Structural Engineering Summit Pre-Conference: SE3 Symposium

Mix, mingle, and settle in before the day gets started.

This session will feature a panel discussion with four members of the structural engineering community representing each active generation in the industry from Baby Boomer to Gen Z. The panel will discuss the differences in perspective they feel their generations have on a variety of topics including communication, career pathways, and mental health, with an emphasis on how these topics affect engagement and retention in the workforce.

Moderator: Gaelyn Krauser, P.E., S.E.

Small groups dive deeper into the panel’s three core topics — Communication, Career Pathways, and Mental Health — with 15 minutes on each. A moderator introduces each topic, and resources and conversation starters are provided to guide the discussion.

Take a break until the breakout sessions.

This session will focus on the details of what firms and managers need to know about visa-dependent workers and will address topics such as application support and how employers can work to integrate, retain, and engage employees from an immigrant background. Greg Davenport will provide insight as an employer representative with experience in negotiating these issues from an engineering firm perspective, and Laurie Snider will present her expertise as an immigration attorney, providing a well-rounded and informative discussion with ample time for Q&A.

Presenters: Greg Davenport, P.E., Laurie Snider

This session will present a variety of topics with the intent of providing valuable tools for young professionals to enable them to successfully navigate the beginning stages of their careers. Topics include time management and organizational skills, a discussion of work-life balance, and resources for addressing common issues encountered by entry-level employees. The presentation will draw parallels between these topics and the opening panel discussion, presenting how these issues may be perceived differently by more experienced members of the profession, and how to effectively bridge those gaps in experience to build better relationships across the industry.

Presenter: Megan Vandervort, P.E.

Take a break before the closing plenary session.

To close out the conference, this session will address the value of mentorship relationships as a means of connecting across divides in the structural engineering industry, and will provide resources for firms and individuals to enable them to pursue successful mentorship relationships and programs. Mentorship is also a key factor to retaining talent- employees with a mentor are significantly less likely to leave the industry. By leveraging the relative strengths of all members of the profession, we can work together to pass on knowledge, learn from each other, and build a better industry for the future.

Presenter: Lisa Hartley, P.E.