BUILDING your future
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E N G I N E E R I N G two�ousandseventeen
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August 2017
Building Your Future in Engineering
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Georgia Engineer magazine Publisher : A4 Inc. | 1154 Lower Birmingham Road | Canton, Georgia 30115 (770) 521-8877 | e-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com Managing Editor: Roland Petersen-Frey e-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com
Associate Editor Daniel J. Simmons e-mail: dsimmons@a4inc.com
Art Direction/Design Pamela S. Petersen-Frey e-mail: pfrey@a4inc.com
Why Engineering Matters: A statement by the Royal Academy of Engineering
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Engineering underpins human progress. Engineering is about the practical delivery of scientifically informed solutions for the great challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving world. Engineers take scientific discoveries and apply them practically. eir work literally creates the fabric of society, whether the buildings we live and work in, the energy that powers our world or the transport networks that we use every day. Engineering is so diverse that it is sometimes hard for the public to see a common thread between its feats. At one end of the scale, engineers are responsible for the massive scale design and build of the Large Hadron Collider and, at the other, to the many applications of nano-technology. Engineering creates the breathtaking yet sustainable new buildings on the skylines of the world’s great cities as well as bringing clean water and sanitation to remote, impoverished villages. en there is the communications revolution, creating a growing sense of world community, enabling billions of people to access information and services and forging new business opportunities. So what must an engineer know and do in order to be effective and successful? e bedrock of engineering is the application of mathematical and physical theory. But engineering is far more than just about knowledge: an engineer’s core business is to turn theory into practice. As with medicine, engineering expertise only comes with practice, by means of exposure to real-world dilemmas and techniques for addressing them. It is practice that enables an engineer to learn another
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crucial core skill—to think strategically about the whole picture while keeping an eye on the detail. is whole systems thinking is what allows an engineer to juggle the competing demands of a project, managing risks, controlling costs, and keeping to time. v
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Table of Contents Why Engineering Matters 4 Letter from Governor Nathan Deal 7 Educating Georgia’s Future Workforce ~ By Richard Woods 8 Dear Students: I want to help you land your dream job ~ By Gretchen Corbin 10 Engineering: Finding Solutions to our Greatest Challenges ~ By Dr. Donald Leo 12 Engineering the Future ~ By Dr. Thomas Currin 16 Future City: The Age-friendly City ~ By Dr. Tony Rizzuto 22 MATHCOUNTS ~ By Betty Jean Jordan 26 Stress & Choice ~ By Dr. Ruth Middleton House 28 Coastal Pines Technical College 30 Construction Management as a Career Choice: Building Our Nation’s Future ~ By Bruce D’Agostino 32 Do You Have What it Takes to Run an Engineering Company? An Interview with Lori Kennedy 36 Auburn University 38 Georgia Institute of Technology 40 Georgia Southern ~ By Allen Paulson 42 Building a Solid Foundation: Why Being an Ethical Engineer Matters 44 Kennesaw State University 48 Mercer University 50 Middle Georgia State University 52 Salary Survey 54 Engineering Your Career ~ By Matt Barcus 56 University of Georgia 58 Vanderbilt University 60 Wiregrass Georgia Technical College 62
Advertisers in this book Auburn University . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Kennesaw State Univ. . . . . . . . . 11
Burns & McDonnell . . . . . . . . . . 4
McDonough Bolyard & Peck . 29
Cardno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Mercer University . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Coastal Pines Tech. College . . . 9
Middle Ga. State University.. . 25
GEICC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
THC Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Georgia Tech. . . . . . . Back Cover
TCSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Georgia Power Company. . . . IFC
United Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Georgia Southern University. . . 3
University of Georgia . . . . . . . . 21
Kennedy Engineering Group . 34
Wiregrass Technical College . 47
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August 2017
Letter from Governor Nathan Deal
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Educating Georgia’s Future Workforce By Richard Woods | State School Superintendent
Dear students,
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Each day, my colleagues and I come to work at the Georgia Department of Education with one goal: making sure you and your peers have all the tools you need for a successful future. We don’t want to restrict you to one particular definition of success— instead, we want to provide you with a strong, well rounded education that will allow you to graduate ready for any path you may choose, from higher education to the military to heading directly into the workforce or an apprenticeship opportunity. Our goal is for you to be successful and fulfilled, no matter where life takes you. That’s why our Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs exist. Schools now have a Richard Woods choice of more than 127 Career Pathways to offer you, each designed to blend critical thinking and strong academics with opportunities to gain real-world skills (like internships and apprenticeships). There’s no better example than the Engineering Pathway. Jobs in engineering, engineering technology, and industrial technologies continue to grow here in Georgia. For example, five engineering occupations are listed on the Georgia Department of Labor’s list of HOT Careers to 2022, with annual wages of at least $79,000. If this is a subject you’re passionate about, the CTAE programs in Georgia’s high schools can prepare you to take on a career in engineering. No matter what
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you choose to do, I urge you to take advantage of the many resources available to help you identify a career you love, one that allows you to serve your community, state, and world. I wish you the very best as you move toward a successful future.
Sincerely,
Richard Woods State School Superintendent
August 2017
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Dear Students: I want to help you land your dream job By Gretchen Corbin | Commissioner
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As someone interested in Engineering, you know that there has not been a more exciting time to be living in the Peach State. Georgia’s pro-business policies continue to attract new businesses while helping existing businesses grow in our diverse economy. Georgia ranks 6th in the nation for the most FORTUNE 500 headquarters and 16th in the world for the most Global FORTUNE 500 headquarters. Georgia’s film production is the third largest in the world and saw an investment of nearly $2 billion dollars last year. Our state has been ranked the number one state to do business for four years in a row. There’s no doubt about it—Georgia is full of opportuGretchen Corbin nities. And these opportunities require a workforce with a higher set of skills than in the past. In fact, 60 percent of the jobs in Georgia will require a postsecondary credential by 2025. Gone are the days when a person could earn a good, middle class wage with only a high school diploma. The 21st century economy demands workers advance their skill sets. The good news is there is a cost-effective way to learn the skills businesses need in its employees— through one of the 22 technical colleges in the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Whether you are a student looking to earn college credit while still in high school, a recent high school graduate seeking a postsecondary program that will prepare you for a great job without taking on mountains of college debt, or a working adult looking to learn a new skill, TCSG meets you where you are. TCSG students obtain valuable experience while learning from experts in the field, so that 10
they, too, can become tomorrow’s experts. Through the HOPE Career Grant, TCSG offers free tuition for those students entering 12 high-demand fields—like computer programming, industrial maintenance, and precision manufacturing. Furthermore, our technical college system has an 88 percent job placement rate in the student’s field of study. Obtaining a degree from one of our technical colleges means you can expect to make up to half a million dollars more over the course of your working life. As new businesses put down roots in Georgia and existing companies continue to expand, they are going to hire more talent. Talent to help them grow, help them compete, and help them lead in the 21st century. They are going to need talent like you. The Technical College System of Georgia can prepare you for these jobs. Opportunity is certainly knocking in Georgia. Visit TCSG.edu and join the thousands of graduates who have opened the door to a lifetime of success right here in Georgia. We look forward to launching your career. Best wishes,
Gretchen Corbin Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia
August 2017
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ENGINEERING: FINDING SOLUTIONS TO OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES
By Dr. Donald Leo, Dean , UGA College of Engineering 12
August 2017
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Engineering is everywhere. Think about the streets and highways you travel to school, the computer you use in class, the smartphone in your pocket, and even the water you drink. These are examples of things we depend on every day—and they are made possible by engineering. If you are creative, curious about how things work, enjoy math and science, and like finding better ways to solve a problem, engineering may be a great career for you. Engineers are solving some of the greatest challenges facing our world. They’re making sure we have a safe and plentiful water supply, finding new sources of clean and efficient energy, building secure computer networks, and exploring novel ways to treat diseases and improve people’s health. At the University of Georgia College of Engineering, we are creating a community of learners, educators, and researchers in a top-ranked liberal arts, landgrant university. We pride ourselves on having a learning DR. DONALD LEO environment that provides a rigorous engineering curriculum and offers experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for leadership through effective communication and teamwork. We provide opportunities for students as early as their first semester to take part in many of the discoveries that occur every day at a research-intensive university, and we are creating opportunities for innovation in our students through programs in entrepreneurship and community outreach. We’re fortunate that our college is part of the University of Georgia, one of the top 20 public liberal arts universities in the nation. We offer dual degree pro-
Built in 1832, the Chapel is situated in the heart of UGA’s historic North Campus. The Chapel Bell originally rang for religious services, for the beginning and end of class, and in emergencies. Nowadays, the bell is rung to mark athletic victories, special occasions such as graduation, and oftentimes, just for fun.
Building Your Future in Engineering
grams that allow you to accelerate your pathway to an advanced degree, and we offer unique interdisciplinary programs such as a dual degree in German and engineering that includes a year abroad for coursework and an internship with a German company. Another new program, in partnership with UGA’s Terry College of Business, allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering and an MBA within five years. We are leading a university-wide initiative in Informatics that prepares engineers to work with students in all disciplines in fields such as data analytics and data-driven decision-making. I’m especially proud of the way the UGA College of Engineering educates engineers that are well rounded, are excellent leaders, team members, and communicators, and are prepared to start whatever career that they desire. A rigorous education is vital for all engineering students, but at UGA we also focus on building our students’ leadership, teamwork, and communications skills. With a degree in engineering, you’ll be in demand. Graduates in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) enjoy exceptionally high placement rates and command high salaries—even in their first job. A degree in engineering can prepare you for just about anything. Many of our graduates go on to become doctors, lawyers or business leaders. The problem-solving skills and attention to detail required of engineering graduates are valuable assets in any career you choose. While your future career and salary are important considerations as you begin your college path, I believe the power to make the world a better place is an even more important consideration. As an engineer, you will have that power. You can make a difference in the lives of people around the world. v 13
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Engineering the Future By Dr. Thomas Currin | the 2016 Georgia Engineer of the Year | Kennesaw State University
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Choosing a career in engineering is an exciting opportunity to explore creative problem-solving in a world where the pace of technology and infrastructure development moves at lightning speed. At Kennesaw State University, our students learn cuttingedge engineering strategies and the latest research developments in the field, and have unique opportunities to channel their own creativity while gaining practical perspectives. The Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technologies offers 20 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in engineering disciplines such as mechatronics, systems, nuclear, environmental, computer, mechanical, civil and construction engineering. Dr. Thomas Currin Our ABET-accredited engineering and engineering technology degree programs serve thousands of students each year, allowing them to stay ahead of industry trends and acquire critical thinking skills and applied knowledge that is essential to solving tomorrow’s challenges. As the second-largest engineering college in Georgia, we serve a diverse student body. In our engineering technology programs, KSU has the second largest African-American student enrollment and the fifth largest female enrollment in the country, while our University’s engineering programs have the fourth largest African-American enrollment. Besides a diverse student body, the college’s diverse programs in both engineering and engineering technology offer strong academic rigor with a focus on projectbased learning, which is used extensively throughout every engineering degree program at Kennesaw State.
