Recognizing the Contributions of Structural Engineers in the Days, Months, and Years After 9/11

As it is for many, September 11 is a day of remembrance and reflection for the structural engineering community. We remember the tragedy of that day, and how, in the face of that tragedy, people came together to help in the response and recovery efforts. The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) send our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of all the victims of the tragedy that took place 20 years ago, as well as our appreciation and gratitude to all of those who came together to help the search, rescue, and recovery efforts. 

First responders searched the debris at ground zero to look for survivors and attend to the wounded. Structural engineers were right alongside them, helping to ensure that the debris field and surrounding structures they were entering were safe. Many of these structural engineers were affiliated with SEAoNY or other member organizations of NCSEA. Approximately 450 structural engineers worked shifts with first responders and contractors to evaluate the condition of approximately 400 buildings surrounding the World Trade Center site to ensure that they were safe to re-occupy.  

“Personally, I would like to thank all of those volunteers again for their dedication and effort during that difficult time for all of us,” says Edward M. DePaola, P.E., SECB, F.SEI, and SEAoNY President during 9/11. “At the time, we were amazed at the response of the structural engineering community, and I’m still amazed and proud when I think about what we did.”

Over the 20 years since that fateful day, structural engineers have played an instrumental role in the disaster investigations and in the development of changes to building codes and construction practices resulting from those investigations. In addition, structural engineers have developed and implemented enhanced disaster response measures at both the local and national levels that better position structural engineers for rapid deployment in a time of need. In particular, the Structural Engineering Emergency Response (SEER) program promotes expeditious post-disaster recovery of communities through building safety evaluations and has been activated for numerous natural disasters around the country since 9/11.  

The lessons learned from 9/11 serve as the foundation for substantive changes to how high-rise buildings are engineered as well as a decisive path toward more safe and resilient communities.

“As we reflect on the events of that tragic day, we feel fortunate that our education and training as structural engineers prepared us well to assist in the recovery,” says NCSEA President Ed Quesenberry, P.E., S.E. “We are resolute in our commitment to doing whatever we can to ensure that the buildings we live and work in are safe and to being ready to respond when our communities need us.”  

This statement was developed in partnership with the National Council of Structural Engineers

NCSEA, AISC, SEI, and the CTBUH released a joint statement of gratitude for the structural engineers that offered their expertise during and after the 9/11 tragedy.

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NASCC:
THE STEEL CONFERENCE

NASCC: The Steel Conference is the premier educational and networking event for the structural steel industry, bringing together structural engineers, structural steel fabricators, erectors, detailers, and architects.

In addition to 150+ practical seminars on the latest design concepts, construction techniques, and cutting-edge research, the conference also features 200+ exhibitors showcasing products ranging from structural design software to machinery for cutting steel beams, and plentiful networking opportunities. One low registration fee gains you access to all of the technical sessions, the keynote addresses, the T.R. Higgins Lecture, and the exhibitor showcase. 

Register for NASCC: The Virtual Steel Conference today!

Up to 4.0 NECSEA-Certified or NCSEA Diamond-Certified PDHs available

Find announcement here 

Register here

Join SEAoNY's Diversity Committee during the Breakout Room Discussions:

Room 1: Equitable Pathways to Success: Harnessing Data from the SE3 Project

The Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity (SE3) Project is an effort supported by thousands of structural engineers in the US and abroad. With a mission to collect data to support individuals and firms interested to improve our profession by focusing on attracting, engaging, and retaining talented folks who will make great contributions.

Join us for a short presentation on findings of the 2020 SE3 Survey relevant to gender and race bias; engage in a professionally candid conversation where all are encouraged to share questions, criticism, best practices, lessons learned, thoughts for future action; all with an eye towards how we can each implement or influence the adoption of equitable practices in the AEC industry.

Register Here

Book Talk: The Structure of Skyscrapers in America 1871-1900

Friday, 12/11, 12:30pm - 1:30pm

In the long-awaited book The Structure of Skyscrapers in America 1871-1900, award-winning author Donald Friedman presents an illustrated history of the development of the structure of skyscrapers during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. In the first 190 pages, he details the context for the emergence of this new building type and thoroughly explains the cutting-edge technology of construction. Preservation problems are examined in depth.

A separate 200-page section provides construction dates and images for every known building taller than nine stories erected in the United States between 1871 and 1900—a total of 443 individual buildings, both extant and demolished, in 36 cities all across the country, from Boston and New York to San Francisco.

This definitive new book is essential reading—and an unrivaled reference—for anyone who is interested in early skyscrapers and in identifying the more than 300 engineers, architects, and contractors who designed and built them.

Speaker:
Donald Friedman, PE, FAPT, FASCE, Co-founder, Old Structures Engineering

Friedman, PE, FAPT, FASCE, is a co-founder of Old Structures Engineering and has thirty years of experience as a structural engineer, working on both the construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing structures. He has taught at the Pratt Institute, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute School of Architecture, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He is the author of numerous articles for technical publications and five books on construction, renovation, and engineering.

Organized by AIANY Historic Buildings Committee

Register Here

We are excited to announce the 2021 SEAoNY Annual Conference will be virtual and held during February 2021.

This year we are doing something different. From our survey results, we realize our membership wants exciting and informative sessions not necessarily driven by a single topic. As such, we are accepting abstracts that are not tied to a central theme.  

We hope you will send us your abstracts to help us plan an exciting annual conference.

More information here.

The University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering would like SEAoNY members to take part in their survey on how engineers learn from their past designs and how this could be augmented with in-service monitoring of structures. 

Fill out survey here.