SEA Grant Program

Structural Engineers Association of New Mexico (SEANM)

SEANM Volunteer Mentoring Program

SEANM will establish a voluntary mentorship program to support the professional growth of the engineering community. To launch this initiative, grant funding is being sought to cover essential costs, such as matchmaking apps and event organization. This program will connect experienced professionals with emerging engineers, fostering an environment of guidance and mutual growth. Support will be key to turning this vision into reality.

Structural Engineers Association of Colorado (SEAC)

Mental Health Workshop for Firm Leadership

At the upcoming 2024 NCSEA Summit, SEAC leaders Chad Mitchell and Jordan Jarrett will present “Creating Mentally Healthy Firms in the Structural Engineering Industry: Good for Employees and Good for Business.” Their session will provide actionable steps and resources for three groups: (1) individuals advocating for their own mental health, (2) those supporting colleagues, and (3) firm leaders seeking to implement supportive policies.

Recognizing the need for more in-depth guidance, SEAC is applying for an NCSEA grant to develop a Mental Health Workshop for Firm Leadership. This workshop will be created by a team of engineers and mental health professionals, including licensed therapists, SEAC SE3 members, and Business Management Committee members. The goal is to equip HR representatives and decision-makers with the tools to review and adjust policies to support employee well-being. The workshop will be offered virtually to Colorado firms, with an option for in-person sessions. It may also be expanded into an NCSEA webinar to reach a national audience.

Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT)

Developing Two Student Chapters

SEAoT’s 2025 goals include boosting member engagement and expanding outreach to local universities. Currently, SEAoT struggles to engage students and recent graduates, who often see it as an organization for established engineers. This program aims to change that perception by introducing SEAoT at Texas Tech University (TTU) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), both of which are starting student chapters.

In 2022, TTU had over 600 civil engineering students, while UTA enrolled more than 1,600 in fall 2023. This program will fund chapter establishment, introduce students to the structural engineering profession through SEAoT and NCSEA, and encourage continued membership post-graduation.

Due to its remote location, TTU faces challenges in securing speakers. The grant will cover travel, lodging, and student meal expenses for meetings. For UTA, closer to Dallas and Fort Worth, funds will primarily support student meals. SEAoT plans to sponsor six meetings at each university in 2025.

Structural Engineers Association of Wisconsin (SEAWI)

SEAWI Young Member Group (YMG)

SEA-WI hopes to use funds from the grant to support activities during its first two full years of operation. Initially, the focus will be on activities that spread awareness of the new YMG within the structural engineering community and recruit new members. Since early 2024, the YMG has hosted a social event and a site tour to gauge interest, collect feedback, and brainstorm future activities. These events had good turnouts and received positive feedback, encouraging continued growth.

As membership increases, the plan is to expand beyond social events to include technical activities, such as soft and hard skills training and a YMG symposium where members can present on projects they’ve been involved in. Previous events were held in the Milwaukee metro area, with hopes to expand to other parts of the state and increase event frequency. As activities grow in popularity, reserving venues may become necessary, and grant funds will help subsidize these costs, keeping registration fees low.

Structural Engineers Association of San Diego (SEAOSD)

Seismic Outreach Program

The University of California San Diego’s Seismic Outreach program, led by undergraduate students, engages local fourth to sixth graders in San Diego. Over an eight-week period, held three times a year, college volunteers teach basic engineering and earthquake science. Using K’Nex kits, the students complete lessons and build structures for a design competition, culminating in a half-day event at UCSD where their projects are tested on a shake table.

Prior to the pandemic, the program reached 15 schools and over 1,800 students but was paused during COVID-19. SEAoSD and SEAoC are now seeking an NCSEA grant to revive the initiative, with a focus on expanding outreach to communities with historically low college attendance rates. The aim is also to create resources to replicate the program at other universities.

The objectives include sparking an interest in structural engineering among young students and encouraging college students to participate in outreach. SEAoC sees this as a scalable program to foster early interest in structural engineering.

The grant will support developing a shake table, planning time, and supplies. SEAoSD, in partnership with SEAoSC’s Wayne Chang, is ensuring the program can be adapted for other universities and MOs.

Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC)

Student Member to Active Member Conversion

SEAOSC currently coordinates with five student groups within our region and is targeting the addition of four more student groups in the next year. A recent effort by the board of directors resulted in the completion of a strategic plan for member engagement, which identified the critical pipeline of transitioning student members into active members of the professional organization upon graduation. This program aims to educate graduating student members on the benefits of becoming active SEA members and to encourage them to take those steps after graduation.