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Research Discovery
Research can help shape industry by uncovering new technologies, improving existing products and advancing innovative ideas. Many undergraduate and graduate engineering students work alongside dedicated KSU faculty to conduct research that resolves an underlying issue or creates a proof of concept in areas such as biomechanics or robotics. In KSU’s Georgia Pavement and Traffic Research Center, students conduct research to address critical issues in pavement and traffic engineering for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Electrical engineering students in the Alternative Energy Innovation Center have helped to produce the University’s first solar cells as they strive to develop better photovoltaic technologies. Industrial and systems engineering students are researching ways to make the use of connected fitness tracking devices easier and more effective through wearable technologies, and Mechatronics students are focused on building advanced autonomous systems for self-driving cars. Mechanical engineering and physics major Christopher Roper recently earned third place at the National Society of Black Engineers Technical Research Exhibition for his aerospace engineering research in the area of propulsion and combustion for turbofan engines. Applied research can fuel engineers’ desire to solve society’s biggest challenges, and students play a big role in contributing to their creative dexterity.
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Zuckerman Museum of Art at Kennesaw State University Nationally Ranked
For our engineering graduates, the return on investment is one of the highest in the country, according to a 2015 report by PayScale.com, a salary information company. The University ranked eighth among all engineering colleges in the nation for ROI. Other rankings show the caliber of KSU’s engineering curriculum. U.S. News & World Report ranked KSU online programs among its “Best Online Programs” for 2017, including our engineering masters’ programs for the first time. Ranked at No. 56, Kennesaw State was the only Georgia institution named to the graduate engineering programs ranking. Engineers work in a world that is both challenging and complex. Kenne-
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saw State students learn to address potential obstacles from a broader perspective and are prepared to use that ingenuity to anticipate those tough engineering problems, long after leaving campus. v
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FUTURE CITY THE AGE-FRIENDLY CITY By Tony Rizzuto, PhD. | Chair and Associate Professor | Department of Architecture | Kennesaw State University | Coordinator | Future City Competition Georgia Region
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August 2017
“It turns out that most of the things old people need are good for the rest of the community, too.” John Feather Chief Executive Officer, Grantmakers in Aging
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What does it mean to be an ‘older’ citizen? The official definition in most countries is a person who is more than 60 or 65 years old. Beyond that, there is little else that seniors have in common. Today, a revolution in the ‘culture of aging’ is underway, and timeworn notions of the elderly no longer fit. Older adults are living longer, staying in the workforce longer, and contributing to their communities in myriad ways. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed a framework to help cities become more age-friendly. They define an age-friendly city as one that “encourages active ageing by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.” This entails designing and adapting a city’s natural and built environment to create accessible and safe transportation options, barrier-free access to homes and public buildings, and health care support and services so that people can maintain their health and independence for as long as possible. Such features do not only benefit the elderly but also people of all ages. That is why Future City has taken on this central issue. This year’s upcoming Competition is themed “The Age-friendly City.” Working with educators and professional mentors, teams of middle school students from around the state are being asked to identify an age-related challenge that exists in today’s urban environments and engineer two innovative solutions that allow your future city’s senior citizens to be as active, independent, and engaged as they want to be. Using the Engineering Design Process, they’ll tackle that task with an eye on the integration of those solutions into the larger built environment. Our students ex-
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plore urban planning and sustainable growth and development, while looking at city services and management, transportation systems and infrastructure like power supply, renewable energy, water resources and treatment, garbage disposal and recycling, and pollution control. And they do it with an eye on overcoming barriers to independent living for our older neighbors, as they apply their knowledge and creativity in the design of a city 150 years into the future. The only national engineering competition for middle school students, Future City has gained wide acclaim for its role in encouraging interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), through hands on applications. The competition is designed to make students flex their skills in writing (a City Description Essay on their city and the year’s theme), complex problem solving and design (a Virtual City design done using Simcity software), math and physics (a Physical Model), and communication and public speaking (a Team Presentation). The Future City competition helps students significantly improve their STEM core subjects. A 2012 study by The Concord Evaluation Group found 86% of teachers said that they saw improvement in the problem solving skills of those who entered the competition. Eighty five percent of students claimed Future City helped them to learn and appreciate everything that goes into planning and maintaining a city. Equally high percentages stated the competition gave them an outlet for their creativity and imagination while teaching them the importance of working with others to solve problems. Now in its 24th year, Future City reaches over 33,000 middle school students across the U.S. each year. This fall, students across Georgia and the U.S. will start this year’s competition on the Age-Friendly City. We hope you will join them in their journey of discovery. We are always looking for professional engineers, architects, and planners to become mentors, judges, or volunteers for this exciting, educational project. To learn how you can be a part of the Future City team, visit the national Web site at www.futurecity.org or the Georgia regional Web site at www.cacm.kennesaw.edu under programs in the Department of Architecture. v
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MATHCOUNTS By Betty Jean Jordan, PE | Georgia MATHCOUNTS Coordinator
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Engineering, science, and math are like a pyramid. At the top is engineering, which is applied science, i.e. using science to solve humankind’s problems. Science is the process we use to understand the world around us. Math, the language of science and engineering, is the foundation that supports the pyramid. For this reason, the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers (GSPE) is committed to MATHCOUNTS, a nationwide program that fosters excellence and enthusiasm in math among middle school students. MATHCOUNTS introduces ‘mathletes’ to the type of problem solving that engineers use. Of course, logic is paramount. At the same time, sometimes more than one approach may yield the correct answer. Like engineers, mathletes can investigate various approaches to problems and design what they think is the best solu-
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tion. MATHCOUNTS develops both individual and team problem solving abilities, both of which are needed in today’s engineering communities. MATHCOUNTS began in 1983. (By the way, this author is proud to have been a MATHCOUNTS mathlete as an 8th grader during the first year the program existed!) Since then, thousands of middle school students have honed their math skills through the competition program. Many have gone on to careers in engineering. It all starts at the beginning of the school year in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. Coaches work with mathletes to train for chapter competitions, which are held in February. They build strength, speed, and endurance in algebra, coordinate and plane geometry, probability and statistics, and other branches of mathematics.
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Georgia has 12 MATHCOUNTS chapters across the state. GSPE hosts the chapter competitions through the dedicated efforts of its members and other volunteers. Top teams and individuals advance to the state competition, held in March. Then, the top four individuals at state comprise the team that represents Georgia at the national MATHCOUNTS competition in May. Georgia’s 2017 MATHCOUNTS team includes Holden Watson from Fulton Science Academy, Lawrence Zhou from Trickum Middle School, William Shi from River Trail Middle School, and Aaron Yu from Westminster Middle School. Their coach is Sema Duzyol, a middle school math teacher at Fulton Science Academy. As of this writing, they are excited about the upcoming national MATHCOUNTS competition, to be held in Orlando, FL. GSPE has established the Georgia MATHCOUNTS Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, to assist with fundraising for the chapter and state competitions. Funds are needed for such items as facility rental, awards, lunch, and other aspects of providing a highquality competition experience for the mathletes. Additionally, GSPE hopes eventually to offer stipends to middle school teachers to encourage them to build MATHCOUNTS programs within their schools.
One of the pins that our Georgia mathletes will trade with mathletes from other states at the national MATHCOUNTS competition (May 13-16, 2017 in Orlando, FL).
If you would like to support Georgia’s MATHCOUNTS program, you can do so in several ways: Make a donation to the Georgia MATHCOUNTS Foundation. Please send your tax-deductible check to 165 Courtland Street, Suite A 235, Atlanta, GA 30303. Volunteer at a chapter or state competition. Visit www.mathcounts.org to find a competition near you, or contact Betty Jean Jordan at bettyjean@gspe.org or (404) 840-2542. Become a MATHCOUNTS coach. You don’t have to be a teacher! If a middle school is going to participate in MATHCOUNTS, it needs an adult to champion it. Teachers don’t always have the time or resources to be a MATHCOUNTS coach; this is where an enthusiastic community volunteer can make a real difference. MATHCOUNTS is challenging, fun, and is an important tool for creating tomorrow’s engineers, who will solve some of the biggest societal problems we face. Thank you for being part of MATHCOUNTS! v
The winning Fulton Science Academy team at the 2017 state MATHCOUNTS competition. (Shown with GSPE Past-President Rob MacPherson, PE, standing at right)
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Stress & Choice By Dr. Ruth Middleton House | President, Middleton-House & Company | Faculty, Fielding Graduate University | Wes House | Thyssenkrupp
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If you didn’t have so many opportunities, you wouldn’t have to make so many hard choices. Perhaps you’d agree with Dr. Laurence Peter:
Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them.
You are all three: highly intelligent, well informed, and undecided.
You recognize the fact that if you didn’t have so many opportunities, you wouldn’t have all these options. And you are grateful for them. But here you are, stuck. You don’t want to delay until those opportunities go to other people. It’s tempting to flip a coin or draw a straw just to get these decisions out of the way! A little voice in your head is saying, “Just do something! Worry about the consequences later!” Perhaps you are looking over your acceptance letters for different colleges. For the fifth time. Great options. One is just a couple of miles away. If you accepted that offer you’d be going to school with a number of friends you know you enjoy. But you are ready to feel independent from Mom and Dad. That might be too close to home. Another is a couple of hours away. It has a reputation for both hard work and hard play. Your friend John is going there. Hmmmm…that hard play part could get you off track. A third offers a niche that you are especially interested in. It’s on the other side of the country and very expensive. Besides that, you are a bit intimidated by its academic demands. Perhaps you are considering job offers. One pays
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more, but the benefits don’t measure up. One requires almost 100% travel; it would be a big challenge to work on a Master’s Degree as you had planned. One requires that you work from a home office. You’d welcome the choice to work from home when it was convenient, but you don’t know about working exclusively out of a home office. You could feel really isolated. Perhaps you’re already on the job. While the project clock ticks, you are evaluating different subcontractors. The first you know will get the job done well and on time; but the price seems too high. The second is the low bid; but you are having trouble evaluating skill level. The third is a business owned by your good buddy; you are not confident of his work. You won’t pick him, of course; but you will have to deal with him about it. More stress. And you are feeling it. Lately, you have been triggered to anger more easily, you’re not sleeping well, and you’re having trouble concentrating. A couple of times you’ve felt outright panicky. If you check your blood pressure you might notice that it is on the rise. Surely, there are some options between stuck and flip. But even thinking about making those decisions is so stressful now that you feel immobilized.
