Lauren Isaac rejoins Parsons Brinckerhoff as manager of sustainable transportation

Lauren Isaac has been named manager of sustainable transportation in the San Francisco, California office of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global infrastructure strategic consulting, engineering, and program/construction management organization.

In her new position, Isaac works with transportation organizations to help advance strategies, practices, and technologies to meet current and future transportation needs through approaches such as transportation demand management, improved asset management practices, and alternate transportation modes. As part of this role, she is serving as Parsons Brinckerhoff’s project manager for the Bay Area’s 511 Rideshare program.

Isaac previously served as director of business relations at Alta Bicycle Share in San Francisco, responsible for leading business development, marketing, and sponsorship activities. From 2006 to 2013, she was manager of transit effectiveness and management at Parsons Brinckerhoff, serving as project manager or task leader on transportation industry consulting engagements throughout North America. She also co-founded and served as chief executive officer of Next Insight Transportation Software, a transportation software company developing solutions for transit agencies.

Isaac received master of engineering and bachelor of science degrees in operations research and industrial engineering from Cornell University. She is a member of the American Public Transportation Association, Women’s Transportation Seminar, San Francisco’s Market Street Railway, and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Parsons Brinckerhoff develops and operates infrastructure around the world, with approximately 14,000 employees working with clients and communities in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia-Pacific regions. The firm offers skills and resources in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, program/construction management, and operations for transportation, power, mining, water/wastewater, and community development projects (www.pbworld.com).

ASME elects Draper’s Julio Guerrero as next president

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has elected Julio Guerrero to serve as its president from 2015-2016. Guerrero, an R&D and business development lead in Draper Laboratory’s Energy Systems business area, began his term as ASME president-elect in June.

Founded in 1880, ASME enables skill development, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across engineering disciplines while promoting engineering’s role in society. The organization has 130,000 members in 158 countries. “We’re thrilled to see Julio elected to a leadership role where he can help bring together the engineering community to solve real world challenges as well as groom the next generation of the technical workforce,” says Jim Shields, Draper president.

Guerrero, who has been an ASME member for more than 20 years, served as a member of its Board of Governors from 2011-2013 and as vice-chair of its Industry Advisory Board from 2008-2010. As president, he hopes to promote partnerships for technology development around the world, make the organization’s operations more efficient, and increase involvement among young engineers.

At Draper, Guerrero identifies ways to apply the lab’s expertise in sensors, controls, automation, data analytics, secure communications, and advanced communications to improve the performance, safety, and security of energy infrastructure. Prior to joining Draper in 2011, Guerrero served as a principal scientist for seven years at Schlumberger Research, where he established research collaborations on subsea and land oil operations between Schlumberger and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as well as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. A native of Peru, Guerrero has also lectured at MIT engineering courses for 11 years and served as a member of doctoral committees at MIT and the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his master's and doctoral degrees in 1995 and 1998, respectively.

Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, Draper Laboratory is a not-for-profit, engineering research and development organization dedicated to solving critical national challenges in national security, space systems, biomedical systems, and energy. Core capabilities include guidance, navigation, and control; miniature low power systems; highly reliable complex systems; information and decision systems; autonomous systems; biomedical and chemical systems; and secure networks and communications. For more information, visit www.draper.com.

GeoDesign announces two promotions, professional engineer licensure, and expanded office location

Alan Baribault (top) and Jason Gaudette

GeoDesign has announced promotions for two employees in its Windsor, VT office and its new and expanded office location in South Burlington. Jason Gaudette, PG, LEED AP has been named senior associate. He joined the firm in 1999, was named a partner and associate in 2009, and serves as operations manager for the Windsor, VT office. Gaudette oversees a number of Vermont Agency of Transportation projects and is currently involved with expansions at Fletcher Allen Health Care and various phases at the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor’s degree in geological engineering. 

Alan Baribault, who joined GeoDesign in 2011 as a staff engineer, has been promoted to project engineer and earned his Vermont Professional Engineer (PE) license. Baribault holds Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in civil engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Most recently, he has worked on the Main Street and Merchant Row bridge replacements over the Vermont Railway in Middlebury, VT. This is the first project in the State of Vermont designed and built under a construction management/general contractor delivery system. Baribault has relocated to the South Burlington office.

With the number and size of projects and staff increasing in the Burlington area, GeoDesign has announced the opening of its new and expanded office location in South Burlington.

Established in 1995, GeoDesign (www.geodesign.net) is an engineering consulting firm that handles geotechnical projects, construction engineering services, and environmental investigation and remediation projects throughout the Northeast for private clients, industry, developers, contractors, and municipalities. It has offices in Vermont, Connecticut, and New York,

Three Dewberry projects recognized nationally

Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, received three National Recognition Awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) recently. All three projects were award winners at the regional level and were then selected to represent their regions at the national level. The three projects were the U.S. Route 206 Peter J. Biondi Bypass and Superstorm Sandy Waterways Debris Removal projects, both in New Jersey, and Virginia’s I-95/I-495 Telegraph Road Interchange and Mainline Reconstruction project.

