Junior Tech Talk

Junior Tech Talk

Sponsored by the Younger Member Group
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Zoom & HNTB
31 St. James Avenue, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Join BSCES YMG for this series of virtual presentations focused on the management of various civil engineering-related projects in the Boston area. This 2.5 hour event will feature the following speakers and topics, and will end with a question and answer session.

Emily Hertz, EIT
Staff Geotechnical Engineer, GeoEngineers, Inc.
Emily is a geotechnical engineer who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and even will go as far
as to “taste” the soil to classify it. She has over two years of experience working in the Boston development market and enjoys taking on new challenges. Hailing from North Dakota, Emily enjoys playing softball and exploring new places.
Topic
The 380 Stuart Street project is an exciting take on open greenspace in commercial high-rise buildings downtown. Its offset façade helps optimize access to the outdoors to help you forget you are in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay. This project is a great lesson in researching the history behind your project site and stresses the importance of thorough due diligence to help properly prepare you for challenges during construction.

Pearse McManus, PE
Structural Engineer, HNTB
Pearse is a structural engineer with experience in the design, analysis, and load rating of
highway and railroad bridges across the Northeast. He graduated with a B.S. from the University of Connecticut and a M.S. from Northeastern University.
Topic
The Haverhill Design-Build Project replaced two adjacent bridges carrying I-495 NB and SB over the Merrimack River in Haverhill, MA. The existing structures were built in 1961 and showed signs of deterioration. The replacement bridges consist of three spans, for a total length of 720-feet. The project included numerous construction challenges, including a limited in-water work window, which necessitated unique structural solutions.

Sarah Pfeifle, EIT
Water Resources Engineer, CDM Smith
Sarah earned a BS in Environmental Science from Ithaca College and an MS in Civil
Engineering, focused in water resources, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2020. Since beginning her career at CDM Smith, she has contributed to projects pertaining to water quality, stormwater management, sewer infrastructure, groundwater studies, coastal dynamics, and riverine flooding.
Topic
Freshwater salinization caused by increased salt use threatens our waterways and health. The talk will describe the role of a junior engineer in developing the Illinois Tollway’s Refined Salting Strategy, which lays out a 15-year capital and operations plan to significantly reduce salt use during winter maintenance operations. Chloride reductions are mandated in 401 Water Quality Certifications for three Tollway expansion projects. The resulting core strategy involves increasing liquid (brine) use while decreasing use of granular rock salt. The development of this plan required research in best practices and emerging technologies, analysis of historical data, and analysis of survey responses from Tollway stakeholders.

Sonam Katira
Staff Civil Designer, Howard Stein Hudson
Sonam works in Howard Stein Hudson’s (HSH’s) Public Infrastructure group. She has experience
working on municipal, state, and private roadway design projects. Sonam’s experience includes designing ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps and crossings, creating complete plans for roadway design projects, and compiling cost estimates for roadway design projects. Sonam graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University in May 2021.
Topic
The Columbus Avenue Center-running Bus Lanes project incorporates Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that results in faster, more reliable trips along the corridor, and it is the first center-running bus lane in New England. This transformative project highlights the many innovative methods and technologies used to enhance regional transportation, mobility, accessibility, and equity, and will help to promote a culture of safe transportation that will shape the transit landscape for a post COVID-19 world.

Registration Deadline: Extended to Wednesday, May 25, 2022
$20 Member
$25 Non-Member
$10 Students & Seniors (65+)

Registration Information
Click here to view the event flyer. To register and pay with a credit card, click Registration above. To register online for an event at the BSCES member rate you must login using your BSCES assigned username and password. If you do not know your BSCES member login information, email bsces@engineers.org or call 617/227-5551. You can also register for this event by mail or email. To do so, download and complete a BSCES Event Registration Form and follow the submission instructions. Cancellations received after May 23, 2022 and no-shows will be billed.

Please note that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists anywhere other people are present, and even precautionary measures such as masking and social distancing cannot completely eliminate this risk. The Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/ASCE (BSCES) requires any person attending a Society-sponsored in-person activity to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to be prepared to provide proof of vaccination. In addition, any person who chooses to travel to and/or participate in any BSCES in-person activity assumes all risks arising from that decision. All participants must agree to comply with all safety procedures established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as any other protocols put in place by BSCES, the host sites, travel facilities, or any other applicable authorities.