John Hooper, PE, SE Magnusson Klemencic Associates

In December 2018, SE University welcomed John Hooper, PE, SE, from Magnusson Klemencic Associates, to present Updates to the Seismic Provisions in ASCE 7-16. John designated the Providence General Foundation in Everett, Washington (https://washington.providence.org/donate/providence-general-foundation) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

John shared that he chose this organization because “It’s a healthcare-related foundation I’ve been involved with for nearly 20 years. The healthcare they provide the region is unparalleled as I experienced firsthand when my son was born 6 weeks prematurely in 1999.”

The Providence General Foundation was established in 1994 to help support the mission and work of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. The Foundation raises funds on behalf of Providence Regional to help ensure that all individuals in the Northern Puget Sound Region have access to the most compassionate and advanced health care available, regardless of their ability to pay. This work is only possible through the support of employees, physicians, community leaders, volunteers, and generous donors—who give so freely of their time, treasure, and talent to help further the mission of Providence in our region.

Thank you, John, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the Providence General Foundation as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Don Scott, SE PCS Structural Solutions

In November 2018, SE University welcomed Don Scott, SE, from PCS Structural Solutions, to present ASCE 7-16 Wind Provisions – Changes Affecting the Design Provisions. Don designated the SEI Futures Fund (https://www.ascefoundation.org/ways-to-give/sei-futures-fund/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Don chose this organization because, “The resources of this fund are used to promote the many needs of the Structural Engineering profession and in particular to provide resources for young engineers entering the profession to become involved.”

Thank you, Don, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the SEI Futures Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Donald Meinheit, PhD, PE, SE Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.

In September 2018, SE University welcomed Donald Meinheit, PhD, PE, SE, from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., to present Anchors: Design Examples and Qualification/Certification/Inspection. Don has chosen to split his donation between the foundations for ASCE (https://www.ascefoundation.org/), ACI (https://www.acifoundation.org/), PCI (http://pci-foundation.org/), and CRSI (http://crsi-foundation.org/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Don shared why he chose these professional organizations: “When in school, whether undergraduate or graduate, knowing how your career will unfold is impossible to imagine. I was recently given the opportunity to discuss a topic that many years ago was not on any radar, but now is an interesting and important design aspect for connecting structural elements together. I credit the ability to learn new things to both the universities I attended and the professional organizations in which I have taken an active role. That is why in addition to the three universities named last month, I have elected to donate the honorarium to the following professional organizations: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Concrete Institute (ACI), Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) foundations.”

Thank you, Don, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the foundations for American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Concrete Institute (ACI), Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) foundations as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organizations of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Janel Miller University of Wisconsin – Madison

In October 2018, SE University welcomed back Janel Miller, from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, to present Improving Clarity, Coherence, and Conciseness in Technical Writing. Janel designated the Pheasant Branch Conservancy (http://www.pheasantbranch.org/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Janel shared why she chose this organization, “The Pheasant Branch Conservancy in Middleton, WI, protects a natural wetland recharged by artesian springs that sustain numerous wildlife and native plants year around. Unfortunately, southwest Wisconsin experienced serious flooding in August, 2018, and several areas of the conservancy were damaged and need to be restored. I am helping with the restoration because natural areas like Pheasant Branch inspire me to remember my role as a steward of our planet and all of its resources.”

Thank you, Janel, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Donald Meinheit, PhD, PE, SE Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.

In August 2018, SE University welcomed Donald Meinheit, PhD, PE, SE, from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., to present Behavior and Design of Anchors in Concrete. Don has chosen to split his donation between Purdue University Lyles School of Civil Engineering Graduate Student Scholarships (https://engineering.purdue.edu/CE), University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign Civil and Environmental Engineering Trust Fund (https://cee.illinois.edu/give/cee-trust), and the University of Texas at Austin Jack Breen and Phil Ferguson Endowment Funds (http://www.caee.utexas.edu/alumni/gift/opportunites) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Don shared why he chose these three organizations: “At the time I received my engineering education at Purdue, Illinois, and Texas at Austin, I had no idea of where my professional career would lead me. Fortunate for me, my professors were sincere in their commitment to educate young minds for the future. These three universities nurtured me to become a practical structural engineer with an interest in structural research. It is my desire to support those three institutions to continue teaching young minds.”