Dewberry was involved with the $236 million I-95/I-495 Telegraph Road Interchange and Mainline Reconstruction project for the past 13 years. The project, the largest single design-bid-build construction contract ever awarded by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), represents the final chapter of the $2.5 billion Woodrow Wilson Bridge Improvement project.

The U.S. Route 206 Bypass, also known as the Peter J. Biondi Bypass, in Hillsborough, New Jersey, alleviated traffic in an area with high accident rates, poor traffic flow, limited roadway width, numerous traffic signals, and frequent access points. The bypass diverts traffic around a central business district, thereby aiding the area’s transition to a town center.

The Superstorm Sandy Waterways Debris Removal project was the largest waterway debris removal in U.S. history. Dewberry planned and managed a state-level, regionally organized program to remove waterway debris from sensitive environments. In total, the firm helped remove 194 vessels and vehicles; four homes; 6,019 submerged targets; more than 100,000 cubic yards of debris; and more than 360,000 cubic yards of sediment from the state’s waterways.

Dewberry is a professional services firm providing architecture, engineering, and management and consulting services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 40 locations and 2,000+ professionals nationwide. To learn more, visit www.dewberry.com.

Children’s museum exhibit powers up energy education through play

The United States is lagging behind other countries in science and math, but some companies are taking unique steps to encourage future engineers. Global power and automation company ABB and Marbles Kids Museum are launching a one-of-a-kind, play-based power grid exhibit called Kid Grid to generate interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in young children.  

Kid Grid, located at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC, opens recently and was funded by a $1 million grant from ABB. Kid Grid playfully introduces young children to electricity and power grid technology through hands-on, minds-on play. Kids explore a pretend power grid and learn how to make smart energy choices. The exhibit promotes early learning in STEM education, inspiring the next generation of great minds through interaction and energy stimulation to power up a bright future.

Engineering companies have a vested interest in maintaining an educated workforce and breaking through traditional gender stereotypes. A shortage of American engineering graduates leaves many high-tech companies struggling to fill jobs. In 2012, high school students from 29 industrialized nations outperformed the United States in math, and 22 nations outpaced the them in science. Projects such as Kid Grid are designed to give children positive encouragement in STEM education at an early age.

ABB employees and families collaborated with Team Marbles during initial design, brainstorming creative ways to get kids talking about energy. Engineers and experts from ABB continued to provide guidance and knowledge throughout design and construction to ensure Kid Grid accurately reflects a real power grid. Kid Grid is complete with play versions of cables, control systems, motors, towers, and transformers as well as real equipment provided by ABB.

ABB and Marbles announced the project in October 2012 as the single-largest gift in the museum’s history. Kraemer Design and Production of Cincinnati designed the exhibit, and fabrication began in fall 2013 at Pacific Studio, an exhibit production company in Seattle. In partnership with Wake County, Marbles began construction of the building addition in December 2013. In April, exhibit components were shipped 2,851 miles from Seattle to Raleigh to be reassembled at Marbles.

“Although Kid Grid is unique to North Carolina, the concept shouldn’t be,” says Greg Scheu, CEO of ABB North America. “STEM-focused industries are growing both nationally and internationally. We need to stay competitive as a nation and encourage kids to explore these areas in new and creative ways.”

The demand for highly skilled workers in STEM fields is outpacing supply. According to STEM Advantage, a non-profit coalition, STEM-related jobs are anticipated to increase by nearly 17 percent over the next decade. Of the jobs currently filled across the United States, the percentage that will require STEM education is expected to grow to more than 20 percent by 2018. “We need highly-skilled individuals with a passion for these subject areas,” said Scheu. “As the number of job opportunities increases and the industry expands, the United States can better position itself in the global marketplace with a skilled workforce.”

STEM industry jobs also offer benefits of their own. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and Economics and Statistics Administration, individuals employed in STEM jobs consistently earn wages up to 26 percent higher than their non-STEM counterparts. In fact, eight of the top ten college degrees, as ranked by income, were in STEM fields.

“It is our hope that by engaging children at a young age, we can inspire them for a lifetime,” added Scheu. “At ABB, we think a lot of the discrepancy between the United States and other nations lies in the lack of exposure to the industry, and with Kid Grid, we hope to begin fixing that.”

Marbles Kids Museum provides learning experiences for children through hands-on children’s exhibits, creative programs and events, and larger-than-life IMAX movies on North Carolina’s only giant screen. Located in downtown Raleigh, Marbles offers museum and IMAX field trips, summer camps, family events, targeted outreach programs and exceptional spaces for meetings and events. For more information, visit www.MarblesKidsMuseum.org or www.IMAXRaleigh.org.  

