Engineers Week 2013

2 BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • February 23, 2013

ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

The important things never change.

1-800-533-1812 / www.sargent-corp.com

By Sargent Corporation • PhotograPh Courtesy sargent CorPoration

Engineering Success: Caribou ConnectorMaine engineers execute $15.4 million Caribou Connector project

Sunrise Materials, a division of Lane Construction Company in Bangor, sets a bridge beam at night.

Sargent Corporation teamed with Falmouth’s T.Y. Lin International to provide the design/build completion of a 2.75 mile section of the Caribou Connector for the Maine Depart-ment of Transportation. This bypass, over 20 years in the planning, will improve traffic flow around Caribou and remove heavy truck traffic from the downtown area.

This $15.4 million design/build project provided for construction of one segment of an improved route for traffic heading west of Caribou along Route 161 and allows heavy truck traffic to bypass downtown Caribou. The route travels from the

Route 1 and 89 intersection along a new highway built northeast of the Cary Medical Center where it con-nects with another MDOT project. That project is a $2.8 million tra-ditional design-bid-build highway project, which was constructed by Soderberg Construction Company under a separate contract. These two projects provide a complete connec-tor from Route 1 to Route 161 with-out having to navigate downtown Caribou.

The new highway includes an overpass over Route 89 east of Caribou, a bridge over Longfellow Brook, a box culvert over the Inter-

connected Trail System recreational trail, and a grade-separated inter-section and overpass where the new highway crosses Route 1 north of Caribou. All structures were built by Sunrise Materials, a division of the Lane Construction Corpora-tion, which provided input during the design phase as a member of the design-build team.

The ITS box culvert will allow snowmobiles, and other recreational to cross under the highway without having to deal with traffic.

The project was advertised as a design-build project, a relatively

SARGENT PAGE 3

BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • February 23, 2013 3

ENGINEERS WEEK 2013


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

The important things never change.

1-800-533-1812 / www.sargent-corp.com

Our Design Professionals Groupis known for contract review assistance.That means more value for you.

Gregg Ritter • [email protected]

Knowsupport

�Professional Liability

Directors & Offiicers Liability

Employee Benefits & Group Discount Products

Erro

rs &

Om

issio

ns C

over

age

UMaine's Advanced Structures and CompositesCenter is a leader in educating engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs.

To learn more, visi t : composites.umaine.edu

Its capacity for industrial cooperation has led to over 500 product development and testing projects for companies throughout Maine and worldwide.

new contracting method in Maine where pre-qualified design build teams submit technical and price proposals based on only a request for proposals prepared by the Maine Department of Transportation.

For the Caribou Connector, the RFP specified only the location of the roadway and a proposed centerline and the RFP was sent out in the sum-mer of 2010. T.Y. Lin, a global engineering ser-vices firm, teamed with Sargent to prepare the technical and price proposal.

The proposal was based on very preliminary engineering drawings prepared by T.Y. Lin. The proposals from the design/build teams were submitted on October 20, 2010, and the Sargent team was awarded the project on a best value ba-sis on November 24, 2010.

A partnering meeting involving all of the stake-holders — Sargent, T.Y. Lin, MDOT, the City of Caribou, the utilities, and the major subcontrac-tors — was held to compile all the concerns so they could be dealt with prior to the final design.

T.Y. Lin did the design in phases, based on Sar-gent’s construction schedule, to allow work on the project to begin at the earliest possible date. The final design plans were completed on August 19, 2011, about 3.5 months after the start of con-struction.

The project was unique due to the new loca-tion for the highway, except for tie-ins at Routes 1 and 89 in the south and Route 1 in the north. Wildlife crossing, consisting of culverts under-neath the roadway, were installed to help with the safe passage of animals.

The project involved 17 acres of clearing, 147,000 cubic yards of common excavation,

80,000 cubic yards of rock excavation, 79,000 cu-bic yards of crushed aggregate base course, 3 ma-jor bridges, 1 large box culvert as well as various drainage structures and culverts. Over 22,000 tons of bituminous paving for the project was provided by Lane Construction Corporation of Presque Isle.

Another unique aspect of this project was that design/build team was responsible for provid-ing quality control and quality assurance for the project. An independent quality organization was established with staff from both Sargent and T.Y. Lin to ensure the quality of the work met the design standards.

