News

A Geotechnical Overview of Karst

Presented by: Jessee Scarborough, PE

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Time: 11:30A - 1P

Geotechnical and Structural Monitoring Instrumentation

Presented by: Rabi Shankar S. Yadava, PhD, PE

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Time: 11:30A - 1P

About the Presentation: Approximately one-hour presentation will cover need for geotechnical and structural monitoring instrumentation, most common types of instrumentation and their applications, components of a robust system, major instrumentation and hardware manufacturer’s, wireless technology and lesson learnt in over 15 years.

Events

Managing The Hydrologic Legacy of Disturbed Compacted Urban Soils

Presented by: Stu Schwartz

November 15, 2023

Standard landscaping practices with cut-and-fill mass grading have produced a pervasive legacy of disturbed compacted urban soil profiles that limit infiltration, root growth, and vegetation success, and increase stormwater runoff from the urban pervious landscape. Dramatic increases in hydrologic services and vegetation success can be purposefully restored using sustainable grading practices, but current standards and impervious area removal credits offer no incentives to change “standard practice”. This presentation describes means and methods to reliably restore environmental services in urban pervious landscapes, as well as the stormwater credit and life cycle cost incentives that can incentivize and institutionalize the standard use of these practices. Disturbed compacted urban soil profiles represent a pervasive hydrologic legacy and a significant opportunity to improve hydrologic design, stormwater management, and restore hydrologic function to the urban pervious landscape.

About the Speaker: Stu Schwartz is a Senior Research Scientist at UMBC’s Center for Urban Environmental Research and Educations (CUERE). His research focuses on water resource systems analysis, green infrastructure, and urban hydrologic science. Before joining UMBC, he directed the Center for Environmental Science Technology and Policy at Cleveland State University; was Associate Director of the Water Resources Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, and Directed the Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations (COOP) at the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

Cost: $25 (Members), $35 (Non-Members)

Payment: Pay Online or Checks made out to ASCE-MD at the door

Location: Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant
581 Himes Avenue, Frederick, MD 21703

1 PDH Available for Attendees

Livable Frederick Master Plan

All Hands On Deck:

How the Allied Professions Can Create A More Livable Frederick

Presented by: Denis Superczynski

October 18, 2023

With the adoption of a new strategic plan for Frederick County – the Livable Frederick Master Plan – land owners, engineers, architects, lenders, builders, and planners have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rewrite the conventional script for how growth occurs in our community. Where conventional tools fall short, the combined expertise and wisdom of the allied land development professions will be brought to bear on the new challenges of placemaking in Frederick County. 

About the Speaker: Denis is currently serving as a key member of the County’s long-range planning team in the Livable Frederick Office of Planning and Design and contributed to the development of the Livable Frederick Master Plan (2019). Prior to that, he worked across the state of Maryland including serving as a Natural Resources Planner in Kent County and as an Adjunct Professor at University of Maryland College Park. He spent 10 years in Western Massachusetts working in regional planning completing master plans, military base joint land use studies, and implementation plans to tackle Combined Sewer Overflow challenges in aging cities. He possesses a BS in Planning and Architecture from the Catholic University of America.

Case Studies in Engineering Ethics

Presented by: Tara Hoke

September 20

This session will review the ASCE Code of Ethics as applied to real life cases drawn from ASCE’s case file or other engineering sources. The presentation will explore common themes that lead to ethical failure and will discuss how individuals can contribute to an ethical culture in their professional workplace.

About the Speaker: Tara Hoke is General Counsel at the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the Virginia Bar. She is a 2005 graduate of Georgetown Law and served as Assistant General Counsel for nine years prior to her promotion in January 2015. In addition to serving as ASCE's legal counsel, Tara oversees ASCE's professional conduct committee and writes a bimonthly column A Question of Ethics, which is published in Civil Engineering magazine. Tara also serves as Secretary for the Committee on Publication Ethics, a UK-based charity that provides ethics guidance for scholarly publishers.

Cost: $25 (Members), $35 (Non-Members)

Payment: Pay Online or Checks made out to ASCE-MD at the door

Location: Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant
581 Himes Avenue, Frederick, MD 21703

1 PDH Available for Attendees

September Meeting - Why our future is bright--an exploration of the transformation of Maryland's natural and built infrastructure

Michel Bouchedid, MS, PE, M.ASCE  Michel Bouchedid, Operations Manager for Bouchedid Contracting and Development in Beirut Lebanon, has over 20 years of experience in all phases of project delivery. He obtained his BS in Civil Engineering from Notre Dame University, Lebanon in 2001, an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Maine with an emphasis on Geotechnical Engineering in 2004, and an MBA from the University of Washington in 2013. During his 10-year career with CH2M HILL (currently Jacobs) in the USA, he worked on numerous projects including highways and bridges, ports, tunnels, airports, light rail, wastewater treatment plants, and water conveyance systems. He started his career as a geotechnical design engineer and his latest assignment before leaving CH2M HILL was Program Support Manager working directly with the Executive Program Manager for the delivery of the $30 Billion King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During his career in the USA, Michel was heavily involved with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), serving in multiple officer positions in his local Section in Seattle including the President of the Geotechnical Group. Currently, Michel is serving as the president-elect of the ASCE Lebanon Section and the president of the NDU Engineering Alumni Group.

