August 2013 - The Rochester Engineer

Also in this issue:

Feature: High Hopes for High Falls| 42

AUGUST 2013Join an RES Tutoring Teamat the

Dr. Walter Cooper Academy Page 6

2 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013

The Rochester EngineerPublished since 1922 byROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY, INC.Founded March 18, 1897

Volume 92, Number 2, AUGUST 20133,500 to 4,000 Monthly Circulation ISSN 0035-7405

RES Mission Statement: The RES will become the lead organization for improving the image and influence of the engineering community in the greater Rochester area by: Demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the region’s engineering and technical capabilities; Providing the best clerical support and public relations assistance to our affiliates; Continually communicating the engineering and technical accomplishments to both the engineering and technical community and the public; Providing regular forums and networking opportunities for the exchange of ideas and discussion of issues; and, Providing programs that identify career opportunities to the region’s youth and develop the skills of the practicing engineer.

News items and articles are invited. Materials should be submitted to the executive director at the society’s office, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14607; Phone number (585) 254-2350, e-mail: [email protected].

The web site for the Engineers’ Center is at: www.roceng.org. The deadline is the 10th day of the month prior to the issue. Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed in this publication are those of contributors, not of the Rochester Engineering Society, Inc. Advertising information may be obtained by contacting the office of the Rochester Engineering Society or going to the website at www.roceng.org.

Published every month but July. Yearly subscription is $20.00, single copies are $2.00.

Go to www.roceng.org to join the Rochester Engineering Society. Click on the individual membership and you can submit your application on-line.Board of Directors:OFFICERS:President EDWARD HENSEL, PhD, PERochester Institute of Technology / Email: [email protected] Vice President MARY STEBLEIN, EITLaBella Associates / [email protected] Vice President ADAM CUMMINGS, PEBarton & Loguidice, PC / [email protected] MICHAEL V. TRIASSIOptimation Technology, Inc. / [email protected] President LEE M. LOOMISEmail: [email protected]

DIRECTORS:CORNELIUS (NEAL) ILLENBERG PEAlstom Signaling, Inc. / Email: [email protected] KRIEGELRetired / [email protected] DOBSONOptimation Technology, Inc. / [email protected] S. ROGERS, LSHarris Corporation / [email protected] E. RICE, PEMJ Engineering / [email protected] CONSTANTINIDESArnold Magnetic Technologies / [email protected] J. PILLETTERI, PEPassero Associates / [email protected] to TBD

Administrative DirectorLYNNE M. IRWINRochester Engineering Society / e-mail: [email protected]

contents

• AFE Association for Facilities Engineering ..........................................30• APWA American Public Works Association ..........................................32• ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers ...................................................36• ASPE American Society of Plumbing Engineers ...................................35• EA Electrical Association ......................................................................37• GVLSA Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association ............................34

news of the...• IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ................38-39• INCOSE International Council of Systems Engineering...........................33• IS&T Society for Imagins Science and Technology.............................26• RES Rochester Engineering Society ................................................... 3-4• SWE Society of Women Engineers .......................................................31

5 • Get IT Done - Senior Management Support. Four Issues. Gesundheit.

6 • Join an RES Tutoring Team at the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy (cover)

8 • Get to the Point! - Focusing Your Written Message

9 • EEEE-285: Introduction to Circuit Theory

10 • The Limited Monopoly - Reaping What You Sow? - Not After "Bowman v. Monsanto"

12-13, 15, 18-21, 27 • Professional Firms - Employee News

13-15 • Position Openings

16 • Continuing Education Opportunities

16-17 • Engineers’ Calendar

22-25 • News from Professional Firms

27-29 • Campus News

40 • RES Individual Membership Application

41 • Rochester Engineer Advertising Rates

42-43 • High Hopes for High Falls (feature)

44-46 • Directory of Professional Services

46 • Directory of Business Services

47 • Affiliated Societies and Corporate Members of the RES

High Hopes for High Falls

Page 42

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 3

The RES Vision Statement articulates that the "RES is recognized as the principal leader committed to increasing the visibility of the greater Rochester area engineering and technical community." Also, please take a moment to read the "RES Mission Statement" in the left hand column of the facing page. These two statements drive what the officers and board will focus on this year.

RES is at a cross roads. Within the next several years, we will either reinvent ourselves as a value added organization that supports engineers and our community, or we will wither away into irrelevance. My goal for the coming year as President of the RES is to establish a realistic and vibrant plan for the future of the organization, demonstrating significant value to every stakeholder.

We are committed to growing the RES through a clear commitment to our mission and vision. Quite frankly, we need some financial investment to continue several programming initiatives launched last year. I have asked every board member and director to join me as a sustaining member of the RES for the upcoming year. If you are in a position that will permit you to do likewise, your investment in RES programming will be put to good use. Each board member and director have agreed to lead a strategic initiative during the coming year, and... to engage a member of RES or our affiliates in active participation and support for their initiative.

Adam Cummings led the effort to launch the new website for the RES, www.roceng.org, with a greatly expanded set of online offerings for our membership. Effective with this issue of The Rochester Engineer, we will be publishing our monthly magazine in digital form, accessible to all RES and Affiliate members. Please register at our website for digital access. The digital edition will feature expanded articles and more content than we can afford to print and mail each month. RES (above the level of student) and Affiliate Members who receive a print publication through their professional society may continue to receive the print edition of The Rochester Engineer this year.

Mary Steblein will lead RES events conducted in collaboration with our affiliates. We hope to re-invent one of RES's best practices of jointly sponsoring various events with our affiliates to enhance value to all of our members. If you have an idea for ways in which the RES can help your society, please contact Mary.

Jon Kriegel will lead the RES Volunteer Corps, to connect engineers who are interested in providing community service with area organizations that can benefit from engineering assistance. If your affiliate organization would like to offer assistance or needs extra hands to help with a big event, please contact Jon. Jon has contacts with several organizations needing assistance from us including the Rochester Museum and Science Center, our Engineering Explorer Post, and the Rochester City School District.

res news - president’s message

President’s Message

Edward Hensel, PhD, PE

RES President 2013-14

The RES Gala remains a centerpiece event for the RES, and the Gala committee will be chaired by Lee Loomis this year. If you would like to help out with the Gala, we have need for help that ranges all the way from a one hour job as greeter, to helping with the entire program. Working with the Gala committee is an excellent way for young engineers to build their professional network in Rochester.

We piloted a collegiate membership drive last year with good success. We will renew and expand our student membership drive in September. If you have a family member or friend who is studying engineering, please consider buying them a gift student membership in the RES. College students attending area engineering schools, or from the greater Rochester area who are attending engineering programs elsewhere are welcome.

Bill Rogers, Steve Constantinides and Carl Pilletteri have agreed to work on a task force to (a) increase corporate membership by 7% with a particular focus on engaging companies and small businesses not traditionally active in the RES, (b) recommend how the dues from corporate and affiliate members should be expended to provide valuable service to them, and (c) recommend one new RES event in response to an expressed need from corporate or affiliate members. If your company is not currently a member of the RES, please contact Bill, Steve, or Carl to discuss membership today.

Barry Quinn, 2012 Transportation Professional of the Year, will continue to manage our vibrant scholarship program; an important service that we provide to our affiliates and our community. We seek to increase both the number of scholarships provided and increase the number of scholarship applications that we receive.

The Rochester Engineer is a great way to get your message across to engineering professionals and firms across Western New York. Please consider adverting your job openings, professional services, and public events in The Rochester Engineer. If you have suggestions of organizations that would like reach our engineering community, please make suggestions to Doug Dobson, Mike Triassi or Neal Illenberg. We hope that you will find the print and digital editions of The Rochester Engineer informative and also offer entertaining activities to share with your friends and family.

Finally, we must extend the reach of the RES beyond Rochester and Monroe County. We have often stated that there is no other umbrella organization like the RES elsewhere in upstate New York. Rochester has long been a leader in engineering and technology, and it's time for the RES to provide support to the entire engineering community in our region. If you are aware of a company or an engineering society in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Syracuse, the Finger Lakes or the Southern Tier, please provide contact information to any RES board member or director, and we will reach out to them.

Thank you for your support of the RES, and your confidence in electing me to serve as President of our organization for this next year. I am honored and will do my best. Your input to the RES is welcome and encouraged. Email addresses for all board members and directors are available on the inside cover. Please watch for event invitations to upcoming RES activities. This is your engineering society; please help it grow.


Rochester History

res news/history

A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society...1897 - 1953by Lee M. Loomis

Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the years following "The Great War," into and through the “Great Depression,” continued to be a time of reaching out for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally. The meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's). The RES affiliated itself with a number of National technical societies, adopted local Affiliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters. Certain issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the RES and its affiliates. Once again war affected the Society, taking away many of its leaders and providing opportunities for others to step forward to fill these vacancies. In an effort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, a synopsis featuring selected items from "The Rochester Engineer" has become an integral part of this series. In the pervasive economic downturn of the “Great Depression,” the magazine offered classified advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis. Still, it continued its effort to shape the function, purpose and infrastructure of the City of Rochester. The Second World War has ended. The “war economy” has changed the face and, no doubt, the future of the community. With a return to peacetime, the Rochester municipal leadership and the industrial community has become immersed in the post-war economy.

“The Rochester Engineer” (August 1953) The features in this issue were the 1952-53 Annual Report to the membership by the RES Board of Directors. It included a report that the Council of Engineering Society Secretaries held its annual meeting in Rochester, with RES Executive Secretary, O.L. Angevine, as its outgoing President. The RES held 16 evening dinner meetings (total attendance 1062), 17 luncheon meetings (total attendance 961) and two inspection trips (total attendance 181). Despite the addition of 35 new members, total membership for the year decreased by seven. With regard to the Niagara River Power Development Project, in 1953 the RES passed a resolution urging the US Senate to pass the Capehart-Miller-Martin Bill, proposing that this development be made, owned and operated exclusively by private enterprise, without cost to Federal or State taxpayers. It was also announced that RIT, soon to begin its 125th year, had been granted approval to conduct courses leading to a bachelor of science degree, in each of its ten departments. These included Art & Design, Chemistry, Commerce, Electrical, Mechanical, Food Administration, Photography, Printing, Retailing and the School for American Craftsmen.