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Stop the action! It’s time to give yourself a break. We’re not talking about indefinitely delaying action here; we’re talking about deliberately blocking out a defined time to clear your head. You might want to start by building a 30-minute stress break into your day— reading a book or taking a walk, for example. In addition: Observe yourself in this situation. Really pay attention to yourself. How are you reacting physically? Name these physical reactions. How are you reacting emotionally? Name these emotional reactions. Don’t judge or scold yourself. Just name. Describe the
experiences in this situation and the connection between them: “When this happens, then I….” How do these experiences come together?
Ruth Middleton House
three, out to the count of three, in to the count of three, and so on. Look outside. Look at your options again with a “Be-
ginner’s Mind”—as if you were just now seeing them for the first time. What stands out for you now that you did not notice before? Decide. Sometimes it helps to put the variables down
in writing. You might, for example make a chart that compares the options based on costliness, probability of a good outcome, value of the outcome, and risks. (Ahem! In the risk department think twice about that school that parties hard!) Include related costs—travel expenses, food and so on. And include currencies other than dollars: relationships, reputation, ethics, enjoyment. Are there gaps in what you know and who you have talked to? Fill in those gaps, then decide. Do the work, but not the worry. If you didn’t have so much opportunity, you wouldn’t have to make so many hard choices. The stress has been palpable. But you are going to do the work now without the worry. You will stop the action long enough to Observe yourself in this situation, Focus, Decide. v
Feel what you feel. If you are con-
fused, just sit with confusion. If you are frustrated, just sit with frustration. Don’t criticize your feelings. Just experience them. You might want to set your kitchen timer for five or ten minutes to ensure you don’t fall into a hole. Focus. Have you ever had one of those crystal snow
balls? You shake up the ball and snowflakes flurry all over inside the crystal ball. Just like all those thoughts in your head right now. As long as you keep shaking the crystal ball, those snowflakes will flurry. As long as you keep shaking up your thoughts, the confusion will flurry. Look inside. The first step to stop the flurrying is to focus on something constant. Wherever you are, you are breathing. So breathing is one very reliable constant. Again, you may want to set your kitchen timer for about five minutes. Then sit in a comfortable place, close your eyes and breathe deeply. In to the count of
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Coastal Pines
Technical College
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Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC), along with the Technical College System of Georgia, is well recognized and applauded for its ability to respond to the needs of business and industry leaders within its service area. Camden County’s need for a well-trained and loyal workforce with real industry engineering experience led to the development of CPTC’s Engineering Technology program. Knowing that the Trident Refit Facility at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, in particular, would be one of the major employers needing qualified applicants to fill jobs requiring mechanical and electrical engineering technology skills, the College’s Camden site in Kingsland was chosen for CPTC’s first engineering technology class, which began almost two years ago.
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The Coastal Pines Technical College Engineering Technology Program continues to serve the workforce needs of the Trident Refit Facility and other employers in Southeast Georgia who need entry-level engineering technicians. The program also serves as a catalyst for attracting new business and industry to the coastal area. CPTC officials partner with area development authorities to influence economic growth by promoting the program and other college programs and services, including customized training solutions. As early as the second semester of the program, Engineering Technology students begin programspecific engineering core that leads to a specialization in mechanical engineering technology or electrical engineering technology. The curricu-
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lum is taught using a blend of theory-based lecture and hands-on laboratory work to develop a broad knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering technology. The College’s Career Placement Director facilitates employment for graduates through a vast network of business and industry partnerships in the organization’s thirteen county area: Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Jeff Davis, Glynn, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Ware, and Wayne. To further develop their engineering and technology skills and knowledge, most engineering technology graduates work with, and learn from, engineers and scientists in fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, biomedical, and telecommunications. Other Technical & Industrial Program Options
For those interested in other technical and industrial programs, CPTC offers a number of options including credentials in the following program areas: Railroad Systems Management Technology, Naval Maintenance Apprentice, Machine Tool Technology, Industrial Systems Technology, Forestry Technology, Electronics and Telecommunications, Electrical Lineworker, Electrical Construction and Maintenance, Diesel Equipment Technology, Commercial Truck Driving, Automotive Technology, Auto Collision Repair, Air Conditioning Technology, Environmental Horticulture, Timber Harvesting, and Welding and Joining Technology. About Coastal Pines Technical College
Coastal Pines Technical College is a student-centered learning environment with more than 200 full-time dedicated faculty and staff and seven instructional sites. The College’s newest facility or classroom building opened its doors in June on the Waycross campus to house the Computer Information Systems program and an expanding Welding and Joining Technology pro-
Building Your Future in Engineering
gram. The Golden Isles site in Brunswick was completed in late 2015 and opened for classes in January 2016. Student success drives the CPTC mission and culture, an organizational characteristic that ensures its status as the number one provider of technically trained employees in Southeast Georgia. Customized business and industry training, continuing education courses, and adult education opportunities are also provided to impact economic growth and sustain community partnerships. State and federal financial aid are available to those who qualify, and scholarship opportunities are provided by several sources, including the Coastal Pines Technical College Foundation. Coastal Pines Technical College is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates of credit. To learn more, visit www.coastalpines.edu v
Coastal Pines Technical College Facts Faculty: 233 full-time and part-time instructors Program Areas: Allied Health, Business &
Computer, Technical & Industrial, Professional Service Locations: Waycross (Main), Alma, Baxley, Brunswick, Hazlehurst, Jesup, and Kingsland Average Enrollment: 2774 students Average Cost: Standard Tuition for 12 Credit Hours = $1,068* Basic Fees = $264** * $89 per credit hour for most programs **Some programs have additional fees.
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Construction Management as a Career Choice: Building Our Nation’s Future By Bruce D’Agostino | President & CEO | CMAA
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The Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol Dome, the World Trade Center, a 46-project military facility, a highly secure super-computing facility, a 6.4-kilometer subway line and station, a federal courthouse, and an NFL Team’s Training Camp Facility are just some of the projects that have been completed recently. All were finished successfully—on time, on budget, and with excellent quality and safety records—largely because their owners relied on professional Construction Managers to lead their teams to project completion. As students, when we think about construction, we know there are two parties involved: the architects who design it or the contractors who build it. But who pulls it all together, working with all teams to ensure project success? It’s the Construction Manager (or Project Manager), a construction consultant skilled in leading teams, with expertise According to the Bureau of Labor to include Statistics, the median pay for CMs is managing $87,400 with a bachelor’s degree. budgets, schedules, safety, risk, and quality control efforts. Airports, highways, schools, bridges, hospitals, top secret government facilities, sports arenas: these projects are being built all over the world, all the time. And the demand for qualified professional Construction Managers is growing quickly, as construction projects become more complex and needs become more pressing. Professional Construction Managers play a vital role in helping the community and our nation meet future needs for critical infrastructure of all types. They lead diverse teams of professionals and see the results of team efforts in the form of structures that will stand and perform for many years or decades to come. Construction management is one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding professions. Construction Managers can:
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Define and translate project needs for the project to be built
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Develop a project budget and schedule Select a project architect, other design professionals (if needed), and the contractor Oversee the development of project documents that potential contractors and others will need in order to bid on the work Review bids and bidder qualifications Control disbursements of funds as construction progresses Coordinate and supervise the work of all contractors and subcontractors to ensure compliance with specifications Facilitate communication among all team members Respond to changing owner needs by implementing change orders to the project scope of work Avoid delays, disputes, accidents, and cost overruns Coordinate the commissioning process, the final delivery of a completed project with every element accomplished and in alignment with project specifications
Construction Managers need specific academic preparation, as well as construction knowledge. A well qualified construction management professional will have strong
Project Example Project: World Trade Center, New York, NY Construction Manager/Program Manager: STV, New York, NY Client: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Photo Credit: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey One World Trade Center includes nearly 3.6 million sf of space on 104 floors. A 408-foot broadcast antenna brings its height to a symbolic 1,776 feet, making it the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. Its safety systems exceed code requirements and it is also the most environmentally sustainable project of its size in the world.