Desiree Tullos, Ph.D., PE (OR). is a Professor in the Biological and Ecological Engineering Department at Oregon State University. Her research emphasizes the sustainable engineering and management of rivers. Projects focus on questions that range from the particle to basin scale, including a) Physical and biological responses to dam removal; b) analysis of reservoir operations in systems undergoing change; c) Turbulence and habitat of flow around vegetation and wood in rivers, and d) Sustainable flood risk management and infrastructure. Her research also has an international dimension, as the PI of an NSF-funded project on hydropower development in China, examining mountain flood risk in India, and as a Fulbright scholar studying reservoir sediment management in Taiwan. She currently serves on the Independent Scientific Review Panel for Bonneville Power Administration’s Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the board of directors for the Natural Heritage Institute and has served on two National Research Council committees. Her teaching emphasizes design-based learning: River Engineering, Ecohydraulic Engineering, and Ecological Engineering – Systems Analysis. She has also served as the PI of an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program on Ecosystem Informatics for twelve years as part of a broader suite of activities aimed at advancing diversity in the STEM fields

Glenn Havinoviski, P.E. has emerged as one of the world's foremost experts in ITS development and transportation systems management over the last 37 years. He has served both as a practice builder and a practice leader, providing project management and technical leadership for ITS and traffic management projects both in the US and abroad. He currently leads Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson's ITS practice, applying his experience in ITS and CAV program planning and architecture, system design, deployment, and operations. He brings additional experience in managed lanes, active traffic management systems, and integrated corridor management, along with real-time traveler information, road pricing and transit signal priority. He has led or served in a key role for projects in 18 U.S. states, Mexico, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. For three years Glenn served as a core instructor in training workshops for the International Road Federation (IRF), providing background to engineers in the Middle East on ITS and integrated mobility strategies 

Matt Lewellyn, PE has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University.  As B&N’s Transportation and Bridge Leader in the Parkersburg-WV office, he has dedicated his 24-year career to improving the infrastructure in WV one project at-a-time. WVDOT has given him the opportunity manage many projects including the renovation of the century-old Market Street Bridge over the Ohio River and the rehabilitation of the New River Gorge Bridge.  He has presented at several conferences including the National Bridge Preservation Partnership Conference showing his passion for topics related to bridge rehabilitation and preservation.

Travis Butz, PE Travis is a senior engineer in the Bridge Design Section of B&N’s Columbus, Ohio office. He specializes in bridge rehabilitation and in the design and analysis of complex structures. His structural analysis background includes prestressed concrete and post-tensioned structures, steel girder structures, steel truss structures, steel and concrete arch structures, and cable supported structures. Travis was the lead designer of the award-winning Rich Street Bridge in Columbus, Ohio, and led the river pier rehabilitation and widening for the Milton-Madison Bridge over the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana 

Speaker Bio

Jeffrey T. Folden, PE, DBIA currently serves as the Director of the I-495 & I-270 Public-Private Partnership (P3) Office where he is responsible to lead all efforts related to the Op Lanes Maryland program.  In his 20-year with MDOT SHA, Mr. Folden has focused on project development, including alternative project delivery. He began his career in 2001 in the Office of Highway Development, serving in multiple roles over his 16 years, including project manager, team leader, Acting Assistant Division Chief of Highway Design, and Assistant Division Chief and Division Chief of Innovative Contracting. In his roles in the Innovative Contracting Division, Jeff led the development of MDOT SHA's Construction Management at Risk process, MDOT SHA's first Progressive Design-Build project for the I-270 Innovative Congestion Management contract, and the overall Design-Build program, including the development of the MD 404 widening project. In 2017, Jeff moved to the newly formed I-495 & I-270 P3 Office as the Deputy Director.

a civil engineer with more than 25 years of professional experience is the DDOT Program Manager for the South Capitol Street Corridor Phase 1 design build project/Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Project.  His career began as a design engineer and has progressively evolved gaining valuable experience in project management, program management, construction management, and dispute resolution. Dennis is a graduate of Morgan State University here in Maryland. 

Speaker Bio

Dennis Howland a civil engineer with more than 25 years of professional experience is the DDOT Program Manager for the South Capitol Street Corridor Phase 1 design build project/Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Project.  His career began as a design engineer and has progressively evolved gaining valuable experience in project management, program management, construction management, and dispute resolution. Dennis is a graduate of Morgan State University here in Maryland. 

