Greetings!
Welcome to the month of May. As we continue monitoring the situation, the number of cases is showing a downward trend and the number of vaccinated individuals is slowly increasing. This has encouraged us to start planning for our first in-person branch event in a long time. We are very excited and are looking forward to hosting our Annual Icebreaker in the month of July. So please look forward to the ‘save the date’ email early next month.
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May is also election month for ASCE. Following positions and amendments are on the ballot:
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Region 5 Governor, where another former Florida section president, Robert Jackson, is one of the nominees.
The elections will be conducted from May 1st through June 1st. Make sure to get your voices heard.
Last month, our Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) had a great collaborative event with ASCE Metropolitan Section SEI Chapter providing the membership not only eight informative webinars, but also eight approved PDH’s. Our Transportation and Development institute (T&DI) also held a webinar on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) held a Community Green Up event, planting trees and grasses, to celebrate Earth Day. I hope you all had the opportunity to attend at least one, if not all, of the events.
We also received exciting news on the robotics front. A big congratulations to two of our teams (Super 7 and ZIP Ties), who won a host of awards at the league championships and are moving ahead to the State Level Championship. These kids are doing an amazing job and they are being ably mentored by some of our fellow ECB members (Prasad Chittaluru, Anil Sharma, Suman Juluru, Syam Dhanyamraju and others). So please congratulate them and wish them all the best for the State level competition next time you see them.
Looking ahead, we will continue providing opportunities to volunteer, network, and learn, that will keep you involved with your East Central Branch, and I look forward to seeing you at these events.
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Stay safe everyone.
Sincerely,
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Jignesh S. Vyas, P.E.
ASCE East Central Branch President
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This issue
- History & Heritage
- Structural Engineering Institute
- Environmental & Water Resources Institute
- Transportation & Development Institute
- Sustainability Committee
- Government and Public Relations
- Education Committee
- Younger Member Forum
- Student Activities
- Employment Opportunities
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Tinker Field
By Rocio Rodriguez
History & Heritage Committee Chair
Tinker Field is located at 287 Tampa Ave in Orlando, Florida. The property includes the entire baseball park, but only the original 1922 baseball playing field constructed by the City of Orlando during the rise of professional baseball in the state of Florida is considered a historic landmark. The seven-acre park is located on the western part of the larger "Citrus Bowl" lot. The baseball field covers approximately 3 acres. (Figure 1).
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Figure 1: Tinker Filed park nowadays.
The playing field at Tinker Field consists of a standard major league-size baseball diamond with a pitching mound, grass infield, and cutout dirt baselines. The dirt portions of the field consist of red Georgia clay, a soil used in ballfield construction since the early twentieth century.
In 1963 a new grandstand (Figure 2) was built to replace an original wooden grandstand that was built in 1922. Nine hundred nine (909) of the seats in the new grandstand were originally in historic, early nineteenth century Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., prior to the demolition of that facility.
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Figure 2: New grandstand built in 1963[1].
Near the entrance of the grandstand used to be a bronze and granite statue (Figure 3), dedicated to Clark C. Griffith on March 23, 1968, for his bringing the Washington Senators to Orlando for Spring Training in 1936. The Senators trained at the same location until 1990. The statue is now located at the SW corner of the field, along with many other statues and dedications.
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Figure 3: Statue dedicated to Clark C. Griffith
Tinker Field is historically significant in the area of Entertainment/Recreation because it is one of the oldest remaining major league baseball spring training sites in Florida. Baseball has been played at this site since 1914. It was commemorated as "Tinker Field" during its grand opening on April 19, 1923. In 1923 the Cincinnati Reds signed a three-year contract to begin spring training. Tinker Field is also significant to the City of Orlando because of its association with the baseball career of professional baseball player Joe Tinker. He was instrumental in bringing the Reds and spring training to Orlando, and in promoting the construction of the field (Figure 4). At the time of his death in 1948, Tinker was the only Floridian in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was buried there.
Tinker Field was also the long-time spring-training home of the Minnesota Twins and home to many Class AA Southern League and Class A Florida State League teams, most recently the Orlando Rays.
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Figure 4: Cincinnati Reds training on Tinker Field[1]
The Tinker Field configuration had an open design: the press box was totally open to the crowd, and a set of fans in the back of the grandstand. A concourse area in back of the grandstand contained concessions, ticket offices and team offices (Figure 5).
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Figure 5: Tinker Field configuration has an open design[1]
The area surrounding Tinker Field changed dramatically over the years. Originally the entire area was open space, but over the years a commercial district, a freeway and the Citrus Bowl encroached on the Tinker Field ambiance. Since the Rays left, various youth teams played at Tinker Field, but it started deteriorating quickly — the wooden bleachers were warping and the metal box seats were rusting away — so the city decided to tear down the Tinker Field grandstand in May 2015, turning the field into an open area to serve Citrus Bowl attendees.
In 2015 the baseball diamond and field were designated an Orlando Historic Landmark.