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Building Your Future in Engineering
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mathematics, physical science, construction technology, engineering, business management, and leadership training on his or her college transcript. He or she will also be an adept computer user, with hands-on experience and knowledge in a variety of applications from basic spreadsheets to complete project management information systems. To become a Construction Manager, a person must understand contracts and business practices as well as construction materials and methods. You’ll need good oral and written communication skills, and you must be able to handle several things at once in a fast-paced environment. Leadership skills, which include the ability to delegate and manage conflict are all valuable traits a Construction Manager must possess as well. Many colleges and universities across the country currently offer four-year degree programs in construction management, civil engineering, construction technology, or architecture. Graduates of these programs may be hired as assistants to project managers, field engineers, schedulers, or cost estimators. Often, they opt for a career in professional construction management after gaining substantial project experience or obtaining a degree in a related degree program. Other undergraduate programs that could lead to a career in professional
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construction management include mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and building sciences and technology. Numerous colleges and universities offer a master’s degree program in construction management or construction technology. Master’s degree recipients, especially those with work experience in construction, typically become Construction Managers for government entities, consulting firms, construction companies, or private developers. A number of two-year colleges offer construction management or construction technology programs, and many individuals also attend training and educational programs sponsored by industry associations. Pulling it all together
If you are fascinated with seeing how infrastructure is built, have the mindset of a leader, and want to contribute to our nation’s infrastructure, professional construction management might be the career choice for you. Consider building our future as you build your own. For additional information on construction management as a career choice, visit www.cmaanet.org or www.acementor.org. v
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Do You Have What it Takes to Run an Engineering Company? An Interview with Lori Kennedy | Principal of Kennedy Engineering & Associates
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Growing up, my dad didn’t care if we liked a school subject or not. He’d say, “if you don’t like it and you’re not doing well in it then that’s all the more reason why you should work harder at it.” So maybe all of us just liked math; my dad was an accountant so maybe it was in our blood. Or maybe it was that kind of formation from my dad that blurred the line between what we liked and what we could be good at. But either way, I’m one of six kids and five of us grew up to be engineers; the other one is a financial planner. My mother was actually a little bit surprised when I became the fourth one of my siblings to go off to college to pursue an engineering degree. I was always kind of a jock—I was really athletic, and so she wondered if it really suited me. But I just didn’t see a lot of opportunity in the career path of a physical education teacher or any other, more athletically oriented, option. But I did really like math too, so it wasn’t exactly a big sacrifice. In my senior year of college I had no idea what I
Building Your Future in Engineering
was going to do when I graduated. I knew that I was on a career path that had plenty of opportunities but I just didn’t have any concrete idea of the specific path that I wanted to take. One day, however, there was a career fair on campus and I met a representative from the Federal Highway Administration. He was looking for someone to join this three-year training program that would take you all over the country. That sounded perfect to me. I knew that I wanted to leave my small hometown in Rhode Island, something that very few people seemed to do, and I knew that I wanted to see the country. So after I graduated with my degree in civil engineering, I applied to the FHWA program, and they wound up accepting me. And there I was, 21 years old, running all over the country with the FHWA. It was a fantastic experience to start your career with. At the end of my three-year program, the FHWA put me in their division office here in Atlanta; they have a division office in every state capitol throughout the
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country, which oversees what the local DOT is doing. My first thoughts were “I’m not a city girl, I’m not southern, and I’m not staying here.” Yet here I am, 30 years later! After I got settled, after a couple of years here, I started attending night classes towards a business degree; something that I knew I always wanted to get. In fact, that was always my fallback career option. If I hadn’t gone into engineering, I would have definitely done something like accounting or finance. So after four very intense years of night classes, I got my MS in financial planning from Georgia State. In total, I ended up spending ten years with the FHWA, which gave me some really invaluable experience. We oversaw all of the interstate work in the state, so I was able to be involved in a lot of very large projects like the widening of 285, GA 400 inside of 285, the Kennedy Interchange out in Cobb County, the Downtown Connector, and the Talmadge Bridge in Savannah. After I left FHWA, I went into private industry and opened an office for Kisinger Campo here in Atlanta and started getting new work for them, which actually ended up being very successful. But after several years of working with them, I thought to myself “you know, I’m going to be doing this for at least another 25-30 years. I might as well work for myself.” And that’s when KEA came to be. The Beginning of Kennedy Engineering Associates
Opening that office for Kisinger Campo ended up being really influential for me when it came to the founding of KEA. It showed me that I could start a business and make it successful. I actually had experience starting a business after that, so when the thought occurred to me about starting my own, I thought “why not?” But I’ll be honest with you, had I known then what I know now, I’m not sure if I would have actually gone through with it. It wasn’t so much the hard work as it was the conditions that I encountered as the business was getting started; namely the economic downturn in 2008. That put so many companies out of business, even though most of them never did anything wrong. We were starting to grow just as the recession hit, and as the owner of the company I had to do a lot of really, really difficult things in order to keep us above water. It was gut-wrenching. 36
I had a loan with a certain major bank back then, and when our cash flow started to slow down, they refused to increase our line of credit. Instead of receiving payment from clients within 50-90 days, we were looking at 150 days to a year before we would get paid. So I had to do something. We ended up changing banks to a smaller, local one. When we made the switch, my accountant asked them on multiple occasions whether or not they were in any economic trouble as a result of the mortgage crisis and recession and, over and over again, they assured us that they weren’t. But sure enough after we had been with them for about a year, they wound up in some pretty serious financial trouble. We all knew that they were going to be taken over by the FDIC, but by that point the recession had gotten even worse, and I couldn’t even find another bank to go to. But we did what we had to do and made it through. We ended up selling our receivables for a percentage of their original value for several months, which was really tough. But all the while nobody in our company ever missed a paycheck, and we kept our matching 401k contributions. So, for the most part, none of our employees had any idea what kinds of difficulties we were facing. Making it through that recession the way that we did is now probably my biggest claim to fame. Being a Woman-owned Business
Kisinger Campo actually started out as a DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in Florida, because Jack Campo was hispanic. But when I went to work with them, they had over 100 employees, and so I opened up their Atlanta office without the benefit of that DBE title. So when I started KEA, I went into it knowing that I was able to start something without really needing to rely on any sort of special program like a DBE. But now, since I do have that designation, it has certainly been a benefit for me. That said, you do have to be pre-qualified, and you do have to perform just like anyone else. If you spoke to any of the prime engineering firms that we work with, they’d tell you that they’re working with us because we contribute, we do what we’re asked, and we do it well; it’s not just because we’re a DBE. Beyond being woman-owned or a DBE, or simply being a small business allows you plenty of advantages as well—if not more. About six years ago, I opened up our branch in Florida, and one thing I like about Florida is
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that they have a Small Business Set Aside program; something I wish we’d copy up here in Georgia. Coming out of the economic recession, they made a very concerted effort to put a lot more money into the program, which would actually advertise on behalf of firms that were certified as small businesses by the Florida DOT in order to help them go after contracts. So, in some places, being a small business is actually much more advantageous than being a woman-owned DBE. Advice for anyone considering starting their own engineering firm
This is a question that people come up and ask me about somewhat frequently. My response is that you’ll need a lot of stamina. You’ll need to be willing and able to hang in there for three or maybe five years before you really get going. I think there’s a big misconception about the amount of work that goes into starting a business. Unless you’ve had some experience with upper management or otherwise been close to the operations of a firm, it’s tough to anticipate everything that you’re going to need to do. The persistence alone that’s necessary to get something off the ground is staggering. Even when you look at the scaled-down version of starting a company, that is, starting a new office for a company, people tend not to have any idea what it requires. We had a hard time finding people to open our new office down in Florida because people, even very ambitious people, think they know what to expect but it becomes clear that they have no idea. Then there’s the whole financial side of things. That’s something that I warn people about. Because at the end of the day you’re responsible for it all. And having other people’s paycheck riding on you is a lot of responsibility. Advice for women considering a career in engineering
If you’re a student who wants to go down an unconventional and somewhat adventurous path and you’re not opposed to a lot of hard work, I’d say that engineering is a great option. If you’re a woman and you’re a student, you’ll definitely stick out in the community. It’s not like law and medicine, where you never used to see women and now it’s become pretty common. That’s not the case with engineering. It has been and maybe will
Building Your Future in Engineering
always be dominated by men. But if you have the talents in math and science and you are a woman, then you have a great opportunity to further your career in engineering. I actually mentored two young ladies from Fayette GA; we used to ride horses and go fox hunting together. They used to be with me every single weekend. We would go to Alabama during the hunting season, and they’d ride my horses on the hunts. They were both very talented young ladies; they could have been doctors or engineers or anything they wanted. Both very hard workers. The oldest one wanted her PhD no matter what. She was at Georgia Tech and she really loved physics. But when we’d talk, I’d always say “what are you going to do with a physics degree? Do you want to be a professor and go on to teach physics? You should really think about engineering instead of physics.” Because, you know, if you’re talented in physics, then you can do engineering. But she would never really comment about it. On one of the last days that we spent together before she graduated from Georgia Tech, she said to me, “You’ll be happy to know that I got accepted into the University of Michigan’s Biomechanical Engineering program to get my PhD.” So she went up there to the University of Michigan for five years and got her degree. And we’d still talk every now and then, and I started to realize what the school was trying to do with her. They were trying to get her to become a professor. So I asked her again “Do you really want to spend your life teaching, doing lab work, and trying to secure funding for research?” We’d talk about that a lot on and off. Well finally, about a year ago, I got a text from her one Friday afternoon. She was in Atlanta and wanted to get together. So I met with her, and she thanked me and said “Lori, you were right. I was so fed up with the lab work and everything that was required to get the PhD, but I got it. And now I’ve got a job with the Boston Group.” So now she flies around the country doing really interesting work and she loves that job. So that’s the kind of thing that you really want to consider. If you love math or science or a related field, your greatest opportunity in terms of career options very likely lies in some discipline of engineering. v 37
Auburn University
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Engineers are more than just books and brains. Many engineering graduates go on to exceed technical expectations early on in their careers. Those in leadership positions quickly recognize the potential of our graduates and are eager to promote them to a managerial level. The challenge, however, becomes going from an engineer to a business-minded manager and leader. Several new skills must be refined or developed—effective communication skills, financial knowledge, human resources decisions, just to name a few. For many engineers, the transition can be a daunting one. Auburn Engineering’s “Business Essentials for Engineering Professionals” series offers the courses needed to not only master the managerial and leadership side of business, but also to help minimize the risk and stress of moving from technical expert toward a new career path. Through a series of 11 online courses designed to fit the schedule of a working professional, our program can be easily streamlined into an employee’s normal tasks and skills. With benchmark data guiding the subject matter, our courses can be viewed at any time, in a setting convenient for the employee and employer. These can be completed at a pace dictated by the employee or their supervisor, in whatever timeframe is necessary. Continuing Education Units are awarded upon successful completion of each course, if needed, and a commemorative plaque is awarded once an individual completes the series. Students have three years to finish the entire series once they have started. The course series covers a variety of business-related topics: leadership, finance, presentation and writing skills, project management, sales and marketing, networking and negotiating savvy, ethics, and others. The instructors for these courses were carefully vetted based on their ability to disseminate knowledge to and effectively communicate with engineers. Because these topics are not traditionally covered at length in a standard engineering curriculum, instructor selection was a critical factor to ensure the subject matter would be processed and retained. One of the premier instructors in this program is
Building Your Future in Engineering
Davis Woodruff, P.E., CMC, owner of Management Methods Inc., a consulting firm located in Decatur, Alabama. He teaches the introductory course to the series and a section on Risk Management Essentials. An Auburn Engineering graduate himself who faced the engineering-to-business transition, Davis authored a book titled, “Numbers to People: Making the Leap from Technical Expert to Successful Leader.” The book describes the various pitfalls associated with this skills gap and how technical professionals can obtain the skills needed to be a successful manager. According to Davis, “Engineers are technical experts who are accustomed to finding a single, ‘right’ answer to a problem. Well, in dealing with people, there is not always one right answer. Leadership is about vision, values and people. Management is about processes, products and business systems. When making the transition to management you must be able to blend these two and learn to balance the people and process requirements of leadership and management. The BEEP program is intended to help you achieve that balance and succeed in making a successful transition into management and leadership within your organization.” The Auburn Engineering Professional Development program offers a comprehensive, convenient and valuable online series to aid any engineer who wants to take their career to the next level. The BEEP series has already provided numerous benefits to those who have completed the series. According to some of these students, the BEEP series provides invaluable insight and skills that can be used immediately in the workplace. Those who complete the courses will come away with the confidence needed to not just be an average manager and leader, but the best. To learn more about our BEEP series, visit: eng.auburn.edu/beep To find out more about Auburn University’s Engineering Professional Development program, visit: eng.auburn.edu/epd Davis Woodruff ’s book, “Numbers to People: Making the Leap from Technical Expert to Successful Leader” is available on Amazon. v 39
Georgia Institute of Technology
At Georgia Tech, we have an excellent faculty, cutting edge and relevant research, and a wide range of study options and career paths that let students design, build and do. Engineering at Georgia Tech—we challenge students who can then challenge the world.