Jon Whitney is a Vice President and professional engineer at HNTB with over 30 years of industry experience in transportation engineering. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University. He is currently working as HNTB project manager for South Capitol Street Corridor Phase 1/ Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Project design build project leading a team of over 25 professionals supporting DDOT in delivering this iconic project. 

November Online Webinar Meeting - Goal Setting for Success

Speaker Bio

Joel Oppenheimer is a Senior Vice President at STV Incorporated overseeing their Maryland Transportation and Infrastructure practice. He has more than 40 years of planning and engineering experience, a Masters Degree in Engineering Administration and is a professional engineer in Maryland and 8 other states. He began inspirational/motivational speaking in 2004 and has presented various seminars of his “Building a Better Life—Concrete Steps for Success” program more than 350 times.

October Online Webinar Meeting - Civil Engineers in the Civil War - The US Military Railroads 

Speaker Bio

Mr. Michael B. O’Connor, New York University

Michael O’Connor, Retired Professional Civil Engineer (Maryland and California), M.ASCE, is a member of the ASCE Committee on Developing Leaders, History and Heritage, Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBoK), and Engineering Grades. Michael has been a practicing Civil Engineer with over 50 years of engineering, construction, and project management experience split equally between the public and private sectors. Programs ranged from the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit district’s 1990’s expansions in the East Bay and SFO Airport at three billion to the New Starts program for the Federal Transit Administration with over a hundred projects and $85 billion in construction value. At the latter, he also acted as source selection board chairman and program COTR for $200 plus million in task order contracts for engineering services. Working for the third-largest transit agency in the United States, the Los Angeles County MTA, Michael managed bus vehicle engineering for $1 billion in new acquisitions and post-delivery maintenance support for 2300 vehicles with some of the most complex technology (natural gas engines and embedded systems) in the US transit industry in the 1990s. Michael also has extensive experience as an instructor at New York University (five years), Howard University (four years), and California State University- San Francisco (ten years).

September Online Webinar Meeting - Maryland's Underground Damage Prevention Law - SB 877

Speaker Bio

Susan joined the Miss Utility team in September of 2018 as the ITIC Coordinator and a member of the Damage Prevention and Safety Training Team.  Alongside industry experts, she travels throughout the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia sharing the dig safe message and training members of the excavation community on Maryland Title 12 and Washington D.C. Title 34 Law.  As a former educator, Susan enjoys meeting new people and hopes the importance of the 811 dig safe message encourages everyone to dig with an attitude of safety while promoting the goal of zero fatalities, zero injuries and zero damages.

June Online Webinar Meeting - Beyond Haunched Girders and Form Liners

Speaker Bio

Fred Gottemoeller is considered America’s most distinguished expert on bridge aesthetics. Among his more than 30 bridges are crossings of the Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Potomac and Niagara Rivers and a crossing of a World Heritage waterway, Canada’s Rideau Canal. A recent bridge, the St. Croix River Crossing between Minnesota and Wisconsin, resolved a 20 year controversy, and has won multiple design awards. Bridgescape, his book on bridge aesthetics, is a familiar reference for bridge designers. Now retired, Fred is continuing to share his ideas and knowledge through articles in bridge publications, and by presentations like this.

May Online Webinar Meeting - New ASCE Code of Ethics

Speaker Bio

Steven K. Starrett, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE, F.EWRI  became the Dean of Engineering and Engineering Technology at LeTourneau University in 2017. LeTourneau University, the Christian Polytechnic University, has been providing an innovative, hands-on engineering education since it was founded in Longview, Texas in 1946. Steven K. Starrett obtained a BS in civil engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology in 1989. He obtained an M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering from Iowa State University in 1992 and 1994, respectively. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. Dr. Starrett served on the civil engineering faculty at Kansas State University for 23 years and was also the Director of the institutional wide Honor and Integrity System. Dr. Starrett served as the ASCE-Environmental and Water Resources Institute President in 2017. In 2017, Dr. Starrett received the prestigious Professional Practice Ethics and Leadership Award granted by the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE). In 2018, Dr. Starrett received the Service to the Institute Award from the ASCE-EWRI. Steve enjoys the great outdoors, fishing, visiting national parks, riding motorcycles, and attending bluegrass music festivals.

Dr. Carlos Bertha is a Professor of Philosophy at the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida (USF) in 1989.  After working at the Savannah District Corps of Engineers for 5 years, he returned to USF, this time to study philosophy. He has been at USAFA since June of 2000, teaching Ethics, Analytic Philosophy, Symbolic Logic, and Philosophy of Science. Carlos recently retired from the US Army Reserve after 30 years of service, achieving the rank of Colonel. He served a combat tour with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Gardez, Afghanistan. Carlos was an instructor for the Command and General Staff Officers Course, focusing on organizational leadership, joint doctrine, and professional ethics. His last assignment was Deputy Commander of the Army EPLO Group, under the 76th Operational Response Command, in Salt Lake City, UT. Carlos enjoys going to the beach, riding his bike, and even snowboarding when the conditions are right.