“The Rochester Engineer” (September 1953)This issue was dedicated to the life and work of John F. Skinner, recently deceased. Mr. Skinner was last of a small group of engineers who, in 1895, organized “The Section of Engineering of the Rochester Academy of Science.” Two years later, in March of 1897, this would become The Rochester Engineering Society. A Cornell educated Civil Engineer, Mr. Skinner’s professional life was dedicated to developing infrastructure for the City’s municipal drinking water system, its storm water overflow system, the City’s sewer system, as well as a sewer system for the Town of Brighton. October 26, 1953 (Board of Directors Meeting, Hotel Sheraton) The board entertained a motion to establish an RES Executive Committee, empowered to act for the Society between board meetings. The motion passed and was referred to the RES

Constitution Committee for appropriate action. A revised budget for the year 1953-54 was passed, including a retroactive $20 per month raise for the RES Executive Secretary.

“The Rochester Engineer” (October 1953)This issue featured an address by Dr. W.R.G. Baker, VP of General Electric and Chair of the National Television System Committee, a trade association of the Radio-Television Manufacturers Association. Addressing the recent Western Electronic Show and Convention, Dr. Baker described the continued need for the NTSC, working in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission, in order that the development of color television be accomplished faster and more efficiently than had that of monochrome (black & white) TV, which took several decades. He urged the development of performance standards for system analysis, television spectra, transmitter power, transmitter-receiver coordination, picture resolution, synchronization and radiation polarization. He expressed concern that care be taken to avoid a situation where monochrome TVs would become obsolete, as color TVs came into the market. “The Rochester Engineer” (November 1953)This issue announced a joint meeting between the RES and the AIEE, to be held at the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences (now RMSC). Declared a “Ladies Night,” the program was entitled “The Romance of Diamonds” by Charles P. Coster, Rochester jeweler for over 38 years. This event presented a unique opportunity for meeting participants to visit the new museum exhibit, “Rochester Futurama” showing the Rochester of tomorrow in models and illustrated with maps, plans and drawings, sponsored by the Citizens Council for a Better Rochester and the Women’s Council of the Chamber of Commerce.

“The Rochester Engineer” (December 1953)Labeled the “Civil Engineers’ Number,” this issue featured two articles of particular interest to this group. They included, ”Photogrammetry and its Application to Engineering Surveys” by R.J. Sparling, President, American Society of Photogrammetry and “Footing Depth and Frost Heave” by T.H. McKaig, Consulting Architectural Engineer. There was a joint meeting of RES and ASME, this month at which Arthur E. Neumer, Head of the Projection Optics Section, Bausch & Lomb Scientific Bureau spoke on, “The CinemaScope Story.” He described how CinemaScope gives a 3-D effect without polarizing glasses, twin projectors and various technical challenges. He reviewed how Bausch & Lomb, with the cooperation of Eastman Kodak Company and other Rochester firms brought CinemaScope from idea to actual movies in less than a year.

Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community, along with more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, especially those suffering from the current economic crisis, and adopted a greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming out of World War II, as well as a hoped-for period of post-war growth and prosperity. These articles will also feature an impressive array of RES activities in support of post-war re-emergence of Rochester area industry.

We welcome your questions and comments on this series.

Senior Management Support. Four Issues. Gesundheit. — André Godfrey

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 5get IT done

get IT doneSenior Management Support. Four Issues. Gesundheit.

— André Godfrey

A quick and true story, although not an exceptional story, in that this is a story that happens almost every day within our company and I’m certain many, many others. Recently, one of our network engineers was called after hours by the CEO of one of our clients. The CEO had purchased a new laptop and asked us to install connectivity to the home office as well as load the appropriate standard applications. He also asked that we perform the work from his home.

The network engineer was on site at the CEOs home for a little more than 3 hours. The reason the installation took so long was the CEO requested a number of outside the standard, application installs that took extra time. Applications such as camera security software as well as the cameras and as luck would have it - the home internet went down during the install. Of course, as all network engineers know, the ‘typical’ install anywhere always contains the random ‘atypical’ problems and the unexpected is not unexpected.

The end user had no idea where the internet access point was installed in his home and so he asked our person to find it. The story ends with our engineer bringing everything back up, finishing the installation and receiving major kudos from our client.

But it could easily have gone sour and ended badly or not begun at all. Let’s re-tell the story from a perspective that I see too often and, unfortunately, that story doesn’t always end with kudos or happy clients. Which side does your IT department/provider fall on?

First issue: not taking the call. Most after-hours IT calls are setup to contact network engineers in series. That is, who is first in line for after-hour calls today, who is second, and so on. Picking up the phone or returning the call is necessary before anything happens. Are your people prepared to take the call?

Second issue: it’s not an emergency. Could this have been done during regular business hours? Possibly. But

who defines what needs to be done and when it needs to be done? In our case, it’s our client. Ideally, it should be your customer as well, internal or otherwise.

Third issue: the installation was non-standard. In this instance, this would certainly constitute an exception since it may be a company policy not to install non-standard applications and/or peripherals. But today that line is becoming a little more blurred. Particularly when we consider the BYOD world we live in. In this instance, the discretionary choice (it was the CEO’s laptop, after all) was I believe the correct one. Certainly, if the network engineer was aware of security issues or compatibility issues, then the obligation would have been to inform the customer of those issues.

Fourth issue: special treatment for VIPs. This may surprise you. It always surprises me. There is sometimes resentment from support people in providing exceptional support services to senior or upper management. This is a two-sided issue in that it may stem from a perceived sense of entitlement on the part of senior staff. An acknowledgement and thank you and recognition of special services received would go a long way. Is your staff eager to help management be more successful or do they feel “put out’?

Think about IT.

André Godfrey

is President/CEO of

Entré Computer Services,

www.entrecs.com

6 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 cover article

Join an RES Tutoring Team at the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy

— Lee M. Loomis

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (6/17/13) – Rochester’s high school graduation rate dropped slightly under tougher state standards. The New York State Education Department said the Rochester graduation rate dropped from 45.5% to 43.4% from 2011 to 2012. "These results are painful and unacceptable for me and should be to everyone associated with the district, our families (and) our community," said Bolgen Vargas, Superintendent of Schools.

We’ve been reading about the crisis in our Nation’s public schools for years, and we know all too well that it’s no better, and maybe even worse, here in Rochester. There are more than enough opinions available on what to do about it; decrease class sizes, pay teachers more, keep kids in school longer, hire better teachers, get parents to pay more attention to their children’s educational needs…it goes on and on. Regardless of what the best answer is, one basic tenant is pretty much indisputable; the more time and attention a student gets, the more likely it is that he/she will succeed.

With this in mind, I decided to get better acquainted with a recent local effort to assist the existing process of educating elementary school students in the Rochester City School District (RCSD). The name of this group is Friends of Educational Excellence (FREE) Partnerships, and it’s been in operation for the past five years. It works, in a very structured way, with a group of ten RCSD schools, bringing teams of tutors into direct contact with students in Grades 1 - 6, specifically identified by their teachers, who are struggling to reach acceptable levels of academic performance.

I began working as a volunteer FREE Partnerships tutor this Spring, to get some first-hand experience, and see if I was up to the challenge. Sure, I used to help my children with their homework, after supper, but actually spending 3 -5 hours a day in an

elementary school, once or twice a week, that could be a little scary. (Let’s quickly dispense with the mystery, if I hadn’t survived the experience, I wouldn’t writing this article.)

For the past two months I have been working one-on-one with First Grade students who need a little extra help with their reading skills, at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, School #10, in the City’s 19th Ward. I don’t read to them, they read to me. The books they read are graduated by reading level, revealing the characters and stories to the students, as they read along, providing them with an immediate sense of understanding and success. It’s NOT just the old, “See Spot Run…” stuff that many of us might remember, these are relevant stories about real characters (animals & people).

In just a few short weeks, I have seen measurable improvement in the reading level of several of the students with whom I’ve been working. From this experience, it is clear to me that there’s a tremendous need for, and value to be gained from, providing one-on-one tutoring for these little people. Let’s look at the magnitude of this need…

The Need…The Rochester City School District provides an education for more than 32,000 students in pre-K through grade 12. The academic results of Rochester public schools are poor. In 2012, only 22% of elementary school children passed the State English Language Arts (ELA) exam; 7,100 children did not pass (performed below their grade level). These children will struggle in school until they have adequate literacy skills.

Most RCSD elementary schools do not achieve acceptable results. In 2012, only 1 out of the 38 elementary schools had more than 50% of students pass the ELA exam. (See chart below).

In 2011, the Rochester City High Schools reported a graduation rate of 49%. In order to increase future graduation rates, the 7,100 elementary school students that did not pass the 2012 State ELS exam must improve their literacy skills.

Educated citizens get better paying jobs and support their local communities. Rochester high school dropouts generally will struggle financially, are more likely to live in poverty, may participate in illegal activities, and may end up in jail and be unavailable to support their families. Improving students’ success in school is fundamental to improving Rochester family life and enhancing our local community. Better public education outcomes can transform the Rochester community.

A Possible Solution…The purpose of Friends of Educational Excellence (FREE) Partnerships is to support partnerships between community organizations, like the RES, and Rochester city public schools to help students succeed in school. Rochester has an urban school system that has a critical need for community support to improve educational system outcomes, and also is a city with a rich history of community involvement in public schools.