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 147,000 people. ABB’s North American operations, headquartered in Cary, NC, employ more than 30,000 people in multiple manufacturing, engineering, and service capacities.

GHT achieves LEED Gold certification for its Arlington, VA headquarters

GHT Limited (GHT), a DC metro area mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering firm, has announced it has achieved LEED Gold certification for its Arlington, VA headquarters under the Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) rating system. The 19,100 square-foot space features 100-percent LED lighting and achieved a lighting power density 40.75% below ASHRAE requirements.

President Paul O’Brien, PE, LEED AP ID+C remarks, “Incorporating a high-performance design in our new space aligns with our core value of practicing sustainable design and reflects our commitment to the AIA 2030 Challenge.” He continues, “We could not have achieved this goal without the partnership of Brookfield Office Properties, Gensler, and James G. Davis Construction Corporation, as well as the entire consultant team.”

He continues, “Lutron and One Source were also important partners. With their help, GHT’s new headquarters has become more than an office space; it is a learning lab for new technologies. We implemented the latest solutions for glare control, daylight harvesting, and occupancy/vacancy sensor lighting and receptacle controls. Our clients can visit GHT to experience these new technologies before finalizing design decisions, and our engineers can apply their first-hand knowledge of the benefits and challenges of the systems to client projects. In addition, we have hosted multiple AIA-accredited tours of the space to share the sustainable design features with our industry colleagues.” 

James Hansen, PE, BEMP, LEED AP, senior associate and LEED and sustainability coordinator, adds, “GHT performed all of the LEED documentation for the tenant fit-out, with valued input on Materials and Resources credits from Colin Dean with James G. Davis Construction Corporation. Taking on that role helped to broaden our experience with all aspects of the LEED-CI rating system, which will be a benefit to our clients on future projects.”

To read more about the project’s sustainable design features, visit www.ghtltd.com/sustainablespace.

Based in Arlington, VA, GHT helps optimize building performance by providing sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering services for commercial office buildings, tenant interiors, and government properties as well as institutional, hospitality, and mission critical environments. GHT's areas of expertise include MEP system design, commissioning, building energy services, and real estate advisory services. Learn more about GHT at www.ghtltd.com.

Future engineering stars win dream job with Infiniti Formula One

Infiniti has announced the winners of its global talent search initiative that will see three engineering students given a career opportunity with Formula One team Infiniti Red Bull Racing. After a grueling three-day world final event in the UK that saw 12 hopefuls from around the world competing for victory in the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy, William Priest from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, UK; Eric LaRoche from Hamilton Square, New Jersey; and Jason Zide from Laguna Beach, California were deemed the winners. They were judged by a panel of senior engineering personnel from Infiniti and the race team, led by Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey. Along with a 12-month work placement with the team beginning in September, the winners will receive accommodation in the UK, an Infiniti company car, and full salary.

 

With the in-depth assessment process split between Infiniti’s Technical Center in Cranfield, UK and Infiniti Red Bull Racing in Milton Keynes, UK, the final candidates, selected from over 1,500 entrants across 100 top engineering universities worldwide, faced a series of challenges over three days relating to road car and racing car engineering. These included practical design tasks, written exams, intense interviews, and complex group exercises to test their technical ability, teamwork skills, and performance under pressure. In one task they even got a first-hand insight into the role of a race engineer by working alongside four-time World Champion and Infinti’s Director of Performance Sebastian Vettel in the team’s simulator.

 

Commenting on the conclusion of the process, Andreas Sigl, global director, Infiniti Formula One, said, “William, Eric and Jason impressed us all throughout the process, especially given the stiff competition they had from the other candidates. They demonstrated not just a natural aptitude for engineering and an excellent work ethic, but also a real understanding of the benefits Formula One can bring a road car company like Infiniti and the potential for even greater technical crossover in the future. We’re delighted to have given them the opportunity to realize their dream and will be working closely with them as they settle into their new role.”

William Priest, 23, studies mechanical engineering at the University of Exeter. Enthusiastic about motor sports, the British student previously gained experience working as a race engineer with the TH Motorsport British Touring Car team where he assisted the setup and preparation of the race cars. Familiar with Infiniti Red Bull Racing, he also spent two weeks working with the Formula One World Champions in the design department.

Eric LaRoche, 25, studies mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland. He has a passion for motor sports and aviation and, in addition to participating as lead aerodynamicist with the University of Maryland’s Formula SAE team, has gained experience with Chrysler’s Viper GTS-R team in the American Le Mans Series and worked at aviation giant Boeing.

Jason Zide, 21, studies mechanical engineering at the University of Southern California. He is team captain of a Formula SAE team and is familiar with the Infiniti family, having completed work experience with the auto brand at its North American Technical Center.