April Online Webinar Meeting - Restoration of the Catoctin Aqueduct

Speaker Bio

Danielle Litardo

Danielle Litardo, Project Manager with Corman Kokosing Construction Company.  Ms. Litardo has served as project manager on bridge, roadway, and railroad construction projects having been with Corman Kokosing for over 14 years. Project highlights where she has made an impact include the historic US Arch Bridge in Howard County, Washington, DC’s distinguished landmark, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the award-winning Intercounty Connector in Montgomery County, and of course, the Conococheague Aqueduct on the C&O Canal in Williamsport.

March Online Webinar Meeting - Evaluation of Historic Masonry Sewer Pipes Impacted By an Advancing TBM

Speaker Bio

Parsa Heydarpour Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE

Possessing an extensive analytical and technical expertise in the field of structural engineering, Dr. Heydarpour is a performance-driven structural engineer with a wide-ranging background in both structural and geotechnical engineering. He has served in different capacities ranging from design and geo-mechanical modeling of Support of Excavation (SOE) systems, analysis of existing bridges, structural modelling of buildings impacted by excavation, evaluation of masonry sewer utility lines due to settlement, geo-mechanical modeling of staged excavations for shaft and near surface structures. Dr. Heydarpour extensive background in the design and analysis, including Nonlinear Static Analysis (NSA), Nonlinear Time-History Analysis, Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA), and reliability analysis of structures, including subsurface systems such as Support of Excavation (SOE).

February Online Webinar Meeting - But I'm Only On Site Once a Month: Trends in Claims Against Design Professionals Related to Construction Phase Services 

Speaker Bio

Jonathan Shoemaker

Jonathan is proud to concentrate his practice in the representation of design professionals involved in construction related disputes throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland. Jonathan believes that the best solution to most problems is often the simplest: what does the contract say? Jonathan begins every new engagement seeking to understand how the parties on a construction project elected to allocate risk and responsibility before the project, and then works with his client to develop a plan for bringing the issue to resolution as expeditiously as possible consistent with the client’s goals. Jonathan has tried cases before judges, juries, and arbitrators, and relishes the opportunity to advocate for his clients in court and in arbitration. Jonathan enjoys getting into the weeds of a dispute, deconstructing the issues presented throughout the discovery process, and then presenting the dispute clearly and concisely for the fact finder. Jonathan frequently speaks on risk management issues, best practices for design professionals, different project delivery methods, and legal updates both at in-house seminars for his clients and at programs put on by design professional organizations and insurance carriers. 

January Online Webinar Meeting - Water Loss Management to Reduce Non-Revenue Water

Speaker Bio

Chuck Lacey, Jr. P.E.

Chuck has a Civil Engineering degree from the University of MD and an MBA from Loyola University. He is a licensed professional engineer in DE, MD and VA.  Upon graduation, Chuck went to work for Baltimore Gas & Electric and over a 20-year period experienced a wide range of responsibilities; including managing fly ash landfills, design and construction of electric substations and outdoor lighting.  Chuck also has extensive civil engineering experience providing design build soil improvement solutions for GeoStructures and stormwater/water quality solutions at Advanced Drainage Systems.  More recently, working for 540 Technologies (a subsidiary of LB Water), Chuck has been helping towns improve the services they provide thru smart city solutions in the areas of; intelligent lighting, smart grid, non-revenue water and AMI.

Chuck has received numerous awards over his career and is a commercial pilot. He has flown thousands of hours and flights across the County and has even flown a seaplane into the fountain of youth in Florida.

November Online Webinar Meeting - Accurate and Simplified Structural Design 

Speaker Bio

Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson is the Vice President of Engineering for the National Concrete Masonry Association.  His duties and responsibilities include overseeing the technical activities of the association including research and development, design, construction, and testing standards development, design resources and tools, and creating and delivering seminars and lectures covering these subjects.  Jason is also active in the development of building codes and standards for masonry structures and systems where he represents NCMA and the masonry industry through the Masonry Alliance for Codes and Standards.

Prior to joining NCMA, Jason worked at a private engineering consulting firm in Washington State.  Upon completing his graduate studies in 1997, Jason began his career with NCMA in the laboratory as the Association’s Research Engineer.  Since that time Jason has served in several evolving capacities within NCMA focusing on the structural performance of concrete masonry, research and development, codes and standards, to his current role as Vice President of Engineering.

Jason has served in several leadership and executive capacities in various forums including: Chair of the Masonry Alliance for Codes and Standards, Executive Committee of the Masonry Standards Joint Committee, Technical Activities Committee and Board of Directors for The Masonry Society, technical advisor to the Code Resource Support Committee, and the Technical Coordinating Committee of the International Code Council.

