Engineers Week 2023

Celebrate National Engineers Week

National Engineers Week is taking place now through February 25, celebrating engineers and the impact they make on our world.

Engineering encompasses many different subfields, and is generally divided in four main categories: chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical. However, there are dozens of subtypes of engineering. As problems are encountered, engineering disciplines are developed to train highly specialized individuals to solve these issues. As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics points to strong job growth outlooks and salaries starting in the high five-figures to low six-figures, engineering is a fine career to pursue.

Engineers are professionals who invent, analyze, design, test, and build anything from machines to structures to complex systems. Biomedical engineers combine knowledge of biology and medicine to develop technologies related to

healthcare. Chemical engineers discover and manufacture medicines, fertilizers, plastics, paints, and more. Civil engineers study and design infrastructure. Computer engineers research and develop components like memory devices, networks, routers, circuit boards, and other device-related hardware. Electrical engineers work on motors, navigation systems, communication technology, and much more. Mechanical engineers design systems in industries like manufacturing, nuclear power production, HVAC, and nanotechnology.

Engineering can be a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. With so many disciplines, there's likely something for everyone with an interest in and aptitude for engineering.

Ready to learn more?

Stop by the 2023 Engineering Expo on March 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of Maine Field House in Orono .

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend this year’s event to experience firsthand the many contributions that Maine engineers make to our communities and way of life. In attendance will be Maine’s top engineering firms, engineering schools, educators, government agencies, industry, and engineering societies.

It’s a great opportunity for those interested in engineering to learn all about the exciting places their math, science, and communication skills can take them.

For more information, visit engineeringmecom/expo

New UMaine Engineering Center Now Complete

BY SARAH COTTRELL

The Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center is the newest addition to Orono's beautiful University of Maine campus. The new building is a welcome addition that houses the Biomedical Engineering Program and Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as teaching laboratories for the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program.

“The newly built Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center is one of the best active learning facilities in New England,” said Chris Karlen, Communications Specialist for the College of Engineering. “This facility incorporates modern teaching ideas and students’ needs into a beautiful three-story building that includes the Senior Design Project Suite with 44 workbenches and seven supporting shops for biomedical, electronics, automotive, metal, carpentry, composite, and prototyping work.”

The project, which broke ground in April 2020 and was completed in August 2022, is one of New England's best active learning spaces, thanks to the generous design details meant to support academic work and learning. These include:

• 10,000-square-foot multidisciplinary student project design suite with 42 workbenches supported by shops for biomedical, electronics, 3D printing, vehicles, metals, wood and composites

• 10,000-square-foot biomedical engineering research lab s uite

• Six active learning classrooms

• Teaching labs for mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering technology

• 12 team meeting rooms

• Student common on the first and second floors

• A welcome center and focal point for campus-wide STEM outreach

The three-story building, located adjacent to the famous Black Bear statue near the Field House, blends into campus seamlessly with its granite and brick facade and big, sunny windows. The first floor is primarily a laboratory space for students and faculty. The second-floor houses mechanical engineering classrooms, and the third is for chemical and biomedical engineering classrooms, however, many different majors will have access to the second and third-story classrooms for instruction.

The building isn’t just for classrooms, though. Upon entering the southfacing plaza, students are greeted with big, sunny windows, a wide open seating area, and food services. In the back of the spacious seating area are 12 meeting rooms that can each comfortably fit around a dozen people. These meeting spaces are on each floor of the building.

On the north side of the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center is a welcome center where all prospective UMaine students will meet to start their campus tours.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UMAINE

Engineers at Work: Harnessing Renewable Energy

It’s been a busy time along the banks of the Millinocket Stream edging the former Great Northern Paper Mill property now called One North. Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC), a developer of tidal and river power systems that generate electricity from free flowing tidal and river currents, has partnered with Our Katahdin to test the new environmentally friendly Modular RivGen power system in Millinocket.

ORPC is an international company headquartered in Portland, with an engineering lab in Brunswick and a tidal energy test site in Eastport. Our Katahdin is a non-profit community and economic development organization tasked with redeveloping the Millinocket region.

ORPC is developing the autonomous turbine generator unit, a roving subsea power generation module capable of self-propelling, self-deploying and retrieving, and providing a power supply to undersea vehicles and monitoring systems, and performing underwater missions such as heavy lifts, inspections, and robotic operations. What this means is the company’s engineers have designed and and continue to create power systems using a natural resource: water.