Thank you, Don, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of Purdue University Lyles School of Civil Engineering Graduate Student Scholarships, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign CEE Trust Fund, and University of Texas at Austin Jack Breen and Phil Ferguson Endowment Funds, as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organizations of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Dave Adams, SE BWE

In July 2018, SE University welcomed back Dave Adams, SE, from BWE, to present Project Quality and Inspection Requirements. In 2016, he designated the University of California at San Diego Undergraduate Student Scholarships Fund (https://giveto.ucsd.edu/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month, and he has chosen to do the same in 2018.

Dave chose UCSD Undergraduate Student Scholarships Fund for his SEU Speaker Inspires donation because he would like to help make it possible for more students to attend UCSD and study structural engineering.

Thank you, Dave, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the University of California at San Diego Undergraduate Student Scholarships Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Keith Cullum, PE Simpson StrongTie

In June 2018, SE University welcomed Keith Cullum, PE, with Simpson StrongTie, to present Steel Deck Diaphragm Attachment. He has chosen Habitat for Humanity of Collin County (https://habitatcollincounty.org) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

A proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity for more than two decades, Simpson Strong-Tie has been a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity International since 2007, donating more than $2.5 million in cash and products. The contribution has helped support numerous Habitat houses across North America as well as U.S. and international programs. In addition, Simpson Strong-Tie employees have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours in building homes and training local Habitat affiliates along with joining the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects to repair and build homes affected by natural disasters. As Keith works out of the McKinney, TX office of Simpson StrongTie, he has selected Habitat for Humanity of Collin County to impact his local community.

Thank you, Keith, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of Habitat for Humanity of Collin County as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Robert Kuserk, PE, APA – The Engineered Wood Association

In May 2018, SE University welcomed Robert Kuserk, PE, with APA – The Engineered Wood Association, to present Frame for Success – Best Practices for Wood Buildings. He has chosen the Wildlands Conservancy (http://www.wildlandspa.org/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Robert shared that he “chose this organization in association with Teacher Appreciation Week this week to remember my brother, Dr. Frank Kuserk, who passed away last fall. Frank was a professor of Environmental Science at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA and was very active in this organization. This organization’s mission is to protect and restore critical natural areas and waterways in the Lehigh Valley, and educate the community to create a legacy of a healthy, sustainable environment for future generations. This organization also aligns with my interest in the Scouting programs in that it helps to create and preserve lands connecting to nature that the scouts can use, and supports sustainability which is also a hallmark of the wood industry.”

Thank you, Robert, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the Wildlands Conservancy as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

Matthew Rechtien, PE, Esq., Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Ann Arbor

In April 2018, SE University welcomed back Matthew Rechtien, PE, Esq., Senior Assistant City Attorney with the City of Ann Arbor, to present Engineering Law and Ethics Case Studies. In 2017, he designated the David and Maxine Fowler Endowed Excellence Fund at the University of Texas at Austin(http://endowments.giving.utexas.edu/page/fowler-david-maxine-exc-fnd-caee/4886/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month, and he has chosen to do the same in 2018.

Matthew previously shared why he chose the David and Maxine Fowler Endowed Excellence Fund: “Dr. Fowler, with the support of his wife, Maxine, has been a mentor, advocate, and friend for twenty years. As a professor at the University of Texas for half a century, he has touched the lives of literally hundreds of other engineering students, engineers and others in a similar way. Dr. Fowler is a gentleman and scholar in every sense of those words. I am humbled to be able to contribute, in any way (but especially by, as he did, teaching my fellow engineers), to his legacy, including the David and Maxine Fowler Endowed Excellence Fund.”

Thank you, Matthew, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the David and Maxine Fowler Endowed Excellence Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

David Odeh, SE, PE, SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE, Odeh Engineers, Inc.

In March of 2018, SE University welcomed David Odeh, SE, PE, SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE, to present Classical Design Methods . David nominated SEI Futures Fund (http://www.asce.org/structural-engineering/sei-futures-fund/) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation for this month.

David shared about his involvement in SEI Futures Fund: “A few years ago, a group of leaders from SEI got together and created something we called the SEI Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering (https://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/visionforthefuture.pdf), which is a strategy to promote leadership and innovation in our profession to make sure that in the future we are the creative leaders that are coming up with the solutions to the great problems that society faces like Urbanization, Climate Change, and Public Health.

The SEI Futures Fund invests in new initiatives that are beyond the scope of the SEI budget, and it does things like fund young engineers and professionals to come to Structures Congress, participate in SEI Standards committees, and learn the leadership skills that will be needed to make sure our profession thrives in the future.”

Thank you, David, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of SEI Futures Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.