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Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering (CoE) is truly “Creating the Next”; in a world where science, technology, and engineering are increasingly central to life, the College gives students the tools they need to tackle whatever challenge they are passionate about and change the world while they are at it. Graduates emerge not only engineers but leaders as well. The college has a strong national and international reputation ranking near the top in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and as the nation’s largest and most diverse engineering program, consistently ranks high among the major producers of engineering degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minority students. Degrees are offered within the schools of Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Materials
GE OR GI A T E CH FACT S Median Starting Salaries for Georgia Tech Engineering Graduates with Bachelor’s Degree Aerospace Engineering - $69,000 Biomedical Engineering - $65,000 Chemical Engineering - $74,500 Civil Engineering - $58,000 Computer Engineering - $73,000 Electrical Engineering - $71,000 Industrial Engineering - $68,000 Materials Science & Engineering - $72,000 Mechanical Engineering - $66,000 All of College of Engineering - $68,000
Building Your Future in Engineering
Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering. Location and Innovation
As an Institution located in the heart of Atlanta, the College of Engineering provides students with the resources of both huge corporations and early-stage startups at their fingertips. From the CREATE-X entrepreneurship program to the Invention Studio, where students can build, create, and play, engineers at Georgia Tech have many opportunities to explore their interests and start creating before they even finish their degree. In regards to those who have already graduated, Georgia Tech managed to land seven individuals on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in 2017 alone. Educating Global Citizens
More than 52% of undergraduate engineering students participate in study-abroad opportunities. CoE provides opportunities for students who want to travel and study internationally; whether they pursue internships with foreign companies or study at the satellite campus in France or China, students will have experiences that stand out in their memories and on their résumés. Getting Your Money’s Worth
Engineering is firmly ranked among the highest-paying college majors, and Georgia Tech is one of the best places to study it. The Institute offers exceptional returns on investment with Georgia Tech ranking as the number two public institution most likely to pay off. Alumni go on to careers across all walks of engineering, as well as into professions like law, medicine, and business. With one of the country’s large cooperative education program, engineering students earn work experience that stand out on their résumés. v 41
Georgia Southern Your Future in Engineering
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Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Information Technology
The Department of Electrical Engineering will add the B.S. in Computer Engineering and the M.S. in Electrical Engineering programs, and be re-named the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management will add the B.S. in Construction Engineering and the M.S. in Civil Engineering, and be re-named the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction. The departments of Information Technology and Mechanical Engineering will add their respective M.S. programs. The current M.S. in Applied Engineering
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New Programs The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents recently approved the formation of six new programs in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology. • B.S. in Computer Engineering • B.S. in Construction Engineering • M.S. in Civil Engineering • M.S. in Electrical Engineering • M.S. in Information Technology • M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
will focus on engineering management and become part of the Department of Manufacturing Engineering. The current online M.S. in Computer Science will also expand to become a hybrid (face-to-face and online) program, allowing expansion of programs and service on campus. This expansion of programs provides master’s degrees that are well recognized by industry professionals and graduate school applicants. In addition, the graduate programs will allow Georgia Southern’s engineering and IT faculty to expand their cutting-edge research programs. The undergraduate programs are popular
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with college applicants and the degrees are in high demand by employers across the region. Workshops and Training
Dr. Lei Chen (IT) and Dr. Lixin Li (Computer Science) conducted a training workshop in software system safety for over 20 personnel at Robins Air Force Base. The goal of the course was to help military and civilian personnel understand the fundamental concepts, methods, and techniques of assuring security of software systems. The course is an early example of the type of workshops College faculty are creating in order to provide military and civilian personnel with cutting-edge tools and information in engineering and computing. CEIT Student Research Symposium
The College held its second Student Research Symposium on Thursday, April 20, 2017. Over 100 students presented 90 posters in the eighteen interdisciplinary areas listed below. • Alternative Energy • Antennas • Autonomous Vehicles • Biomedical Engineering • Cybersecurity • Data Analysis • Engines
Building Your Future in Engineering
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Environmental Engineering Imaging/Virtual Reality Infrastructure Materials Micro- and Nano-grids Networks Power Supply Robotics STEM Education Thermodynamics Vehicle Design & Testing
Industry representatives and advisory committee members, as well as students, faculty and Georgia Southern President Jaimie Hebert attended the Symposium, interacting with undergraduate and graduate student authors from all of the College’s departments. Mr. Steve Justice, Executive Director of the Georgia Centers of Innovation, spoke to the attendees about the Centers’ mission of providing technical industry expertise and promoting collaborative research and partnerships to help the State’s strategic industries connect, compete, and grow globally. He noted that academic research, such as that on display in the Symposium, conducted by the students and their faculty mentors, is an important contributor to the State’s economic development.v 43
Building a Solid Foundation: Why Being an Ethical Engineer Matters By Paul Drake | Grossman, Furlow & Bayó LLC
While I am not an engineer, I have heard it said that laying the foundation for a building takes up a vast majority of the project time and budget. There is good reason for this: a strong foundation is the key to a sturdy, well-built building. A good engineer knows they have one chance to lay a foundation properly. A great engineer understands that the results of laying an improper foundation can be disastrous, putting the whole project, as well as the public, at risk. These ‘common sense’ principles in the practice of engineering are just as important when they are applied to your license to practice engineering. Thankfully, the difference is that it is never too late to lay a proper ethical foundation in the practice of engineering. This article will briefly explain the sources of engineering law in Florida, as well as ethical considerations within those sources. In addition, this article will discuss common ethical issues engineers face. Finally, this article will cite to codes of ethics adopted by several engineering organizations in an attempt to show how those codes of ethics relate back to the common ethical issues, as well as the definition of ‘misconduct’ in engineering laws and rules. 44
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Engineers in Florida are regulated by two Florida Statutes, Chapters 455 and 471, Florida Statutes. Chapter 455, Florida Stat., contains a number of laws applicable to all practitioners under the umbrella of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), including general grounds for disciplinary action against all DBPR licensees. Chapter 471, Florida Stat., contains regulations that apply only to engineers in Florida. This chapter is usually called the ‘Florida Engineering Practice Act,’ and fulfills several key duties. First, it provides the requirements for licensure as a Professional Engineer in Florida. Second, it creates the BOPE and grants the BOPE the authority to promulgate rules. Third, it provides the grounds for disciplinary action against a Professional Engineer. In addition to the Florida Statutes cited above, the BOPE Rules, found in Chapter 61G15, Florida Administrative Code, contain all the rules promulgated by the BOPE, including grounds for disciplinary proceedings and disciplinary guidelines. It is important to note that engineering is a ‘profession,’ as opposed to a job or occupation. As such, it requires education, skills, judgment, and the exercise of discretion. Most engineering Codes of Ethics stress that engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. This means that ethics in engineering is a broad professional concern rather than simply a personal concern. Indeed, the definition of ‘engineering’ in Section 471.005(7), Florida. Stat., specifically describes a number of services and activities “insofar as they involve safeguarding life, health, or property.” Engineers may at times be pressured to ‘think like a manager, not an engineer,’ especially when working for a non-engineer. However, ‘the boss made me do it’ is never an available defense, and may subject you to discipline for misconduct or for negligence in the practice of engineering. Understanding the sources of engineering law is critical when examining the ethical issues engineers face. Some of the most common ethical issues are the acknowledgment of mistakes, conflicts of interest, product and project safety, responsibility arising from actions of others, whistle-blowing, cutting corners, and plan-stamping. When examining these ethical issues, it is important to start from the ground up. To begin, ethics is at its core the study of the moral principles that govern the conduct of individuals or groups. More specifically, engineering ethics are the rules and standards that govern the conduct
Building Your Future in Engineering
and interactions of engineers as professionals. Most engineering societies and associations have a ‘Code of Ethics.’ These codes are usually stated as general principles and almost never describe specific factual situations. Instead, they serve as a starting point for making ethical decisions. Take time to examine the Code of Ethics provided by your engineering society or association, and feel free to research the Codes of Ethics of other societies and associations for comprehensive study. When looking for Codes of Ethics or Fundamental Principles in engineering, one does not have to look far. For example, the Fundamental Principles of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) state that “engineers must uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession.” This is accomplished by having engineers use their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare and the environment; by being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers, and clients; by striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession; and supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines. In addition to their Fundamental Principles, the ASCE has Fundamental Canons which state that, among other things, engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their professional duties; that engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence; that engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner; and that engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, avoiding conflicts of interest. It should be noted that the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and other engineering organizations also have a Code of Ethics, which states very similar principles as the Fundamental Principles and Canons of the ASCE. Needless to say, there are several ethical principles that permeate through the various engineering organizations, several of which touch directly on the common ethical issues engineers face. The legal principle that ties these Codes of Ethics and Fundamental Principles to the law regulating engineers is due process. Due Process is afforded to every engineer in Florida, and every licensee in Florida for that matter. Due
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Process requires that the laws and rules which may be used to discipline a licensee provide reasonable and meaningful notice to licensees of the conduct that is prohibited. Therefore, any behavior that is not explicitly listed in the laws and rules as grounds for disciplinary action cannot (should not) be used by the BOPE to support discipline. Even though engineers should always strive to take the most ethical approach possible, it should be noted that an engineer cannot be disciplined for being ‘unethical,’ or for violating a provision of an ethics code. However, many ethical situations are covered under the Board’s definition of misconduct in Section 61G15-19.001(6), F.A.C. Therefore, abiding by the Code of Ethics adopted by your engineering society of choice will more often than not keep you from running afoul of the BOPE’s Rule on misconduct. The definition of ‘misconduct,’ found in Section 61G15-19.001(6), F.A.C., is multi-faceted and contains several examples of what is considered by the BOPE to be misconduct. These definitions of misconduct have ethical counterparts which can be found in the various Codes of Conduct and Fundamental Principles. For this article, four definitions of misconduct and their Code of Conduct counterparts are listed, but there are many more of both. It is the duty of the engineer reading this article to conduct independent review of the engineering laws and rules, as well as various Codes of Ethics and Fundamental Principles. According the BOPE Rule found in Section 61G1519.001(6), F.A.C., misconduct includes expressing an opinion publicly on an engineering subject without being informed as to the facts relating thereto and being competent to form a sound opinion thereupon. This example of misconduct fits neatly beside the statement in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which states: “Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.” Another definition of misconduct in Section 61G1519.001(6), F.A.C., is being untruthful, deceptive, or misleading in any professional report, statement, or testimony whether or not under oath or omitting relevant and pertinent information from such report, statement or testimony when the result of such omission would or reasonably could lead to a fallacious conclusion on the part of the client, employer or the general public. Again, this is covered in the NSPE Code of Ethics when it states
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that engineers should “Avoid deceptive acts.” Misconduct is also defined as performing an engineering assignment when not qualified by training or experience in the practice area involved, or affixing a signature or seal to any engineering plan or document in a subject matter over which a professional engineer lacks competence because of inadequate training or experience. As per the NSPE Code of Ethics, engineers should only “Perform services only in their area of competence.” The last example of misconduct that will be provided states that a professional engineer shall not knowingly associate with or permit the use of his name or firm name in a business venture by any person or firm which he knows or has reason to believe is engaging in business or professional practices of a fraudulent or dishonest nature. According to the NSPE Code of Ethics counterpart, “Engineers shall not use association with a non-engineer, a corporation or partnership as a ‘cloak’ for unethical acts.” In addition, the ASME Code of Ethics states that “Engineers shall associate only with reputable persons or organizations.” In order to develop a sturdy ethical foundation, there are several questions an engineer can work through when presented with an ethical dilemma. First, if the action in question is ethically or legally wrong, simply refrain from performing that activity. Second, you must always ask if the action in question complies with your values as an engineer. If it does not, that is a potential red flag to consider. Third, do not be afraid to ask how the action will look to other engineers. Peer pressure is not always a bad thing, especially if it helps build strong ethics. Finally, if you would feel bad by doing the action, you may want to stop and ascertain why. Do not be afraid to consult with close colleagues, or even an attorney, for particularly troubling or borderline issues. Remember, Rome was not built in a day, and neither will the ethical foundation on which you should build your engineering practice.
