The Civil Engineering Podcast

In this episode, I answer a question that I get from civil engineering students almost daily. Should they seek full-time employment immediately after completing their undergraduate studies or go to grad school and pursue a master’s degree? And I promise you, whether you are a student, a project manager, an owner, or a CEO, you […] The post Should I Go to Grad School or Apply for Civil Engineering Jobs? – Ep 161 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Jeff Peacock, P.E., the President and CEO at Parametrix Inc., about his career journey of becoming a CEO, leading a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm, employee engagement, and the benefits of having multi-disciplines under the same roof. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jeff: What are […] The post How a Civil Engineering Firm Can Maximize Employee Engagement – Ep 160 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Melody A. Gonzalez, E.I., a civil engineer at Black & Veatch about how she went from an immigrant single mom to civil engineer, and today is living the American dream. She also talks about work-life balance and the importance that mentors play in your civil engineering career. Engineering Quotes: […] The post From Single Mom to Civil Engineer: A Journey to Success – Ep 159 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk with three guests who are all heavily involved in the ASCE Texas 2021 Infrastructure Report Card. They are Patricia Frayre, P.E., founding principal of Frayre Engineering & Consulting, Griselda Gonzales, P.E., Principal Engineer at The Goodman Corporation, and Mark Boyd, Ph.D., PE, the principal engineer at LCA Environmental. They talk […] The post 2021 Infrastructure Report Card — ASCE Texas Section (and How You Can Get Involved) – Ep 158 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Melissa J. Batula, P.E., the Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration at PennDOT, about her amazing career journey from starting in the private sector to now being responsible for overseeing all of the roadways in Pennsylvania as well as the 9,000 people who work for the DOT. Engineering Quotes: Here […] The post From Draftsperson to the Deputy Secretary of the Highway Administration at PennDOT – Ep 157 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Having a healthy work-life balance is a difficult challenge even in the best of times, but it is becoming more and more necessary during these times of economic stagnation and uncertainty. That is why, in this week’s episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Ken Mika, P.E. M.ASCE, a project engineer and office leader for Geosyntec’s Green Bay, […] The post Work-Life Balance Strategies for Civil Engineers – Ep 156 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Gil Hantzsch, P.E., FACEC, the CEO at MSA Professional Services, Inc., about his career journey of becoming a CEO. He provides some great learning and development advice throughout the episode, which makes it one of my favorites. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Gil: How […] The post Learning and Development: Understanding People Starts With Understanding Yourself – Ep 155 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