References:
[1] https://www.springtrainingonline.com/features/tinker-field.htm
[2] https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/f7c93111-0ffa-40ce-bc8a-4121999de691
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STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING INSTITUTE
The Structural Engineering Institute turns 25 this year! SEI at the national level was established in 1996 to advance the careers of SEI members, stimulate technological advancement, and improve professional practice.
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CALL FOR PROJECTS
The Structural Engineering Institute is seeking submissions from fellow structural engineers about their past or present projects. The submission is to quickly discuss the project's highlights, uniqueness, and/or challenges the structural engineer encountered during the project. This will provide ASCE-ECB members and aspiring student engineers with insight into the current structural engineering practices, and provide an opportunity for local or regional structural engineers to showcase their work. The submittals must include the following:
- At least one photograph of the project location.
- A summary of the project setting and background, such as location, new construction/restoration, private/government, etc.
- A summary of the challenges and/or unique aspects of the project, such as new design technology or use of new construction material not typically used in similar designs.
The submittals shall be sent to Michael Olka (molka@lakecountyfl.gov) in which we will review and prepare for presentation in a future ECB newsletter.
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ENVIRONMENTAL & WATER RESOURCES INSTITUTE
Extended Doubleheader Webinar
EWRI is having its first annual Extended Doubleheader Webinar, in place of our annual seminar, on Friday May 7th and Friday May 14th from noon to 2:30. Both sessions offer 2.0 pdh credits each. See below for the agenda for the May 14th Webinar. Big Thanks to all of our Sponsors!
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TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
May Webinar Luncheon featuring Brightline
Please join us for the T&DI May Webinar Luncheon on May 18th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Greg Moore, P.E., Project Manager-Development & Design at Brightline, and Katie Mitzner, Director of Public Affairs at Brightline, will be presenting on the many exciting activities going on at Brightline.
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SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
The Sustainability Committee held their first monthly committee meeting on April 28th. One of the focuses of the meeting included discussing the overall goals and objectives of the committee and how we can best serve the ECB members. The main takeaways were that we want to keep our members informed about sustainable engineering practices and education opportunities so that ECB members can be an advocate for sustainable infrastructure. Below are a few upcoming events through the City of Orlando’s Office of Sustainability.
Some of our committee members also attended sessions from the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council’s (ECFRPC) R2C Summit – Finding Common Ground: People. Places. Prosperity. held on May 7th. The keynote speaker was Mr. Craig Fugate who served as President Obama’s FEMA Administrator from 2009-17; also, as Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s Emergency Management Director from 2001-09. The summit covered topics such as: Integrating Planning & Action; Innovative Financing for Resilience; and Forward looking, Risk-Based Solutions. ECFRPC put on a great virtual event and is an organization ECB looks forward to staying connected with.
If you know of upcoming sustainability events and/or learning opportunities, please reach out our to Sustainability Committee Chair Steve Sommerfeldt.
Want to hear more? Join the Sustainability Committee mailing list today!
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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS REPORT
By Alex Goetz, PE
Government & Public Relations Committee Chair
Orlando Airport Rebounds – Orlando Showing an increase in air travel from its low point in April of last year.
Orlando March Home Sales Strongest on Record – March was the strongest month for local home sales since 1995, when records started being kept by the Orlando Regional Realtor Association.
Florida continues to lead states in Google tourism searches – Florida continues to lead the nation in tourism related searches which is building confidence in the local economy.
SunRail Expansion – Volusia County Council is making moves to prepare funds for a future Deland SunRail Expansion.
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EDUCATION COMMITTEE
2021 Engineering Encounters Bridge Competition
Attention parents with students in Elementary, Middle, or High School the East Central Branch Education Committee is hosting a web-based competition for students in Central Florida. The contest is open to ALL students in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, and Volusia County and runs for the month of May. Students are allowed to create a team of 1 - 2 students and submit their bridge designs to ASCEECBBridgeContest@gmail.com.
For more information, please reach out to Mike Olka at molka@lakecountyfl.gov.
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United Against Poverty
Volunteer with ASCE-YMF East Central Branch at United Against Poverty on May 22nd ! They strive to provide crisis care, case management, employee training and placement, food and household subsidy, and on average they serve 525 individuals each day who fall at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Volunteers will be able to assist in stocking shelves, cleaning, sorting donated clothing and household items in their Member Marketplace, and taking inventory in their Emergency Food Pantry.
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MAY UPDATE
On April 1st we held a general body meeting with FINFROCK and Kent. They gave us a very informative session on how the course material we learned in school helps out when we need to use that knowledge in the workspace.
