Pulse Newsletter

May 15, 2014

Student Spotlight

EERI Student Chapter Activities: California State University, Long Beach

EERI Student Chapters engage in technical and social activities year-round, including hosting EERI Distinguished Lecturers and practitioners as part of the Friedman Family Visiting Professional Program. Many chapters also enter the annual EERI Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition (SDC). Described below are some of the student chapters' most energetic organizational and outreach efforts from their 2013–2014 annual report.

EERI Student Chapter at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)

EERI CSULB student chapter members present their building structure and demonstrate the seismic activity on their homemade shake table at SWE Engineering event.The CSULB EERI Student Chapter officers and seismic design team members are: President Monic Sary (M. EERI, 2012), Kiko Antunovich, Billy Basuni, Matthew Burris, Selwin Leonor (M. EERI, 2012), Dylan Manalang (M. EERI, 2012), Sia Nazaryfar, and Richard Ngan. The student chapter’s faculty advisor is Dr. Lisa Star (M. EERI, 2007), Assistant Professor of Geotechnical Engineering. During the academic year, student chapter members participated in the university’s Fifth Annual Science Extravaganza, the Society of Women Engineers’ Engineering Girls event, the Science Expo at Fedde Middle School, the Twining Inc speaker event, and more. Read the full report (PDF) from the California State University Long Beach EERI Student Chapter.

Call for Annual Report of Activities from EERI Student Chapters
EERI Student Chapter officers are encouraged to submit their annual report of chapter activities to Juliane Lane at the EERI Office via email at eeri@eeri.org. The reports will be published on the Student Chapters section of the EERI website and will be featured in upcoming issues of The Pulse throughout the year. Submit your chapter’s annual report of activities to EERI today!

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Announcements

KPFF Portland Is Looking for Structural Engineers

As a Structural Project Engineer, you will work individually and collaboratively in the design-construction process for some of the most challenging projects in the Pacific Northwest, as well as nationally and overseas. You will work closely with talented engineers, BIM / CAD technicians, architects, project managers, contractors, and client teams.

KPFF Consulting EngineersThe preferred candidate will have:

  • 3+ years of experience in structural engineering
  • PE and MS / MEng engineering degrees
  • Experience with Revit Structure
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Creative, proactive, and detail-oriented individual
  • Outgoing individuals who thrive when working directly with architects, contractors, and other engineers

KPFF would like to hear from you. Please follow this link to apply: http://tinyurl.com/kpffpdx-structuralengineer external link icon.

KPFF Consulting Engineers is a Silver Subscribing Member of EERI.

Join NEES for the 5th U.S.-China Earthquake Engineering Workshop in Anchorage

The agenda is complete for the 5th Workshop on China-USA Collaboration for Disaster Evolution/Resilience of Civil Infrastructure and Urban Environment. The workshop is slated for July 25, 2014 in Anchorage, Alaska at the Convention Center (Room: Kahtnu 1).

NEES logoThe workshop will begin at 2:30 p.m. after the closing of the 10NCEE and will include presentations from researchers from China and the U.S. describing the outcomes of seven ongoing joint projects, and a working session to explore future paths for this and other collaborations. Over 30 researchers from China and 12 from the USA have confirmed participation, and we would like to extend an invitation to researchers and practicing engineers to join us at this workshop.

Given room capacity limitations, please contact Julio Ramirez at ramirez@purdue.edu if you are interested in joining this workshop. NEES will accommodate requests on a first-come first-served basis.

Reports on the four previous workshops can be found on the NEEShub, at https://nees.org/resources/6774/supportingdocsexternal link icon.

ATC Seeks Candidates for Two Positions

The Applied Technology Council (ATC) is seeking highly qualified candidates interested in beginning a rewarding career leading the development of engineering tools and technologies for multi-hazard risk mitigation. ATC is Bronze Subscribing Member of EERI.

ATC Director of Projects
Applied Technology Council (ATC) websiteThe Applied Technology Council is seeking a highly qualified individual interested in joining a busy and dynamic small office focused on risk mitigation from natural disasters. The ideal candidate will be an associate, principal, or senior member of a structural, civil, or related engineering firm who is experienced in client contact, proposal writing, contract negotiations, as well as the initiation, management, and completion of technical projects. This candidate might also be a faculty member in a structural engineering or related field. Ideal qualities include a results-oriented approach, a strong attention to detail, a natural curiosity for research and knowledge, and an altruistic desire to serve the structural engineering profession. Expertise in one or more of the following areas is desired: earthquake engineering, wind engineering, coastal inundation, fire effects, progressive collapse, or general structural engineering.

