EDUCATION 

Cherise Schacter, President-Elect, Education Committee Chair, Institute Education Committee

Are you a CSI Kraken?
A new movement is afoot in the Portland Chapter that is quickly spreading across the country.  Find out if you qualify as a CSI Kraken here, and consider supporting this effort and proudly wearing your Kraken colors by ordering your very own CSI Kraken Committee shirt or sweatshirt.  Many of us will be sporting our Kraken colors at the convention and encouraging other chapters to join in bringing their passion and experience to another level.  Check it out now - this is a limited edition item for a long term movement.  Orders received by September 7th will be available for CONSTRUCT!

New CSI Lecture Series
Our new Portland CSI Lecture Series.  "Design-Build: A Request for Redefining the Term in a Contemporary Epoch" (see above for detailed information) presented by Troy Lowell of Interface Engineering will be launching on September 19th.   Troy is unique in that he has his Masters Degree in Architecture and is also a practicing registered professional engineer with a focus on mechanical systems.  Join us for what I know will prove to be a very interesting presentation.  Sign up early, registration will be limited due to limited room size at the Columbia Square Building.

Construct 2013
If you have never attended CONSTRUCT, I strongly encourage you to consider a visit to Nashville this September 24th-27th.  It is not too late to sign up and attend this unparalleled event that is full of a wealth of educational opportunities, tours and events.  The networking with thousands of people in our industry, from all areas of the project team, is unmatched.  Don't miss out!  Get signed up now! 

If you just can't make it to CONSTRUCT this year, you can follow the action on Twitter.  Just follow #CONSTRUCT for tweets from classes and events throughout the convention.  This is also a great way to connect with very active CSI Members on Twitter. If you are attending CONSTRUCT, I would love to see you at my presentation on "Architect/Consultant Coordination: Closing the Gap", Session #H10.  This will be my first time presenting at the convention and it would be great to see some local, friendly faces in the crowd.  Rick Heiserman, FCSI, CCCA, AIA, Ankrom Moisan Architects has kindly agreed to be my introducer for the presentation.  Thank you, Rick!

I am also honored to have been invited by the Institute to help host the CONSTRUCT First Timers event on Wednesday afternoon and co-host the CSI Twitter Tweetup Event on Thursday afternoon.  Both events will be on the show floor after the educational sessions.  Come by and see me and take advantage of these great opportunities to meet like-minded professionals in our industry and see your Twitter friends IRL (in real life.)

LinkedIn and Twitter for Dummies
When I first signed on (not all that long ago) to LinkedIn and Twitter, I have to admit I felt more than a little lost.  I did not want to read pages of pages of instructions to get started and I longed for someone to give me a "Twitter/Linked for Dummies" version to get me moving.  After a class with Joy Davis from Institute at the CSI Academies, I figured out the basics and the rest is history.  Oh boy, I had no idea what I was missing.  If you think Twitter is only about posting a comment that you are at Starbucks or that LinkedIn is only for job hunting, this class will be for you.  If you are not engaged in Social Media, you are missing the boat.  We aim to change that and help bring you up to speed!

Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement in October or November for this class that will be taught jointly by myself and our wonderful Jaci Amend, marketing/communication manager for Melvin Mark Companies, that will include everything you need to get started.  Join us and get engaged!

Speakers/Teachers
We are looking for speakers and great, exciting topics for our lecture series and additional educational events outside of our chapter meetings.  Do you have something to teach or share?  Please let me know!  [email protected]

And some other items of interest Meet your official CONSTRUCT Per-Specs Bloggers: Eric D. Lussier, Lori Greene and Marvin Kemp: http://www.csinet.org/Get-Involved/Show--Convention Follow these great CSI member bloggers for a wealth of great CONSTRUCT information.

Are you studying for the CDT this Fall?  A great resource - Follow #CDTStudyNotes on Twitter

YouTube Library of past CSI Presentations: http://www.youtube.com/user/CSIConstruction

Members to follow on Twitter:
@PortlandCSI
@csiconstruction
@mrfochs
@swolfearch
@m2architek
@kaitlinsolomon3
@PaulDGerber
@EricDLussier
@johndanes
@LizOSullivanAIA
@specmonkeyNorth
@dstutzman
@vivianvolz
@Brent_Williams1
@JPeterJordan
@JodyBrownArch
@specologist
@onstade
@m2architek

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION DATES OF NOTE

AIA Portland

Oct. 11, 8A-12P - Post Occupancies and Occupant Behavior - Registration opens in September. 

Architectural Foundation of Oregon

Sept. 9 - Deadline for applications for the Van Evera Bailey Fellowship

INSTITUTE AND REGION NEWS

The NW Region Dinner at CONSTRUCT will be held on the evening of Tuesday, September 24th in Nashville.  Time and location TBD.  If you are not already receiving this information, email Bob Kenworthy, [email protected] to get on his email list so you don't miss this great opportunity to connect with members of our Region at the Convention.

September 10th - CSI Webinar: Collaborative Web Tools, Apps and Connectivity Are Changing the AEC Landscape http://www.csinet.org/Main-Menu-Category/Education/Webinars/14AX03.html

CSI National Practice Groups
Join the discussion! CSI offers several web-based practice groups focused on issues in construction industry communication. Most practice groups meet monthly by webinar and encourage group discussion. Group members often make presentations. Join a CSI Practice Group!
* Contract Administration Practice Group
* Sustainability Practice Group
* Specifiying Practice Group
* Product Representation Practice Group
* BIM Practice Group
 

Download Programs for Teaching CSI Best Practices:

http://www.csinet.org/Main-Menu-Category/Education/Teaching

CSI CLASSIFIEDS

Former CSI member, Diane Blitzer, is parting with what remains of her reference library. All items are free to a good home. This collection could be useful to a student or to a firm starting up an in-house specifications department. Altogether, there are four paper-file size boxes of reference materials. If you are interested in any of these items, please contact Diane Blitzer at the phone number or email below.

Diane Blitzer, RA, CCS

503.224.7217

[email protected]

RESOURCES

Construction Specifications Canada (CSC)

Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)

Specifications Consultants in Independent Practice (SCIP)

Blog Roll

Spec Words - Conspectus Inc. with contributions from David Stutzman, Cliff Marvin and Randal Reifsnider about all thing Specifications

Life of an Architect (LooA) - Bob Borson, Texas architect and world famous architectural blogger

Constructive Thoughts - Sheldon Wolfe, the original Specifying Curmudgeon

Comments From a Spec Writer - Liz O'Sullivan, Independent Specifications Consultant and CSI Tweep extraordinaire!

VVAS - Vivian Volz Architectural Specifications, Independent Specifications Consultant and CSI Tweep extraordinaire!

Eric D. Lussier - Eric "Loose-e-eh?", Sports Flooring Guru and CSI Tweep extraordinaire!

SW Oregon Architect - Randy Nishimura (transplanted Canadian) and CSI Tweep extraordinaire!

Entrepreneur Architect - Mark R. LePage, Inspiring Success in Architecture for Small Firms and Sole Proprietor Architects

Coffee with an Architect - Jody Brown, always amusing

Indigo Architect - Tara Imani, Texas Architect and CSI Tweep Extraordinaire!

ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS

Design

Portland Oregon Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute

P.O. Box 6683, Portland, Oregon 97228 | 503-805-2500 | [email protected]