Paul Drake is an associate with the law firm of Grossman, Furlow, and Bayó in Tallahassee, Florida. He represents professionals in front of various regulatory boards, including the Board of Professional Engineers. v
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Building Your Future in Engineering
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Kennesaw State University Faculty: 78 Dean: Thomas R. Currin, Ph.D, P.E. Undergraduate Students: 3,990 Graduate Students: 130 Distance Learning: Yes BS Engineering: Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Surveying and Mapping, Environmental Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Operations, and Supply Chain Logistics MS Engineering: Applied Engineering-Electrical, Civil Engineering, Quality Assurance, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, and Mechanical Engineering Scholarships: Kennesaw State offers numerous scholarships Learn More: engineering.kennesaw.edu
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New Opportunities @ Kennesaw State
Engineering college launches innovative degree programs, experiential learning Shifting demands in the marketplace and the changing nature of technology is driving Kennesaw State University’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology to launch new degree programs and expand innovative real-world experience for students. Each year, thousands of students are served by the College’s ABET-accredited engineering and engineering technology degree programs, allowing students to stay ahead of industry trends and acquire critical thinking skills and applied knowledge that are essential to solving tomorrow’s challenges. KSU’s engineering college—the second largest in the state—now offers 20 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in engineering disciplines such as mechatronics, systems, nuclear, environmental, computer, mechanical, civil and construction engineering. A new undergraduate program in computer engineering at KSU blends the fields of hardware engineering with software development. Beginning in fall 2017, this undergraduate program will prepare students with a diverse skillset to design and implement the ‘brains’ of physical computer systems, while aligning with the rampant technology changes and growing job market. A new environmental engineering undergraduate degree emphasizes emerging issues in sustainable air, water, and land resources, human health, and environmental restoration. The program, which began in Fall 2016, has served nearly 65 students, who are solving problems related to the demands of water pollution, air pollution, water and wastewater treatment, and hazardous waste management. Though not new, KSU’s mechatronics engineering —a blend of mechanical and electrical engineering—is one of only nine such academic degree programs in the nation, and the College’s industrial and systems engineering degree is one of only two undergraduate programs in Georgia. In the College of Computing and Software Engineering, Kennesaw State offers an undergraduate program in software engineering—the only one offered at a public university in the state of Georgia. The program prepares a new generation of software developers focused on the engineering of software systems.
Building Your Future in Engineering
At the graduate level, professionals can continue their engineering education at Kennesaw State through one of the college’s many online master’s degrees, including new graduate-level programs approved this year in applied engineering—electrical, engineering management and mechanical engineering. Beyond the Classroom
Some of the dynamic benefits for Kennesaw State students are the strong relationships the University has with business and industry, which often lean on the engineering college for expertise. As part of these educational partnerships, students are introduced to real-world industry challenges and learn to develop innovative solutions for global companies and engineering firms through these hands-on experiences. Last spring, executives at Mohawk Industries, the world’s largest flooring manufacturer, reached out to KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology for help in improving their assembly-line operation of creating carpet sample boards, which are used to showcase different carpet collections at thousands of retailers. Through that project, engineering students gained real-world experience in refining the company’s automation processes. KSU engineering students gain practical skills outside of the University’s state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, too. Internships and co-ops have led students to work at global companies such as AT&T, Delta Airlines, Shaw Industries, Wheego and Disney’s Imagineering. Competition teams at Kennesaw State ~ 14 in the en-
gineering college—contend against collegiate teams across the country in competitions such as steel bridge, electric vehicle, Formula race cars, and autonomous underwater vehicles. The Concrete Frisbee team recently took first in the American Society of Civil Engineers regional match for their disc’s aerodynamic design and lightweight concrete. In addition to the university’s engineering degree programs, opportunities to collaborate on a team, with industry experts and through internships or co-ops are readying Kennesaw State students for an innovative and technologically savvy workforce. v
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Mercer University
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e School of Engineering is one of twelve colleges and schools within Mercer University that also includes medicine, law, business, music, education, nursing, pharmacy, health professions, liberal arts, theology, and adult education. With a full-time faculty of 38 professors and over 700 students, the school prides itself on an environment where everyone matters and student success is priority one. Mercer Engineering is about innovation through teaching, learning, creating, discovering, inspiring, empowering, and serving. Our graduates enter the work force equipped with real-world education and experience, and a commitment to serving their communities.
Innovation began in the early 1980s when engineering leaders from central Georgia and the U.S. Air Force approached Mercer University with an unusual request: create a school to help fill their need for engi-
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neers with a solid, multidisciplinary foundation. Bolstered by public and private support the Mercer University School of Engineering opened its doors in 1985. Innovation in Teaching and Learning
e BS in Engineering features a core curriculum model where all students complete foundation courses in computer programming, technical communication, statics, dynamics, electronic circuits, probability and statistic, thermodynamics, engineering economics, and introduction to design. ese engineering courses are coupled with courses from science, mathematics, and our General Education Program in the first two years to prepare students for study in each of our specialization sequences. Mercer Engineering offers an ABET-accredited BS degree in engineering with seven specialties: Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, and Mechanical. BS degrees in Industrial Management and Technical Communication are also offered. Students can apply for admission to our Graduate School as a rising senior and join the School of Engineering 4+1 program where a BS and MS are earned in five years.
August 2017
Innovation by Creating and Discovering Our engineering students combine theory with practice to design and produce components and systems starting in the freshman year. We believe in hands-on learning and letting students create designs that can be tested. Students experience engineering in laboratory exercises and seniors complete a full-year design project by working in teams to resolve a real client’s needs. Our Mercer Innovation Center provides support to students interested in entrepreneurship that allows engineering design work to transition to an actual business start-up. Discovery also takes place in internships with industry and through research with faculty. Our internship and research partner is the Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC), an operating unit of Mercer University devoted to the performance of sponsored scientific and engineering research for governmental, industrial, and commercial markets. Innovation by Inspiring and Empowering
is year marks the third edition of what we call the Mercer Summer Engineering Experience (MeSEE for short). MeSEE projects are crafted by faculty or industry members who formulate an engineering problem and then recruit teams of students to work for 10 weeks in the summer. Students get academic credit for their efforts and experience a product development environment that builds solutions and launches research projects. We also offer an Honors Program to our top students where they can begin design projects as freshmen using laboratories, tools, and equipment supplied by faculty advisors. Our Honors students are leading the effort to improve the mobility of handicapped children by redesigning small, electrically powered toy cars so these children can operate them. is effort is part of the national ‘Go Baby Go’ program and we already have helped 21 children. Innovation by Serving
Frequently our design projects are focused on meeting the needs of people in our community or developing countries. We launched an ‘Engineering for Development’ minor that any Mercer student can undertake. is minor will combine academic work with field work to provide core engineering skills to help communities with housing, drinking water, electric power, prosthetics, and similar needs. is minor gives our students an
Building Your Future in Engineering
opportunity to serve and grow as individuals. In addition our popular ‘Mercer on Mission’ program sponsors service trips to locations around the world each summer where groups of students team up with faculty to meet the needs of a developing community. Our mission trips to Vietnam have enabled over 5,500 people missing legs to walk and work using prosthetics that we design and manufacture. We have three interns in Italy this summer and fall working with the UN World Food Program to develop rapid response capability to reach victims of natural disaster with food and supplies. Innovation Ahead
It is an exciting time to study engineering and the last five years brought the largest freshman classes in our history. Students want to master technology and then use it to establish themselves professionally as well as to serve their communities. Mercer Engineering has the key ingredients—faculty, staff, and students—who translate the needs of clients into design problems that challenge our skills as engineers. v
ME R CE R U NIVE R SI TY FAC TS Faculty: 38 Dean: Laura W. Lackey, Ph.D, P.E. (478) 301-2459 Undergraduate Engineering Students: 650 Graduate Engineering Students: 150 Distance Learning: Yes BS Engineering: Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electri-
cal, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical BS also in Industrial Management & Technical Communication MS Engineering: Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Engineering Management, Environmental, Mechanical, Software. MS also in Environmental Systems, Software Systems, Technical Communication Management, & Technical Management Scholarships: Mercer offers numerous scholarships that can cover up to full tuition. Learn More: engineering.mercer.edu
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Middle Georgia State University
In one of the Aviation School’s five hangars, aviation maintenance students work on a Beechcraft King Air.
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August 2017
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Middle Georgia State University proudly participates in the Regents' Engineering Pathway Program (REPP), which allows you to begin your engineering studies at an affordable price and closer to home before transferring to complete your bachelor’s degree. REPP students may transfer to Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, UGA or Mercer University. You’ll take all of your math and science courses, as well as some engineering courses, at Middle Georgia State. Our professors work closely with the five partner schools to develop a well coordinated curriculum. Here are a few more things you should know
REPP is not a degree program but a curriculum of courses designed to make your transfer as an engineering student as seamless as possible. Admission requirements, including GPA, vary at the partner institutions. To review requirements, visit the institutions’ Web sites. More than 75% of REPP students at MGA who transferred to a partner school completed their engineering degree. REPP, formerly known as Regents’ Engineering Transfer Program, has been around for nearly 30 years. It makes engineering programs more accessible to students throughout Georgia. You can save money in tuition, fees, housing, and meals because you attend a university
Building Your Future in Engineering
closer to home for your first two years of study. Want to learn more about REPP at Middle Georgia State? Go to mga.edu/REPP or contact Dr. Chris Hornung, REPP coordinator for MGA, at chris.hornung@mga.edu, (478) 471-2751. About MGA
Middle Georgia State University serves 7,700 students on campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins—and online. At MGA, students will find degrees leading to in-demand careers, affordable tuition, small classes, dedicated faculty, student organizations, and Greek Life, intercollegiate athletics, and club sports. Students choose from dozens of areas of study, everything from accounting, biology, education, health sciences, and IT (fully online option) to flight, nursing, criminal justice, public service, and new media and communications. e University also offers professional master’s degree programs in management, nursing with emphasis on adult/gerontology acute care, information technology, and secondary education. Student housing is available at the Macon, Cochran, and Eastman locations or students can commute to any of the five campuses. Learn more at mga.edu or contact admissions@mga.edu. v
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2017 Salary Survey of Northeast & South Atlantic Engineering Firms Welcome to the seventh edition of Zweig Group’s Salary Survey of Northeast and South Atlantic Engineering Firms, which combines what previously consisted of two reports on salary trends in the Northeast and Southeast regions. î “is report shows base salaries for employees in engineering firms throughout North New England (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire), South New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island), New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Georgia, N./S. Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida mean
median
lower quartile
upper quartile
Civil Engineer Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal
$54,939 $70,614 $95,733 116,074 $150,648
$54,877 $70,000 $92,800 $115,000 $149,913
$52,076 $61,755 $80,548 $89,544 $131,500
$58,240 $79,000 $105,000 $129,000 $163,178
Structural Engineer Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal
$58,472 $81,761 $95,459 $112,840 $273,715
$56,611 $76,000 $90,313 $110,000 $150,000
$53,872 $70,000 $84,966 $100,000 $120,000
$63,500 $92,000 $101,923 $126,417 $185,834
Electrical Engineer Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal
$54,666 $68,750 $95,416 $113,000 $145,000
$53,040 $69,250 .$100,000 $117,500 $110,000
$52,000 $63,625 $96,000 $105,500 $105,000
$56,270 $73,750 $100,000 $125,000 $167,500
Mechanical Engineer Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal..
