Planning is well under way for this year's conference, our big event of the year.  We have a new location this year picked with the feedback from past attendees in mind.  The agenda is starting to take shape with topics and presenters being confirmed.  More information will be coming in the future, but it's not too early to mark your calendars for September 13-14.  We hope to see you there!  Stop by our Annual Conference page periodically for details and updates.  If you have any questions, please contact Dick Meyer or Ryan Konst at  Chair-Conference@SEAoO.org for more information.

Dear SEAoO Members,

 Thank you for joining SEAoO for the 2012 calendar year.  It is important for every member, especially those that have just renewed, to update your member profile on the website.  Log in to the “Member Area” at https://seaoo.org/members.php, and then click on the “Edit Profile” link.  Here you select a preferred SEAoO Region (or more than one) to receive email targeted to your area of the state, update your password, update your home or business mailing address to receive STRUCTURE magazine, and/or upload a photo that will be shown in the membership directory.  Please note your Log-in ID is your registered email address.

 While there, please take a few moments to explore some of the members-only content. There is a Jobmart, links to slides from past presentations, printable receipts for SEAoO events where you registered on-line, and much more.

 In 2012, your membership also continues to provide the following benefits:

• Reduced cost for SEAoO Regional meetings that provide at least 1 PDH.
• Reduced cost for the Annual Conference that typically provides 15 PDHs (the Ohio State Board requires 30 hours every 2 years).
• Regular newsletters with articles of interest to structural engineers.
• E-Mail updates & information on the latest events affecting Ohio Structural Engineers.
• Opportunities to use your talents for the betterment of the engineering profession.

 Please feel free to contact me at chair-mem@seaoo.org should you have any questions regarding your membership, or have suggestions for additional benefits SEAoO can provide to its members.

 Sincerely,

Mark Churpek

Membership Committee Chair

SEAoO Supports Student Activities

The Basic Education Committee’s mission is to reach out to all of the universities in Ohio that have a Civil Engineering program with structural engineering courses.  We endeavor to introduce practicing engineers to the faculty and students who have a career interest in structural engineering.  We are encouraging department chairpersons to offer a full curriculum in structures that includes courses in masonry and timber design.

 Thanks to SEAoO volunteers, we have established student chapters at Ohio University, Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati.  Soon we plan on starting chapters at the University of Toledo, Cleveland State and the University of Akron.  We are looking for more SEAoO members to be facilitators.  Each chapter has about 20 students that are participating in activities. 

 Our committee has 7 SEAoO members that meet monthly and additional members of SEAoO have volunteered to set up tours at their projects and make presentations on a variety of structural engineering topics that enhance the knowledge students receive in their courses.  We are providing seminars to the students that go through the design process step by step from agreements to project close out.  Things learned from experience that often isn’t taught in school.  The participating students are very excited about the opportunity to learn about real life projects with practicing engineers.

 Last year we awarded three educational awards of $1000 each for research papers submitted by students.  Selected entries are posted on the committee’s web page for you to review.  We will be offering three awards this year as well, and the 2012 program information is now available for download.  Carrie Bremer of SMBH is the new chairperson of the Basic Education Committee.  Please contact Carrie if you are interested in volunteering to work with educators to improve the technical and practical quality of the education of structural engineering students.  Please visit the committee’s page on the SEAoO website under About Us, Committees, Education, and contact me.

 – Carrie Bremer, P.E., Chair-Educ@SEAoO.org

Regional Programs – Great Opportunities.  Come Join Us!

 Dear Guests and Members,

Thanks for checking out what's happening at the SEAoO programs page in this newsletter.  Our mission is to provide the highest quality of continuing education opportunities for your personal growth, professional development and overall benefit for the structural engineering profession.

Our February meetings are listed in the left margin and event details are on the website under Regional Events.  Registration is online and if you have any questions or need assistance please contact your regions team leader.

SEAoO communicates to you solely by email.  Regional meeting announcements are only sent to those listed in that region.  We've tried to assign everyone on our list to an appropriate region.  If you are receiving meeting announcements from a different region, or not receiving them, please let us know and we will correct our information.  Members, you can edit your own profiles and select the region, or multiple regions, you would like to receive announcments from.  Please be sure your member profile is set to recieve emails from us (if you received this newsletter by email directly from us - it is).

Planning ahead or travelling?  The statewide 2011-2012 Calendar of Events is a planning tool that is posted on this committee's webpage and updated as programs are finalized.  Look under About Us, Committees, Programs (or click HERE), then select "2011-2012 Calendar of Events in progress" for the look ahead schedule.  Use the Regional Events page to check final details and access registration.

Become a SEAoO member and consider how you can help.  The Program Committee is always looking for volunteers.  We cannot do it without you!  Please contact Frank Monastra at frank.monastra@woolpert.com for additional information.

Free Webinar Series on Structural Masonry Design System Software, March 6, 13, and 20, 2012 – Dr. Russell H. Brown, co-author of the software, Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at Clemson University, and current President of the Masonry Society will conduct these webinars and provide an in-depth instruction on the software as follows:

• March 6: An overview of the software and how to design reinforced masonry lintels and reinforced concrete lintels
• March 13: Design of walls for out-of-plane loads – reinforced and un-reinforced, centered and off-center reinforcement, strength design and allowable stress design
• March 20: Design of shear walls – reinforced and un-reinforced, strength design and allowable stress design

All webinars will begin at 1:00 pm EST and last for 1 hour except the first webinar which will be 1.5 hours.  The live session will be limited to the first 100 registrants; however, a recording of each session will be available for unlimited viewing following the webinar. 

To register for the webinars go to: https://ncmameetings.webex.com.  More information on the software and a free trial download limited use version of the software is available at: www.ncma.org/Pages/StructuralMasonryDesignSoftware.aspx

The Society for Industrial Archeology invites proposals for papers and poster displays to be presented at its 41st Annual Conference on Saturday, June 2, 2012, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Presentations on all topics related to industrial archeology, the history of technology, social change related to industry, and historic bridges are welcome.

 Visit the conference website for more info: http://www.siahq.org/conference/cincinnati/cincinnati.html