For full job description and other details, visit the ATC website at http://bit.ly/QFywPn external link icon. Submittals are due June 30, 2014 (closing date for applications).

ATC Research Applications Manager
The Applied Technology Council is seeking a highly motivated individual interested in joining a busy and dynamic small office environment. The ideal candidate will be a project engineer or mid-level member of a structural, civil, or related engineering firm with experience in the management and completion of technical projects, as well as client contact, proposal writing, and marketing activities. This candidate might also be a recently graduated Ph.D. in a structural engineering or related field with academic or professional experience in advanced natural disaster mitigation technologies. Ideal qualities include an enthusiasm for taking on new tasks, a strong attention to detail, a natural curiosity for research and knowledge, and an altruistic desire to serve the structural engineering profession. Expertise in one or more of the following areas is desired: earthquake engineering, wind engineering, coastal inundation, fire effects, progressive collapse, or general structural engineering.

For full job description and other details, visit the ATC website at http://bit.ly/SYyR1u external link icon. Submittals are due June 30, 2014 (closing date for applications).

The US Resiliency Council (USRC) Facilitating Use of Building Rating Systems for Earthquake Performance of Buildings

USRC Prepares for Launch, Reaches Minimum Funding Target
Development and use of a rating system that communicates seismic building risk in consistent, reliable terms understandable to tenants, owners, and other stakeholders has long been an elusive goal of the earthquake engineering community. Such a rating system would inform the public about the condition of the buildings they live and work in and would bring public and private market forces to bear on the seismic rehabilitation of hazardous buildings.

U.S. Resiliency Council® (USRC)The impending launch of the USRC now puts that goal within reach. The confluence of a number of significant events over the last few years enables the USRC to exist and work toward facilitating the use of a building rating system, they include:

  • The completion of the ATC 58 project and publication of documentation and software products
  • The completion of the SEAONC Buildings Rating Committee effort to develop a rating system and a translation matrix for an ASCE 31/41 evaluation.
  • Securing $300,000 in Founding Membership commitments to support the launch of the USRC.
  • To date, Founding Membership support from 26 professional design firms, building product manufacturers and all of the major California professional organizations in earthquake engineering (SEAOC, SEAONC, SEAOSC, SEAOCC, SEAOSD, EERI, ATC, PEER and the LA Tall Buildings Council).
  • The announcement by LA Mayor, Eric Garcetti, that Los Angeles will be the first city in the US to implement a rating system that describes earthquake safety of buildings.

The USRC will develop, support and issue Ratings, much like the US Green Building Council® governs LEED® ratings. The USRC will establish in cooperation with SEAOC an accreditation program and peer review program for professional engineers who wish to employ the rating system. Features of the USRC rating process are a direct response to the building community stakeholders' perceived need to ensure long term integrity of the system.

Founding Membership Opportunities
At this time the USRC is looking for additional firms and/or individuals to become Founding Members of the organization. Founding Members comprise industry leadership with a vision to create widespread interest in both improved earthquake safety of our building stock and a rating system that will encourage market forces to reduce building seismic risk in our cities. Founding members will help establish initial priorities, membership values and long-term strategy of the USRC. If you have such an interest please contact Ron Mayes (M. EERI, 1978) (rlmayes@sgh.com, 415-343-3031) for further details.

OSU Seeks Candidates for Head of the School of Civil and Construction Engineering

The College of Engineering at Oregon State University invites applications for the position of Head of the School of Civil and Construction Engineering (PDF) external link icon. This is a 12-month, full-time position. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Oregon State University (OSU) College of Engineering (logo)Required qualifications include a Ph.D. in civil engineering or construction engineering management or a closely related field, demonstrated successful leadership and management experience, a significant record of achievement that merits appointment as a tenured full-professor within the School, and a demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity. Professional licensure is preferred.

The College of Engineering invites applications for the position of School Head who will provide leadership of the School and promote CCE, the College of Engineering and OSU externally. The School consists presently of 53 members, including 36 full-time tenure/tenure-track faculty members, enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduate and 160 graduate students, and offers B.S., M.S., M. Eng., and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering, as well as a B.S. degree in Construction Engineering Management.

Oregon State University offers a collaborative culture that values leadership, diversity, and excellence. Oregon State University is one of only two American universities to hold the Land, Sea, Space and Sun Grant designations; it is also the only Oregon institution to hold both the Carnegie Foundation's top ranking for research universities and its prestigious Community Engagement classification.

To review the posting and apply, go to http://oregonstate.edu/jobs external link icon. Apply to posting # 0012338 with cover a letter outlining interest in the position and vision statement, curriculum vitae, and contact names and information for 4-5 professional references. For full consideration apply by September 1, 2014. Closing date is October 1, 2014.

