Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month in Ketchum Auditorium from 12pm to 1pm. Speaker will be announced via email.
Second February 2008 Meeting
Team Presentations:
Steel Bridge – Kelly Schaefer
Overview of last years bridge and team
Processes – Design, Fundraising, Bulding
Competition – Timed Construction, Weight, Deflection
Scoring Variables
Last Year: 3 rd in Regionals, 36 of 43 in Nationals
Costs
Regionals are the 3 rd weekend in April
Concrete Canoe – Seth Scheilz
Overview of sponsors
Design – AutoCAD and Mix Designs
Construction – Pouring and Curing
Competition – Tech. Paper, Oral Presentation, Aesthetics, 5 Races
Timber Bridge
Competition – Online: Photos, Materials, Deflections
Bridge Specs of 2007 and 2008 bridges
Geo Challenge
Competition Aspects
Past 2 Competitions – First Place
Currently Working to Design for Multiple Sands
Qualified for this years Geo Congress in New Orleans
Miscellaneous
Next Meeting – March 5, 2008 - HNTB
Seismic Bridge Team – Brand New This Year
Contact: Matt Wheeler – mcwqy9@mizzou.edu
February 2008 Meeting Minutes
Chris Hotop, P.E. of Bartlett & West could not make the meeting due to weather conditions.
John Bowders and Charles J. Nemmers, P.E. Filled in with a presentation entitled “Growing”
10 Ways to Grow
1. “It” is about people
Importance of relationship building
Understand before being understood
2. Be comfortable with change
Welcome change, find good in change
“Change in life is inevitable, change in business is vital”
Questions to self
3. Dream (A little)
7 habits of successful people
4. Anticipate
Leaders focus over the horizon
Gain another perspective
5. Have high expectations
Stretch your thinking
“Don’t accept good enough as good enough”
6. Be enthusiastic
Optimism is contagious, spread some
7. Be courageous
Growth involves taking risk
Growth is at the edge, so think outside the box
It’s not whether you get knocked down, its whether you get back up
8. Continuous improvement
Commit to consistent self improvement
Leave everything better than you found it
9. Know yourself
Know your weaknesses and address them
Challenge yourself to learn
Power of Emotional Intelligence
10. Good presenter
Get over fears
Have fun while presenting
Be prepared and enthusiastic about topic
Team Updates
Steel Bridge – Design Nearly Complete
Concrete Canoe – Working on Mold
Timber Bridge – First Bridge Complete – Testing / Second Bridge Half Done
Geo Wall – Qualified for Geo Congress and received $1000 Grant
Fund Raising
15% off of EIT Books but ASCE no longer received a commission so new ideas are needed.
Chapter Votes
King and Queen – Looking for seniors
Civil Engineering China Tour – Will have info session
Seismic Bridge Design – Possibly, Design due March 17 th
Important Dates
February 19 th, 2008 – Engineering Career Fair
February 20 th, 2008 – Next ASCE Meeting
December Meeting Minutes
Professional Presentation
Eric Lidholm of Terracon is a Geotechnical Engineer who graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1984. He came to our meeting and gave a presentation on “Mechanically Stabilized Earth Retaining Walls” and also showed a few case histories. His talk was informative on what must go into the design for a successful wall, and then what can go wrong and result in failure. With each case history, he described the problem in either the design or the construction that caused the wall to fall.
Business
Community Service:
The shed for the Ronald McDonald House is almost complete. We will be having one more day or so to finish the doors and to stain. We were able to get the project funded completely and will make a sign to thank our donors to be placed in the front of the Ronald McDonald House. The shed looks awesome- great job!
Officer Elections:
President: BriAnna Chavez
Vice President of Speakers: Stephen Stinger
Vice President of Community Service: Jordan Woehl
Vice Presidend of Fundraising: Kyle Wilmot
Secretary/Webmaster: Kyle Ervin
Treasurer: Jeremiah Kasinger
CONGRATULATIONS to the newly elected officers!
November Meeting Minutes
Dan Brown of Walter P Moore and Associates and a 1996 MU grad, presented the current project on campus of building the new North, South and Center dorms, as well as the improvements the of Graham and Defoe dorms. We were told how the project is split up into 4 different packages, how campus guidelines are affecting their designs, and then shown different design sketches that Mr. Brown is working from. It was neat to see a project that was close to home on our campus and know what all is going into the project.
October Meeting Minutes
Professional Presentation:
Brad Burton of George Butler and Associates, a 1983 MU graduate of civil engineering, along with design technicians Harland Russell and Brian Boyd, did a presentation on the latest software for civil site design, Civil 3D. They opened one of their projects and showed us the advantages of the software that will replace AutoCad version currently in use. The software requires the input of millions of data points to be able to draw a 3D plan of your site. The software is able to automatically make the static changes that can take hours in AutoDesk.
GBA is leading the way with the program, working closely with the creators and inputting advice to work out the user difficulties of a new program. Their presentation was well liked and interesting for the future civil engineers.
September Meeting Minutes
S. Joji Calabro of Burns and McDonnell and a recent graduate of MU spoke to our group about transportation and infrastructure projects. His primary responsibilities involve highway and road design, which includes storm water drainage and traffic engineering.
May Meeting Minutes
Mr. Charles J. Nemmers, P.E. is the Director of the Transportation Infrastructure Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a Civil Engineering graduate of Marquette University with a Masters in Public Administration from Ohio State University. He came to Mizzou following a 32 year career with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) where he was their Director, Office of Engineering Research and Development in Washington DC and before that the Division Administrator in Delaware, Georgia and New Jersey. He was honored as the Georgia Transportation Engineer of the year for his work in preparing Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic Games. He is active on two ASCE national committees. In January he toured the Panama Canal.