Jason lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Brittaney, whom he met while working at NCMA, and his three children, Taylor, Keira, and Jessie.

October Online Webinar Meeting - Communicating for Success - Exploring 'Habit 5' of Highly Effective People 

Speaker Bio

Joel Oppenheimer,  P.E.

Joel Oppenheimer is a Senior Vice President at STV Incorporated overseeing their Maryland Transportation and Infrastructure practice. He has more than 40 years of planning and engineering experience, a Masters Degree in Engineering Administration and is a professional engineer in Maryland and 8 other states. He began inspirational/motivational speaking in 2004 and has presented various seminars of his “Building a Better Life—Concrete Steps for Success” program more than 350 times. 

September Online Webinar Meeting - Infrastructure and the Economic Impact of Inaction

Speaker Bio

Chuck Lacey, Jr. PE 

Chuck has a Civil Engineering degree from the University of MD and an MBA from Loyola University.   He is a licensed professional engineer in MD and VA.

Upon graduation, Chuck went to work for Baltimore Gas & Electric and over a 20-year period experienced a wide range of responsibilities; including managing fly ash landfills, design and construction of electric substations and outdoor lighting. 

Chuck also has extensive civil engineering experience providing design build soil improvement solutions for GeoStructures and stormwater/water quality solutions at Advanced Drainage Systems. 

More recently, working for 540 Technologies, Chuck has been helping towns improve the services they provide thru smart city solutions in the areas of; intelligent lighting, smart grid, non-revenue water and AMI. 

June Online Webinar Meeting - Silver Line Metro Extension Project

May Online Webinar Meeting - Engineering Ethics - RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 3RD

Speaker Bio

Tara Hoke is the General Counsel at ASCE and a member of the Virginia bar.  Her responsibilities for ASCE include legal consultation in the areas of employment, tax, corporate, contract, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, intellectual property, real estate, and construction law.  Ms. Hoke oversees ASCE's professional conduct committee, and writes a monthly column A Question of Ethics , which is published in Civil Engineering magazine. Tara serves as a Council member for the Committee on Publication Ethics, a nonprofit organization established to provide guidance to journal editors and publishers on publication ethics. 

Cancelled - March Luncheon Meeting - I-495 / I-270 Managed Lanes Study

Speaker Bios

Lisa B. Choplin has 32 years of experience in transportation and 20 years focused on alternative project delivery methods including Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk, and Progressive Design-Build.  Lisa is currently the Director of the I-495/I-270 P3 Office at the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA).   

Jeff Folden has 17 years of experience at MDOT and 14 years focused on alternative project delivery methods such as Design-Build.  Jeff is currently the Deputy Director of the I-495/I-270 P3 Office at the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration.   

February Luncheon Meeting - Wet Basement Causation Investigation; Expert Opinion and Testimony 

Speaker Bio

Mr. Mark W. Eisner, P.G. is a Vice President of Advanced Land and Water, LLC A Barton and Loguidice subsidary. (ALWL). Possessing over three decades of experience in environmental and hydrogeological consulting, Mr. Eisner directs hydrogeologic and hydrologic investigations for both private and public sector clients throughout our Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.   

Mr. Eisner’s foremost technical expertise is in matters relating to water resources, including the occurrence, movement, use and management of both groundwater and surface water as a natural resource, its susceptibility and properties when contaminated, and in methods for its safe and sustainable development, and when necessary, its remediation. He is a licensed Professional Geologist in all Mid-Atlantic States that have regulatory licensure and certification programs (DE, PA and VA). 

Mr. Eisner is a former permit processor and water resources manager with the State of Maryland; many present Maryland policies of water supply planning, permitting, management and protection originated during Mr. Eisner’s tenure with the agency. On numerous occasions, Mr. Eisner has testified as an expert on matters related to groundwater resources, surface water resources, hydrogeological conditions, environmental contamination and due diligence studies. Specific areas of his technical expertise include mathematical modeling of hydrogeologic systems, pumping tests, and groundwater contamination investigation and remediation.  

January Luncheon Meeting - Concrete Repair and Protection

Speaker Bio

Joel Ertter is in his sixth year as a Sales Representative for Sika Corporation, where he handles a growing territory covering Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014 with a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. While in school he interned at the Naval Academy working with Matlab to study twin screw extrusion. In his time with Sika he has become well versed in many restoration applications such as concrete repair, structural strengthening with carbon fiber, waterproofing, and more. 

December Luncheon Meeting - Overview of Load Testing for Deep Foundations

Speaker Bio

Mr. Scarborough is employed by Specialized Engineering, here in Frederick since 2017.  He is a Diplomate (D.GE) of ASCE’s Academy of Geo-Professionals with a bachelor’s degree  (BSCE) from the University of Virginia, and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech.  He has more than 25 years of experience as a Geotechnical Engineer, is a registered Professional Engineer in 7 states, and has published more than 20 books and papers. 