There are three critical factors to student success in school:

Teacher, Ms. Vives, and Principal Clyburn of School #10

Percent of RCSD elementary students who passed the 2012 ELA exam

70 – 100%: 0 schools50 – 69%: 1 school40 – 49%: 2 schools30 — 39% 4 schoolsLess than 30%: 31 schools

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 7cover article cover article

Community partners that provide volunteer support can help teachers to ensure students have the academic skills to succeed. A McKinsey study of the best schools in the world found that the best schools do three things:

(from The Economist magazine, October 2007)

The learning process for our children is complex. A young person has three primary “schools” in their lives: 1) home, 2) community, and 3) the public school system. In Rochester, poverty, low adult literacy, and family and community norms and expectations place a greater challenge on the public school system to get the desired outcomes that we want to achieve. So the public schools must be even stronger, to get good results.

Teachers have four things in their toolkit to promote learning by their students: 1. time2. teaching techniques3. resources, and4. a strong curriculum to guide them.

Resources include books, pencils, paper, computers, and other people to help them. Most schools already provide paid specialists to help children with learning disabilities. However, most average children that are just a little behind usually don’t get one-on-one support to help them get to grade level. FREE Partnerships supports Rochester city school teachers by providing volunteer resources to assist their students succeed in school. When a teacher embraces these additional “FREE” human resources, they become an important part of the learning environment for the teacher’s students. With declining school budgets, the strategy of using FREE community resources will become an essential component of a teacher’s toolkit to help their students succeed in school.

The Demographics of the RCSD:Race• 64% African American/Black• 22% Hispanic• 11% White• 3% Asian/Native American/East Indian/ Other

Student Characteristics• 88% eligible for free/reduced-price lunch• 18% with special needs• 10% with limited English proficiency• 72 different language groups• 22% of schools at 90% poverty or higher• Highest poverty rate among NYS Big 5 districts

How can the Rochester Engineering Society Help?Volunteer academic support can be effective in assisting students to perform better. The Campbell Collaboration Systematic Review (May 2006) found that volunteer programs can positively influence student language and reading. FREE Partnerships will assist community-school partnerships to provide academic support for students that need another helping hand to succeed.

The RES can help this already successful effort by joining FREE Partnerships as the Tutoring Team for the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, School #10.

Why theDr. Walter Cooper Academy?Named for Dr. Walter Cooper, retired Eastman Kodak Research Chemist, NYS Regent (emeritus) and RES Engineer of the Year for 1996, the Academy is currently a K-3 school which will be growing into a K-6 school by 2016. In 2014 it will become one of the RCSD’s

“R-Learning Schools” adopting an eight-hour learning day. The school’s faculty engages its diverse student body in joyful, rigorous, and fascinating learning experiences. Dr. Walter Cooper Academy follows the “Expeditionary Learning” model for planning hands-on educational experiences for its students. They instill in their students both perseverance and a sense of responsibility, as reinforced in their motto, “We never give up, never give up, never give up!”

As Dr. Cooper said at the school’s 2009 dedication ceremony, “Having a school named after you imposes a kind of a responsibility to see that the school indeed works." To that end, Dr. Cooper is a frequent visitor to the school. He often helps plan, and he attends, student field trips. He works with the parents, teachers, administrators and the volunteers, to create a supportive learning environment.

What can you do?Consider this an invitation, from Dr. Cooper and me, to consider becoming a member of the RES Tutoring Team at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy. We want to tell you more about how you can help with the unique new Experiential Learning Program at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, as a tutor and/or as an advisor.

Please plan to attend a (no obligation) Informational Meeting on Thursday, September 5, 2013, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, at the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, School #10, 353 Congress Ave., Rochester, NY 14619. We will be describing, in detail, how the FREE Partnerships Tutoring Program works, your responsibilities as a tutor, and the support you will receive as you help these students. There will be a formal training session for all those who decide to become volunteer tutors, later in September, before they begin their tutoring. PLEASE RSVP to the RES office (254-2350, [email protected]) your plans to attend the Informational Meeting on September 5th, we need to know how many to expect, that evening.

Why am I doing this? I am very concerned about what it will mean for America’s future, if less than half of its newer citizens have successfully completed high school. I’d like to think that, as someone who’s enjoyed a successful engineering career, I can “pay it forward” a little and make a difference, even if it’s just helping one child at a time.Lee Loomis is the Immediate Past President of the Rochester Engineering Society (2012-13).

FREE Partnerships Volunteers with Dr. Walter Cooper Academy Students


Have you ever read an email, report, or proposal and wondered “What does this have to do with me?” The writer just rambles on and on and on and it’s difficult to decipher what the point is. We call this a “brain dump” of information. Don’t fall into this trap when you write.

The most efficient way to communicate information is to put the most important information right up front. This means you have to

TellThe Reader

Right Away WhatHe or She Most Wants

To Know (or Needs to Know)

In emails, letters, short reports and proposals this is called a Summary Statement; in long reports and proposals it is known as just the Summary. This is true for good news and bad news. With bad news, you can generalize up front and add specifics later, but don’t be afraid to state the issue right away.

The Writer's PyramidIn 1972, Ron Blicq, RGI’s founder, developed the Pyramid Method of Writing as a way to help technical people visualize information. At the tip of the pyramid belongs the Summary Statement or Summary, followed by the Supporting Information.

The Summary StatementWriting an effective Summary Statement is not easy. For many people, launching straight into the key information seems a very abrupt way to open an email letter or report. You can overcome this by starting every Summary Statement with these six words:

I want to tell you that..

Then finish the sentence (by telling the reader what you most need to say). This will force you to focus your first sentence on the main message and to immediately establish your main reason for writing. Here is an example: Dear Ms. Christie: I want to tell you that... there was a power outage at 3:15 p.m. on December 30 which stopped production on the microprocessor assembly line for 3 hours and 24 minutes.

get to the point

Get to the Point!Focusing Your Written Message

© 2013 RGI Learning

Lisa Moretto is the president of RGI International, Inc. For 19 years she has helped engineers improve their oral and written communication skills. Visit www.rgilearning.com or call (866) 744-3032 to learn about RGI’s courses and CTEL.

Then remove the six words. (Many people refer to them as "the six hidden words.") The opening statement then becomes: Dear Ms. Christie: There was a power outage at 3:15 p.m. on December 30 which stopped production on the microprocessor assembly line for 3 hours and 24 minutes.

The Supporting InformationNow you have to ask yourself what else the receiver of this information will want to know. To do this you ask six questions:

Who? What? Where? Why? When? How?

You only answer the questions appropriate to your particular situation. For example, Ms. Christie might want to know How (did the power outage occur)? What (effect will the delay have)? What (have you done, or are you doing, about it)?

The next paragraphs then answer these questions. For this example, there were two paragraphs: The power outage was caused by a transformer that blew out in the main control room. Restarting the line and bringing the components up to full operating temperature took another 2 hours and 40 minutes.

In addition to the 6 hour delay, we will have to rework 34 micro-processor boards and will not be able to deliver the Connaught Laboratories order on February 20, as promised. I have informed Mr. Johnson of the delay and that we will ship his order on February 22.

In longer letters and reports, the Supporting Information compartment is broken into several smaller compartments. They Pyramid Method works in all writing situations. Visit our website for more resources about how you can adapt the Pyramid to your particular writing project.

Online instruction on business and technical writing is available at www.rgilearning.com.


get to the point

Get to the Point!

© 2013 RGI Learning

Lisa Moretto is the president of RGI International, Inc. For 19 years she has helped engineers improve their oral and written communication skills. Visit www.rgilearning.com or call (866) 744-3032 to learn about RGI’s courses and CTEL.

Then remove the six words. (Many people refer to them as "the six hidden words.") The opening statement then becomes: Dear Ms. Christie: There was a power outage at 3:15 p.m. on December 30 which stopped production on the microprocessor assembly line for 3 hours and 24 minutes.

The Supporting InformationNow you have to ask yourself what else the receiver of this information will want to know. To do this you ask six questions:

Who? What? Where? Why? When? How?

You only answer the questions appropriate to your particular situation. For example, Ms. Christie might want to know How (did the power outage occur)? What (effect will the delay have)? What (have you done, or are you doing, about it)?

The next paragraphs then answer these questions. For this example, there were two paragraphs: The power outage was caused by a transformer that blew out in the main control room. Restarting the line and bringing the components up to full operating temperature took another 2 hours and 40 minutes.

In addition to the 6 hour delay, we will have to rework 34 micro-processor boards and will not be able to deliver the Connaught Laboratories order on February 20, as promised. I have informed Mr. Johnson of the delay and that we will ship his order on February 22.

In longer letters and reports, the Supporting Information compartment is broken into several smaller compartments. They Pyramid Method works in all writing situations. Visit our website for more resources about how you can adapt the Pyramid to your particular writing project.

Online instruction on business and technical writing is available at www.rgilearning.com.

“EEEE–285: Introduction to Circuit Theory”Rochester Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering

On-Line Course Offering for Fall Semester 2013

DescriptionEEEE–285: Introduction to Circuit Theory is an on-line course that is designed to introduce methods of circuit analysis. The course provides thorough coverage of topics that are typically explored in a two-course sequence of circuit analysis. Ohm’s and Kirchoff’s Laws are applied to the analysis of circuits containing resistors, voltage and current sources, capacitors, and inductors. Systematic methodologies are developed that yield detailed understanding of DC and AC circuits. The critical skills taught in EEEE-285 are directly applicable to the analysis of all analog and digital electronic circuits, regardless of their simplicity or complexity.

The course begins with an overview of the fundamental physical concepts of charge, current, voltage, power, and energy. Linear resistors and Ohm’s Law are then introduced, and methods of nodal, mesh, and loop analysis are developed for the systematic analysis of circuits. Techniques of superposition, source transformation, and Thevenin equivalence are introduced to facilitate and complement previously-introduced methodologies. At all stages of instruction, principles are illustrated with detailed analysis and interpretation of sample circuits. The first half of the course concludes with the inclusion of capacitors and inductors and their associated time-dependent behaviors.

