of British Columbia
Steel Bridge Competition Results:
1st place – University of Alaska, Fairbanks
2nd place – University of Alaska, Anchorage
3rd Place – University of British Columbia
| |
|
For more information about the 2023 Pacific Northwest (PNW) ASCE Student Symposium, please visit the weblink:
https://studentsymposium.asce.org/pacific-northwest/mailers/
2023 Region 8 Student Symposia Fun Facts:
- Due to the volcanic eruption in Russia, members of the University of Alaska teams arrived late, because their flight was delayed due to the volcanic ash cloud drifting into Alaska and grounding aircraft at the main airport in Anchorage, Alaska.
- Traveling to Bozeman, Montana for the PNW Symposium was challenging, because it snowed four inches the day before.
- To accommodate holding the Steel Bridge competition indoors, over 200 plywood sheets, donated by a local contractor in Montana, were fitted over the basketball court to protect the floor. To remove the sheets, the host committee requested students to help, and the sheets were removed in about an hour.
- Significant local sponsorship for both Symposia from businesses provided much needed and very appreciated event support.
Congratulations to all the students, schools, local sponsors, and all who supported and volunteered to help make both 2023 ASCE Region Symposia a success. If you have more Symposia photos, please send to the Region 8 Newsletter, so we can post more photos to the Region 8 Facebook page and continue to celebrate the 2023 ASCE Region 8 Student Symposia.
| |
2023 ASCE REGION 8 STUDENT CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT: SAINT MARTIN'S UNIVERSITY | |
|
Saint Martin’s University ASCE Student Chapter
In the spirit of competition and learning, which are cornerstones of what the ASCE Student Symposia are about, one team stands out even when they weren’t able to attend the ASCE Pacific Northwest Student Symposium. For Saint Martin’s University, learning and accomplishing goals were achieved by the ASCE Student Chapter, even if they couldn’t attend in person. Still wanting to continue with their concrete canoe, the engineering students at Saint Martin’s set out to complete their design-build of their canoe. If there was a Spirit Award for the Symposia, it might be argued that it should go to Saint Martin’s University ASCE Student Chapter. Congratulations on your solid efforts and teamwork!
About Saint Martin’s University:
Located in Lacey, Washington, in Thurston County, within the greater South Puget Sound region, Saint Martin’s University has been an educational and economic partner with the local community for over 125 years. For more information, please visit the school website: https://www.stmartin.edu/.
Photos of the ASCE Student Chapter working on their concrete canoe:
|  | |
2023 ASCE REGION SPOTLIGHTS: UAA & UAF ASCE STUDENT CHAPTERS | |
Congratulations to University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) and University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) ASCE Student Chapters, from the Alaska Section, for their stand-out performances at the 2023 Pacific Northwest (PNW) Student Symposium Steel Bridge Competition. For two of the northernmost schools in Region 8, both University of Alaska teams walked away with a combined total of 16 awards between them, and qualifying berths to the Student Steel Bridge Competition, hosted this year at the University of San Diego for the National Finals on June 2-3, 2023. Good luck to both teams, and all the Region 8 teams competing in the Student Steel Bridge Competition National Finals. Great showing from all the Region 8 schools competing at both Symposia this year. | |
|
University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF)
ASCE Student Chapter
For more information, please visit the school website: https://www.uaf.edu/cem/.
| |
|
|
UAF ASCE Steel Bridge Team
1st Place Overall
2023 PNW Steel Bridge Competition
| |
|
|
UAA ASCE Steel Bridge Team
2nd Place Overall
2023 PNW Steel Bridge Competition
| |
|
|
UAA & UAF ASCE Steel Bridge Teams with their combined awards
| |
|
REGION 8 IN MEMORIAM: MR. THOMAS G. KRZEWINSKI, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE | |
|
Tom Krzewinski was 73 when he passed away on April 12, 2023. Tom was a past Region 8 Governor representing the Alaska Section, past-Alaska Section and Anchorage Branch president, along with Alaska Engineer of the Year representing ASCE. He was internationally recognized for his expertise in cold regions and geotechnical engineering, and a member of the Technical Council of Cold Regions Engineering (TCCRE) for many years, contributing to the body of knowledge in geotechnical and cold regions engineering. He began his career in Alaska after college working on the Trans Alaska Pipeline design and construction, and finally retiring from Golder Associates. Tom’s distinguished career was highlighted by numerous ASCE and Cold Regions Awards, among his many recognitions. He was a great mentor, colleague, coworker, and friend to ASCE members, as well as a husband, father, and grandfather to his family.
Rest in Peace, Tom. You will be greatly missed in the Alaska Section.
Tom’s obituary is posted by his family:
https://www.doughertyfuneralduluth.com/obituaries/https://www.doughertyfuneralduluth.com/obituaries/thomas-krzewinski-krzewinski
Some remembrance photos of Tom in 2013, as Region 8 Governor in Alaska:
| |
|
Figure 1: 2013 AK Section Mtg, with Tom as Region 8 Governor (2nd from right)
| |
|
|
Figure 2: 2013 AK Section antics with Tom K. (far right)
| |
|
|
Figure 3: 2013 UAA ASCE Student Chapter Graduating Seniors Recognition
| |
|
-
Technical Sales (Alaska) – beadedstream:
-
beadedstream is targeting a Technical Salesperson to maintain and grow our Alaskan market. This role would be an Alaskan geographic territory focused on the Infrastructure, Environment, Oil and Gas and Renewables industries.
- This role is based in our headquarters in Anchorage, AK.
- Qualifications:
- Technical degree appropriate to the role (civil, mining, geological, environmental engineer/scientist/geologist) is preferable.
- Technical knowledge of the target industries and with existing contact and speaks the customer's technical language.
-
For more information, please visit: www.beadedstream.com/careers
| |
REGION 8 NEWSLETER SPONSORS | |
About the Company: beadedstream’s mission is to enable anyone to collect data easily from anywhere in the world. They are headquartered in Anchorage, AK, USA. Their beadedcloud software presents ground temperature monitoring insights, collecting data from our rugged digital temperature cables and direct-to-orbit data loggers.
| |
If you’d like more information on how to become an ASCE Region 8 Newsletter Sponsor, please contact us. | |
REGION 8 CALENDAR OF EVENTS | - October 19-21: ASCE National Convention, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | |