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On April 8th, we hosted a social event where we rented out a theater at the AMC Altamonte Mall for our members and officers to enjoy a movie together after the stress from the midterm season and relax a little bit. |
On April 22, we hosted our final GBM of the semester with AIM Engineering and Surveying and the team in the Orlando office gave us a run down of the company and their project history. Their interns (also UCF alumni) talked about their experience with the company and their past experience regarding work, school and club involvements. |
Geosyntec is an employee-owned firm specializing in consulting and engineering for private and public sector clients to address their new ventures and complex problems involving the environment, natural resources, and the civil infrastructure. We have a staff of approximately 1,300 engineers, scientists, and other technical and project staff located in more than 50 offices throughout the U.S. and in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Geosyntec offers excellent compensation packages commensurate with experience. We provide comprehensive employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and employer matched 401(k) plan, bonus plan and profit-sharing. |
Entry-Level Engineer - Environmental / Civil Water Resources
Geosyntec Consultants is seeking an entry-level environmental and/or civil water resources engineer to join our team in the Tampa, Jacksonville, or Orlando, Florida office. With practices that include watershed and stormwater management, surface water quality, environmental modeling and design, groundwater and surface water remediation, and water supply, we are particularly seeking an individual whose background and interests include water resources and/or environmental engineering to help advance our practices.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of mid to large watersheds;
- Stormwater management system design;
- Floodplain assessment and modeling;
- Hydraulic structure assessment and design;
- Water quality modeling (e.g., nutrients, organics, inorganics);
- Design of constructed wetlands, sedimentation basins, stormwater BMPs;
- Drainage design and permitting;
- Managing, evaluating, and summarizing monitoring data;
- Erosion and sediment control design and field implementation;
- Field investigations and construction support services;
- Development of construction documents;
- Reviewing state and federal regulations & permits pertaining to surface water; and
- Technical document preparation, including technical writing and creation of exhibits and maps
The selected candidate will perform assignments under the supervision of senior engineers and project managers and may be expected to perform tasks in other company practice areas as needed. Tasks will be designed to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in these technical disciplines and the business of professional consulting services.
REQUIREMENTS
- The preferred candidate will hold an MS degree or higher in environmental or civil engineering with an emphasis in environmental, water resources, or a closely related discipline, plus a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in civil or environmental engineering with exposure to core civil engineering disciplines through coursework.
- Experience with or the capability to learn modeling and design software tools such as ICPR, EPA-SWMM, HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, MODFLOW, ArcGIS, and AutoCAD is preferred.
- The ability to obtain P.E. (Professional Engineer) registration in Florida within five years of employment is mandatory.
- This position requires successful completion of 40 hours of OSHA health and safety training for working with potentially contaminated materials (provided, as needed), annual 8-hour refresher courses, first aid training (every three years), CPR training (every year), and annual medical monitoring.
- The ability and willingness to perform fieldwork and travel are also required.
- A valid U.S. driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel also required.
TO APPLY
Equal Employment Opportunity M/F/D/V
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Experienced Project Engineer – Environmental / Civil Water Resources
Geosyntec Consultants Florida operations is growing and we are seeking an experienced civil-water resources or environmental engineer with a minimum of approximately 7+ years of experience to join our team in the Tampa, Clearwater, Titusville, Jacksonville, Boca Raton, or Orlando Florida office. You will work on complex projects involving innovative urban stormwater management and natural surface water systems, including sustainable green infrastructure planning studies, stormwater infrastructure design and infrastructure, innovative water quality improvements, flood mitigation practices, hydrologic/hydraulic analysis including dam breach studies and floodplain mapping, stream restoration, surface water, watershed, and stormwater runoff monitoring/modeling, NPDES permitting support, TMDL regulatory support.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include but are not limited to project engineering and task management associated with:
- Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of mid to large watersheds;
- Developing innovative green infrastructure solutions for the urban environment;
- Applying innovative hydrologic and hydraulic modeling software, from 1-D to 3-D transport models;
- Floodplain mapping and flood protection designs;
- Floodplain assessment and modeling;
- In-stream and urban stormwater water quality monitoring and modeling;
- Field investigations and construction support services;
- Developing construction documents, including engineering drawings and technical specifications;
- Preparing erosion and sediment control designs;
- Helping broaden our reputation via publishing and visibility at prominent industry conferences;
- Stormwater management system design;
- Erosion and sediment control design and field implementation;
- Technical document preparation, including technical writing and creation of exhibits and maps
The selected candidate will have task and project-level responsibility for scoping, performing, managing and delivering multiple concurrent project assignments. Consistent with our sell-manage-do business model, the selected candidate would also be expected to play a role in supporting lead generation, business development, staff development, and mentoring. In addition, the selected candidate will be expected to help broaden our reputation via publishing and/or visibility at prominent industry conferences.
REQUIREMENTS
- The preferred candidate will hold an MS or higher degree in environmental or civil engineering with emphasis in water resources or a closely related discipline, plus a Bachelor’s degree in civil or environmental engineering and a minimum of 7+ years of relevant experience.
- Experience with modeling and design software tools such as ICPR, EPA-SWMM, HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, MODFLOW, ArcGIS, and AutoCAD is preferred.
- Preferred candidates will have a P.E. (Professional Engineer) registration in Florida.
- This position requires the ability to successfully complete 40 hours of OSHA health and safety training for working with potentially contaminated materials (provided, as needed), annual 8-hour refresher courses, first aid training (every three years), CPR training (every year), and annual medical monitoring.
- The ability and willingness to perform fieldwork and travel are also required.
- A valid U.S. driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel also required.
TO APPLY
Equal Employment Opportunity M/F/D/V
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Sincerely,
Khanh Olka
Communications Chair
East Central Branch
Florida Section
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