$50,129 $73,406 $99,311 $109,842 $184,240
$48,000 $74,030 .$101,000 $113,000 $175,000
$46,000 $69,250 $93,990 $103,688 $151,200
$54,080 $78,750 $103,766 $121,059 $225,000
Geotechnical Engineer/Scientist Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal..
$46,598 $68,128 $80,585 $95,159 $140,833
$47,195 $71,256 $73,101 $88,750 $125,000
$41,793 $59,384 $63,100 $77,193 $122,500
$52,000 $80,000 $98,933 $104,500 $151,250
Environmental Engineer/Scientist Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal
$48,346 $75,043 $87,724 $102,705 $157,167
$48,460 $70,300 $82,250 $102,730 $158,500
$41,600 $58,550 $75,268 $94,250 $144,250
$54,550 $88,601 $102,000 $120,000 $172,000
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August 2017
mean
median
lower quartile
upper quartile
Traffic/Transportation Engineer Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal..
$55,359 $68,757 $96,582 $120,721 $141,134
$56,134 $68,000 $94,078 $110,365 $146,091
$54,184 $64,657 $87,500 $107,683 $132,759
$58,000 $74,910 $110,011 $121,880 $151,305
Planner Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Head Principal
$52,780 $80,798 $97,136 $132,163 **
$52,780 $75,743 $91,000 $132,163 **
$50,310 $59,901 $89,721 $129,605 **
$55,250 $96,640 $104,655 $134,722 **
GIS Professional Entry-level Project Engineer Project Manager Department Manager Principal
$42,063 $67,506 $107,000 $112,787 **
$41,437 $65,000 $107,000 $112,500 **
$37,874 $58,448 $107,000 $112,500 **
$45,626 $65,000 $107,000 $112,900 **
Land Surveyors Instrument Person I Survey Technician Field Survey Party Chief Project Surveyor Survey Dept. Mng. .
$35,432 $49,067 $55,235 $73,161 $101,283
$36,136 $50,000 $50,669 $68,224 $99,205
$31,720 $41,600 $45,460 $60,000 $82,471
$41,380 $58,960 $62,300 $90,206 $113,750
Civil Engineering Technician Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level
$38,885 $54,516 $63,745
$37,241 $52,000 $65,000
$34,680 $41,623 $55,520
$41,600 $65,475 $73,840
Mechanical Engineering Technician Entry-level Mid-level.. Senior-level
$38,421 $49,299 $77,883
$37,241 $47,000 $65,350
$35,731 $40,498 $63,358
$39,931 $50,500 $79,875
CADD Operator Entry-level Mid-level.. Senior-level
$38,311 $52,956 $64,705
$37,241 $52,780 $63,700
$36,550 $42,650 $53,010
$41,943 $61,598 $74,360
Field Technician Entry-level Mid-level Senior-level
$30,994 $48,890 $54,137
$31,200 $50,960 $53,322
$27,040 $41,600 $42,294
$34,000 $57,000 $61,000
* Based on a sample too small to yield meaningful values.
For more information about our other publications, newsletters, seminars, and/or consulting services, please contact us. Zweig Group | 38 West Trenton Blvd, | Suite 101 | Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-1528 Tel: (508) 651-1559 | Fax: (508) 653-6522 | E-mail: info@zweiggroup.com | www.zweiggroup.com
Building Your Future in Engineering
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Engineering Your Career By Matt Barcus | President | Precision Executive Search
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ver the course of my career as a civil engineering search consultant, I have placed hundreds of engineering professionals with consulting engineering firms, governmental agencies, and private industry. My success is contingent upon me reaching out to hundreds of civil engineers each month and discussing their careers (past, present, and future), uncovering what motivates them, and often coaching them through the interview and salary negotiation process. I have also had the opportunity to work with a strong stable of clients over the past two decades. As a result of the thousands of conversations I have had over the years, I would like to share with you seven key factors that will help steer your career down the path of success: 1. To What Degree?
So you wrapped up your Bachelor’s Degree and are now pondering the pursuit of an advanced degree. I believe holding an advanced degree in your profession can prove to be beneficial, as it provides a more in depth understanding of your profession, in turn making your skill set more desirable. Many people prefer to pursue their Masters Degree immediately following their Bachelor’s degree while they are still in ‘school’ mode, and before ‘life’ gets in the way. An alternative would be to work for an employer who would be willing to pay, or at least partially fund your pursuit of an advanced degree, saving you some coin. Should you be interested in choosing a career path that is heavily focused in research, or working in Higher Education, a PhD would be beneficial. Should your desires be to pursue a career in consulting, a PhD is actually often frowned. Pursuit of an MBA can provide value longer term as you look to advance your career into a leadership role, but I would save that for a future date. If you are contemplating MBA vs. MS, take the MS route initially.
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2. A License to Success
When graduating with an engineering degree, the end goal for most is to get their Professional Engineers (PE) license in their area of specialization. Most states require four years of experience in working under the direction of a licensed PE. Do not make the mistake of postponing this professional landmark. From time to time I speak to folks who have been in the market for 8+ years that have not yet sat for their PE. Typical reasoning includes: employer did not encourage or promote it; life got in the way; too busy working/not enough time to study...DO NOT FALL INTO THESE TRAPS. Receiving your PE license should be considered a major career milestone; failing to do so will ultimately limit your options beginning mid-career and you will eventually hit the proverbial ‘glass ceiling.’ Matt Barcus 3. Fueling the Fire It goes without saying that as an engineer, you MUST have the technical expertise and experience to advance your career. But without passion for what you do, you will fall flat on your face. A career in engineering offers many different paths to success, but you need to have a full understanding of what fuels your fire. Do you prefer a role where you are a desk jockey and working in an office environment, or do you thrive in a role that will get you out in the field? Do large scale, mega projects excite you, or do you prefer a higher volume of smaller, quick turn over projects? Would you rather climb the technical career ladder where you become the in-house expert and are a technical resource for an entire organization, or do you see yourself pursuing an executive level leadership role focused on business development or operations? All valid questions to ask yourself, and once answered you can sculpt the successful career path that excites you. 4. What's Your Type?
A career in engineering offers a diverse array of oppor-
August 2017
tunities when considering the type of entity you want to work for. Knowing your personality and understanding what environment best suits that personality will greatly impact where you take your career. Understanding the pro’s and con’s of working for big firms vs. small firms; consulting vs. government vs. in house / institutional; publicly traded vs. privately owned; prime vs. DBE; design vs. construction. This may take some time to figure out, as often times perception is indeed not reality. Gather as much information as possible from your network, but you may not fully gain the clarity you need until you experience a specific type of organization yourself. 5. Resistance Training
I’m going in two different directions here, so bare with me. First, resist the temptation to make frequent career moves, because in the end, employers will begin to resist hiring you. You may be able to get away with it early on in your career, but if you build a track record of switching jobs every 1-3 years it will indeed catch up to you. Why you ask? Organizations spend countless amounts of money and time training and developing employees, so if they see a track record of frequent career moves, they will be hesitant to hire you despite your ability to actually do the job. Additionally, companies are looking to grow. They want to know that the employees they hire will be a part of that growth. Of course the employer needs to provide that opportunity and hold up their end of the bargain, but if you have a habit of getting bored, or trying something new, or jumping ship for a couple grand more in salary, that will catch up and bite you in the rear in the long term. I believe that making some strategic career moves over the course of a 40+ year career is vital. It allows for advancement opportunities, it allows for a change of pace if you are stuck in a rut, it minimizes exposure to salary compression, and it allows for exposure to some new and exciting projects, ideas and people. But my advice is to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN with your current employer. Work hard, be innovative, don’t be afraid to fail, and communicate effectively with those who surround you. When you have done your best and are no longer able to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, then you should consider greener pastures My second point will make sense If you’ve ever been to the gym, as you likely understand the concept of resistance training. In order for muscles to grow, you
Building Your Future in Engineering
need to challenge them by lifting more weight where as the last few reps become a struggle, but you are still able to complete them (even with a little bit of help). The same concept applies to your career growth. If you work hard, set stretch goals, challenge yourself, and work for a good company, you will progress your way up the weight rack, and your employer will be there to spot you. If you find that you are lifting with proper form but that you have plateaued despite all of your efforts, then it may be time to ‘change gyms.’ 6. Associate Yourself
Whichever direction you choose to take your engineering career, remaining actively involved in local, regional, and national professional associations relevant to your area of expertise is critical. Critical in the fact that it will allow opportunities to publish and present papers and projects which will designate you as a thought leader in your profession, and will increase your marketability. You will greatly expand your professional network allowing for plenty of opportunities to learn from your peers, many doors will open for you over the course of your career. 7. Relationships Matter
Do good by people. Simple advice. The engineering business can be brutal at times—long hours, demanding clients, needy employees, public pressure, losing proposals, the list goes on, BUT...there is indeed a tremendous amount of upside and many, many, many men and women lead extremely rewarding and successful careers in engineering. These folks lead successful careers not only because they are strong leaders who work hard, are creative, and make good decisions, but also because they do good by the people they work with. Despite what one may think, engineering is very much a people business. One may be able to design an amazing bridge, or swiftly and successfully navigate the permitting process, but failure to raise up those beneath you, failure to get to really get to know clients and build strong relationships, failure to consider the ideas and input of others, failure to recognize vendors or sub-consultants that deliver or exceed on what they promised will lead your career straight to a dead end. Once you’ve hit that dead end it can be very hard to recover, as word travels quickly. So be sure to take good care of those who surround you professionally, and they will be sure to take good care of you.v 57
University of
Georgia UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Students Total enrollment: 1,914 Undergraduate: 1,807 Graduate: 107 Faculty Total faculty: 68 NSF CAREER and PECASE Award recipients: 8 Degree programs 15 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in agricultural, biochemical, biological, civil, computer systems, electrical and electronics, environmental, and mechanical engineering Dual degree programs Engineering and German Engineering and MBA Research funding 250% increase in five years
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August 2017
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Just five years after being founded, the University of Georgia College of Engineering is emerging as a leader in engineering education and research. Showing exponential growth in all areas—including enrollment, research, career placement, and corporate partnerships—the UGA College of Engineering is poised to reach even greater heights by the end of its first decade. Combining a highly technical, hands-on engineering experience with the benefits of one of the nation’s leading public liberal arts universities, UGA Engineering provides its graduates with the tools to address the grand challenges facing society. “We recognize that for us to be successful, we need to build on the other great strengths of UGA,” says Donald Leo, dean of the UGA College of Engineering. A new program offered in partnership with UGA’s Terry College of Business allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering and an MBA within five years. Another new program, developed with UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, offers students a dual degree in German and engineering that includes a year abroad for coursework and an internship with a German company. Such options are creating graduates that are in demand in today’s job market. “When companies give us feedback about students they’ve hired, for interns or co-ops or full time, the feedback we get is that our students are very well rounded,” Leo says. “ey feel like our students are ones that they can put in front of a client immediately. ey understand how to communicate, how to work in teams.”