ORPC got its feet wet, so to speak, about 10 years ago when the company installed an underwater turbine using Cobscook Bay tidal currents to generate renewable energy. The unit was installed on the ocean floor in Eastport and Lubec. The project transmitted

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

the first electricity ever delivered to a utility-scale grid from an ocean resource in the Americas.

“The Modular RivGen System is designed for integration into existing works, such as hydroelectric dam tailraces (a water channel that carries water away from a dam), electrical vehicle charging networks, irrigation canals, bridges, piers, breakwaters and flood control systems,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Jarlath McEntee.

“It can also provide baseload and/or emergency power for critical infrastructure such as health care facilities and public utilities such as water supply and wastewater treatment facilities,” said McEntee.

ORPC has invested more than $50 million in the state economy so far, through work with more than 300 partners, contractors and vendors since 2007. Among them is the Millinocket Fabrication and Machine (MFM) company.

“We have supported ORPC on a number of levels including fabrication and machining parts, transportation logistics, field assistance, assembly of rotors as well as assisting on the full assembly of the Modular RivGen that will be deployed at the One North site here in Millinocket,” said Fred Lewis, president of MFM. “It’s an exciting project and Millinocket Fabrication & Machine is proud to be a part of it.”

Jessica Masse spoke about Our Katahdin’s vision for the One North property. “We are looking for innovative processes and methods that harness the natural resources of the region with a focus on bio-based technologies. ORPC’s project is a pilot installation that provides small-scale hydroelectric power generation for local use. We are happy to be part of this innovative use of river current, and see many industrial applications in areas where large-scale hydroelectric infrastructure may not be available.”

This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy program, and catching the attention of U.S. Senator Angus King. “This Maine-led project with international reach has the potential to generate reliable and affordable power for people across our state and reduce fossil fuel emissions while creating good jobs in rural areas that have historically relied on the success of heritage industries,” said King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “I’m excited by the progress of this innovative project and the partnerships ORPC is already forming with local businesses in the Millinocket area and throughout the state.”

Modular RivGen unit deployed in Millinocket Stream

PHOTO COURTESY OF ORPC

Join the Versant Power Team!

We are looking for talented and driven engineers to join the Versant Power team! Our engineers work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment where they can see the results of their work every day. They have the opportunity to learn and grow in the profession while helping us improve our system and transition to a clean energy future.

Now more than ever, Versant Power engineers are gaining opportunities to integrate distributed generation into the grid and continue to prepare the system for beneficial electrification such as heat pumps and electric vehicles. Our engineers are working on complex solutions to bring many new solar energy projects across northern and eastern Maine, and we are seeing their efforts in action with recent solar interconnections.

At Versant Power, we value professional development and want our engineers to have the latest industry knowledge and training. Recently, for example, we have been incorporating advanced reliability technology into our system that isolates and limits the impact of electrical faults. Projects such as this allow team members to visit communities throughout our service territory to perform planning exercises and witness the implementation of engineering plans.

There are always new projects to work on, and Versant Power engineers are encouraged to get involved in a variety of projects on the electrical distribution and transmission systems, including planning, protection and coordination, line and substation design, underground facilities, and communication equipment.

Distribution system planning includes modeling and analyzing the electrical distribution system, using studies to determine immediate needs, forecasting future electrical system needs and identifying opportunities to improve the system. Similar work is performed for the bulk power system. Versant Power engineers perform substation design, studies on transmission line configurations to ensure power can be supplied to all substations, and other coordination and protection of the transmission system. Line engineers create detailed designs of new power lines, evaluating choices of wire and pole strength and appropriate guying to ensure reliable service at a reasonable cost.

Versant Power offers full benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance; paid vacation, personal time, and holidays; 100% tuition reimbursement, a 401(k) match; and opportunities for professional development. We contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable causes and economic development opportunities in northern and eastern Maine and encourage employees to volunteer and fundraise for causes important to them by providing matching funds.

Versant Power is proud to sponsor National Engineers Week in Maine and encourages those interested in engineering to join us in bringing power to the people of Maine. If you’re interested in joining our team, please email recruiting@versantpower.com for more information.

COURTESY OF VERSANT POWER

Cianbro Helps Develop Future Engineering Leaders

How does that work? That is the question that begins the journey for many engineers. Pursuing engineering as a career takes a creative, determined, and curious mindset. The skills you’ll learn can be applied to varying roles within several markets, including infrastructure, industrial/manufacturing, power and energy, commercial building, petrochemical, and oil/gas refining.

