|
 |
| "Beyond technical competence, clients seeking services from engineering consultants also look for creative problem-solving skills that carry a level of accountability. This accountability is achieved by adding professional engineering licensure to the engineering consultant's credentials." |
|
|
|
N. Catherine Bazan-Arias, Ph.D.
Engineering Intern, Staff Engineer-in-Training
GAI Consultants, Inc.
Degree: Civil Engineering
Projects
In general, a client hiring a consultant must feel confident that the consultant is an expert in his/her field. The client relies on the consultant to develop innovative, value-based solutions that achieve set goals that save time and money. This expectation is not different in the engineering consulting arena. Beyond technical competence, clients seeking services from engineering consultants also look for creative problem-solving skills that carry a level of accountability. This accountability is achieved by adding professional engineering licensure to the engineering consultant's credentials.
This creativity and accountability allowed GAI Consultants to successfully complete a construction project for a portion of one of Pennsylvania's longest expressways. The construction project required that a dam be built to retain a liquid waste impoundment, which occupied part of the expressway's footprint. The impoundment needed to be stabilized and provide enough strength to withstand the loading from the expressway and the dam.
Traditional designs called for a temporary retaining structure that would allow the impoundment area necessary for construction of the expressway and dam to be cleaned and filled with compacted natural soil. This approach, however, was relatively expensive and the feasibility of constructing the temporary retaining structure was not clearly defined.
GAI Consultants developed an innovative, cost-effective solution to achieving an acceptable sub-grade for the expressway and dam. We decided to stabilize the area of the impoundment in-situ as a feasible solution that also addressed the difficulties with temporary construction and provided the required strength needed in particular for the sub-grade of the dam.
The stabilization covered an area over 10 acres. The work needed to be completed in less than a year and some of the stabilization had to be conducted at depths exceeding 40 feet. GAI developed the technical specifications and conducted the quality assurance and quality control for the project. The project was successfully completed in 10 months and saved millions of dollars over the traditional approach.
Perspective
"This project allowed me to work on an interesting problem that required many of my specific engineering skills. However, even though I have advanced degrees, I was limited regarding what I could contribute to the review, approval, and final accountability for the project. Only a licensed engineer at GAI could complete this portion of the project."
"I am looking forward to becoming a licensed civil engineer. In my opinion, the responsibility that the P.E. license bestows upon an engineer promotes professionalism and is an added incentive to become involved in professional societies. Some people argue that civil engineering is about service. I think civil engineering is about responsible service. And that promotes excellence in our profession."
"I have heard the argument that spending a certain number of years educating oneself and working in industry and/or academia makes one a professional. I disagree. Education and experience prepare someone technically to perform engineering work. Licensing holds engineers responsible for their engineering work and promotes the high standards of our profession. Civil engineering is a self-regulating profession that, through licensing, protects the public and recognizes those individuals who hold its high standards."
Recent Career Path
| • |
GAI Consultants, Inc. Monroeville, PA, 6/96–Present
- Staff Engineer-in-Training, 6/02–Present
- Senior Engineer-in-Training, 6/96–5/02
|
| • |
Currently works on geotechnical and structural analyses in various geotechnical-environmental projects, including stabilization of coal combustion by-products, pavement designs, landfills, and transmission towers. As senior engineer-in-training, worked on slope stability analyses; structural analyses of transmission line towers; permitting renewal preparation for new and existing industrial discharges; the siting of CGHW management facilities for the Kingdom of Thailand; marketing efforts in Latin America; and design, analysis, and research on various geotechnical-environmental projects.
|
| • |
Lecturer, Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 8/03–12/03
|
| • |
Lecturer, Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 8/02–12/02
|
| • |
Tutor, University of Pittsburgh, Freshman Impact Program, 9/95–4/96
|
| • |
Engineer, Trimark, Pittsburgh, PA, 7/95–1/96
|
| • |
Teaching Assistant, University of Pittsburgh, Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept., 9/92–4/93, 9/93–4/95
|
| • |
Engineer, Paul C. Rizzo, Associates, Monroeville, PA, 4/92–8/92 |
Education
| • |
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering, specialization in Structures, University of Pittsburgh, 5/99
|
| • |
M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering, specialization in Structures, University of Pittsburgh, 8/94
|
| • |
B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Magna Cum Laude, 4/92
|
| • |
Certificate in Latin American Studies, University Center for International Studies, 4/92 |
Affiliations and Honors
| • |
Diversity Champion Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, Zone I, 2003
|
| • |
2000 Notable American Women, Tenth Commemorative Edition, American Biographical Institute, 2003
|
| • |
Young Civil Engineer Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section, 2002
|
| • |
America's Registry of Outstanding Professionals, 2002–2003, 2003–2004
|
| • |
Strathmore's Who's Who, 2001–2002
|
| • |
Provost Scholarship, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh, 5/98
|
| • |
Commissioner, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, 9/03–Present
|
| • |
Chair, Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Room, 7/03–Present
|
| • |
Geotechnical Group Chair, American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section, 6/03–Present
|
| • |
Director, American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section, 6/03–Present
|
| • |
Columnist for Civil Connection e-newsletter, 4/03–Present
|
| • |
Western Region Representative, Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition, 10/02–Present
|
| • |
Newsletter Editor, American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section, 9/00–5/03
|
| • |
ASCE
|
| • |
TAU BETA PI
|
| • |
CHI EPSILON
|
| • |
SAME |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
N. Catherine Bazan-Arias, Ph.D. |
|
|
|
Kathy Caldwell, P.E. |
|
| |
Patricia L. Eng, P.E. |
|
| |
Charles Casey, P.E.. |
|
|
|
Joe Fowler, Ph.D., P.E. |
|
|
|
Lori Hasselbring, Ph.D., P.E. |
|
|
|
Brett Pielstick, P.E. |
|
|
|
Robert Rupert, P.E. |
|
| |
Jonna M. Tarpoff, P.E. |
|
| |
Dwight L. Williams, Ph.D., P.E. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