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Program Updates

WHE Request for Manuals and Guidelines on Seismic Resistant Design and Construction

The World Housing Encyclopedia (WHE), a joint EERI and IAEE initiative, wants to increase its seismic resistant design and construction resources for design professionals and builders involved in housing projects.

World Housing Encyclopedia (WHE), a joint EERI and IAEE initiative (logo)The WHE has already published a number of such publications and these are available for free on its website at www.world-housing.net. However, there are certainly many other valuable resources on seismic resistant design that are particularly applicable to developing countries. They may have been prepared by individuals, consultants, NGOs, government departments and other agencies, such as aid programmes.

Please inform the WHE Editorial Board if you are aware of any such materials that deserve to be more widely disseminated for the sake of improved seismic resilience worldwide. Provided the material is appropriate and up-to-date; it could be linked to from the WHE website or could be placed on the website directly. Publications in any language are welcome.

Contact Andrew Charleson (M. EERI, 2008), Editor-in-Chief, World Housing Encyclopedia, at andrew.charleson@vuw.ac.nz.

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Publications

Earthquake Spectra Preprints

In early May, two preprint manuscripts were posted on the Earthquake Spectra website prior to their formal publication. The list of new preprint manuscripts, including authors, follows:

  • Earthquake Spectra"Evacuation Behavior and Fatality Rate of Residents during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami" by Nam-Yi Yun (M. EERI, 2013) and Masanori Hamada
  • "Data from a NEES /E-Defense Collaborative Test Program on Innovative Isolation Systems and Nonstructural Components" by Jean Guzman (M. EERI, 2010) and Keri L. Ryan (M. EERI, 1999)

To read preprint manuscripts or browse the complete list of preprint manuscripts, visit the Earthquake Spectra website at http://earthquakespectra.org/toc/eqsa/0/0 external link icon.

In addition, the Spectra editors also posted a Special Collection of Preprints of the papers that will be published in the NGA-West2 special issue (forthcoming, August 2014) external link icon.

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News of the Institute

10NCEE Updates for Participants, Authors, and Moderators

Register today for the Tenth U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (10NCEE) held this July in Anchorage, Alaska at https://www.eeri.org/cohost/registration/10ncee-registration.

10NCEE websiteTravel and Lodging
If you haven’t booked your travel yet, don’t forget that EERI has arranged discounts for conference participants with Alaska and United Airlines. For details, visit: http://10ncee.org/logistics/travel.

Hotel rooms in Anchorage are selling out fast. The Marriott Downtown and Hilton Anchorage are both sold out at the conference rate. There are rooms available at a discounted rate at the Sheraton Anchorage. For information on booking a room at the Sheraton and to see a list of other hotels in Anchorage, visit: http://10ncee.org/logistics/hotel.

Thursday Evening at the Alaska Native Heritage Center
There is still space available for the Evening at the Alaska Native Heritage Center event on Thursday, July 24. Learn more about this event at http://10ncee.org/tours/evening-at-the-alaska-native-heritage-center and remember to purchase tickets for this event when you register for the conference. If you have already registered and would like to add tickets to this event, please contact Juliane Lane at juliane@eeri.org to update your registration.

Pre-Conference Event: Direct Displacement-Based Seismic Design of Buildings LATBSDC Seminar

Date: Monday, July 21, 2014
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Hilton Anchorage
Presenters: Dr. Nigel Priestley, Dr. Michele Calvi (M. EERI, 1990), and Dr. Mervyn Kowalsky (M. EERI, 1994)

Los Angeles Tall Buildings Structural Design Council (LATBSDC)This seminar will introduce participants to displacement-based seismic design (DDBD) and demonstrate how it can be implemented in the design office as a simple and rational alternative to current prescriptive methods of seismic design. The course will show that serious conceptual problems exist with current force-based seismic design and will demonstrate how these deficiencies are resolved when a simple displacement-based design approach is adopted. The DDBD approach results in structures with uniform seismic risk for a given performance level, which is compatible with uniform risk spectra. This is not achieved with current force-based design procedures. To read the seminar program, visit: http://10ncee.org/images/program/DDBD_ProgramPage.pdf.

Cost: Early-bird registration is $295. A companion textbook, if ordered as a part of early-bird registration for the seminar, can be obtained for the price of $120, including shipping, and will be available for pickup at the seminar. Note that current prices for the textbook on Amazon are $206. Registration increases to $365 on June 15th, at which point companion textbooks are no longer available.

Register for the event now at www.eeri.org/cohost/registration/ddbd-july-21-2014.