November Luncheon Meeting - The Civil Engineering Profession: Fifty Back and Five Ahead

Speaker Bio

Mr. Gajanan Sabnis, PhD, PE is a long-time professional civil engineer, who has been active in teaching, industrial and research experience totaling to over five decades, most of it in the United States. His experience with various types of concrete structures, technical and professional committees at national level and in construction management is important for any one in Civil engineering and is a great resource of information at national and local levels. He was elected Distinguished Member of ASCE in 2002. Dr. Sabnis has worked with Deloitte after retiring from Howard and spent two years between India and US to develop and managed projects in India and in the UAE. Currently, he splits time between India and USA in advising on project financing and also related to infrastructure report card to promote the concept of structural health monitoring of bridges to lead to sustainable structures, based his long-term experience in the USA. 

October Luncheon Meeting - Installation and Inspection of Post-Installed Anchors

Speaker Bio

Mark Jarvinen has been practicing structural engineering, concrete repair and strengthening, and exterior building envelope consulting for 30 years.  His structural engineering experience ranges from adaptive reuse of historic structures to new building designs of structural steel, reinforced masonry, reinforced concrete, and wood.  His exterior building envelope experience includes work involving above and below grade waterproofing, roofing, exterior cladding, masonry and building stone, windows, and doors.  Mark’s past project responsibilities include, structural investigation, report writing, structural design, specification writing, construction cost estimating, construction administration, and field testing and inspection.   

Mark has been a member of the Simpson Strong-Tie Company’s Field Engineering Team since 2007.  As an employee of Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Mark’s primary responsibilities include educating and supporting design professionals and specifiers relating to Code-compliant specification, design, installation, field inspection and testing of post-installed anchor and repair products for concrete and masonry.  Mark also provides design and specification support and technical training related to Simpson Strong-Tie’s FRP Composite Strengthening Systems (CSS) and pile repair system (FX-70). 

Mark has been professionally registered as a Structural Engineer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since March 9, 1995, an active member of the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI), and certified as an ACI/CRSI Adhesive Anchor Installer.  

September Luncheon Meeting - Monorail Option for I-495 at I-270 P3 Project 

Speaker Bio

Mr. Robert Eisinger is the driving force behind the idea to bring an elevated monorail to the I-270 corridor as a cost effective way to relieve congestion.  Mr. Eisinger was able to persuade the Maryland Secretary of Transportation, Peter K. Rahn, to include a monorail as one of the options in the I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Study. 

As Principal and Managing Member of Promark Partners, Robert Eisinger oversees all aspects of daily operations and its investment portfolio. Mr. Eisinger’s career has encompassed all aspects of commercial real estate development, investment and management. After managing a Service Corporation within a local financial institution, Bob worked part time for Eisinger, Kilbane & Associates (EKA) while attending George Washington University MBA program. Bob is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, MD.  His alma maters include American University and George Washington University, and he holds a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University, Bloomington.

June Luncheon Meeting - Maryland Delegate Neil Parrott - I-270 at I-495 and 2019 Legislative Session 

Speaker Bio

Neil Parrott has his BSCE from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Business Administration from Mount St. Mary’s University.  He served with the Maryland SHA for over 14 years and served as the Deputy Director of Public Works - Engineering for the City of Frederick for one year.  He founded Traffic Solutions, Inc. in 2003 and is located in Hagerstown, MD.  Neil is a lifelong Marylander and has been the Maryland General Assembly Delegate for District 2A representing most of Washington County since 2010.   

May Luncheon Meeting - Subsurface Utility Locating

Speaker Bio

Mr. David DeSimone is a business development representative at Master Locators… a full-service subsurface utility engineering support firm. 

Master Locators provide GPR and EM Scanning, Concrete Scanning, Vacuum Excavation and CCTV Pipe Inspection. Our tagline “because what’s underneath matters” speaks to more than just what’s underground, it’s part of the core fiber that separates us from our competitors. The deep respect we have for our customers and employees is the foundation for which all decisions are made. In just fifteen short years we have developed a “unique 7- step process” that enables us to set our standard bar quite high. The passion we have is at the heart of our company by continuously being responsive, moving forward, innovating, and improving. We pride ourselves on operating with integrity and honesty, treating our customers with the utmost respect. 

May 8th Networking Event - Attaboy Beer in Frederick, MD

April Meeting - Engineering Ethics

Speaker Bio

Tara Hoke is the General Counsel at ASCE and a member of the Virginia bar.  Her responsibilities for ASCE include legal consultation in the areas of employment, tax, corporate, contract, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, intellectual property, real estate, and construction law.  Ms. Hoke oversees ASCE's professional conduct committee, and writes a monthly column A Question of Ethics , which is published in Civil Engineering magazine. Tara serves as a Council member for the Committee on Publication Ethics, a nonprofit organization established to provide guidance to journal editors and publishers on publication ethics. 