A hands-on experience UGA’s College of Engineering prepares graduates who not only fill jobs, but excel at them. e capstone senior design course, taken by each student in their final year, offers hands-on opportunities to work on real-world projects with clients. “You might have the mayor, you might have members of the city council—everyone that’s involved or has a stake in that project is sitting at the table,” says Stephan Durham, who co-teaches the joint capstone course for civil and environmental engineering. “e students realize that it takes a lot of different people to make these projects happen. I think Building Your Future in Engineering
for them there’s a realization that engineering is a very collaborative type of profession.” is roll-up-your-sleeves, face-to-face approach allows students to gain maturity and confidence in their abilities. “I think they quickly learn that not everything is in a book,” says Durham. “In the real world, as an engineer, you’re going to have to go out and seek answers, seek resources to apply your design.” Thriving research In the past year, the UGA College of Engineering has created or played a key role in the creation of four new crossdisciplinary research initiatives. e Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) will explore ways to strengthen traditional ‘gray’ infrastructure systems (water and sewage treatment, energy and transportation) and integrate them with ‘green’ and ‘blue’ infrastructure (green spaces, bodies of water, and ecosystems) that perform vital functions such as buffering storms and cleansing water and air. IRIS joins three other institutes—the New Materials Institute, the Engineering Education Transformations Institute, and the Georgia Informatics Institutes for Research and Education—in searching for ideas that can be transformed into solutions for society’s pressing challenges. ese institutes are just a few examples of the UGA College of Engineering’s thriving research, which has seen a 250 percent increase in funding during the last five years. Smart growth is spring, the UGA College of Engineering restructured into three academic units: the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; the School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering; and the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering. While growth necessitates some changes, the college wants to make sure it retains its identity while preparing students for the future. “Leadership, communication, teamwork—those have really been a hallmark of this program since back in the day when the focus was agricultural engineering,” Dean Leo says. “The opportunity and challenge we have now is continuing that tradition now that we have 2,000 students instead of 200.”v 59
Vanderbilt University
School of Engineering
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Vanderbilt is an internationally recognized, privately supported research university and its hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, is ‘Music City U.S.A.’ The university’s students frequently cite Nashville as one of the perks of Vanderbilt, with its 330-acre campus located a little more than a mile from downtown.
This fall, the university’s highly anticipated, 230,000square-foot Science and Engineering Building and Innovation Center will open. They will increase creative and collaborative experimentation and help accelerate new research discoveries and student-driven concepts and ideas to the marketplace. The building’s cleanroom and advanced imaging facilities, which will help advance discoveries in areas such as nanocomposites, smart materials, advanced energy storage and nano‐bio‐technology, will come online in spring 2017. The new building has five floors that will support a variety of research laboratories and interdisciplinary work. It also features an Undergraduate Commons located next to the research labs will feature student-centered space designed to spark intellectual discussions and studies. The Innovation Center, a three-story, 13,000-squarefoot building adjacent to the Engineering and Science Building, is designed to be a hub for innovation and en-
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trepreneurship. The center will offer resources for faculty and students from across the university. It is designed to support a ‘maker’ culture that will enable faculty and students to build interdisciplinary programs that transform educational models through technology and research, as well as offer innovative, effective solutions to pressing health and health care problems. Students participating in the center’s programs will have the opportunity to experience the value of interdisciplinary teamwork and carry this model forward as they become leaders. In a global world, where Skyping with a colleague half a world away or reviewing medical test data via email from remote areas of Africa is commonplace, the term ‘neighborhood’ is being redefined and revitalized. At the Vanderbilt School of Engineering, neighborhood is how we describe our distinctive culture of trans-institutionality, collaboration and cross-pollination both from within and beyond the traditional walls of departments, schools, institutions and disciplines. Vanderbilt Engineering has a long and successful tradition of collaboration with colleagues at other universities and at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the College of Arts and Science, and all the other colleges and schools that make up one of the nation’s top research universities.
August 2017
In developing its own bottom-up strategic plan, the School of Engineering has identified nine ‘neighborhoods,’ drawing faculty, staff, students, and outside researchers together in the search for solutions: Biomedical Imaging and Biophotonics, Surgery and Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, Rehabilitation Engineering, Nano Science and Technology, Energy and Natural Resources, Risk and Reliability, Big Data Science and Engineering, and Cyber Physical Systems. “These neighborhoods are not closed nor exclusive. It’s actually common for a Vanderbilt engineer’s research to be part of more than one neighborhood. Traditional departments continue to exist, but as we all know, department-centric research and other activity is obsolete in both small and large programs. This model will increase the already strong collaborative nature of the School of Engineering by adding to the nimbleness of how we respond to external pressures and influences,” said Dean Philippe Fauchet. About Vanderbilt Engineering
The School of Engineering offers bachelor of engineering degrees in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. A bachelor of science degree is offered in computer science and engineering science. Many engineering students choose double majors, minors or concentrations in complementary disciplines. All engineering students study in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs in Vanderbilt’s multimillion dollar engineering complex—in a student-centered environment. Minors in engineering management, computer science, scientific computing, materials science and engineering, environmental engineering, and energy and environmental systems may be combined with majors, as can minors offered through the College of Arts and Science. The engineering school’s unique first-year program allows students to examine various engineering majors from multiple perspectives before declaring a specific major. Senior Design, a two-semester ‘capstone course’ taken in an undergraduate’s final year, requires multidisciplinary engineering work on real-world, team-based projects. On Senior Design Day, an event held each April at the end of the semester, students share their results with their clients and the Vanderbilt community. In addition to training in engineering science, mathematics, physics, and chemistry, students will take liberal
Building Your Future in Engineering
arts courses, as well as explore the opportunity to round out their undergraduate academic experience with an honors program or an accelerated degree program through which both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering are earned in five years. Many Vanderbilt students find study abroad to be an integral part of their undergraduate experience. This year, about 20% of engineering seniors will have had at least one study abroad experience. All full-time faculty members hold doctorates and teach undergraduate students. All programs leading to the bachelor of engineering degree at Vanderbilt are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. The school offers the master of engineering (M.Eng.) degree, with emphasis on engineering design and practice, in most areas of study. The Vanderbilt Graduate School, through the School’s departments, offers the research-oriented Ph.D. degree in eight major fields: biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science, electrical, environmental, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering. A particular strength of the school is the depth and breadth of its multidisciplinary capability. Through programs funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and others, the school participates in collaborations with many top-25 universities, national and international laboratories. Vanderbilt engineering graduates are valued for their expertise, intellectual independence, communication skills, and leadership ability. Graduates are actively recruited not only for engineering careers but also for careers as diverse as consulting, medicine, law and finance. At Vanderbilt, engineering students learn to be creative thinkers and problem solvers—skills that are valuable throughout life, not only when they are solving engineering problems. v VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING FACTS engineering.vanderbilt.edu For Class of 2021, 7,579 applicants for about 330 slots Undergraduates (Spring 2017) 1447 Graduate Students (Spring 2017) 480 Percent of female undergraduates 31% Tenure/tenure-track faculty: 95 Research expenditures (FY2016): $66.7 million Tuition: admissions.vanderbilt.edu/financial-aid/
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Wiregrass Georgia Tech
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Communication was certainly the key that sparked opportunity in Fitzgerald, Georgia. Conversation between local industries and the Ben Hill County Schools, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, and the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Development Authority started fostering the idea of providing unique training for specific jobs needed in the community. The conversation lead to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, where the Certified Manufacturing Specialist program was born. Ben Hill County Schools Careers, Technology, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Director Dr. Mark Sutton shared, “The Certified Manufacturing Specialist Program was beneficial for our students in that it provided an alternative pathway/ program of study and a certificate of credentialing for those students whose plan was to go directly into the workforce upon graduation from high school. This program provided training, career guidance and credentialing that these students would not have received otherwise. Without these things these students would have likely faced numerous challenges when seeking employment.� The program was promoted to students at Fitzgerald High School as Move on When Ready (MOWR) program opportunity for students who planned to go directly into the workforce upon high school graduation. The MOWR program allows high school students to take college academic degree level core courses while in high school. Students may choose to enroll fully into a degree, diploma or technical certificate of credit program. Fitzgerald High School students were hand selected for this opportunity at the local technical college. Through this partnership with the college, school system, and local industries, students were guaranteed an interview upon completion. Every student that completed the
Building Your Future in Engineering
program was interviewed and hired by local industry in Ben Hill County. In response to the need, Wiregrass created the new Certified Manufacturing Specialist program which began in the Fall of 2016 at Fitzgerald High School. The students learned organization principles, workplace skills, manufacturing production, automated manufacturing skills, and representative manufacturing skills. The course taught students soft skills and how to work in a manufacturing environment using the team technique. They learned how to function as a team member who would best benefit the company and yield the best production. After classroom work, the students visited the college campus and were able to see how hydro, mechanic, electric, and computer control labs work. Students walked away from this class not only with a college certificate of credit while in high school but also with soft skills learned that would provide them an edge over other job applicants for positions. Upon completion, the students had completed 11 hours of course credit to earn their certificate. Three of the seniors who completed the program were interviewed and hired by local industry in Ben Hill County. The industries are Southern Veneer, Modern Disbursing (MDI), Elixir, and Golden Boy/Post Holdings. At the end of the day, the high school seniors walked away with college credit before graduating from high school, Fitzgerald High School had students complete a college credit program, Wiregrass was able to help train local seniors while helping local industries, and the local industries? They got what they asked for—qualified workers. For more information about this program and other programs offered at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, visitwiregrass.edu. v
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