The Lane Construction Corporation of Bangor and Presque Isle, and its subsidiary, Sunrise Mate-rials were instrumental, as design-build partners, in the construction of the four bridges and in the paving of the 2.75 miles of new highway. n

SARGENT FROM PAGE 2

Performance equals successBy CLARK ASSOCIATES

Drafting a clear and compre-hensive scope of services can boost your bottom-line profit-ability. By itemizing all of the valuable services you provide to clients and including a list of additional services you recom-mend, you increase your chances of getting adequately paid for your contributions to a success-ful project.

You can learn more details of this and other business strategies by contacting our A&E Group at Clark Insurance. This is an ex-ample of how we serve our cus-tomers.

As one of the largest insurance agencies serving design profes-sionals in Maine, we believe that anything that helps our customers succeed is good for both of us.

In addition to services such as contract review, we routinely pub-lish articles that contribute to A&E business planning and manage-ment considerations.

Clark Insurance is among the top five percent for performance in the nation according to the In-dependent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association.

For more information, visit www.clarkinsurance.com. n

By AEWC

With funding from the Depart-ment of Energy, the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center launched its larg-est program yet: the, DeepCwind Consortium Research Program, to lead the nation in developing floating offshore wind technology.

To further offshore wind research and help develop the offshore wind industry, the Center recently added a 37,000 square foot Offshore Wind Laboratory. The lab houses the longest structural testing floor in the U.S., an environmental-structural chamber, a

salt-water immersion tank, and a test stand for testing blades, towers, and other large structures.

Through the Center, students and companies are building the academ-ic and industrial base to grow new industries and stimulate economic development.

Its industrial partners gain proven products and technology, a labora-tory to test future products, and a hub for smart, qualified talent. Maine is rapidly becoming more than a vacation destination – it is a birthplace for innovation in indus-try and education. n

DeepCwind program engineers wind technologyUMaine researchers and engineers turn Maine into a business destination

Researchers at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center instrument a 35 meter wind blade to the Offshore Wind Laboratory’s test stand

for structural testing.


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

www.ces-maine.comFive Locations in Maine

CESINC

Since 1978 CES has grown into a 55-person consulting firm offering civil, structural, environmental and surveying services. With our roots firmly planted in Maine, we are thankful for the trust our clients have placed in us for the last 35 years. We look forward to sustaining our relationships while fostering new ones. So whatever challenge you are faced with, put our dedicated staff of professionals to work for you. In return for your trust, you will receive sensible solutions and exceptional service delivered to meet your goals. At

Civil, Environmental, Structural, & Survey Specialists

207.989.4824Results you can depend on.

Engineering excellence for 35 years.

STORy By CES

In January 2011, CES teamed with landscape architect, Coplon Associates, to plan, design, and permit the new Kelley Road Business Park for the Town of Orono. The design team imme-diately began the planning process with a Town appointed committee to develop conceptual designs for the park located on 30 acres of land owned by the Katahdin Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, located directly behind the BSA’s office located on the Kelley Road.

CES’s design team gained insight from stakeholders including: a committee of ad-jacent property owners, area residents, the Orono Economic Development Corpora-tion, Orono Trails committee, and town planning staff. Public meetings enabled the team to define the project’s vision: to de-velop a clustered type business park that blended well with adjacent residential prop-erties, provided recreational opportunities

using the trail system, and adding minimal environmental impacts.

Born from this process, an eight lot subdivi-sion providing up to 150,000 square feet of build-ing space for business use was designed. The park limited wetland disturbance to less than 15,000 square feet and also kept development within the acceptable setbacks of two vernal pools.

Through a collaborative approach, the CES team provided planning assistance, survey, wetlands and vernal pool mapping, site and utility design, landscape planning and design, and permitting with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine De-partment of Transportation, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Town of Orono. All State and Federal permits are in hand and the Final Subdivision approval is expected in March.

The Town of Orono will then begin the process of marketing the business park to potential businesses and will explore funding opportunities for construction. n

Collaboration key in Orono expansion plan Addressing treatment facility challenges

By WOODARD AND CuRRAN

Achieving high quality effluent is a com-plex challenge for wastewater treatment fa-cilities throughout Maine. The pressures of changing regulations, tighter permit limits, and public scrutiny can affect not only the treatment plants, but the operators who run them as well. These were all factors when the City of Ellsworth set out to build a new waste-water treatment facility.

