SEAoNY Programs Committee, with CTBUH, Presents:
AI and the Future of Structural Engineering
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 2024
TIME: 5:00 - 8:00 PM
LOCATION: Thornton Tomasetti
120 Broadway
15th Floor
1 PDH Available
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving technology that has the potential to transform the engineering and construction industry. AI can help improve efficiency, quality, safety, and innovation in various aspects of the industry, such as design, planning, execution, and maintenance. AI can assist engineers and architects in designing and optimizing buildings and structures, by using data-driven methods to generate and evaluate different design alternatives, and by automating tedious and complex tasks such as code compliance and structural analysis. AI can also enhance the execution and monitoring of construction activities, by using computer vision and robotics to automate and improve the quality and safety of construction work and inspection, and by using sensors and drones to collect and analyze real-time data from the construction site. AI can also support the operation and maintenance of built assets, by using predictive analytics and digital twins to optimize the performance and lifespan of buildings and infrastructure, and by using natural language processing and chatbots to facilitate communication and collaboration among users and operators. However, AI also poses some challenges and limitations for the engineering and construction industry, such as the availability and quality of data, the integration and interoperability of systems and platforms, the ethical and legal implications of AI decisions and actions, and the social and cultural acceptance of AI among users and workers. Therefore, more research and development is needed to address these issues and to explore the full potential of AI in engineering and construction. This session provides some case studies on how AI can be used in structural engineering projects and recommendations for future work in this field, such as developing more robust and explainable AI models and methods, creating more open and standardized data and protocols, establishing more clear and consistent AI policies and regulations, and fostering more collaborative and inclusive AI ecosystems and communities.
5:00 - 6:00 PM: Mingling and Refreshments
6:00 - 7:00 PM: Lecture
7:00 - 8:00 PM: Q&A, Networking
Registration Fees:
SEAoNY Members* - $30
CTBUH Members** - $30
Non-Members - $45
*Members must log in to their SEAoNY accounts to receive membership discount on registration. (Students, did you know student membership is free?! Inquire about free student membership at admin@seaony.org)
**CTBUH members must obtain a code in order to get the SEAoNY member rate.
Sustaining Members & Corporate Sponsors interested in using their free event registration should email admin@seaony.org for the registration code.
Registration ends Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Robert K. Otani, PE LEED AP is Chief Technology Officer at Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., a 1700+ person multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm, and founded the CORE studio, an applications development, advanced computational modeling, and R&D group at his firm. Robert serves as the Advisory Committee for Thornton Tomasetti’s firm wide Research and Development program. He has extensive structural design and project management experience involving commercial, infrastructure, institutional, cultural and residential structures. Over his 25-year career, he has worked on a wide variety of complex projects, including high rise buildings, long-span roof structures, sports arenas, airport terminals, major building structural renovations, complex art projects totaling over $2 billion USD of construction. He has served as President of the Structural Engineers Association of New York in 2007 and has been a professor at Pratt Institute School of Architecture from 2008-2018 and Columbia GSAPP from 2009-2015.
Seyedomid Sajedi is a Senior AI/ML Engineer at CORE Studio Thornton Tomasetti, where he creates AI-powered applications that harness institutional knowledge and data accumulated over 70+ years of engineering at the firm. Prior to joining CORE Studio, Sajedi worked as a structural engineer and pursued his Ph.D. in earthquake and structural engineering at the University at Buffalo SUNY. During his Ph.D., Sajedi did research on autonomous structural health monitoring with a particular emphasis on the safe integration of AI in engineering workflows. Apart from contributing to CORE, AI's structural design engines, Sajedi has experience designing custom deep learning architectures in the areas of computer vision, vibration analysis, and natural language processing to support different practices at Thornton Tomasetti.
Event, Cancellation & Photo Policies:
SEAoNY will accept refund requests made in writing no later than Friday, August 2, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Registration fees are not refundable after this date.
By registering for this SEAoNY event, I give consent for my photograph to be taken or presence recorded and possibly used on the organization’s intranet, internet, newsletters, board reports, and other organizational materials as needed. I understand that I am not eligible for compensation for use of my photo and I may not be informed in advance of the specific use of those images.
