The NCSEA Communications Committee challenged its Member Organizations (the state SEAs) to share their most effective program for achieving NCSEA’s goal that “practicing structural engineers are recognized by clients, media, policymakers, educators, students, and the public for the value of their contributions to society.” SEAs were asked to submit up to one entry for each of the following categories: Public Outreach, Political Advocacy, Students and Educators, and Other Outreach Programs Related to Current NCSEA Initiatives. Outstanding Efforts in each category were recognized at the NCSEA Annual Business Meeting, held on January 13, 2021:
SEAKM (Kansas-Missouri): Students and Educators Winner
At the beginning of 2020, SEAKM received a grant from NCSEA to help a local elementary school with supplies for a weekly student STEM learning activity period, and chose to provide Mola or MOLA magnetic structural model kits. This idea blossomed from helping one school to an entire school district, and SEAKM’s program inspired a larger collective effort of NCSEA to partner with Mola Models, developing lesson plans, activities, and exercises for structural engineers to partner with schools across the country.
SEAW (Washington): Public Outreach Winner
SEAW’s entry highlighted their lecture series, which presents structural engineering topics to a wider audience. This year, they rose to the challenges presented by COVID and expanded their reach to multiple continents via a well-designed virtual forum. Their execution of collaborating with cooperating organizations (from university engineering and architecture departments to other SEAs and materials organizations), publication in various news outlets, and self-advertising on a widely followed social media platforms was impressive, and demonstrated the ability of structural engineers to capture the interest and attention of the masses, even when faced with incredible constraints and limitations.
SEAW (Washington): Political Advocacy Winner
SEAW presented a comprehensive look at their integration with legislative boards dealing with building codes, licensure, and disaster response. Through their involvement in multiple committees and councils, SEAW is a great example of how structural engineers can be recognized as resources for governing agencies.
SEAOC (California): Other Winner
SEAOC’s submission demonstrated a clear response to NCSEA’s Call to Action, published earlier this year. The SEA has a flourishing and active committee (SE3) dedicated to supporting DEI initiatives through successful mentorship programs, roundtable discussions, events, forums, and presentations. They have promoted and created opportunities with ally organizations to empower local leaders and community members with an understanding of how structural engineers support their community. And they offered substantial documentation of efforts of their funding commitment to scholarships for a diverse group of students, as well as sponsorship and publication of scientific studies, papers, and other reports of special importance and significance to structural engineers.
We hope the programs from the winning SEAs can become prototypes for other organizations’ programming. NCSEA will be featuring them in upcoming communications. Additionally, category winners will also be receiving several MOLA Structural kits to help them further their outreach activities.