After evaluating its options, Ellsworth se-lected a plug flow activated sludge treatment process with anoxic selectors for their new fa-cility. This type of treatment offers flexibility in process control to accommodate current and future flows and loads, especially during wet weather events.

The plant includes additional features to support the City and surrounding area ef-fectively into the future, including facilities to accept hauled waste.

As Ellsworth transitions to operations at the new facility, there will be an increase in the level of complexity and sophistication in day-to-day facility operations. The new WWTF includes a state-of-the-art supervi-sory control and data acquisition system to assist the staff by allowing for automated op-eration of the facility.

Staff members attended training sessions and have been proactive in developing an un-derstanding of the treatment capabilities the new facility provides.

The new facility accepted live sanitary flow for treatment in the first week of Novem-ber and has been operating successfully ever since. It provides Ellsworth with the technol-ogy and capacity it needs to grow into the future.

The old WWTF will be demolished during the spring and summer of this year, allow-ing the City to redevelop the waterfront area where it was located. n

As Ellsworth transitions to operations at the new facility, there will be an increase in the level of complexity and sophistication in day-to-day facility operations. The new WWTF includes a state-of-the-art supervi-sory control and data acquisition system to assist the staff by allowing for automated op-eration of the facility.

Staff members attended training sessions and have been proactive in developing an un-derstanding of the treatment capabilities the new facility provides.

The new facility accepted live sanitary flow for treatment in the first week of Novem-ber and has been operating successfully ever since. It provides Ellsworth with the technol-ogy and capacity it needs to grow into the future.

The old WWTF will be demolished during the spring and summer of this year, allow-ing the City to redevelop the waterfront area where it was located. n

Dana Humphrey, the dean of the UMaine College of Engineering, is used to people’s assumptions. One day, a businessman told Humphrey that he could never be an engineer because engineers didn’t make enough money.

“And I said, ‘Well, what’s the most common bachelor’s degree of the executives of the Fortune 500 companies? It’s engineering,’” Humphrey said. “So if you’re the CEO of Ford Motor Company, do you think that salary’s high enough for you?”

Ford CEO Alan Mulally holds master’s de-grees in aeronautical and astronautical engi-neering and management. Then there’s Law-rence Bender, who graduated from UMaine with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He became a Hollywood producer for films like “An Inconvenient Truth,” the “From Dusk Til Dawn” trilogy, and most of Quentin Taran-tino’s films, including “Pulp Fiction.”

“What engineers learn how to do is solve problems,” Humphrey said. “What does a pro-ducer need to do? He needs to be able to solve problems.”

The demand for engineers in the U.S. is growing at a furious pace as the country’s engi-neering workforce ages toward retirement and there’s a resurgence of manufacturing. The U.S. is also on the verge of making $2.2 trillion in infrastructure improvements which will require massive undertakings by civil, mechanical, com-puter, electrical, and other types of engineers.

It’s showing at UMaine, whose Engineering Career Fair set a record with 78 engineering firms attending. “As the economy picks up, these companies absolutely need engineers,” said Humphrey.

And they pay well. An engineer fresh out of school can expect to start at $50,000 to $65,000, all for tuition that runs perhaps $12,000 a year.

Humphrey said that while the country is still dependent on fossil fuels, the younger genera-tions will likely see a steady shift to a renewable-energy economy that will change the world.

“This is going to be a slow transformation, but engineers are needed to determine what that transformation should be,” said Hum-phrey. “And for young folks today — what an exciting opportunity.”

It’s good job security, too. In October 2009, when the national unemployment average was 10 percent, engineers were just 6.4 percent. Now, with the national average at about 7.9

percent, engineers are at just 2 percent. Engi-neers are the first to be hired when the econo-my is surging ahead, Humphrey said, and the last to go when things get bleak.

“Good engineers are hard to find, so compa-nies are reluctant to let them go during a reces-sion — because, when it gets better, you’ve got to go get them back again,” Humphrey said.

He also noted that 72 percent of CoE gradu-ates stay in Maine.

“Sometimes we get locked into this notion that there are no opportunities in Maine,” he said. “That is absolutely not true.”

Bangor-area native Eve Jordan, who gradu-ated in 2012 with a degree in civil engineering,

can attest to that. During her schooling, she completed internships at Katahdin Paper, Old Town Fuel & Fiber, Civil Engineering Services, and Thornton Tomasetti, which exposed her to many aspects of civil engineering.

