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TCEP 109: Construction Engineering – Communication in Negotiated Bid Contracts

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Construction EngineeringIn episode 109 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Nils Gransberg, MS on topics related to Construction Engineering. Nils also tells us about the research he is conducting into negotiated bid contracts, and about his military background and experience.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some of the questions I ask Nils:

  • Tell us more about the discipline of Construction Engineering?
  • Why did you decide to get your PhD?
  • Tell us about your research on negotiated bid contract delivery in public projects?
  • Can you talk about what it was like being a civil engineer in the military?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode about construction engineering:

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TCEP 108: The Value IT Professionals Bring to the Engineering World

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IT ProfessionalsIn episode 108 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I will be speaking with Lisa Roger, PMP who is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Dewberry. We talk about her work in the Information Technology (IT) Department and also discuss the importance of IT Professionals in the engineering world.

Engineering Quotes:

IT Professionals

IT Professionals

Here are some of the questions I ask Lisa Roger, CIO:

  • What does being a CIO mean in terms of your responsibilities at Dewberry?
  • Talk to us about your philosophy in terms of IT?
  • Do you encourage interaction between IT professionals and engineering professionals?
  • How do you decide which software will be implemented at your company?
  • How much do you rely on out of the box software vs. software you have customized in-house?
  • Many small firms don’t have the advantage of an in-house IT department. At what point in an engineering firm’s growth do you think an IT department is needed and what are some of the pitfalls if they don’t have one?
  • How do you think the future of artificial intelligence will influence IT jobs and the engineering world?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode about IT Professionals:

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TCEP 104: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Transportation

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Autonomous VehiclesIn episode 104 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am taking you with me to the offices of AECOM to talk with Anthony Attanasio, B.A, Vice President and Senior Program Manager at AECOM. We’ll discuss his career which has spanned both the public and private sectors, and we also talk about connected and autonomous vehicles, and what to expect in the short and long terms.

Engineering Quotes:

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous Vehicles

Here are some of the questions I ask Anthony Attanasio:

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TCEP 100: The Civil Engineering Podcast Episode 100 Compilation Episode

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Compilation

In this episode, we have published a special compilation episode which consists of clips from some of our past episodes related to our career elevator advice question. This question gets asked at the end of each episode and goes as follows: “If you got into an elevator with a civil engineer and had about 30 to 40 seconds with him or her and had to give him or her career advice in that short period of time, what would it be?”  We are so grateful for the support of our listeners and excited to share this milestone 100th episode with you!

Engineering Quote:

Here is a summary of the elevator advice from our guests in this compilation episode:

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TCEP 090: LGBTQ Inclusion in Engineering…When We Embrace Diversity, We All Win

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Embrace Diversity

In episode 90 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Joseph Barker, PE, PTOE, a licensed Professional Engineer and Traffic Operations Engineer from Stantec. We discuss the topic of diversity and why firms should embrace diversity for engineers which provides inspiration and typically leads to them being happier and more productive in their careers.

Here are some of the questions I asked Joseph Barker, PE, PTOE:

  • What was it like entering the Civil Engineering workforce as a gay man?
  • How did hiding your being gay affect your daily mindset?
  • Would you say that this experience you went through, hiding who you really are, made you stronger today?
  • Tell us about the move you made to Stantec, and how that impacted your mindset and career overall?
  • Have you ever thought of relocating to a geographical location that is more accepting of gay people?

Engineering Quotes:

Embrace Diversity

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

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TCEP 086: Talking Through a Huge Civil Engineering Career Decision

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Civil Engineering Career DecisionIn episode 086 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with one of our listeners who is facing a difficult civil engineering career decision. He has to decide whether or not to stay in the private consulting sector or to move to a public career path.

Here are some of the questions I ask:

  • What discipline of civil engineering are you involved in and how long have you been practicing?
  • Are you considering government employment or working with a private contractor who is working for the government?
  • Where do you see yourself in your career 10 years from now?
  • What makes your work fulfilling?
  • What is the current breakdown of your department and what level are you at in at your department?

Engineering Quotes:

Civil Engineering Career Decision

Civil Engineering Career Decisions

Here are some key points discussed on making a critical civil engineering career decision:

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TCEP 085: From Taxi Driver to Globally Recognized Transportation Engineer Featuring Gridlock Sam Schwartz

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Sam SchwartzIn episode 085 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Sam Schwartz, PE, President, and CEO of Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC, a firm that specializes in transportation planning and engineering. During the episode, Schwartz discussed his career journey that started with him as a taxi driver, but has evolved into Schwartz today, being known as a globally recognized transportation engineer.

Here are some of the questions I ask Sam Schwartz:

  • How would you describe yourself?
  • Tell us about your experience as a Taxi driver and how it helped your overall professional development?
  • What is Gridlock Sam?
  • What are your goals in building your company?

Engineering Quotes:

Sam Schwartz
Sam Schwartz

Here are some key points discussed and quotes from this episode:

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TCEP 083: How Civil Engineers Can Create Added Value for Clients

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Create Added ValueIn episode 083 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Mel Lester, Management Consultant from BizEdge, about how civil engineers can create added value for clients. Mel gives some very specific strategies that you can start implementing right away in your career to create added value for your clients.

Here are some of the questions I ask Mel:

  • Why is it so important to create added value for your clients?
  • Can you talk about developing a client centered perspective?
  • How do you deliver business-driven results?

Engineering Quotes:

Create Added Value

Create Added Value

Here are some key points discussed on how you can create added value for your clients:

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TCEP 082: One Civil Engineer’s Passion for Culture and Community

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Passion for Culture

In episode 082 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Alexis Clark, E.I.T about her passion for culture and community in civil engineering, and several other interesting topics related to Civil Engineering.

Here are some of the questions I ask Alexis:

  • Tell us how you ended up working for Hilti and what it’s like working for such a large company?
  • You’re passionate about engineering and culture both, so let’s discuss how the two intertwine.
  • Do you work outside of the US?
  • What do you do in your life in general to try and integrate culture?
  • Tell us about your passion for culture and volunteering, and why you are so interested in them?
  • Where do you think Civil Engineering is heading in the future?

Engineering Quotes:

Passion for Culture

Passion for Culture

Here are some key points discussed about passion for culture and community:

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TCEP 080: Is Civil Engineering Becoming a Commodity?

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Commodity

In episode 080 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Shane Sheldon, a civil engineer and listener from Oregon, about whether or not civil engineering is becoming a commodity. We also talk about the question that several civil engineers might be asking themselves today, which is: “Can civil engineers really be successful?”

Shane emailed me a few weeks ago, bringing up some of these points, which I felt were valid, but often overlooked, so I felt it important that he come on the show to discuss them.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed on whether or not civil engineering is becoming a commodity:

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