New Sponsors
State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (logo)The State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management is a new sponsor of 10NCEE. Alaska's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management provides critical services to the State of Alaska to protect lives and property from terrorism and all other hazards, as well as to provide rapid recovery from all disasters. Visit the Division’s website at http://www.ak-prepared.com/ external link icon.

PDC Inc. Engineers (logo)PDC Inc. Engineers (PDC) is a new Silver Sponsor of 10NCEE. PDC is a full-service engineering company. PDC retains established clients and attracts new ones because the company visualizes and makes the “whole” project real: from project management to detailed design and into construction. PDC has 80 employees evenly split between two main offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, with satellite offices in Washington and Hawaii. Beyond Alaska, PDC’s project experience has taken the company to Antarctica, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the western United States. Visit the PDC website at http://www.pdceng.com/ external link icon.

New Exhibitors
Simpson Strong-Tie is a new exhibitor at 10NCEE in Anchorage this summer. For the full list of 10NCEE exhibitors, visit: http://10ncee.org/exhibitors.

Author and Moderator Instructions
Author and moderator instructions for the 10th U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering (10NCEE) are now available at http://10ncee.org/moderators-authors. This page lists all requirements and procedures for conference speakers and moderators. Information about poster requirements and 5-in-5 presentation guidelines is also listed on this page. Questions regarding these instructions should be sent to 10ncee@eeri.org.

Authors who have not yet registered for the conference are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Papers without a registered presenting author will not be included in the conference program or in the conference proceedings.

Online Program
The full program for 10NCEE is available on the conference website at http://www.10ncee.org/program. From this page you will be able to browse the entire program by session type or search all presentations by paper ID, name, or keyword. Please note that the session schedule on Friday, July 25 has been updated. If you have any concerns about the program or need to request any changes, please contact 10ncee@eeri.org.

Call for Nominations: 2015 EERI Distinguished Lecture Award

The EERI Honors Committee will meet soon to consider candidates for the Distinguished Lecture Award for 2015. The Committee welcomes nominations from EERI members. All nominations must be sent to EERI at eeri@eeri.org by Friday, May 30, 2014, accompanied by a brief justification.

EERI (logo)Since 1992, EERI has honored leaders in the earthquake profession through this annual award. The lecture is generally presented for the first time at the EERI Annual Meeting and then at a series of student and regional chapter meetings nationwide.

Past awardees are listed at www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/award-recipients/.

For a complete description of the award, visit: www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/distinguished-lecture-award.

Curt Haselton to Receive 2013 EERI Shah Family Innovation Prize

Dr. Curt Haselton (M.EERI, 2010) has been awarded the 2013 EERI Shah Family Innovation Prize. Haselton is an associate professor in the department of civil engineering at the California State University at Chico and an active contributor to research and development in earthquake engineering.

Curt HaseltonWith a generous gift from the Shah family, EERI annually awards the Shah Prize to young professionals and academics for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit in the field of earthquake risk mitigation and management.

Professor Haselton has quickly gained a national reputation for his tremendous contributions towards advancing understanding of the collapse safety of buildings and the use of nonlinear dynamic analysis to improve seismic design methods and building code requirements. Haselton has been instrumental in studies by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center, the Applied Technology Council, and the USGS on ways to properly select and scale strong ground motions.

Most recently, the Building Seismic Safety Council’s (BSSC) Provisions Update Committee appointed Haselton to chair a new committee to develop provisions for the use of nonlinear dynamic analysis for the design of new buildings. Beyond his own specific research and professional contributions, Haselton is a very community-minded individual. He has freely shared his ideas and expertise, including making designs, models, and data from his archetype building studies available to other researchers — all with the goal of improving earthquake engineering research and practice.

While a graduate student at Stanford and continuing now at Cal State Chico, Haselton has worked tirelessly on education outreach, including hands-on learning activities for middle- and high-school students and research experience for undergraduate students. Hasleton has been particularly effective at involving undergraduate students in his research and professional activities, which has provided students with great learning opportunities.

To learn more about the Shah Family Innovation Prize, visit the EERI website at https://www.eeri.org/about-eeri/honors-awards/shah-family-innovation-prize/.

Note: See the full list of 2014 EERI Award Recipients at http://bit.ly/1c3HttF. In the next issue of The Pulse, we will feature the Outstanding Graduate and Undergraduate Student Paper Award winners.