March Meeting - Maryland State Highway Administration Mapping

Speaker Bio

Andrew Bernish is a transportation planner and GIS analyst with the KFH Group and is currently contracted with the Maryland Department of Transportation's Office of the Secretary. 

Andrew is also a member of the faculty in George Washington University's Sustainable Urban Planning Department where he teaches a Principles of Urban Planning course and co-leads international planning studios in South Korea, Bangladesh, and Kazakhstan. Andrew served in South Africa with the US Peace Corps in the Education and Community Resource Program. Andrew serves as George Washington University's Faculty Representative to the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association and the webmaster for the Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association. 

He holds a master's degree in Community Planning from the University of Maryland and a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

RESCHEDULED - February Meeting - Who is Liable for Flooding of Adjacent and Nearby Properties? 

Speaker Bio

Ari Storch is a member of the Miles & Stockbridge Real Estate & Transactional Finance Practice Group.  He focuses on the acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate and on real estate financing and leasing. Prior to attending law school, he worked in real estate development and management for nearly 10 years.

Ari also represents a wide range of tax-exempt organizations, advising on formation and qualification, corporate governance, and related matters. He regularly provides pro bono services to local nonprofit organizations.

At Georgetown University Law Center, where he graduated with honors, Ari was a staff member on The Tax Lawyer, a quarterly journal published by the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation.

January Meeting - Concrete Repair and Protection

Speaker Bio

Mr. Farley graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering.  He has worked with Sika Corporation for five years.  He is currently the Refurbishment and Sealing and Bonding representative for Maryland and Washington, D.C. Region.

December Meeting - Advances in LiDAR Mapping Technologies to Serve Civil and Construction Engineers

Speaker Bio

Dr. Qassim Abdullah is an accomplished scientist with more than 40 years of combined industrial, research and development, and academic experience in analytical photogrammetry, digital remote sensing, and civil and surveying engineering. His current responsibilities include designing and managing strategic programs to develop and implement new remote sensing technologies focused on meeting the evolving needs of geospatial users. Currently, Dr. Abdullah is the Chief Scientist for Woolpert Geospatial Services and a member of Woolpert Labs team. In addition, Dr. Abdullah serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and at Penn State teaching graduate courses on UAS, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

His latest accomplishments include evaluating and introducing the Geiger and single photon LiDAR to the geospatial industry and leading Woolpert research activities in the field of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), its sensor calibration, and its workflow development.  Dr. Abdullah obtained his doctorate and master degrees in photogrammetry from the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Abdullah publishes a monthly column “Mapping Matters”, in the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) journal PE&RS. During 2017, Dr. Abdullah was elected as a Fellow in the ASPRS and he is the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the ASPRS 2010 Photogrammetric Fairchild award, the ASPRS Outstanding Service award for publishing the monthly column “Mapping Matter” for more than 10 years, the ASPRS Presidential Citation award in recognition to his contributions in co-authoring the new “Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data”, and the ASPRS Outstanding Workshop Instructor award. Dr. Abdullah is a certified photogrammetrist by ASPRS and licensed professional surveyor and mapper with the states of Florida, Oregon, Virginia, and South Carolina. He is also a certified thermographer by the FLIR Infrared Training Center and a Certified GEOINT Professional in Remote Sensing and Imagery Analysis (CGP-R) by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF).

November Meeting - Without Just Compensation: A Presentation on Eminent Domain

Speaker Bio

Mr. James Baer has been an active member of the Maryland Bar for 49 years and is admitted in the District of Columbia.  He is am a member of the Bar of the U.S. District Courts for Maryland and the District of Columbia, the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Court of Claims and of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Mr. Baer obtained his undergraduate degree in 1966 from Ursinus College and his law degree in 1969 from the University of Virginia School of Law. He was a law clerk to an Associate Judge of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals 1969-1970.  He was in private practice centered in Montgomery County, Maryland from 1970 to 2001 specializing in construction litigation and trust and estate litigation. From 2001-2011 he was Vice President for Development for Ursinus College.  From 2008-2015 he was Attorney in Residence at Ursinus and created the Center for Legal Studies. During that time he taught Property, Business Law, Dispute Resolution and Constitutional Law. 

He and his wife, Sally, retired in 2015 and moved to Frederick. Since 2016 he has been teaching Constitutional Law in the Frederick Community College Institute for Learning in Retirement including Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Religion, Search and Seizure, Property, Due Process and Equal Protection.  

October Meeting - Flexible Vs. Rigid Pipe Design

Speaker Bio

For the past two years Don Grieco has been the territory manager for Advance Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) in the central Maryland region. Don came to ADS after a 19-year run as a civil contractor with nine of those years managing and estimating projects that include heavy highway, commercial and planned neighborhood/development construction. His attention to detail, extensive application knowledge and drive to be on the cutting edge of material and equipment technology; made him a valuable resource to the Maryland construction market for contractors, municipalities and the engineering community being involved from project concept to close out. Don grew up in civil construction and enjoys educating the next generation or new people to the industry by demonstrating good installation; using best practice to ensure the longest possible service life.

