President's Message

Emily Guglielmo, SE, PE, F.SEI

2023-2024 SEAOC President

I am honored to share with you the inspiring outcomes from our March inaugural SEAOC Leadership Retreat where we gathered to foster collaboration, cultivate leaders, and strengthen the foundation of our Association. This event was a testament to our shared commitment to advancing structural engineering excellence across California.

During the retreat, more 100 SEAOC Board and Committee members engaged in spirited discussions and collaborative sessions. From media and leadership training to policy forums, every moment was an opportunity to elevate our collective vision and drive actionable change. I am immensely proud of the dedication and passion demonstrated by each participant — a true reflection of our commitment to SEAOC and the broader structural engineering community.

Key takeaways from the event:

1. The value of strengthening community and connectivity within SEAOC was emphasized. We underscored the importance of transparency, engagement, and inclusivity, fostering stronger connections among members and enhancing our collective impact.

2. The critical role of effective leadership was highlighted in navigating complex issues, including post-disaster communication strategies.

3. The commitment to embracing innovation was reaffirmed, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). We must remain agile and adaptable in the face of technological advancements, positioning SEAOC as a leader in leveraging new opportunities for the benefit of our profession.

Let us mobilize the retreat’s energy and enthusiasm into our everyday endeavors. Let us lead with purpose and commitment, following our mission to empower our members and advance the practice and position of structural engineering.

In closing, I extend my gratitude to all my colleagues who contributed to the success of this retreat and encourage all members to engage in driving SEAOC’s goals forward. Our journey towards excellence is a collective endeavor—one that promises to shape a future where SEAOC members thrive, and our profession continues to flourish.

“Thank you for providing committee members and leaders with the opportunity to collaborate with one another. This is crucial for the longevity of SEAOC and its Member Organizations.”

– Leadership retreat participant

SEAOC 2024 Convention President's Cup

Sponsor Your Team!

This year will see 5 teams competing for the President’s Cup – that’s right, our four SEAOC MOs and a team representing the NorthWest Conference. We all love a bit of healthy competition, and the planning committee has something great in store for us. Along with the fifth team this year, we’re also offering each team a BONUS for fundraising. The event this year will be hosted in a hotel ballroom and will include a time component. For each $100 in sponsorship, your choice of sponsored team will receive a time deduction. Signage at the event will include your logo and we’ll be sure to thank all the sponsors! If you’d like to sponsor the event without tying your sponsorhip to a specific team, we’ll gladly accept and apply it evenly across all 5 teams.

This event will be held on Friday afternoon after the final technical event of the conference. We look forward to everyone’s participation whether that be actually competing, cheering on your team or good-natured heckling of the other teams.

To sponsor, please contact us at SEAOC2024@seaoc.org, indicate in the subject “President’s Cup Sponsor” and we can connect with you to ensure your payment makes it to your team.

Looking forward to Seeing you all at the Convention in September!

Melissa Vickery (Convention Chair)

Megan Vandervort (Convention Vice-Chair)

Lauren Posey (Presidents Cup Lead Planner)

SPONSOR YOUR TEAM

SEAOC Offers Webinar Series on NHERI TallWood Test

SEAOC is pleased to offer a six-part webinar series on the testing of a full-scale10-story mass timber structure last year at UC San Diego as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded NHERI TallWood Project.

Webinars begin April 24 with an overview of the project by Drs. Shiling Pei and John van de Zindt of Colorado State University. Five ensuing sessions cover the findings and analyses from the more than 80 earthquake tests conducted in 2023.

The research team and their industry collaborators designed and constructed the building with goal of achieving resilient performance, which requires the building to be damage-free under design level hazard and quickly repairable for MCE events. The structural system of the building remained fully functional after the run of tests. with only repairable damage to non-structural finishes and stair handrails. This seminar series will reveal key innovations and details utilized in the NHERI TallWood building that made this resilient performance possible.

Background and major findings from the test program will be discussed first, followed by detailed presentations on the modeling and design methods for the mass timber rocking wall lateral system. Performance and design of the low-damage non-structural façade system and stair system will be presented, as well as a family of drift-compatible gravity connection system that hold the building up and plumb after repetitive earthquake attacks

SERIES SCHEDULE

April 24

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

NHERI TallWood Project: Overview and Major Findings

Dr. Shiling Pei, Colorado School of Mines and John van de Lindt, Colorado State University

May 1

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Non-Linear Analysis and Design of the 10-Story Rocking Wall Systems and Comparison with Experimental Results

Jeff Berman, University of Washington

May 8

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Design and Codification of Post-Tensioned Mass Timber Rocking Walls

Reid Zimmerman, KPFF

May 22

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Gravity Systems, Connections, Ancillary Supporting Tests at SST Lab

Steve Pryor, Simpson Strong-Tie

May 29

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.s

Performance of Nonstructural Walls Detailed for Drift Compatibility

Keri Ryan, University of Nevada Reno

June 5

12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Performance of Full-Scale Resilient Stair Tower

Tara C. Hutchinson

2023 SEAOC Convention Papers

SEAOC did not hold its annual Convention in 2023, which had been schedule for September in Maui but cancelled owing to the tragic Lahaina fires. Many of the presenters have graciously offered their papers for posting.

VIEW THE PAPERS

Seeking Structural Engineers for Public School Construction Collaborative

SEAOC is seeking two Structural Engineers interesting in serving on the Public School Construction Collaborate, an advisory group that meets periodically to advice the Division of the State Architect on matters relating to the design and construction of school facilities.

SEAOC has appreciates of two of our members on the PSCC, Joyce Fuss of SEAOCC and Rafael Sabelli of SEAONC, both of whom are stepping away after multiple years of service. Please contact the SEAOC office, dschinske@seaoc.org, if you have questions about the position or would be interested in SEAOC considering a recommendation for you. For more information, or to apply directly, please visit the PSCC webpage.