The second half of the course reinforces and extends the concepts learned and practiced in the first half. AC circuits are explored through the use of phasor techniques, adapting nodal, mesh, and loop analysis methodologies to include the impedance of capacitors and inductors. The important topic of power in AC circuits is thoroughly explored, including distinctions between different types of power and the concept of maximum power transfer. The course concludes with a treatment of magnetically-coupled circuits and an introduction to Bode analysis of the frequency-dependent behavior of circuits.

The student who masters the fundamentals of circuit analysis will be well-positioned to apply these skills to the analysis and design of electronic circuits. In subsequent courses, non-linear devices like diodes, field-effect transistors, and bipolar junction transistors are introduced to provide capabilities of rectification and amplification. Even though these devices are highly-non-linear, they are invariably modeled using linear components like resistors, voltage and current sources, and capacitors, underscoring the importance of a fundamental course in circuit analysis like EEEE-285: Introduction to Circuit Theory.

EEEE–285: Introduction to Circuit Theory is the first course in a planned Certificate Program for Integrated Electronic Design, which will offer a comprehensive curriculum on the design of state-of-the-art electronic circuits. The program is currently undergoing New York State review.

Course Registration and Delivery Information • Students register for on-line courses in the same manner as they would for regular courses at RIT. • Lecture content is delivered via the internet in mpeg4 video streams accessed through RIT’s MyCourses course management software system.• Electronic lab work is conducted in the student’s home environment by the student using specialized instrumentation and software provided for the course. • Interactive office hours are offered at regularly scheduled times; face-to-face office hours are also offered.

Who Should Take This Course? • Experienced electronic technicians, device engineers, and application engineers interested in re-focusing their careers toward circuit design but who cannot devote the time required for a bachelor’s degree.• Circuit design practitioners interested in enhancing their skills in areas of integrated analog and digital design • Device, application and system engineers • Researchers in the natural sciences, interested in understanding the fundamentals and limitations encountered in designing electronic systems• University students in other disciplines wishing to explore the field of electronics in electrical engineering

What Prerequisite Knowledge is Required?• Phenomenological (working) knowledge of circuit elements including resistors, capacitors, and power sources • Familiarity with and interest in electronic circuits and electronic systems • Some college-level mathematical skills are preferred (basic differentiation and integration)

Tuition3 semester credits = $3,573

Course Instructor Dr. James E. Moon, PhD University of California at Berkeley; Department of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, RIT

rit advertisement


A Key Doctrine of Patent LawIf you are familiar with patents and the laws that apply to them, you may have heard of the term, “patent exhaustion.” But what does this term mean? No, it is not a characterization of the burnout that patent practitioners may experience after years of preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications in the USPTO.

Before defining patent exhaustion, recalling the definition of a patent itself is helpful. A patent is a property right granted by a government entity, such as the United States government. Federal statute 35 U.S.C. §154 states, “Every patent shall contain… a grant to the patentee… of the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States…” This grant is provided to the patentee in exchange for a complete written disclosure to the public of how to make and use the invention.

Patent infringement is the act of violating this right, as set forth in 35 U.S.C §271: “Whoever without authority makes, uses, offers to sell, or sells any patented invention, within the United States, or imports into the United States any patented invention during the term of the patent therefor, infringes the patent.” However, the grant of a patent and the act of infringement have certain limitations. One limitation falls under a common law doctrine known as patent exhaustion, which holds that that the first unrestricted sale of a patented product exhausts the patent owner’s right to further control the particular item.

In other words, the act of paying money to buy a patented product provides the authority to the buyer to use the product and to resell the product (separately, or incorporated into another product as is commonly done) without infringing the patent. However, there are also limitations to how a purchased patented product can be used. The purchased product cannot be used by the buyer to make copies of the patented product for further use or sale. Such an action would infringe the patent.

The “Self-Replicating” Patented ProductGiven the above definitions, now consider the following question: What if it is not the buyer of the patented product that reproduces it, but rather the product itself that engages in the replication? In other words, the product is self-replicating – it makes copies of itself. Under the doctrine of patent exhaustion, can the buyer of the original product use or sell the replicated copies of the patented product, since he himself did not make them?

The Limited Monopoly

The Limited Monopoly™

Reaping What You Sow? - Not After Bowman v. Monsanto by John Hammond PE and Robert Gunderman, PE

“Every problem has in it the seeds of its own

solution. If you don't have any problems, you

don't get any seeds.”

– Norman Vincent Peale


The “Self-Replicating” Patented ProductGiven the above definitions, now consider the following question: What if it is not the buyer of the patented product that reproduces it, but rather the product itself that engages in the replication? In other words, the product is self-replicating – it makes copies of itself. Under the doctrine of patent exhaustion, can the buyer of the original product use or sell the replicated copies of the patented product, since he himself did not make them?


Reaping What You Sow? - Not After Bowman v. Monsanto by John Hammond PE and Robert Gunderman, PE

At this point, you may be wondering what sort of product replicates itself. The obvious answer (once you know it) is… seeds. Plant seeds are self-replicating. They are also patentable subject matter, particularly in view of recent major advances in genetic engineering of living organisms.

The Case of Bowman v. MonsantoThis past May, the Supreme Court ruled on a patent case1 having this type of fact pattern. The parties in the litigation were Frank Bowman, an Indiana soybean farmer, and Monsanto Company, a large U.S. agricultural and biotechnology corporation. The Syllabus of the decision2 summarizes the facts of the case succinctly as follows:

“Respondent Monsanto invented and patented Roundup Ready soybean seeds, which contain a genetic alteration that allows them to survive exposure to the herbicide glyphosate. It sells the seeds subject to a licensing agreement that permits farmers to plant the purchased seed in one, and only one, growing season. Growers may consume or sell the resulting crops, but may not save any of the harvested soybeans for replanting. Petitioner Bowman purchased Roundup Ready soybean seed for his first crop of each growing season from a company associated with Monsanto and followed the terms of the licensing agreement. But to reduce costs for his riskier late-season planting, Bowman purchased soybeans intended for consumption from a grain elevator; planted them; treated the plants with glyphosate, killing all plants without the Roundup Ready trait; harvested the resulting soybeans that contained that trait; and saved some of these harvested seeds to use in his late-season planting the next season. After discovering this practice, Monsanto sued Bowman for patent infringement. Bowman raised the defense of patent exhaustion, which gives the purchaser of a patented article, or any subsequent owner, the right to use or resell that article.”

In a 9-0 ruling, the court held in favor of Monsanto, finding that patent exhaustion does not permit a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder’s permission. Bowman argued that patent exhaustion should apply in this case because “seeds are meant to be planted.” He further argued that soybeans naturally “self-replicate or ‘sprout’ unless stored in a controlled manner,” and thus it was the planted soybean, and not he, that made replicas of Monsanto’s patented invention. The court characterized this argument cryptically as the “blame the

bean defense” and gave it no credence, stating, “In all this, the bean surely figured. But it was Bowman, and not the bean, who controlled the reproduction (unto the eighth generation) of Monsanto’s patented invention.”

Technology Outruns the LawBowman v. Monsanto serves as an example of a case where a technology evolves at such a fast pace that it creates new and unforeseen conflicts not clearly covered by existing laws. In a sense, a rapidly emerging technology may sometimes “outrun” the applicable statutes and established case law. In those situations, the matter is often settled in court, and new case law emerges.

Indeed, in Bowman v. Monsanto, the court expressly stated that their holding was limited to the case at hand, and acknowledged that self-replicating product inventions “are becoming ever more prevalent, complex, and diverse.” With today’s frenetic pace of invention and technology development, you can expect more of these interesting cases in the future.

1. Bowman v. Monsanto Co. et al., No. 11–796, slip op. (S.Ct. May 13, 2013).2. Complete decision available at http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/11-796_c07d.pdf

PHOTO CREDIT: “Soybeans,” United States Department of Agriculture.

Authors John M. Hammond P.E. (Patent Innovations, LLC www.patent-innovations.com) and Robert D. Gunderman P.E. (Patent Technologies, LLC www.patentechnologies.com) are both registered patent agents and licensed professional engineers. They offer several courses that qualify for PDH credits. More information can be found at www.patenteducation.com. Copyright 2013 John Hammond and Robert Gunderman, Jr.

Note: This short article is intended only to provide cursory background information, and is not intended to be legal advice. No client relationship with the authors is in any way established by this article.


“Every problem has in it the seeds of its own

solution. If you don't have any problems, you

don't get any seeds.”

– Norman Vincent Peale

12 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 professional firms employee news

Professional Firms Employee News

position openings | professional firms employee news

Bergmann AssociatesAdds Employee To Firm

Costich EngineeringAdds Employee To Firm

Jeffry Bush brings over 20 years of design experience to Costich Engineering. He most recently worked for 7 years as a senior designer for a local full service engineering and architecture firm with emphasis on retail, municipal and commercial projects.

Jeff holds a degree in mechanical technology. He will concentrate on commercial projects at the firm. q

Norman A. Johnson, P.E., a senior engineer with our HVAC Group, has passed the exam for licensure as a Professional Engineer in NYS to become a

licensed mechanical engineer. Norman has 25 years of experience in the industry with a strong background in HVAC systems. He has been involved in projects for several hospitals/medical facilities as well as many other institutions throughout New York State. Norm has been responsible for designing the HVAC systems for over 75 projects at the University of Rochester Medical Center, including the $50M, 166,000 SF Wilmot Cancer Center. His current workload consists of projects at

the Cornell University and F.F. Thompson Hospital.

Andrew C. Straub, P.E., started as a designer at the firm and has worked his way up to project engineer in our HVAC Group. Andrew also recently passed the exam for licensure as

a Professional Engineer NYS to become a licensed mechanical engineer. Andrew will perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies and energy modeling associated with the design of mechanical systems for a variety of projects which include industrial, educational, manufacturing and commercial facilities.

He is currently working on projects for Cornell University.