September Meeting - Large Block Retaining Wall Systems

Speaker Bio

J. Scott Mathie serves as Redi-Rock International’s Business Consultant for Northeast North America involving the Land Development, Government, Transportation, Utilities, and Water sectors.  Scott has a background in management consulting and government lobbying with construction, transportation, and water related businesses, organizations, and government entities.  

June Meeting - Ground Vibration Control during Demolition of K-Bridge

Speaker Bio

Patrick T. Hastings, Jr., G.I.T. Senior Geophysicist/Project Manager Seismic Surveys, Inc. 

Patrick has his M.S. in Geology and Geophysics from University of Minnesota at Twin Cities. His did his undergraduate studies in Geology at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.  Since 2013, he has specialized in the field of Blasting Seismology with Seismic Surveys, Inc. in Frederick, MD. His expertise includes vibration and sound monitoring and control, pre- and post-construction structure inspections, and use of geotechnical and structural instrumentation.   

David K. Miller, P.G. President/Principal Geologist Seismic Surveys, Inc. 

David has his B.S. in Geology from University of Maryland.  He is a licensed Professional Geologist in Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.  Since 1989, he has specialized in the field of Blasting Seismology.  He founded Seismic Surveys, Inc. in Frederick, MD in 2001.   

May Meeting - Soil Reinforcement for Slopes

Speaker Bio

Mr. Scarborough is employed by Specialized Engineering, here in Frederick since 2017.  He is a Diplomate (D.GE) of ASCE’s Academy of Geo-Professionals with a bachelor’s degree  (BSCE) from the University of Virginia, and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech.  He has more than 25 years of experience as a Geotechnical Engineer, is a registered Professional Engineer in 7 states, and has published more than 20 books and papers. 

April Meeting - Modular Concrete Underground Stormwater Systems: Applications & Advantages

Speaker Bio

Doug Statler is a Territory Manager for StormTrap, which is a Chicagoland based international company that designs and manufactures stormwater and water quality systems.  He covers DC, MD, Western PA, VA and WV.  Doug has been in the construction industry for 27 years and specifically in civil construction for 21 years.  He spent 20 years in the segmental retaining wall industry, most recently having worked for York Building Products for 11 years, before making a transition to stormwater in the fall of 2016.  Doug is a member of the CWEA Stormwater Committee, the PWEA Stormwater Committee, and is actively attending and presenting at industry events.

March Meeting - Engineering Ethics - RESCHEDULED

Speaker Bio

Tara Hoke is the General Counsel at ASCE and a member of the Virginia bar.  Her responsibilities for ASCE include legal consultation in the areas of employment, tax, corporate, contract, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, intellectual property, real estate, and construction law.  Ms. Hoke oversees ASCE's professional conduct committee, and writes a monthly column A Question of Ethics , which is published in Civil Engineering magazine. Tara serves as a Council member for the Committee on Publication Ethics, a nonprofit organization established to provide guidance to journal editors and publishers on publication ethics. 

February Meeting - Gravity Walls and their Advantages over CIP and MSE Panel Systems

Speaker Bio

Rick Dorsey with Stone Strong of Maryland.  Stone Strong of Maryland has been producing Stone Strong Blocks for over a decade. With a record for stability that is second to none.  Rick Dorsey in his short tender has had the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging retaining wall projects in the region utilizing the Stone Strong Gravity Wall System.  Rick received his Bachelor of Science from University of Baltimore in 1993.

January Meeting - Concrete Paving 101 – Overlays and Full Depth Reclamation (FDR)

Thomas Evans of MRMCA & Robert E. Hackman, P.E. of ACPA

Mr. Evans has been immersed in the ready mixed concrete industry since 1989 accepting a variety of responsibilities including plant operations, batching, dispatching, placing, finishing, sales, marketing, promotion, education and advocacy. Tom is the Executive Director of the membership of the Maryland Ready Mix Concrete Association (MRMCA or The Association). Tom is also a Past President of and current Director on the MD Chapter of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Board. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from West Virginia University in 1987.

Mr. Hackman is currently a Senior Consultant for GeoMaterials Consulting, LLC, currently representing American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), and has over 35 years of experience related to geotechnical engineering, pavement design, and construction materials evaluations. Mr. Hackman has been evaluating and designing concrete and asphalt pavements since the early 1980s and has experienced the pros and cons of each pavement material. He was previously the responsible engineer-in-charge for a full service office of a national engineering firm, and now has his own firm providing consulting services ranging from peer review of reports to forensic studies to litigation support for clients seeking unbiased opinions related to geotechnical and construction materials issues.

Speaker Bio