For many engineers, a face-to-face performance review is the most stressful work conversation they’ll have all year, and for managers, the discussion can be just as tense. In this week’s episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I provide practical tips on how engineers and managers can prepare for and get the most out of their […] The post Navigating the Annual Review Process as a Civil Engineering Professional – Ep 154 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Ron Burg, P.E., the Executive Vice President of the American Concrete Institute, also known as ACI. Ron discusses some interesting trends in the world of concrete, but also provides some important strategies for career development for civil engineering professionals based on his long and […] The post Concrete Trends and Career Development Strategies for Civil Engineering Professionals – Ep 153 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Jason Dunn PE, PMP, Vice President at BRPH, who serves as the VP of Project Management as well as Chief Risk Officer (CRO). Jason talks about everything you need to know about obtaining the PMP certification, and tells us how getting his Project Management […] The post PMP Exam Prep Tips: How the PMP Can Benefit Your Civil Engineering Career – Ep 152 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Maysill Pascal, P.E., Regional Senior Engineer and Sales Manager at USW, a MENARD Group USA Company. We talk about her career journey and her traveling around the globe, and how that has helped her career, but also how she has dealt with it emotionally. […] The post Everything Civil Engineers Talk About Doing, but Never Get To Do – Ep 151 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Tony Mette, P.E., S.E., and Jay Chamberlain, P.E., who both work at THP Limited, a firm that specializes in large scale, complex structural engineering, building restoration, and parking projects. I talk to them about Parksmart, a system designed to advance sustainable mobility through smart […] The post Smart Parking Solutions: Developed to Be a Destination – Ep 150 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Brian Saunders, founder and CEO of BigTime Software. Brian talks to us about the business of engineering, and more specifically, about scaling an engineering firm and provide some great on how you can grow your engineering firm. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the […] The post The Business of Engineering — Scaling an Engineering Firm – Ep 149 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Learning is essential to our existence. It is an indispensable tool for every career and organization. In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I provide five ways that AEC firms can deliver training and make sure that their professionals continue to learn during what many people are calling the ‘new normal.’ Engineering Quotes: Here […] The post How AEC Professionals Can Continue to Learn and Grow in This New ‘Normal’- Ep 148 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Bret Tushaus, project director at Deltek, about digital transformation and how AE firms will need to be tech-savvy and innovative to survive and thrive in the world we live in today. He also shares an inspiring story about his career change that brought him […] The post Surviving and Thriving in the Age of Digital Transformation – Ep 147 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Dan Oblinger about hostage negotiation. Dan explains how hostage negotiation fits into consulting engineering and also provides five specific ways that engineering firms should look at to evaluate their negotiation and communication abilities. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Dan: […] The post What Does Hostage Negotiation Have to Do With Consulting Engineers? – Ep 146 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode I talk about what high school students and young adults should know about a career in civil engineering. This episode is intended to be a resource that you can share with high school students and their parents to inform them about the profession of civil engineering. You can also view this episode […] The post What High School Students and Undergraduates Should Know About Civil Engineering – Ep 145 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 144 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Jennifer Goodman, writer and editor at Construction Dive, about how the coronavirus crisis has changed commercial construction and what the general outlook will be for the rest of the year and beyond. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jennifer Goodman […] The post How the Coronavirus Crisis Will Change Commercial Construction in the U.S. – Ep 144 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Will Buckby LLB MCIHT, a Contracts and Projects Lawyer at Beale & Co. Will discusses the impact COVID-19 is going to have on the construction markets and projects, what relief is available out there for contractors and consultants, and what notices they should be giving to their employees. Disclaimer: […] The post COVID-19: Mitigating Impacts on Construction Projects – Ep 143 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Jonathan Hard, CEO and President of H2L Solutions, Inc. (H2L). H2L specializes in cyber and information assurance and provides cybersecurity solutions for government and commercial customers. Jonathan talks about cybersecurity, both what individual engineers can do to protect themselves in the world of homeworking and what engineering companies need […] The post Cybersecurity Tips for Civil Engineers Working Remotely During COVID-19 – Ep 142 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk with Andy Platz, PE, who is the CEO and President at Mead & Hunt. Andy talks about his career journey of how he went from being a fresh graduate to a CEO of a company. He provides some great crisis management tips to civil engineers and also gives very actionable […] The post Tips for Civil Engineers on Crisis Management and Becoming Confident Leaders – Ep 141 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, we focus on a topic that is on everyone’s minds — the coronavirus and how it should be a wake-up call to civil engineers. And we’re discussing this with Michael Paddock, PE, PS, a licensed civil engineer and surveyor. Twenty years ago, Mike was told he had three to six months to […] The post A Near Death Experience, the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and How Civil Engineers Can Help Reduce the Spread of Pandemics – Ep 140 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, which is part of our Women in Civil Engineering series, I talk to Peyton Gibson, EIT, ENV SP, a civil engineer who works for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the Board of Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment. She also serves as the ASCE Colorado’s Infrastructure Report Card Chair, […] The post What Goes Into Developing the ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure? – Ep 139 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Steve Soldati, P.E., the Regional Sales Manager at Aegion Corporation. Steve was previously seen on episode 74 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, where he discussed effective communication strategies. In today’s episode, he will discuss emerging renewal technologies for pressurized pipelines, which can be very applicable to today’s world of […] The post Pipeline Infrastructure – Emerging Renewal Technologies for Pressurized Pipelines – Ep 138 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, I talk to Ann Tomalavage, PE, PMP, LEED AP, a licensed professional engineer who has spent the last 20+ years training engineering professionals on how to become great project managers. Ann talks about some of the key points to becoming a successful project manager, and she also discusses the role of project […] The post The Role of Project Management in Consulting Engineering – Ep 137 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am going to give you three actions that you can use to network effectively and build relationships. The post How to Network Effectively as a Civil Engineer — Even as an Introvert – Ep 136 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Effective communication is key to becoming a successful engineering manager. Being able to communicate effectively teaches you to listen to your clients and other disciplines, and also helps you to understand more about the needs of projects. The post Effective Communication Is Key With People at All Levels in Civil Engineering – Ep 135 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Take ownership of your career and never assume that others will push your career forward. At the end of the day, you are the only person who can drive things forward. The post A Young Female Civil Engineering CEO Shares Her Story – Ep 134 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 133 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to civil engineer Miranda Patton, a business development director at MNS Engineers. We talk about growing the engineering workforce, women in leadership, community services, STEM education, and the future of public infrastructure in America. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Miranda: […] The post Focusing on People and Community Services as a Civil Engineer – Ep 133 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

When we talk about decoupling the water-energy nexus, we are referring to a basic inter-dependency between water and energy resources. It is really important to decouple the water; otherwise, the way in which you produce energy will suffer. The post Renewable Energy and Decoupling the Water-Energy Nexus – Ep 132 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Even though there are plenty of challenges faced in the world of engineering, women in engineering can definitely be beneficial by getting involved in a world-changing civil engineering project. The post Working on a World-Changing Civil Engineering Project – Ep 131 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast we go to Hawaii to visit Coffman Engineers and talk to Jami Hirota about the impact that major career decisions and transitions as a civil engineer can have on your career. The post Dealing with Major Career Decisions and Transitions as a Civil Engineer – Ep 130 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Most people think that the president of the company has the most glamorous title, but it is a lot of responsibility to run a business. Business owners are in it for the long run and they need to keep their ultimate goal in sight at all times. The post Two Civil Engineering Presidents on the Steps They Took to Success – Ep 129 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 128 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, which is our third episode in our Women in Civil Engineering series, I visit with Michelle Briehof, P.E. who is a project manager at Maser Consulting. Michelle talks about some of the non-technical aspects and actions you can take as a civil engineering professional to build confidence and […] The post Becoming a Well Rounded Civil Engineering Professional – Ep 128 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