Craig E. Pullyblank, P.E., a project engineer with our Electrical Group, has passed the exam for licensure as a Professional Engineer in NYS to become a licensed

electrical engineer. Craig will be responsible for working on a variety of projects which include industrial, educational, manufacturing and commercial facilities. His current workload consists of projects at Finger Lakes Community College and Cornell University. q

M/E Engineering, PC Announces Professional License Certifications

Norman A. Johnson, PE

Andrew C. Straub, PECraig E. Pullyblank, PE


Position Openings (Page 1 of 3)

position openings | professional firms employee news

Bergmann Associates announced that Mackenzie Zimmerman has joined the company as a transportation design engineer out of their Rochester office. Before working for Bergmann, Mackenzie worked for Passero Associates. q

Bergmann AssociatesAdds Employee To Firm

Costich EngineeringAdds Employee To Firm

Jeffry Bush brings over 20 years of design experience to Costich Engineering. He most recently worked for 7 years as a senior designer for a local full service engineering and architecture firm with emphasis on retail, municipal and commercial projects.

Jeff holds a degree in mechanical technology. He will concentrate on commercial projects at the firm. q

Larsen Engineers announces the addition of Matthew Rankin and Airin O’Connor to the company; these new employees will expand our existing Renewable Energy Group.Matthew Rankin has been hired as a Renewable Energy Project

Associate. He has extensive experience in the fields of solar energy, biogas, and anaerobic digesters and has written published papers on these topics. Mr. Rankin has a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from SUNY Cortland and will be graduating in May 2013 with a master of science degree in sustainable systems from RIT. Airin O’Connor has been hired as a design engineer and brings four years of experience to the position in areas including waste water management, septic system design for commercial and residential use, and soil mechanics and foundations. Ms. O’Connor has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering technology from RIT and is currently pursuing a master of business administration degree in environmentally sustainable management from RIT. q

Larsen EngineersAdds Two Employees To Firm

Mackenzie Zimmerman

Jeffry Bush

Matthew Rankin

Airin O'Connor

M/E Engineering, PC Announces Professional License Certifications

14 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 position openings

Position Openings, Continued:

Project Management PositionChatfield Engineers, PC is seeking a project manager with a Professional Engineering License in New York State and a minimum of 5 years experience. Scope of work experience should include engineering design and management in: water supply, treatment and distribution; wastewater collection and treatment; and general civil engineering. Candidate should have general computer skills with strengths in: MS Word, Excel, AutoCAD and WaterCAD. Much of the work requires attendance at public hearings, and Municipal Board meetings. Public speaking experience is needed.

Chatfield Engineers provides competitive salary and benefits. Resumes and questions may be sent in confidence to [email protected].

AA/EOE, M/F/V/D. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply.

RGRTA is looking for a Project Engineer$50,000 salary per year with competitive benefits.

Must have graduated from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a bachelor's degree in Engineering.

Please submit an resume toChristiana Ortiz at [email protected]

www.rgrta.com (585) 654-0200Equal Opportunity Employer

Call 254-2350 for advertising

details or go to the

web site at:

www.roceng.org

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 15position openings

Position Openings, Continued:

MRB Group Engineering, Architecture, Surveying, P.C., announced the hire of Marty Brewster as senior planning associate. Marty has more than 30 years of experience in municipal operations, and is considered an industry leader in stormwater management regulations, specializing in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) and land use planning.

“There are few individuals with the background and expertise that Marty has when it comes to stormwater management, and his record of success

reflects that,” said Ryan T. Colvin, President at MRB Group. “He brings over thirty years of municipal experience to the firm and we are so proud to have Marty as part of our team.”

Marty started his career in 1980 as an employee in the Town of Webster Engineering Department. In 1985, he became the Deputy Commissioner of Public Works for the Town of Pittsford, and in 2005, Marty was named the town’s Director of Planning, Zoning and Development, a position he held until his retirement in April. Marty played an integral part in establishing the Irondequoit Creek Watershed Collaborative and was involved with creation of the Monroe County Stormwater Coalition as one of its original members in 2000. For his notable efforts and progressive thinking relative to stormwater management, the American Public Works Association recognized Marty in 2010 with the “Distinguished Service Award.”

Known for his calm demeanor and thorough approach, Marty worked closely with community leaders, developers, volunteers, and residents on numerous town projects through the years. His input and assistance on the Greenprint for the Future, the Cell Tower Planning and Design Manual, the Allen Creek Stormwater Management Facility (later developed into Kings Bend Park) and the Monroe Avenue Transitional Zone were invaluable to their success.

As Senior Planning Associate, Marty will provide expertise to municipal clients on a variety of issues, including stormwater management, MS4 regulations, and flood protection. Marty also has extensive knowledge in municipal policy, code revisions, planning and development, and open space management. q

Marty Brewster Joins MRB Group


Marty Brewster

SWBR Architects announced that two of their senior staff have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accreditation. Don Pannone Associate AIA, senior project manager and Diana Pannone ASID, CID, senior interior designer completed the accreditation process through the U.S. Green Building Council and are now designated LEED Green Associates with SWBR. This accreditation recognizes those who have completed the necessary training, education and testing to apply sustainable architecture standards to their designs.

SWBR Architects now employs 27 LEED Accredited Professionals.

“We are proud to have two additional team members, Don and Diana, that have earned LEED accreditations,” said David Beinetti, AIA, president of SWBR. “It’s an important accomplishment for employees in our organization and one that speaks volumes to their knowledge and commitment to the industry.”

Diana holds a bachelor of fine arts in interior design from Syracuse University College of Visual & Performing Arts (FIDER Accredited Professional Program). q

SWBR Employees Earn LEED Accreditations

Professional Firms Employee News; continued on page 18...


Continuing Education Opportunities

To post continuing education opportunities on this page please contact the Rochester Engineering Society, 585-254-2350, or email: [email protected].

Go to the RES Web Site for Updated Details On All Meetings - www.roceng.org

continuing education | engineers’ calendar

The engineering societies are encouraged to submit their meeting notices for publication in this section. The deadline for submitting copy is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. Please email to: [email protected]. The meetings offering PDHs are highlighted in blue. Details about the meeting and affiliate (if in this issue) are on the corresponding page listed next to the affiliate name.

Engineers’ Calendar

None Listed at This Time - Check the website for any updates.

Engineers’ Calendar continued on next page...

Tuesday, August 6Institute of Electricaland Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 38Rochester Section MeetingPlace: Hibachi Sushi Buffet Restaurant, South Town Plaza, Jefferson Road, HenriettaTime: 12:00 noon.Comment: Any member is welcome to attend and to participate, or just to observe. Lunch is $3 for IEEE member. No reservation or RSVP is needed, just how up.Website: http://rochester.ieee.org.

Thursday, August 22Society of Women Engineers (SWE) 31Program Planning MeetingTime: 7:00 pmReservations: Contact Carol Richardson at [email protected] the website for details – www.swerochester.org.

Thursday, September 5Genesee Valley LandSurveyors Association (GVLSA) 34Board of Directors MeetingPlace: 40 & 8 Club, 933 University Avenue, RochesterTime: 6:00 pmWebsite: www.gvlsa.com

Monday, September 9American Society of Heating,Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 36ASHRAE ClambakePlace: Burgundy Basin Inn, 1361 Marsh Road, PittsfordTime: 5:00 pmCost: $25 plus $6 per dozen clams. Tickets must be purchased by September 4th. No tickets will be sold at the door.See page 36 for a registration form. Website: www.rochester.ashraechapters.org.

September 10 - 152013 Greentopia Festival Place: High Falls area.This year’s festival features eco-friendly music, art, film, food and fashion along with the first two-day FUTURES Summit event.Website: http://greentopiafest.com

Wednesday, September 11Association ofFacilities Engineering (AFE) 30AFE “Clambake” and Pig RoastPlace: Genesee Valley Park “Round House Lodge”Time: 5:00 pmCost: $50 per personReservations: Please mail checks by September 4th and make payable to Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE), Matt Knights, UltraFab, 1050 Hook Road, Farmington. Pre-register to Matt Knight, [email protected], 585-924-2186.


To post continuing education opportunities on this page please contact the Rochester Engineering Society, 585-254-2350, or email: [email protected].

continuing education | engineers’ calendar engineers’ calendar

Support Your AffiliateAttend A Meeting

Monday, September 9American Society of Heating,Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 36ASHRAE ClambakePlace: Burgundy Basin Inn, 1361 Marsh Road, PittsfordTime: 5:00 pmCost: $25 plus $6 per dozen clams. Tickets must be purchased by September 4th. No tickets will be sold at the door.See page 36 for a registration form. Website: www.rochester.ashraechapters.org.

September 10 - 152013 Greentopia Festival Place: High Falls area.This year’s festival features eco-friendly music, art, film, food and fashion along with the first two-day FUTURES Summit event.Website: http://greentopiafest.com

Wednesday, September 11Association ofFacilities Engineering (AFE) 30AFE “Clambake” and Pig RoastPlace: Genesee Valley Park “Round House Lodge”Time: 5:00 pmCost: $50 per personReservations: Please mail checks by September 4th and make payable to Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE), Matt Knights, UltraFab, 1050 Hook Road, Farmington. Pre-register to Matt Knight, [email protected], 585-924-2186.

The RES website

(www.roceng.org)

has a calendar of events for

these meetings and many others.

Please refer to the website for

updated information. If you

wish to be listed on the calendar

please send the

details to [email protected].

Rochester Professional Consultants Network

Meetings on most Friday mornings at 8:00 am.For details, please see

http://www.rochesterconsultants.org/

Note that only the first and third Fridays arefree for non-members, but non-members are

welcome at the other meetings as well.

Thursday, September 12Genesee Valley LandSurveyors Association (GVLSA) 34NYSAPLS Regional WebinarPlace: Erdman Anthony Associates, 145 Culver Road, Suite 200, RochesterTime: 6:30 to 8:30 pmWebsite: www.gvlsa.com

Wednesday, September 18Society of Imaging ScienceAnd Technology (IS&T) 26TBAPlace: Room 1275 of the Carlson Centerfor Imaging Science, RITTime: 6:00 pm

American Society ofPlumbing Engineers (ASPE) 35TBAWebsite at http://rochester.aspe.org/

Wednesday, September 25Electrical Association (EA) 37Annual ClambakePlace: Webster Columbus Center, 70 Barrett Drive, WebsterTime: Registration/social hour at 4:30 pm; Clambake Buffet at 5:30. All tickets must be purchased in advance. $40 per person. Website, www.eawny.com.