Save the Date: 2015 EERI Annual Meeting, March 31 – April 3, 2015

Mark your calendar! The 2015 EERI Annual Meeting will be held March 31 – April 3, 2015 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

 Boston Park Plaza HotelBoston is one of the United States most historic cities. The Boston Park Plaza is located just steps from top Boston attractions and activities ideal for virtually any visitor, including Boston Back Bay, Boston Common Park, Boston's Freedom Trail, and Boston's Charles River. The Boston Aquarium, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Boston Museum of Science are also nearby. Be on the lookout for more information in future email newsletters and on the EERI website.

Access 2013 AM Presentations
To access PDFs of the PowerPoint slides of most of the presentations given at the 2013 EERI Annual Meeting/National Earthquake Conference in February, visit: http://2013am.eeri-events.org/conference-presentations. The presentations are organized by session, in order of their delivery at the conference.

Graduating EERI Student Members: Submit Your Resume

EERI provides a benefit for EERI student members who are about to enter the job market. We will post your resume on the EERI website so all members can view it.

If you are interested in participating, please submit a link to your resume online at https://eeri.org/cohost/registration/student-member-resume. This link can point to your LinkedIn public profile or a PDF accessible through Google Drive or other cloud service.

Please submit your resume no later than 3:00 p.m. PDT Monday, June 2, 2014. Resumes will be online for viewing by EERI Subscribing Members first and the entire membership willl be notified of their availability on June 9, 2014.

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Chapter Spotlight

New York-Northeast Chapter and AIANY Event: Turning Disaster into Knowledge

Professor Jonathan Bray (M. EERI, 1990), UC Berkeley, will share his experience with numerous reconnaissance missions after extreme earthquake events performed under his leadership of the GEER (Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance) Association. This lecture is sponsored and made possible through the generous support of Exponent Engineering and Scientific Consulting and Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers.

Professor Jonathan Bray, UC BerkeleyAdvancing hazard-resistant design demands an understanding of what happens when a disaster occurs. Documenting and sharing the key lessons learned from extreme events around the world contributes significantly to advancing research and practice in hazards engineering. Detailed mapping and surveying of damaged areas provides data for well-documented case histories that often drive design procedures development. Field observations are particularly important in geotechnical engineering, because it is difficult to replicate, in the laboratory, soil deposits built by nature over thousands of years. Much of the data generated by an extreme event is perishable and must be collected within a few days of the occurrence of the event.

When: May 22, 2014 at 8:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Center for Architecture, 532 Laguardia Place, Downtown NYC
PDHs: 1 PDH will be available (no fee for EERI members, $15 for non-members)
Fee to attend: No fee to attend (for PDH, see above)
Please RSVP to llincoln@mrce.com to attend.

About the Speaker
Jonathan Bray is the Faculty Chair in Earthquake Engineering Excellence at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned engineering degrees from West Point, Stanford, and Berkeley. Dr. Bray is a registered professional civil engineer and has served as a consultant on several important engineering projects and peer review panels. With more than 250 research publications, his expertise includes seismic performance of earth structures, seismic site response, liquefaction and ground failure and its effects on structures, earthquake fault rupture propagation, and post-event reconnaissance. Bray is a former Board Member of EERI.

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Member Spotlight

Hermann M. Fritz Awarded the 2014 Plinius Medal

The 2014 Plinius Medal is awarded to Professor Hermann M. Fritz (M. EERI, 2005) for his outstanding laboratory- and field-research achievements in the generation and propagation of tsunamis. Fritz received his Ph.D. in hydraulic engineering at ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in 2002 and, since 2003, has been an assistant and now associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

 Hermann M. FritzThe European Geosciences Union (EGU) Natural Hazards Division established the Plinius Medal to recognize outstanding mid-career scientists who meet the following criteria: outstanding research achievements in fields related with natural hazards, important interdisciplinary activity in two or more fields related with this topic, and research that has been applied in the mitigation of risks from natural hazards.

Fritz’s research centers on the fluid dynamic aspects of natural hazards such as tsunamis, hurricane storm surges, and landslides as well as their mitigation and coastal protection. His research in hydrodynamic water waves and coastal engineering includes laboratory experiments, theory, simulations, and extensive field work.

In the field, he has co-organized more than a dozen post-disaster reconnaissance campaigns encompassing both tsunamis (Tohoku 2011, Chile 2010, Haiti 2010, Mentawai 2010, Solomon Islands 2010 & 2007, Samoa & Tonga 2009, Peru 2007, Java 2006, Indian Ocean 2004) and cyclonic storms (Cyclone Nargis 2008, Cyclone Gonu 2007, Hurricane Katrina 2005). The data collected from these surveys has had a significant impact on understanding of the damage brought by these disasters.

For more information, visit the EGU website at https://www.egu.eu/awards-medals/plinius/ external link icon.

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