Post Notes

Boston Post Awards Honors and Scholarships

The Boston Post’s annual Spring Meeting attracted more than 300 Sustaining Members, sponsors and guests. Guest speaker, Linda Abriola, Ph.D., Dean, Tufts University College of Engineering, discussed the changing landscape of engineering education and the efforts to morph a curriculum that has been substantially the same for the last 50 years.
Jack Bryant, F.SAME, Post Director, Bryant Assoc., was recognized for his receipt of the Civilian Congressional Medal of Honor as part of the infamous Tuskeegee Airmen of WWII, and Mike Bradbury, Nobis Engineering and Jack White, Consultant, were bestowed with the S. Peter Volpe Award for loyalty and service to the Post.

Scholarships totaling $75,500 were awarded to 25 young Americans to pursue careers in engineering and science. This amount was more than $20,000 higher than the previous year, thanks to funds received from scholarship endowments, the recent Northeast/New England Regional Conference, various golf tournaments, Small Business Committee activities and the Annual Spring Meeting. (Chuck Raymond, CPSM)

Hampton Roads Honors Students

The Hampton Roads Post received scholarship applications from 27 highly-qualified students from various high schools and universities throughout the state. A total of 15 students were selected as recipients, and each was presented a $2,000 scholarship, totaling $30,000 in awards! Each student was recognized at the Post luncheon on June 20, 2007. (Capt. Joanne McCaffrey)

Houston/Galveston Post Hosts Readiness/Homeland Security Workshop

Rebuilding the Gulf Coast after hurricanes Katrina and Rita could be one of the largest engineering challenges to face the nation. Lt. Gen. Robert Flowers, USA (Ret.), Vice Chairman of HNTB Federal Services and CEO of HNTB International, gave insight into how it might be accomplished at the annual Houston/Galveston Post Readiness/Homeland Security Workshop held April 18 in Houston.

In his presentation, “Innovations through Necessity,” Flowers said the estimated $1.6 trillion Gulf Coast rehabilitation effort will require collaboration across disciplines, new and unique partnerships, alternative resources, and new ways to apply existing and new technology.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has plans to rebuild levees to a 100-year flood protection by 2010. Restoring the city of New Orleans will cost an estimated $15 to $20 billion, or roughly $250,000 per person.

Presentations on innovative ways to better prepare for and respond to widespread disasters using simulation and universal databases were part of the workshop with speakers including: Geoff Robinson, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; Don Hannemann, Texas Forest Service; and Darrin Willer, HNTB Corp. and Chair of the Post’s Readiness and Homeland Security Committee.

Iowa Student Chapter Wraps Up the Year

The University of Iowa Student Chapter wrapped up the school year with a meeting at Colonial Lanes Bowling Alley. Heather Cross, Rock Island Post, oversees the student chapter and attended with Post President Mike Ryan, Executive Secretary Dean Cerny, and Treasurer Kevin Landwehr. Three deserving students were presented with $1,000 scholarships.
(Dean Cerny, Executive Secretary, Rock Island Post, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)        

New Jersey Post Celebrates Members

At the SAME 2007 Joint Engineer Education and Training Conference & Expo, the New Jersey Post hosted a Membership Social, held at the Philadelphia Marriott. Post officers and directors greeted and mingled with members and guests for a bit of camaraderie, food and beverage while attending the national conference. (Michelle Smyser, Post Secretary)

Guests of honor at the New Jersey Post’s social were Brig. Gen. Todd Semonite, USA, Commander, USACE-North Atlantic Division, and incoming North Atlantic RVP; Debi Heims, Boston Post President; Melissa Smith, outgoing North Atlantic RVP; and Steve Renzi, New Jersey Post President.

Robins AFB Post Honors Student

Robins AFB Post President Mark MacEwan (right) presents a $1,000 college scholarship to Brian McCarthy (left), an electrical engineering student at Mercer University. Robins AFB Post also awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Daniel Sacks an electrical engineering student at the University of Florida and the son of Post member CMSgt Dan Sacks, USAF. (Michael Coats, Director, Robins AFB SAME Post)

Rock Island Post Spends Evening on the River

The Rock Island Post hosted a small gathering of students and professionals on June 11 to enjoy an evening on the Mississippi River in the Quad City Area. The evening included a boat ride down river, water skiing, discussions between industry and government and dinner at a riverside restaurant. The trip back included a tour of the downtown area and downstream side of Lock and Dam 15. The event served to mentor youth and bring them up through the ranks, and build relationships between private industry and the federal government.

