By the time you are reading this, the 2021 election season is behind us. Although the recent elections did not have national office implications, offices for elected officials were likely held where the reader lives. Did you participate in any way? Did you take the opportunity to vote? Have you ever considered running for elected office?
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Author Archives : Brent White, P.E., S.E.
Brent L. White is President ARW Engineers, Past President, Structural Engineers Association of Utah, and the Current Chair, CASE.
CASE, NCSEA, and SEI, the three structural engineering associations that support this magazine, have various shared interests. Perhaps the most important shared interest is the promotion and support of licensure for structural engineers – the S.E. License. A Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering Licensure is a detailed paper outlining this common position. This paper, developed by the Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition, has previously been discussed in these pages and is something practicing structural engineers are encouraged to be familiar with.
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Our firm is fortunate to be celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. We have grown from a one-person firm to a dedicated staff of over 30. That growth has not been exponential, but it has been steady and consistent. Recently, while preparing a presentation for our employees about our 50-year history, I had the chance to reminisce about some of the successes and challenges since 1969. I have been around for 36 of those 50 years, so I have some knowledge of our history, but I was reminded of some of the work our firm did in those earlier years. The founder of our firm still visits with us occasionally and attends company social functions, so we still have a connection to our founding, and it is great to have that connection. …
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Our everyday lives are fraught with elements of risk – driving our children to school or ourselves to work, walking on the sidewalk, or even the public places we frequent. As practicing structural engineers, we deal with risk every day. The nature of our profession is to utilize our understanding of risk and mitigate it based on our experience, knowledge, and mastery of science and engineering principles. We design structures and structural systems that provide for the public welfare (safety) as well as achieving the functional and financial goals of our clients. …
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The Author recently had a conversation with a structural engineer who has been retired for over fifteen years. During his career, he observed many changes in the practice of structural engineering and the tools available to assist in his practice. The conversation turned to the current state of structural engineering and the many challenges today’s practicing structural engineer faces. He was amazed at the various “balls that need to be kept in the air” to successfully practice engineering and compete in today’s marketplace. …
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