“I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” Jordan said. “I just decided I would try to get exposed as much as I could.”

It paid off with a job offer: She recently be-gan working for Cianbro as a project engineer, and she went through her orientation with two other new-hire project engineers.

Jordan said all of her engineering friends got jobs here in Maine. “The jobs are there if you’re willing to make the connections and network and actually go seeking them,” she said. “I think that things are certainly turning around and there are more and more job opportuni-ties popping up every day.”

For those with other career aspirations, an engineering bachelor’s degree can be a great start. Like the Fortune 500 example, coupling an engineering degree with a business degree can be formidable. A lawyer with an engineer-

ing degree can find a valuable niche in patent or environmental law, or in representing en-gineering firms. Combining an engineering degree with a medical degree can make for a more effective physician, surgeon, or research-er. And the engineering degree makes for a great fallback career.

For anyone out there who thinks engineer-ing is a boys’ club, female enrollment at the CoE has been steadily rising in recent years. That’s something Jordan understands firsthand; she’d

heard about the increasing female enrollment in engineering programs, and remembers be-ing surprised at just how many women there were on her first day in college. But it’s normal now, she says.

“It’s not unheard of or even unusual now for women to go into engineering,” she said. “If you like math and you like problem-solv-ing, it’s the perfect job... [It] isn’t just set to one gender. No one should be surprised that there are more and more women in engineering.” n


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

By david M. fitzpatriCk, SpeCial SeCtionS writer • PhotograPh Courtesy university of maine

Wanted: Maine-trained engineersUniversity of Maine trains tomorrows engineering talent today

A UMaine Mechanical and Electrical engineering student works on a robotic hand.

Sometimes we get locked

into this notion that there

are no opportunities in

Maine. That is absolutely

not true.

DANA huMPhREy DEAN, COLLEGE Of ENGINEERING


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

Maine Maritime Academy faculty and stu-dents are conducting research that will help reduce engine emissions and lower fuel costs for commercial shipping.

Around the globe, marine vessels burn differ-ent fuels to power their engines. Among these fu-els are Bunker C oil and diesel, according to Rich Kimball, MMA associate professor of engineer-ing. When marine engines burn those fuels, pol-lutants such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter are emitted into the air.

A worldwide effort to reduce all pollution re-lated to commercial shipping led to the signing of the International Convention for the Preven-tion of Pollution from Ships in November 1973.

Under the Convention, the International Maritime Organization has established stan-dards to reduce various pollutants. The stan-dards are being phased in gradually. Currently, the deadlines for reducing the levels of nitro-gen oxide, sulfur oxide, and particular matter loom on the horizon.

According to Kimball, ship owners are scram-bling to meet the new standards. Possible solu-tions range from burning low-sulfur fuel to retrofitting an existing ship with a new engine.

Such solutions are expensive. Low-sulfur fuels could cause fuel prices to increase while repower-ing a ship with a new engine could result in it be-ing more cost-effective to scrap the ship entirely.

Under another proposal, scrubbers could be added to clean a ship’s engine emissions. Kim-ball described this solution as “more feasible” for large commercial ships and “problematic for work boats,” such as ferries and tugs.

Other solutions could be feasible, as MMA researchers are discovering. The college estab-lished the Marine Engine Testing and Emissions Laboratory so researchers — faculty members and students — can work on marine-engine emissions-and-efficiencies improvements that can be practically implemented into industry.

The current METEL research efforts include:• A project involving thermoelectric heat re-covery systems that convert the waste heat in an engine’s exhaust directly into electric-ity. The school is working with the Ameri-can Bureau of Shipping and other industrial partners, he said.• A project involving the development of low-cost, low-emission marine fuels which utilize biofuel waste products.“The bio[fuels] industry produces tons of

waste products, such as glycerin,” Kimball said. “There is a glut of glycerin on the market; it’s viewed as a commodity right now, there is so much of it. It’s low cost, compared to even the lowest grade fuels.”

In collaboration with the Cape Elizabeth-based SeaChange Group, researchers at MMA and the University of Maine are developing and testing low-cost, low-emission marine fu-els. Launched as a technology start-up in 2009, the SeaChange Group has focused on develop-ing such fuels; grants from the Maine Technol-ogy Institute, the National Science Founda-tion, the United States Department of Energy, and industry have funded research efforts.