That light-bulb moment occurred in high school for Erica Bertolaccini, a senior project engineer who studied civil engineering at the University of Maine. Though she bounced between pursuing nursing or engineering, she chose the latter and hasn’t looked back.

“As an engineer working for Cianbro, a general contractor, I get to help build stuff,” says Bertolaccini. Currently, she is working on the Fall River Bridge Replacement project in Blue Hill, Maine. “I’m not stuck behind a computer all day. I get to have my boots on the ground and help build infrastructure that’s benefiting the community.”

Through the Cianbro Institute, team members within The Cianbro Companies — Cianbro, A/Z Corporation, Starcon International, and R. C. Stevens Construction Company — have the opportunity to participate in robust, award-winning in-house courses to develop their skills in a variety of roles.

“Fresh out of college, I was eager to learn everything that went into building construction from the concrete foundations all the way through installing complex mechanical and electrical systems,” says Bill Grover, a UMaine graduate. Grover began his career with Cianbro as an engineer and is now an assistant project manager with Cianbro’s Building market. “My managers have constantly trusted me to take on more and more responsibility over the years, which has helped me grow into the position I’m in today. The level of trust at this company has really been what’s allowed me to grow.”

Last year, Cianbro introduced a new Engineering Development Program (EDP), where team members can receive the tools and knowledge to increase their success as engineers and future leaders. In addition, the program introduces participants to various roles and departments within The Cianbro Companies. Participants in the program, which consists of three 3-day sessions, receive education on the role of a project engineer and field supervisor, and further their core development in construction means and methods, engineering fundamentals, estimating, and leadership preparation.

“As a Cianbro team member, you have the opportunity to take your career to new heights with the educational, leadership, and safety courses provided by Cianbro,” says Jesse Steorts, a project engineer who successfully completed Cianbro’s EDP. “I was selected to be a part of the Engineering Development Program, which takes field and project engineers from across all markets within Cianbro. My biggest takeaway was learning the differences between each market within Cianbro and how they operate. It was eye-opening and prepared me to take the next step in my career.”

“Cianbro goes after the most challenging and unique projects in the country, and the opportunities for young engineers are unmatched at Cianbro,” adds Bertolaccini. “If you like problem-solving, creative thinking, and innovation, engineering will be a good fit for you.”

To learn more about career opportunities for engineers at Cianbro, visit www.cianbro.com/Careers/Cianbro

COURTESY OF CIANBRO

Sappi Sets the Standard for Engineering Careers, Innovation

Paper permeates nearly every aspect of our lives—it’s in our clothes, our cars, our pantries and, of course, our mailboxes. The paper industry is a critical resource at the forefront of innovation and sustainability to meet consumer demands, especially when it comes to creating new paper and packaging products to replace or minimize singleuse plastic.

Sappi made strategic investments in excess of $200 million several years ago to expand into the packaging business at our Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, since we had already anticipated a strong market desire to move toward renewable, paperbased packaging.

Now we are investing another $418 million to expand operations at the Somerset Mill to increase its capacity to produce paperboard products for packaging. Demand for packaging and specialty papers in North America is particularly robust, especially since our paperboard is a more environmentally sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. Our paperboard is used in premium packaging for a variety of goods and foodservice items, such as plates, dishes and cups, as a sustainable alternative to Styrofoam.

With such forward-thinking investments, Sappi epitomizes the legacy of innovative papermaking in Maine, where it all started with our invention of coated paper 150 years ago. Sappi’s history of investing in sustainability, new technology and state-of-the-art machinery led us naturally to the packaging business.

Sappi scores highly with third-party organizations that rate sustainability in the pulp and paper industry, and we are committed to procuring materials from suppliers who operate within sustainability standards. We emphasize how our active forestmanagement process leaves forests better than when we found them, noting that Maine

has more forest land now than it did 100 years ago.

Due to our innovative leadership, Sappi keeps its eye on the future. Sappi is a leading global company in the pulp and paper industry with offices and mills in Boston, Maine, Minnesota, South Africa, Europe and more. The company is driven by our Thrive2025 vision, which seeks to bring unity to all Sappi locations and pursue growth opportunities in the wood-fiber industry.

The work here is challenging and interesting, and the pay is competitive. But most importantly, Sappi is full of seasoned engineers ready to mentor younger staff.