A digital twin is a digital replica of a physical product or process or system that bridges together the physical world and the digital world. It does not only involve the geometric or physical replica in a digital world. It also includes engineering technology which allows you to understand and model the performance of the infrastructure as well. The post Digital Twins for Digital Cities – Ep 127 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

It is a big step to open a firm and there is a lot of risk involved, however once you have done it for a while and you’ve had success, you will not want to go back. The post Starting A Civil Engineering Firm – Ep 126 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Design Build contracts are only just beginning to become the contract of the day. We all still need to learn how to do the contracts better. Not all projects are suited for design build but there are projects out there that are complex in nature and that needs a collaborative design. The post The Design Build Project Delivery Process and Why It Will Continue to Become More Popular – Ep 125 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

If you are not going to be smart and are not known to be using smart technology, businesses and people are not going to live in those cities. Smart cities are going to attract the best and the brightest, whether it is residence, or whether it is businesses. The post Technology, Innovation, and Smart Cities – What Civil Engineers Need to Know – Ep 124 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this Civil Engineering Podcast episode, I speak with Monica Morales, PE, ENV SP who is a water engineer for Jacobs about the importance of inclusion and diversity in engineering. Monica also discusses sustainability through STEM Outreach and the importance of women in engineering. The post Women in Civil Engineering – Inclusion, Diversity, and STEM Oh My! – Ep 123 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Working fast often leads to making many mistakes which can be catastrophic in the civil engineering world, but what if you could work faster, but also smarter? If you can do this, you will be setting yourself up for major success. The post How to Work Faster but Also Work Smarter as a Civil Engineering Professional – Ep 122 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

As a manager, you have to understand what the goals of a project are, consistently reinforce obtaining those goals, and achieve success through reinforcement of the vision of the projects, goals and successes. The post From Engineer to CEO and Everything In-Between – Ep 121 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 120 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, you are going to hear interviews from my recent visit to the ASCE SEI Structural Engineering Institute Congress. We will talk about technical topics for structural engineering as well as personal development and effective communication skills for engineers The post The State of the Structural Engineering Industry from the ASCE SEI Structures Congress Part 2 – Ep 120 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

John M. Keller PE, PMP, Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority talks about the differences between working in the public sector versus private sector. The post Working in the Public Sector Versus Private Sector for Civil Engineering Professionals – Ep 119 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this Civil Engineering Podcast, I visit with Karen Morgan, P.E. who is the owner and founder of the AEC Proposal Institute. We talk about what information Civil Engineers need to seek up-front for proposal writing success. Karen discusses 5 specific points that you can use as a checklist to ensure you create winning proposals. The post Information Civil Engineers Should Seek Up-Front for Proposal Writing Success – Ep 118 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

As a Civil Engineering, you are going to get in front of an audience at some point in your career. Staying calm, cool, and collected in these situations, will often time keep the audience calm as well. The post The Importance of Staying Calm, Cool, and Collected as a Civil Engineering Professional – Ep 117 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

If engineers can adopt the business of engineering mindset it can really change their future success and the way they do engineering. The post The Business of Engineering: A New Mindset for the Engineer of the Future – Ep 116 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 115 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Stephanie Buckingham, APTD, PHR, an Associate Professional in Talent Development and part of Freese and Nichols’ Organizational Development about dealing with difficult people on your engineering projects. The post A Rational Approach to Dealing with Difficult People on Your Engineering Projects – Ep 115 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 114 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Scott Harrigan, who is the CEO, Co-Founder and Chief Pilot at Harkin Aerial about the use of drones in civil engineering and specifically what civil engineering firms need to know about providing drone services for themselves or hiring outside firms to do so. Engineering […] The post What Civil Engineering Firms Need to Know About Providing Drone Services or Hiring Firms to Do So – Ep 114 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 113 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Gina Rock who is the Program Delivery Manager at Jacobs. We talk about her career journey from the circus to Disney’s longest flying Tinker Bell (yes she was Tinker Bell) and then into the world of engineering. What I love about this episode is […] The post How I Went from Tinker Bell into Disaster Recovery – Ep 113 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In episode 112 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I’m taking you with me to the offices of Louis Berger where I will be speaking with the Department Manager, Muzamil Husain, PE. We talk about the importance of managing mega civil engineering projects and how to stay calm during stressful situations. Engineering Quotes: Here are some […] The post Managing Mega Civil Engineering Projects and Staying Calm in the Process – Ep 112 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.