Call 254-2350 for advertisingdetails or go to the

web site at:www.roceng.org

18 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 advertisement | professional firms employee news



LaBella Associates announces the addition of two employees and the announcement of three who received certifications.

Patricia J. Barney has 24 years of technical and administrative experience in the architecture and engineering industry. With expertise in varied administrative skills, Ms. Barney will be a large asset to the LaBella team. Working

on gas design and utility projects, she will assist with construction phase administration and project reporting methods. Responsibilities will include interface with project team members, owner’s representatives and construction contractors; maintenance of individual project files, registration of project updates; management of correspondence and communication plans; issuance of frequent status reports and coordination of project closeouts.

Thomas Polech, EIT is an Engineer-in-Training with two years of design experience. Past projects have included tasks such as site plan development, stormwater design, stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs), design

of septic systems, permitting, and inspection. He will primarily assist with design and document production in his role. Mr. Polech is proficient in ArcGIS, AutoCAD, CartêGraph, and MicroStation. He will be responsible

for engineering, design and document production for the Civil Engineering

Division.

Adam Lysiak, PE, LEED AP, LC has recently passed the NYS Engineering Licensing Exam to become a licensed Professional Electrical Engineer. He has over five years of experience in

electrical engineering design. His experience consists mainly of education and health care projects, with an emphasis on power supply, lighting, fire alarm and special systems.

Nick Harkola, PE has recently passed the NYS Engineering Licensing Exam to become a licensed Professional Electrical

Engineer. He has over six years in the industry with responsibilities that include design of building and site lighting, integrated audio-video systems, fire alarm systems, access control, communications, and power distribution.

Thomas Miller, PE, PTOE recently passed the Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) exam. This certification requires a demonstration of knowledge, skill, and ability in the specailized application of traffic operations

engineering. Mr. Miller works at the firm as a transportation engineer with over 10 years of traffic engineering experience in planning and designing transportation projects. His traffic expertise has been utilized in the preparation of traffic studies, environmental documentation, preliminary design, final design, and contract documents. q

LaBella Associates News

Patricia J. Barney

Thomas Polcch, EIT

Adam Lysiak, PE

Nick Harkola, PE

Thomas Miller, PE

KCI Engineering of N.Y., a subsidiary of consulting engineer KCI Technologies Inc., welcomed Christopher J. LaManna, PE, as principal engineer in the firm’s Rochester, N.Y., office. He is charged with growing the firm’s water/wastewater practice in the state, with potential expansion into Pennsylvania and Ohio.

With more than 21 years of experience, LaManna’s career focus has been planning, evaluation, design and construction administration of municipal water and wastewater engineering projects including pumping, treatment and conveyance.

Before joining KCI, he was responsible for overseeing numerous local infrastructure improvement projects including work at the Northwest Quadrant and Frank E. Van Lare wastewater treatment plants, pump stations for Monroe County, transmission main improvements for the

Monroe County Water Authority, and piping improvements at the Rush Reservoir for the City of Rochester. He also served as project manager for pump station, wastewater facilities, and environmental engineering open-end contracts for Monroe County.

“Chris is a recognized technical leader in water and wastewater engineering,” said Office Manager Patrick G. Waterman, PE. “KCI will benefit not only from his superior level of expertise, but also his existing relationships with current and potential clients, including Monroe County Department of Environmental Services, Monroe County Water Authority, the city of Rochester, and the city of Buffalo.”

LaManna earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Syracuse University in 1990, and a master’s degree in civil engineering from San Jose State University in 1997. He is a registered professional engineer in New York and California, as well as a certified construction document technologist. He is a member of the Water Environment Federation, American Water Works Association and American Society of Civil Engineers. q

Christopher LaManna Bolsters KCI’s Water/Wastewater Capabilities in Rochester

Christopher J. LaManna, PE

Popli Design Group Welcomes New Employees

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 19advertisement | professional firms employee news

Professional Firms Employee News; continued on page 20...


Popli Design Group announced the addition of the following individuals to the firm:

Robert McCormick, AIA, has joined the firm as a senior architect and brings more than 22 years of professional experience to his position. The types of projects he has been responsible for include K-12, higher education, and various other public projects. Mr. McCormick’s primary responsibilities include design, consultant coordination, project planning, quality control, and managing the production of construction documents. He also is adept at writing Divisions 0 & 1, technical specifications, cost estimating, and construction administration. Having performed programming, code

reviews and design detailing on several large and complex projects for

sophisticated clients, he brings diverse skills to meet every project’s range of needs.

Dustin Welch has joined the firm as an architectural designer. Mr. Welch holds a master of architecture degree from the University at Buffalo, along with a bachelor of science in architecture. As a professional designer, Mr. Welch has experience in a wide range of tasks, from preparing presentations for clients to drawing details for construction bid documents. He has several years of experience with rendering, graphics and architectural applications. Mr. Welch has excellent design and communication skills that reflect in the quality work that PDG produces. q

Popli Design Group Welcomes New Employees

Robert McCormick, AIA Dustin Welch

20 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 professional firms employee news


Passero Associates congratulates Airport Engineer Bryan Savage on achieving a personal and professional milestone by successfully passing the Professional Engineer Exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York. Bryan is an engineer in the aviation services group. He works on commercial and general aviation airport improvement projects. He has approximately five years of experience and holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from University at Buffalo.

q

Passero Associates CongratulatesSavage on His Certification

Bryan Savage, PE

Prudent Engineering proudly announces that Andrew Lachina has received his New York State Professional Engineering license. Andy joined the firm’s Buffalo office in 2009 as a design engineer focusing on bridge design and inspection, construction inspection, and highway design. His clients include the New York State Thruway Authority and Department of Transportation, for whom he performs load rating calculations, design support services, biennial and interim bridge inspections, and culvert inspections. Andy is a 2007 graduate of SUNY Buffalo, from which he received his BS in civil engineering.

Tarra M. Gosnell has received her Pennsylvania Professional Engineer license. Tarra, who joined the firm’s King of Prussia office in 2009 as an engineer in the Construction Services Division, has been promoted to the position of assistant managing engineer – construction and engineering services. In her new role, Tarra maintains responsibility for developing and implementing project management processes and procedures, staffing projects, developing and sustaining client relations, budgeting and forecasting, proposal development, and performing quality review of client deliverables. Tarra is a 2006 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where she earned her B.S. in civil engineering.

Jason Spaulding recently received his Land Surveyor in Training certification from New York State. Jason has over 12 years of experience in the survey industry, all of which have been spent with Prudent. He performs as a party chief based in the firm’s East Syracuse office, and is focused on providing surveying and mapping, boundary research, and field operations support services. Jason received his AAS in forest technology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and recently completed the HAZWOPER, and CSX and Amtrak safety training programs.

Terry Mckiven has joined Prudent as a survey technician in the firm’s East Syracuse office. In his new role, Terry will be responsible for data collection in support of the firm’s design survey and mapping projects, and construction layout operations using both GPS and TPS survey equipment. Terry received his AAS degree in survey technology from Mohawk Valley Community College, and was previously employed by Bryant Associates as a survey party chief/drafter.

q

Prudent Engineering LLP Employee News

Andrew Lachina, PE

Tarra M. Gosnell, PE

Jason Spaulding,LS in-training.

Terry Mckiven

TVGA Consultants (TVGA) announced the hiring of Philip H. Crowell to its architectural team. An architectural technician, he has 15 years of experience relating to the design of schools and commercial facilities. He has been involved in 3-D modeling, creation of schematic plans and construction drawings, as well as construction administration.

James Messana has joined the firm's engineering team and an engineer I. He is a recent graduate of Clarkson University’s civil engineering program. Mr. Messana previously interned at TVGA, where he gained experience in the analysis and design of transportation projects.

Michelle L. Bodewes, PE joins the firm as a project manager.

She has 14 years of experience relating to the design of roadways, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, waterlines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, street lighting and traffic signals.

Jerome Gasiewicz has joined the construciton inspection team as an inspector. He has over 26 years of experience inspecting western New York's infrastructure. He is currently assigned to the Fruit Belt Redevelopment of Carlton and High Streets. q

TVGA Consultants Employee News

Philip H. Crowell

James Messana

Jerome Gasiewicz

Michelle L. Bodewes, PE

T.Y. Lin International (TYLI), a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm recognize its newest professional engineer. Daniel O. Keiffer, PE, LEED GA recently passed the professional engineers licensing exam.

Mr. Keiffer has eight years of experience focused on HVAC and plumbing projects for both public and private sector clients. His current and recent projects include the renovation of the Genesee Valley Park Pool and Ice Rink Building for the City of Rochester, the design of St. John Fisher College’s Facilities Maintenance Buildings, and various .projects for McDonald’s Corporation and ITT Exelis. q



professional firms employee news


Passero Associates congratulates Airport Engineer Bryan Savage on achieving a personal and professional milestone by successfully passing the Professional Engineer Exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York. Bryan is an engineer in the aviation services group. He works on commercial and general aviation airport improvement projects. He has approximately five years of experience and holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from University at Buffalo.

q

TVGA Consultants (TVGA) announced the hiring of Philip H. Crowell to its architectural team. An architectural technician, he has 15 years of experience relating to the design of schools and commercial facilities. He has been involved in 3-D modeling, creation of schematic plans and construction drawings, as well as construction administration.

James Messana has joined the firm's engineering team and an engineer I. He is a recent graduate of Clarkson University’s civil engineering program. Mr. Messana previously interned at TVGA, where he gained experience in the analysis and design of transportation projects.