Sappi works closely with the University of Maine’s Pulp and Paper Foundation to support students who express an interest in the pulp and paper industry, ensuring the next generation of paper engineers is the best and brightest. We work with local institutions to offer competitive co-op programs and career development opportunities. Our 130 local engineers come from a variety of institutions, including University of Maine, Maine Maritime, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and more.

For hundreds of years, the paper industry has been a staple of Maine’s economy, and Sappi North America’s mills and offices in Skowhegan, Westbrook and South Portland have remained a bright spot throughout that time. Our company has set the gold standard for environmental practices, and we continuously update processes to drive innovation and sustainability.

For more information or to talk with someone about joining our team, visit www.sappi.com

Engineering the Future of Science

COURTESY OF THE JACKSON LABORATORY

At The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), engineers work across the organization in many exciting and diverse roles. From leading the expansion of state-of-the-art facilities in Bar Harbor and Ellsworth, to working with complex software to help solve science’s toughest challenges.

JAX is currently seeking Maine-based engineers and technicians to support local, regional and global initiatives. Apprenticeships are also available for individuals attending Eastern Maine Community College and the Maine Maritime Academy. The apprenticeship program offers opportunities to work part time throughout school semesters and full time during school breaks, helping students advance toward industry licensure and potential full-time employment at JAX.

Now is the time to join our team. Be part of a community making a global difference in JAX’s mission to improve human health. If you thrive in a collaborative and supportive culture — a place you can make an impact on day one — then JAX is the place for you.

Collaboration is what drew Kyle Martin to JAX. Kyle, a building automation technician, works with others to problem solve and challenge his ingenuity when propelling JAX’s technology into the future. He feels empowered to make a difference and when asked what he likes best about his role, he states, “At JAX, I have the ability to develop my own ideas and take things to the next level. To go above and beyond and go down any path I see to advance the Laboratory’s mission.”

As an independent, nonprofit biomedical research organization founded in Maine in 1929, JAX is continuing to grow and expand its capabilities across the globe. JAX has grown to over 3,000 team members, partnered with teachers in Maine to promote STEM, sponsored the Maine State Science Fair, constructed a new state-of-the-art vivarium facility in Ellsworth, and maintains over 60 buildings on our Bar Harbor campus.

Growing organizations face challenges; they depend on their engineers to forecast future obstacles and fixes. It’s why, after his third internship at the Laboratory, Bob Terwilliger joined JAX. As a building automation program and systems technician, “…99 days out of 100 are all different. It’s always different, always challenging… We find creative solutions to problems. That’s the challenge I enjoy at JAX,” he says.

People are at the heart of everything we do and our benefits are designed to support our employees and their families from the start. JAX employees receive a comprehensive benefits package including health care, paid time off, a retirement plan and more. Employees are also offered the opportunity to grow in their careers through professional development programs and tuition assistance benefits. Both the Bar Harbor and Ellsworth campuses have well-appointed fitness centers; Bar Harbor also features a full-service cafe and a medical clinic providing care for employees and their families.

Learn more about current opportunities at jax.org/careers

COME SOLVE WITH US

Love puzzles? We bring together electrical engineers, civil engineers and environmental specialists to tackle our clients’ toughest power delivery challenges. Find your idea of fun here. Check out our careers at POWERENG.COM/CAREERS

Who We Are Matters!

Kleinschmidt is a mid-sized, employee-owned environmental and engineering consulting firm. We have 12 offices strategically located throughout North America, including offices in Falmouth and Pittsfield, Maine, with over 90 engineers on staff. Our engineers cover various disciplines, including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulics & hydrology, fisheries, and geotechnical. Our firm size, a wide range of staff expertise, and dedication to excellence allow us to provide personal attention and be responsive to our clients while providing a positive culture of mentorship and growth to our team members.

We enjoy a relaxed, professional atmosphere where employees feel that they matter. We are consistently recognized as a Best Firm/Best Place to Work, and our team members say that our flexible work environment is one of our most valuable benefits because it promotes work-life balance. Clients’ needs are met, and employees have the freedom to prioritize family needs with flexible work hours and the option to work remotely.

What We Do Matters!

Collectively, our firm and employees work to ensure we leave the planet better for future generations. For more than 55 years, Kleinschmidt has provided engineering, regulatory, and environmental consulting services to energy companies and government agencies across North America. Our goal is to bring energy, water, and the environment into balance, so future generations will thrive.