Participants included: Scott Cerny, student; Dean Cerny, Rock Island Post Executive Secretary; Stephanie Rumford, Rumford Industrial Group; and SK Nanda, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Rock Island District.

Sacramento Post Mixes it Up

The Sacramento Post offered an array of exciting topics during recent general meetings, with an emphasis on field visits and real-world applications of engineering and business.
 
In January, Mary Conway-Jepsen, Marketing and Outreach Specialist with the Small Business Administration (SBA), discussed the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program, outlining how businesses of all sizes can team with small disadvantaged 8(a) businesses to work together to obtain government contracts. In February, Steve Onken, Operations Manager with Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA), led a tour highlighting the engineering and associated drilling and blasting work performed to create the YCWA’s Englebright Dam Narrows II flow bypass. Lt. Col. Revolinsky spoke on his experience as Officer in Charge of the USACE-Baghdad Area Office, and Lt. Col. Hoover, Travis AFB Base Civil Engineer, spoke about his experience as the Base Civil Engineer at Balad Base, Iraq, in March. Finally, in April, John Andary, P.E., Leed,® Stantec Consulting, discussed the concepts of green building design, such as low energy use, internal building layout, use of natural air flow for heating and cooling, and low water use options. (Linda Z. Miszkewycz)

San Antonio Post Celebrates Public Works Week

The San Antonio Post joined with the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) on May 22 to celebrate National Public Works Week. Guest speaker for the joint meeting was Tom Wendorf, Public Works Director for the City of San Antonio, who updated the 125 members and guests attending on the City’s recently approved $550 million bond issue for infrastructure, parks, recreation, athletic, library and public health facility improvements during the next five years. He also talked about the City’s in-progress design-build project for a new Emergency Operations Center at Brooks City-Base. All of the public works officials and supporting contractors at the meeting were recognized for their outstanding efforts. Col. Rich Bartholomew, Post President, and Dan Jackson, Individual Membership Director, also officially recognized the 5-, 10-, 15- and 25-year SAME members in attendance.

In other news… The Post’s Young Member and K-12 Program Coordinator, Danielle Domingue, organized Post participation at a number of middle and high school educational events in March and April. Specifically, Homer Guy, F.SAME, Dick Kochanek, F.SAME, Young Member Christine Royko and Ed von Dran volunteered as special judges for the Alamo Regional Science & Engineering Fair in March. Tim Cleveland joined Kochanek and von Dran to again serve as special judges at the 2007 Texas Exxon-Mobile Science Fair, the follow-on state-wide event. Additionally, Danielle Domingue attended the kick-off for the San Antonio Boosting Engineering Science & Technology “Get Excited About Robots” (GEAR) competition. Domingue presented robotic kits sponsored by the Post (totalling $1,250) for five local schools to compete in the upcoming GEAR event. Post volunteers also will serve as referees for that competition. (Dick Kochanek, F.SAME, Director, Fellows, San Antonio Post)

San Diego Post Awards Scholarships

The San Diego Post recently awarded $25,000 in scholarships to 13 college students. The represented colleges were the University of California at San Diego, San Diego State University and Woodbury University. The scholarship amounts ranged from $1,000 to $3,500 per student. (Gita Murthy, Ph.D., RORE Inc., San Diego Post Board Member)

Scott Field and St. Louis Posts Host Joint Luncheon

On March 21, a joint luncheon was hosted by the Scott Field Post, St. Louis Post, and St. Clair County Chapter of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers (ISPE). The luncheon featured Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, P.E., F.SAME, USAF, who discussed the importance of strategic alliances, development of young engineers and progress on the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure. He emphasized the crucial service that engineers, both private and public, are playing in improving the lives of U.S. personnel at contingency bases and the Iraqi people. The joint luncheon was attended by more than 90 SAME and ISPE members including Mike Zambrana, Regional Vice President for the Missouri River Region, and Darrel Wolff, ISPE President.