Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING

Goal Setting: Think Big, Be Mindful

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This is a guest blog by Michael Burns, PE, PgMP, DBIA

goal setting

What a cool topic for my first EMI Blog—Goal Setting—as publishing and mentoring have been on my list of career objectives for many years. Writing my first draft, I realized it was January 4th, my father’s birthday and the time of year where resolutions and goal setting run rampant. My parents, school teachers who raised me in Boulder, Colorado, often limited their advice to philosophical statements like, “We are who we are becoming.” As a kid, this lack of concrete guidance frustrated me, as I sought clear direction for a successful life. Thirty years into my civil engineering career, as a parent, mentor, mentee and friend, I hold dearly to my parents’ guidance, accepting that we are who we are becoming is step one in balancing our desires against life’s events.

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TCEP 135: Effective Communication Is Key With People at All Levels in Civil Engineering

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In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, our tenth episode in our Women in Civil Engineering series, I talk to Disa Wahlstrand, PE, LEED AP, who is a vice president of municipal services and water resources operations for Ayres in Wisconsin. We will be talking about engineering in STEM, big picture mindsets, and why communication is key in multidisciplinary teams.

Engineering Quotes:

Communication Is Key

Communication Is Key

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Disa:

  • How can we influence the attitudes of students, especially females, about engineering and STEM in general?
  • Why do you enjoy doing campus planning?
  • Can you talk to us about your experience being a vice president in a mid-sized company?
  • What can you share with civil engineers out there about transitioning into their careers?
  • Why would you say communication is key for civil engineers?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Why Effective Communication Is Key for Civil Engineers:

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Do You Have the Resourcefulness to Earn a 30% Pay Raise This Year?

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This is a guest blog by Jen Bunk, Ph.D.

Pay RaiseHappy New Year! It’s goal-setting season. How much value do you want to add at work this year? Do you know the EXACT percentage raise you want to earn? And do you know how to earn it? For many of our clients, earning a 30% pay raise is a stretch goal they aspire to achieve. 

But the question is, how do you get there? 

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TSEC 16: BIM and Collaboration Between Structural Engineers and Drafters

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Structural Engineers and DraftersIn this episode of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Marcello Sgambelluri, PE,SE., the Director of Advanced Technology at John A. Martin & Associates. He talks about BIM(Building Information Modeling) and how it is evolving, and also shares his thoughts on the roles that structural engineers and drafters will play during this exciting technological time in structural engineering.

Engineering Quotes:

Structural Engineers and Drafters

Structural Engineers and Drafters

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Marcello in This Episode:

  • Why is BIM so ever-evolving in the structural engineering industry?
  • Do you think engineers of the future will need to keep up with all the technologies, coding, and scripting?
  • How can structural engineers learn more about BIM? 
  • What is the role of structural engineers and drafters in the future?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

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Scientific Laws of Leadership

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This is a guest blog by Jeff Perry
Scientific Laws

As engineers, we learn massive amounts of equations, corollaries, theorems, and laws. These typically apply to mathematics or scientific laws that must be understood in order to make appropriate engineering designs and calculations. However, have you ever wondered if these scientific laws that the natural world follows have applications to our personal growth, development, and leadership? In my opinion, the answer is a clear “Yes!”

In this post, I’ll take examples from some of the most commonly known scientific laws of physics — Newton’s Laws of Motion. I’ll show you how these fundamental laws apply to the movement and progress of people and teams, not just physical objects. Then, I’ll provide suggestions actions, or “motions,” you can take in your own leadership. 

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TCEP 134: A Young Female Civil Engineering CEO Shares Her Story

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Civil Engineering CEOIn this episode, I talk with Áine O’Dwyer, PE, Principal and CEO at Enovate Engineering, about various civil engineering career topics including the challenges she faced when working in the construction industry, starting a new firm, and how she achieved success despite these challenges at such a young age to become a civil engineering CEO.

Engineering Quotes:

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Áine:

  • What made you interested in civil engineering?
  • What skillsets helped you to get into management at such a young age?
  • How did you rise through the ranks and start your own company?
  • What is it that drives you daily?
  • How did you develop your confidence as a civil engineering CEO?
  • How can civil engineering professionals find opportunities in their careers?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

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5 Modern Strategies to Integrate AEC Disciplines in 2020

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This is a guest blog by Daniel Quindemil

AEC DisciplinesOne of the biggest challenges we face in construction is integrating all of the AEC disciplines in our projects so their valuable input can positively affect the project. 

There are many people involved in a project, including the Owner, Architect, Engineer, General Contractor, Subcontractors, Lenders, Owner’s Representatives, and more. How can you start a project the right way and then integrate the Owner, Architect, and the others during construction? 

The key disciplines that need careful integration are the Architect, Engineer, and Contractor (AEC). These are the organizations that design the projects and carry out their execution.

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Factors Affecting Growth in the AEC Industry

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This is a guest blog by John Beck, MBA

AEC IndustryIt’s no secret that organic growth in any business follows a natural S-curve, with a period of infancy, followed by aggressive expansion, and ultimately maturity. Inherently, achieving exponential growth later in the business cycle is more challenging than achieving exponential growth at the outset.   

A vast majority of revenue at an established engineering firm often comes from existing clients, which makes scaling difficult and puts more pressure on relationship building and maintaining. There are a number of factors specific to the engineering industry that can affect growth. I’d like to highlight three factors that affects growth in the AEC Industry. 

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TSEC 15: Integrating Sustainability and Resilience into Structural Engineering

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Sustainability and ResilienceIn episode 15 of The Structural Engineering Channel Podcast, we talk with Professor Jerome Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor and Chair at the Northeastern University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering about how we can integrate sustainability and resilience into structural engineering. This is something that can change the way we look at structural engineering and change our community for the better. 

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Professor Hajjar in This Episode:

  • What is sustainability and resilience?
  • Could you highlight some of the research initiatives that relate to sustainability and resilience in structural engineering?
  • Are the topics of sustainability and resilience becoming more common in the engineering curriculum?
  • How is data being used when designing deformations?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Sustainability and Resilience:

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TCEP 133: Focusing on People and Community Services as a Civil Engineer

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Community ServicesIn episode 133 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to civil engineer Miranda Patton, a business development director at MNS Engineers. We talk about growing the engineering workforce, women in leadership, community services, STEM education, and the future of public infrastructure in America. 

Engineering Quotes:

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Miranda:

  • What made you move from the public sector to the private sector?
  • How did you end up getting involved in business development?
  • What are some of the things that civil engineers can do ahead of time when it comes to getting a project funded?
  • What are some action steps that civil engineers can take to get involved in community services and committees?
  • Could you share some thoughts around growing the engineering workforce?
  • What advice can you give young women in civil engineering who are looking to become a leader in their field?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Focusing on People and Community Services as a Civil Engineer:

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