Michelle L. Bodewes, PE joins the firm as a project manager.

She has 14 years of experience relating to the design of roadways, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, waterlines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, street lighting and traffic signals.

Jerome Gasiewicz has joined the construciton inspection team as an inspector. He has over 26 years of experience inspecting western New York's infrastructure. He is currently assigned to the Fruit Belt Redevelopment of Carlton and High Streets. q

Michelle L. Bodewes, PE

T.Y. Lin International (TYLI), a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm recognize its newest professional engineer. Daniel O. Keiffer, PE, LEED GA recently passed the professional engineers licensing exam.

Mr. Keiffer has eight years of experience focused on HVAC and plumbing projects for both public and private sector clients. His current and recent projects include the renovation of the Genesee Valley Park Pool and Ice Rink Building for the City of Rochester, the design of St. John Fisher College’s Facilities Maintenance Buildings, and various .projects for McDonald’s Corporation and ITT Exelis. q

T.Y. Lin International Announces Newly Licensed Professional Engineer

Daniel O. Keiffer, PE

Cornerstone Environmental Group Hires

Christopher W. Fitzpatrick, EIT has recently joined the firm as a project engineer.

Chris comes from Troy Construction where he worked as a project engineer on pipeline projects in Pennsylvania.

Chris graduated from the University of Buffalo with a bachelor of science in civil engineering. He is currently involved in several stormwater management projects and is supporting the Solid Waste and Landfill Engineering Group. q

Christopher W. Fitzpatrick, EIT

Ronald F. Foley has joined Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI), an engineering and construction services firm, as a municipal and parks and recreation liaison in its Buffalo and Babylon, NY offices.

In his new position, Mr. Foley will provide senior project management and supervision of its municipal and parks-related projects. He will be assisting GPI clients in the areas of community development, public park enhancements, environmental protection, and emergency preparation and response services.

Holding key government positions in various regions throughout New York State during his career, Mr. Foley recently retired as regional director of the Long Island Region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. In this position, he was responsible for the management and administration of 25 state parks including Atlantic Ocean beaches at Jones Beach and Robert Moses, administering several golf courses including Bethpage State Park, host of two U.S. Opens and the Barclays tournament; park preserves with environmental education programs, campground facilities; arboretums; and several other state parks. He also previously served as the agency’s executive deputy commissioner and the regional director of the Genesee Region in the Rochester area.

Prior to his New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation positions, Mr. Foley also served as Suffolk County’s commissioner of parks, recreation and conservation from 2004 through 2007. He also served as the deputy commissioner of the Department of Public Works managing the street maintenance

program and a recreation program that included two swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course, and several parks; as well as deputy budget director and the mayor’s chief of staff in the City of Troy, NY between 1998 and 2004.

Earlier in his career, after his service in the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant from 1969 to 1973, Mr. Foley owned and operated several small businesses, including a hardware store and a solid waste disposal company. Until 1983, he was the elected town supervisor of the Town of Belfast after serving as town justice and town council member, and served on the Allegany County Traffic Safety Committee.

Mr. Foley was the recipient of the State Parks Huttleston Executive Award in 1989 and 2013. He earned a bachelor of science degree in public administration in 1987 from SUNY Empire State College. He and his wife Suzanne currently reside between Long Island Town, NY and Wellsville, NY.

Greenman-Pederson also announced that Jessica Boudreau has successfully fulled the New York state Education Department's education, experience and testing requirements for licensing as a Professional Engineer. Ms. Boudreau holds a BS in civil engineering (2009) from the University of Buffalo. She has extensive experience in site design including hydrologic, hydraulic, sanitary, and structural designs as well as being an assistant team leader for the New York State Department of Transportation's Biennial and Interim Bridge Inspection Program. q

Ronald Foley Joins GPI and Jessica Boudreau Earns Her PE License

Ronald F. Foley

Jessica Boudreau, PE


News From Professional Firms

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation was awarded $1.4 million to support two energy efficiency projects that are projected to cut electricity costs by roughly $680,000 annually.

The first project is for upgrades to the central cooling plant at the Medical Center, including chiller and cooling tower replacements. Total investment is approximately $6 million. NYSERDA is providing almost $1.2 million for the upgrades as well as cost-sharing for a feasibility study conducted by M/E Engineering P.C., which helped the Medical Center optimize its energy-efficiency investments. This project is estimated to save the Medical Center more than 5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually, enough to power more than 720 average-sized homes for a year.

The second project includes measures to save energy at ECMC Corp.’s Terrace View Long-term Care Facility, a 300,000-square-foot, five-story building which opened this month. The facility is on the 65-acre ECMC Health Campus in Buffalo and includes patient rooms, eating and leisure areas, and

professional and administrative areas. The NYSERDA incentive is $220,000. The measures incorporated into the new building will help reduce energy costs by more than $250,000 annually and decrease electricity consumption by more than 1.5 million kilowatt hours, enough to power more than 200 homes a year.

M/E Engineering provided feasibility studies, engineering design, and measurement and verification services for these projects. Kenneth J. Swan, Manager of Commissioning and LEED Services at M/E Engineering, said, “NYSERDA's support for these projects allows ECMC Corporation to install equipment that is purchased initially at a premium cost compared to conventional equipment, but will generate significant operational and maintenance savings for years to come.”

The central cooling plant upgrades provide a state-of-the-art chiller plant that not only serves the existing Medical Center, but also the new construction at the campus. The chilled water distribution system upgrades will optimize the operation of the plant, according to Swan, varying the flow of chilled water being pumped based on seasonal temperature,

humidity conditions and internal building loads.

Key energy conservation measures incorporated into the Terrace View Long-term Care Facility include energy- efficient lighting systems, a variable air-volume kitchen exhaust system, high-efficiency valance heating and cooling systems, premium efficiency motors and variable frequency drives on circulating pumps and fans, and demand-controlled ventilation for densely occupied areas. NYSERDA also provided incentives for ENERGY STAR® rated refrigeration and kitchen equipment, including ranges, steamers and ovens.

M/E Engineering, P.C. is an approved provider for NYSERDA's FlexTech, Existing Facilities and New Construction Programs throughout New York State.

Additional information regarding this project or M/E Engineering, P.C. energy services offerings can be provided by contacting Ken Swan at (716) 845-5092 or [email protected]. q

M/E Engineering, P.C. Assists Erie County Medical Centerin Securing $1.4 Million in Energy Incentives

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has retained Prudent Engineering for a 2-year contract to perform general bridge inspection services for Regions 3 and 7. Under this contract, Prudent will provide coordination/office support and field services to complete the bridge inspection, inventory, and load rating work for approximately 570 bridges. Prudent will also coordinate the Work Zone Traffic Control during the inspections to ensure the safety of the traveling public. q

NYSDOT Selects Prudent Engineering toPerform Biennial and Interim Bridge Inspection Contract

Beardsley Design Associates NewsAIT Barracks Phase II at Fort Lee, Virginia Receives LEED Gold Certification

Beardsley Design Associates Architecture, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, P.C. announced that the 544,944 square foot AIT Phase II Facility consisting of three five-story Barracks/Company Operations buildings at Fort Lee, VA has been awarded LEED® Gold certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, and Beardsley Design Associates were committed to implementing sustainable design to create a better living and working environment for the soldiers. Achieving LEED Gold certification for AIT Phase II was a substantial achievement for the Norfolk District and furthers the Government’s commitment to sustainable design,” said Mark Rebich, Principal of Beardsley Design Associates. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Purcell Construction Corporation have been true partners throughout design, construction, and the certification process.”

To achieve LEED Gold, emphasis was placed on sustainable features that enhance the quality of life and reduce energy consumption such as the low-emitting paints and interior finishes, high-performance energy-efficient building mechanical and lighting systems with individual controllability of lighting, heating, and cooling, and the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures reducing potable water use by over 50%. q

news from professional firms

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 23news from professional firms

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has retained Prudent Engineering for a 2-year contract to perform general bridge inspection services for Regions 3 and 7. Under this contract, Prudent will provide coordination/office support and field services to complete the bridge inspection, inventory, and load rating work for approximately 570 bridges. Prudent will also coordinate the Work Zone Traffic Control during the inspections to ensure the safety of the traveling public. q

NYSDOT Selects Prudent Engineering toPerform Biennial and Interim Bridge Inspection Contract

Beardsley Design Associates Architecture, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, P.C. announced that the 544,944 square foot AIT Phase II Facility consisting of three five-story Barracks/Company Operations buildings at Fort Lee, VA has been awarded LEED® Gold certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, and Beardsley Design Associates were committed to implementing sustainable design to create a better living and working environment for the soldiers. Achieving LEED Gold certification for AIT Phase II was a substantial achievement for the Norfolk District and furthers the Government’s commitment to sustainable design,” said Mark Rebich, Principal of Beardsley Design Associates. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Purcell Construction Corporation have been true partners throughout design, construction, and the certification process.”

To achieve LEED Gold, emphasis was placed on sustainable features that enhance the quality of life and reduce energy consumption such as the low-emitting paints and interior finishes, high-performance energy-efficient building mechanical and lighting systems with individual controllability of lighting, heating, and cooling, and the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures reducing potable water use by over 50%. q

News From Professional Firms; continued on page 24...

Town of Farmington Opens New Highway GarageAfter months of planning and hard work, local dignitaries, distinguished guests, and town residents gathered Saturday, June 1st, to dedicate the new highway garage in the Town of Farmington.

The $3.9 million project, which began in 2011, was made possible through the joint efforts of Senator Mike Nozzolio, who secured funding for the Town through the Video Lottery Terminal Impact Aid Program, and Farmington Town Supervisor Ted Fafinski and Highway/Parks Superintendent Ed McLaughlin.

MRB Group of Rochester was responsible for the design of the new highway garage which replaced the Town's aging highway garage on Collett Road.