Mr. Nemmers gave his presentation on his tour thru the Panama Canal. He first went over the international politics, financing, health issues, and management of the project. Next, as he described how the canal works, he showed us pictures of going thru the canal. The pictures were awesome and he had a lot to say about them, with more information added by his wife, Judy. Thank you, Mr. Nemmers, for a great presentation!
Business
Went over the conference results
Meetings next semester will be on Wednesdays, 12pm to 1pm
April Meeting Minutes
Professional Presentation
Shashi Gannavaram of Affinis completed his Master’s in Civil Engineering with Dr. Mark Virkler at Mizzou in 1995. Since then he has been in the traffic engineering and transportation planning field working on projects that range from the local/residential street level for numerous municipalities to freeway management and operations for the Departments of Transportation and the FHWA. At Affinis, Shashi is an Associate leading the Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning division. He has co-authored three publications. He is actively involved in organizations as the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the American Planning Association and the Congress for New Urbanism. Shashi just started serving on the Transit committee for the Mid-America Regional Council, the local Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Mr. Gannavaram first gave us information about Affinis and a few of his projects. In that, he told us a bit about how the design of our communities is changing to where people want to combine the homes with commercial buildings to cut down on commutes. He then discussed how we can obtain jobs we like and what companies look for in candidates for their positions. Topics he went over included how to dress for an interview, researching companies before a career fair, and looking into the size of the firm you would feel most comfortable with and happy working for.
A few words from our professional to think about:
“Hire for attitude, train for position”
“Not specific, not terrific” –in regard to a technical writing of a civil engineer
Updates:
ASCE Regional Conference
April 26 th-28 th at KU
We have 35 people signed up to go plus 2 faculty members and KU has cut us off at that number. If you are on the list to go and cannot anymore, please contact Chance so that another person could go in your place
We have university vans and pickups taking people there along with 3-4 personal vehicles
Hotels are reserved in Bonner Springs and Lawrence
Talk to Chance with any questions
To check out the official site for the conference: click on Conferences and then the 2007 Regional Conference
Steel Bridge:
Meeting after for bridge members
Left to do: abutments and x-bracing
85% done as of the meeting
Canoe:
Concrete is poured
Members are working on the paper tonight
Geotech:
Design and paper are done
They have cut the paper down by 36”
Practicing for time now
March Meeting Minutes
ASCE Presentation
Jeff Fouse, ASCE Region 7 Governor, presented to our student chapter general information about and the organization of ASCE. He went over the different regions and pointed out to which one we belong (Region 7), the levels of administration, as well as the levels of membership. He told us the significance of the role ASCE plays in our profession and how it helps us benefit as students and later as professionals. As student members, graduation is approaching and he voiced to us how important it is to continue our membership as a Younger Member. His presentation was useful for us as members to know more about the professional organization we are a part of.
Professional Presentation
Michael Harrison, PE, is one of the leading experts in movable bridges having been involved in the design and rehabilitation of them for 27 years. He is HDR’s National Movable Bridge Program Manager. His extensive experience includes reviewing plans, specifications and inspection reports performing field inspections of movable bridges, maintenance of movable bridges, operations and maintenance evaluations and inspections, permits, coordination with the United State s Coast Guard, marketing, construction administration and assistance. He has worked with numerous public and private clients. During that time, he has been responsible for all phases of engineering and management of bridge and movable projects, structural, mechanical and coordination of the electrical power and control systems for movable bridges, for highway and railroad clients. Management experience includes marketing, preparation of proposals, negotiations, coordination of manpower, schedules, contract budgets, and supervision of work assignments.
Mr. Harrison’s presentation gave information about the different styles of movable bridges and the obstacles he has faced. He showed us many pictures of bridges he has worked on and gave us stories on different times he has been called out to help fix a problem. It was a very interesting topic and his presentation was great.
February Meeting Minutes:
The meeting was held February 6 at 6:30pm. The guest speaker was Eric H. Linholm, P.E. from Terracon. His talk was entitled: "Karst Features and their Impact on Construction".
Eric H. Lidholm, P.E and Office Manager for Terracon spoke to the MU Student Chapter accompanied by members of the Mid-Missouri Chapter of ASCE on Tuesday night. He gave us a presentation about the karst geography that makes up many parts of Missouri, our own Boone County included. The many caves in Missouri and sinkholes are the result of this condition.
Eric went into showing individual case studies of disastrous sink holes that actually occurred in our backyard of Columbia, MO and how they affectively dealt with the situation. The first site was on the grounds of the now Campus Lodge on Old Hwy 63 and the second being on Kentucky Avenue where the new Southwest Campus Dorms now stand. Sinkholes were drilled for at both sites but in order to find one, you must go right through the spot. These two stories sparked interest in our students and discussion of past experiences within the professionals.
Eric’s presentation was full of great and interesting information with a taste of sarcasm for entertainment. Everyone enjoyed the slideshow and all he had to say.
Terracon is a dynamic and growing consulting firm providing multiple related service lines to clients at local, regional and national levels. Since 1965, Terracon has grown from a small Iowa geotechnical firm to a large, multifaceted national firm. With more than 2,000 employees and 80 offices nationwide, Terracon has the resources of a large firm with the atmosphere of a small one. Terracon has consistently achieved growth above the industry average. This is evidenced by a current ranking of 50 in Engineering News-Record’s 2006 listing of the Top 500 Design Firms, as compared to a ranking of 103 in 1995. Key markets of Terracon include agricultural, commercial development, financial, government, industrial, energy, site redevelopment, telecommunications, and transportation. |