According to Kimball, a fuel formulated with blended diesel and glycerin shows excellent possi-

bilities. “If blended with diesel fuel in an emulsion, [glycerin] can actually lower the emissions” of ni-trogen oxide and particular matter in engine emis-sions, he said. Because it contains no sulfur, glyc-erin also lessens the amount of sulfur emissions.

Research has revealed that a diesel-glycerin emulsion also improves the fuel’s lubricity, a factor that reduces engine wear-and-tear. The SeaChange Group has developed Eco-Hybrid Fuel, a trade-marked product that has been tested in engines at MMA’s Castine campus. “We’re really focused on the development side, testing the fuels.”

MMA students have been widely involved in the research. “We are a college; we do not have” graduate students to conduct research, Kimball pointed out. “The student component is vital to what we’re doing at Maine Maritime Academy. We’re working on the next genera-tion of fuels for the shipping industry,” he said. “Because of their participation in the research,

our students will bring their knowledge about those fuels into the industry as they graduate.

“We have attracted a lot of students because of the research initiatives we have been in-volved in,” Kimball said.

“It’s a win-win for the industry,” Kimball said. “We have demonstrated that it signifi-cantly lowers the emissions” of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter and also “sulfur dioxide by dilution with the glycerin. It’s a fuel that can work in existing engines,” which could mean that in order to meet the tightened emissions standards, ship owners need not retrofit their vessels with expensive new engines.

Because it includes glycerin, Eco-Hybrid Fuel not only costs less, but is considered a 30-to-40 percent renewable resource fuel making it “lower cost per kilowatt hour than the base diesel” fuel. The implications for the shipping industry extend worldwide. n

By Brian Swartz, SpeCial SeCtionS editor • PhotograPh Courtesy mma

Maine Maritime Academy tests its METELMMA faculty, student researchers helping develop low emissions marine fuels

Richard Kimball, an associate professor of engineering at Maine Maritime Academy, monitors testing being done on a 12-cylinder EMD diesel engine set up at the college.


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

By Brian Swartz, SpeCial SeCtionS editor • PhotograPh Courtesy mma

Richard Kimball, an associate professor of engineering at Maine Maritime Academy, monitors testing being done on a 12-cylinder EMD diesel engine set up at the college.


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

You’ll like working with usWBRC Architects/Engineers celebrates Engineers Week 2013Visit us March 2 at the University of Southern Maine, Gorham

BUSINESSof theYEAR2013Awarded

By WBRC ARChITECTS/ENGINEERS

Early in 2008, the MSAD 22 community set a goal for the new Hampden Academy: no fuel-oil systems. To reach this goal, local vot-ers funded what is now the largest geothermal system in the state of Maine.

Choosing geothermal: Several heating system options were evaluated. Natural gas was not avail-able within several miles of the project site, and wood, biomass, and methane gas were also ruled out. The school was designed for year-round community use, and a geothermal system would provide mechanical cooling, a desired feature.

Location and size of system: Hampden Acad-emy’s 156-bore hole geothermal system was in-stalled under what is now a practice football field. Designed by WBRC Architects/Engineers, the closed-loop system consists of piping, vault and manifold, bore field circulating pumps, facility circulating pumps, and more than 30 water-to-water heat pumps that generate hot or chilled wa-ter to coils in the building’s air-handling systems.

Drilling the bore field: Testing by S. W. Cole Engineering helped determine the number and depth of bore holes needed. Pipe was installed in 156 500-foot-deep vertical bore holes, in a 20-foot-square grid. Conditions varied during construction, with as many as two bore holes drilled each day. At approximately 200 feet the contractor hit ground water, and several sedi-ment basins were set up to treat the water. The vertical work of drilling, looping, and grout-ing took more than a year to complete, and the horizontal work of connecting loops to the vault took nearly two months.

Inside the building: Two 10-inch mains (plus a spare) connect the vault to the build-ing. Inside, close-loop piping circulates a food-grade glycol solution to localized heat pumps. Air-handling systems are located in dedicated mechanical equipment rooms designed to iso-late sound and vibration, and also offer ready maintenance and service access. n

By CIANBRO

“If they had a place to stand, they could find a way to move the Earth.”