“To me, being an engineer at Kleinschmidt means being able to apply my lifelong passions and technical skills to evaluate conditions and solve complex problems at

interesting job sites. I enjoy being able to work on unique projects with teams of other engineers in such a positive atmosphere,” says Emily Erhart, Project Engineer at Kleinschmidt.

Your Development Matters!

We are dedicated to the personal and professional growth of our employees. As a Kleinschmidt team member, you will have the opportunity to work directly with our senior staff to do meaningful work that focuses on solving client problems while growing yourself and others and achieving the firm’s strategic objectives over the longer term.

We believe in supporting the next generation of renewable energy professionals, which is why we participate in Engineers Week. Our team members regularly volunteer in community efforts where young people learn about being an engineer, what the job entails, and what it is like to go out in the field and work on some amazing hydropower facilities. We encourage young engineers to lace up their boots and get ready to work in some fantastic locations!

If you would like to learn more about a career at Kleinschmidt, or about working as an engineer in the renewable energy sector, visit us on the web at kleinschmidtgroup.com. Our career and STEM center can help in your endeavors.

that improve the safety of communities, enhance the health of our rivers, and provide renewable energy tomorrow a little better than today.” Jennifer Jones, Engineering Technical Director

Why We Chose a Career in Engineering

COURTESY OF WBRC

Who is a good candidate for a career in engineering? What does a civil, structural, mechanical, or electrical engineer do? We asked several of the newer members of WBRC’s engineering team about their chosen careers.

Why did you become an engineer? What attracted you to this profession?

Joshua Crofton-Macdonald, PE — Structural Engineer:

“Growing up, I had a knack for problem-solving and enjoyed building with my hands. From puzzles to home construction projects, I loved putting things together and seeing the finished product. Engineering was attractive to me because I saw it as an opportunity to blend my love of problem-solving and modeling with my desire to be outside building things with my hands.”

Nathalie Rhoads — Structural Designer:

“I wanted to become an engineer so that I could have the skills to contribute to the development of safe, sustainable infrastructure. I have always been motivated by the fact that engineers can design solutions that improve people’s lives, and I am particularly passionate about how those skills can be used to help those in underserved communities.”

When people ask you what you do all day, what do you say?

Miguel Betancourt, PE — Structural Engineer:

“Many say, ‘What is a structural engineer?’ I tell them that if you compare a building to a human body, the Architect would be responsible for its looks; Mechanical/Electrical/ Plumbing would be responsible for the organs, arteries, and nerves; and a Structural Engineer is responsible for the bones to make sure the body is stable and sturdy.”

Bob Curran, PE — Senior Electrical Engineer:

“There is lots of work required to get to a finished drawing which can be used to construct a building, or any other similar complex system. Many days are filled with calculations, designing portions of the project, selecting the materials to be used, and then documenting this all in the finished design. Today, this is mostly done with computer programs and applications.”

When you first started working in engineering, what was most surprising to you?

Dorothy Collins — Structural Designer:

“The biggest surprise was how much of what you learn in school is not really used in real life. Most of construction is driven by budget and time of construction, not the theoretical best solution.”

What traits do you think are needed to be successful in your engineering discipline?

Michael Guethle, PE — Civil Engineer:

“You need to have a strong foundation in math and sciences. Once these skills are established, the traits most critical to engineering design and construction are a genuine curiosity to learn and understand, and then the soft skills of time management, bookkeeping, and communication.”

Toby Michaud, PE — Senior Civil Engineer:

“Traits of a good engineer include a person who is thoughtful, organized, and a good listener. A lot of thought goes into the design decisions that we make. Being organized is a must since we often have many different projects going on at once. Listening to the needs of our clients is important. What we do for work is take their vision and make it come to life.”

What would you say to a young person who is interested in becoming an engineer but unsure if they have what it takes?

Stephanie Jewel, EI — Mechanical Designer:

“You can do anything you want with engineering. There are a million ways to mold it, and you may change your goals throughout your program, and most likely you can find a way to incorporate your new interests into engineering if you look hard enough.”

Brandon Hardy, PE — Mechanical Engineer:

“Do it. As an MEP engineer there is never a dull moment and you’re always learning. If you enjoy learning and challenging yourself, engineering is a great career.”

Hear more from these engineering professionals at wbrcinc.com/eweekinterviews

Members of the WBRC design team tour the new Ferland Engineering Education & Design Center at the University of Maine.