That’s how Cianbro Corporation President Andi Vigue describes the company’s engineer-ing team which is integrated into everything Cianbro builds. Their capabilities are vast, rang-ing from wide experience in deep excavation, to working in and around water, to using single or multi-crane plans for erecting structures safely, to using Mother Nature to move massive struc-tures such as the lift spans of moveable bridges.

“We do everything from mills to bridges to railroads,” said Senior Design Engineer Joe Fol-ey. “So we have to know all of the specifications involved. It’s not something you just jump into out of school. It requires a lot of experience. And all our people are very experienced.”

Cianbro’s Engineering Group Designer James Haut says an outstanding engineering team must have the ability to relay ideas. His CAD skills are crucial to that achievement at Cianbro.

“It’s not just coming up with a bright idea, but being able to communicate to other peo-ple who will implement that idea at the con-struction site,” Haut said. “We have the abili-ties in our group to do that.”

Technology accentuates Cianbro’s engi-neering abilities.

“I can remember back in the day when we had scales and pencils and now we’re all on comput-ers with CAD,” said 27 year veteran Dave Saucier. “We stay current. We need to. All of our clients are current. And for us to communicate with them, we have to stay up to date as well.”

Perhaps the greatest asset of Cianbro’s engi-neers is each other. They work together and trust each other to get the job done for the client.

“It all goes back to an old Cianbro motto,” said 30 year veteran Tom Gilbert. “No one in this room is smarter than all of us. Teamwork. It’s great to talk about, but we live it. We live it in this group. We live it in this company.” n

Geothermal goes to school Teamwork is key at Cianbro


ENGINEERS WEEK 2013

Engineering Maine’s futureCommunities benefit from work of engineers, scientistsBy STANTECh CONSuLTING

With the abundance of programming on channels like Discovery, National Geographic, and others, it’s no secret that engineers and scientists turn amazing ideas into reality. But what often goes unmentioned is that engi-neers and scientists also make that kind of difference here, in our very own communities.

Here in Maine, dozens of engineering firms are working to better our cities and towns every day, from improving our roads and bridges to ensuring our homes have electricity. Stantec, an internation-al firm with over 200 engineers, environmental scientists, and other design professionals in three Maine offices, is able to offer the expertise of its homegrown, Maine-educated staff to not only im-prove Maine’s future, but also drive cutting-edge, life-changing projects all over the world.

Many of Stantec’s projects, for example, are helping communities find ways to use alterna-tive sources of energy. The Stantec team is de-signing systems that convert landfill gas into en-ergy, turn abandoned paper mills into biomass fuel plants, and adapt oil and coal power facili-ties to burn natural gas, which reduces costs and air emissions. The team also helps assess and design solar and wind farm sites, both in Maine and across the country. As oil prices continue to fluctuate, these systems and processes are help-ing lead the way in finding viable alternatives to our country’s approach to power generation.

Similarly, Stantec helps Maine develop other types of projects in an environmentally respon-sible and sustainable manner. For example, Stantec’s scientists are researching bat species in the offshore environment, restoring wetland and habitat for endangered species, and design-

ing dam removals to restore fish populations.This notion of exploring alternatives to con-

ventional systems even extends into Stantec’s airport projects. In their work at small airports across the state, all the way to the international airports of major cities across the globe, Stan-tec’s aviation engineers are designing projects to test innovative new techniques and tech-nologies. The team has studied the runway performance of asphalt pavements that use less energy to produce, integrated solar-pow-ered lights into airfields, and designed runway safety systems that essentially slow or stop an airplane if it overruns the runway during take-off or landing.

The work Maine engineers and scientists do translates directly to the community, whether through their projects or their people. In the midst of downtown Portland, for instance,

lies a rain garden, designed by Stantec, to test how well a natural water treatment system can capture and treat stormwater runoff in a busy, harsh, urban environment.

Stantec’s engineers and environmental scientists partner with Maine’s colleges and universities to develop curriculum, offer scholarships, and mentor the industry’s next generation. Staff from across the state band together regularly to support local chari-ties and community events, from sponsoring MEST Up, a science, engineering, mathemat-ics and technology game show on WPXT for high school students, to supporting cyclists in the American Lung Association’s annual Trek Across Maine, to fundraising for the Maine Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Engineers truly do make a world of differ-ence, and it starts here, at home, in Maine. n

Date post:	05-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	bangor-daily-news
View:	225 times
Download:	0 times

Engineers Week 2013

Documents