“This Facility has come about in a timely fashion as the Town has been experiencing continued growth through the past few years,” said Superintendent McLaughlin. “This Building has been designed to take the Highway Department well into the future with no impact to the tax base of the Town. The land and the new 4,300-ton Salt Barn have been financed from Capital Reserves. As stewards of tax dollars, we are leveraging the best use with the least impact to continue to provide the services and infrastructure the residents expect of the Town.”

“The festivities on June 1st were the culmination of nearly two years of hard work in what was truly a joint venture with the Town of Farmington,” said Ryan T. Colvin, President, MRB Group Engineering, Architecture, Surveying, P.C. “We thank Senator Nozzolio for securing the necessary funding to support this project and commend Supervisor Fafinski and Superintendent McLaughlin on a job well done. All of us at MRB Group are proud of our long history and strong partnership with our state and local officials.”

Located on Hook Road just south of the New York State Thruway the 48,500 square-foot building will be the centerpiece of a new highway campus and incorporates many innovative features, including a radiant floor heating system beneath the administrative offices and a clerestory for natural lighting. Within the primary vehicle garage, there are two interior storage mezzanines, a wash bay, and a 7,500 square-foot vehicle maintenance area equipped with lifts and an overhead crane. Also on the new highway campus is a new 4,300-ton salt storage barn, a sizeable upgrade from the town’s 700-ton storage barn in use today. Such a significant increase in stored tonnage will maximize efficiency and minimize costs for town operations.

The previous highway garage was built in 1961, and expanded in 1971 to 11,000 square-feet, but had no room for additional expansion at its location. In recent years, the Town of Farmington has seen rapid growth in the number of residents – just under 12,000 listed in the 2010 census – and in the number of neighborhoods and a new highway garage was needed to keep pace with the growth.

Beginning in 2014, the town will add one more three-hour plow route to its rotation, and will continue to maintain 91 miles of town roads, including 26 miles of subdivision roads. The Highway Department also contracts with County of Ontario to plow and mow 15.5 miles of county roads in Farmington and New York State DOT to mow 3.5 miles along State Route 332. The town’s Parks Department will relocate from its existing 3,000 square-foot shop at 420 Hook Road to the old highway garage location at 5630 Collett Road.

(Photo Credit: Messenger Post Media)MRB Group President, Ryan T. Colvin, P.E., addressed local officials, distinguished guests, and town residents at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new highway garage in the Town of Farmington. The new highway garage is the latest joint venture completed by the Town of Farmington and MRB Group, the town engineer-of-record for more than forty years. Seated behind Mr. Colvin are Farmington Highway/Parks Superintendent Ed McLaughlin and Town Supervisor Theodore Fafinski.

Town of Farmington New Highway Garage

Designed by MRB GroupSite work performed by Town highway personnel

Total Budget: $3.9 million – approximately $80 per square-foot(Original budget estimate was $4.2 million)

Dimensions: • 48,500 square-feet (sf ) - 36,300 sf of vehicle garage space - 7,500 sf of vehicle and maintenance space - 4,700 sf of administrative and personnel space • Length – 375 feet • Clear Span – 120 feet • Clear Height – 20 feet

Interior features: • Energy Efficiency - Radiant floor heating system - High-efficiency boilers - LED lighting - Clerestory windows for natural day-lighting - Recipient of $11,000 in NYSERDA incentives • Functionality - Wash bay - Vehicle maintenance lifts - Overhead, 5-ton crane - Two mezzanines for equipment storage - Bumper rail system for wall protection

Exterior features: • 8-12-foot tall masonry knee walls • 20-foot tall angled walls at entrance • Large corner storefront windows in administrative area • Expanded overhang for equipment storage


News From Professional Firms

news from professional firms

The 2013 AIA Rochester Award for Design Excellence Mayor’s Award has been presented to the Bridge Square Building at 242 W. Main Street. “The jury finds that this project adds to the growing vitality of the Cascade District while retaining and enhancing the historic character of the building and district. By restoring window and door openings, the design team opened the building to the public, allowing passerby to enjoy the bright, lively interiors. By repurposing this former factory and by reusing existing materials, the team showed a concern for both the built and natural environments. The impact of this project goes well beyond its immediate context, as it joins several other developments that are bringing new life to our community,” said Peter Siegrist, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Planner, City of Rochester.

Mayor Richards presented the award to Peter Wehner, AIA, Associate and Senior Project Architect of Passero Associates at the AIA Rochester annual Design Awards Gala on June 1st at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester.

This 111-year old, trapezoidal, five-story brick building, formerly used as a factory, adjunct City Hall, and as a trade and high school, was an empty eyesore at the western edge of downtown Rochester. It has been transformed into a mixed-use, sustainable, urban structure with modern office space, retail, and loft-style residential living with underground and outdoor parking. This historic building, artfully renovated and designed, now serves as an anchor for this downtown neighborhood, bringing over 100 professionals to the area to live and work.

In its RFP process, the City of Rochester set forth specific criteria for the renovation, requiring creative re-use of the building, the use of green development

concepts, a strong mixed-use urban concept, and respect for and utilization of the building’s heritage and historic character. This design has achieved all of these goals, with careful attention paid to any opportunity for re-use of original materials, incorporation of historic elements, and maximization of productive use of the space.

76% of the existing building materials have been either recycled, donated, sold, or reused. The existing windows were replaced with energy-efficient windows with historic aesthetics and the original window patterns were restored to the façade. The retail space, apartments and offices have been designed to take full advantage of the natural light provided by the large windows, reducing the need for artificial lighting and contributing to the beauty of the space.

Glass walls throughout the office space allow for an open, modern work environment, which combined with historic and preserved elements, creates a dynamic contrast between the old and the new. Existing brick work and mill construction were left exposed to enable understanding of the building’s history.

The building’s design concept centers around the use of contemporary design elements used to heighten awareness of the original old mill construction. The old and new stand in stark contrast to one another, but each element stands on its own and remains evident and valid. The use of glass, stainless steel, and natural materials abound in the redevelopment.

The building was originally surrounded by the canal and many crossing bridges, hence the name “Bridge Square.” The building is now surrounded by mixed use buildings and neighborhoods, and is located just inside the Western Gateway

to Downtown Rochester. The Central Business District (Center City) is directly to the east. Development of this building provides a significant anchor site to help complete the ongoing renaissance of this area.

The area has been designated as an historic district and the Bridge Square Building was carefully renovated and restored in accordance with the National Park Service Historic preservation guidelines. LEED certification is being sought.

This successful renovation honors the past, present and future of a vital urban area.

Project Name: Bridge Square Building Project Location: 242 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614

Architect of Record:Peter R. Wehner, AIAPassero Associates Architects and Engineers242 West Main St., Suite 100 Rochester, NY 14614 (585) 325-1000

Owner/Client:Bridge Square, LLC7 Van Auker St. Rochester, NY 14608 (585) 436-2701

General Contractor:Spoleta Construction 7 Van Auker St. Rochester, NY 14608 (585) 436-2701

Structural Engineers: Jensen/BRV1653 E Main St # 3 Rochester, NY 14609 (585) 482-8130

MEP Engineers: Picard Engineers3159 Winton Rd S Ste 207 Rochester, NY 14623 (585) 292-6060

HVAC Contractor: Kenron Industrial Air Conditioning299 Gregory Street Rochester, NY 14620 (585) 442-5600

Electrical Contractor: Mussumeci Electric1451 Harris Rd Webster, NY 14580 (585) 330-8883

Plumbing SubcontractorJohn Lockwood Plumbing 357 Timothy Lane Ontario, NY 14519 (585) 265-0736

Commissioning Consultant: Consolidated Commissioning Services, Inc.PO Box 2331, Syracuse, NY 13220-2331

Professional Photography Don Cochran Photography 473 Boughtin Hill Road Honeoye Falls, NY 14472 (585) 624-5980

Bridge Square Building Design Team Honored at AIA Rochester Annual Design Awards Gala

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 25news from professional firms

The Western New York Chapter of the Association for Bridge Construction and Design has recognized the Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge as the 2012 Project of the Year for bridges under $2M.

T.Y. Lin International completed the Erie-Lackawanna Rails-to-Trails Pedestrian Bridge conversion project – a project that had been a vision for nearly 25 years before becoming a reality – for the City of Rochester. For this $1.5 million undertaking, T.Y. Lin International provided engineering, design and construction phase services to convert the abandoned, historic City-owned Erie-Lackawanna Railroad Bridge over the Genesee River into a multi-use pedestrian bridge.

The original structure dates back to 1854 when it carried the Rochester branch of the Erie Railroad across the Genesee River. Between 1917 and 1920, it was enlarged as part of the third expansion of the Erie Canal. This heavy plate girder structure is carried on a series of cut limestone piers. The structure showcases standard engineering and construction practices of the day and is considered by New York’s State Historic Preservation Office to be a cultural resource eligible for inclusion in the State and National Registers of Historic Places. This project married innovative engineering principles with historical appreciation to create an enduring

The Monroe County Civic Center Plaza Rehabilitation Project continues its winning streak and has been recognized as the 2012 Project of the Year Structures by the New York State Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA). The Civic Center was previously named 2012 Project of the Year by the Genesee Valley Chapter of the APWA. T.Y. Lin International (TYLI) led the six-member design team and Crane-Hogan Structural Systems, Inc. spearheaded the work of four construction firms.

The Project of the Year Award recognizes excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by recognizing the partnership between the managing agency, the engineer, and a contractor who together have led to a successful completion of a public works project.

Winner in the Structural Projects $5 - $25 Million Category, this project transformed Monroe County’s Civic Center Plaza and Parking Garage from a chronically leaking structure and “sterile, uninviting space” into a fully protected parking garage and the largest green roof in Western New York.

The Monroe County Civic Center Plaza and Parking Garage, located in downtown Rochester, is a unique facility with the roof of the parking garage serving as a more than three-acre public plaza for the Civic Center. When the existing waterproofing membrane of the plaza failed, it caused considerable leakage in the garage and other occupied space below the plaza. TYLI completed a condition assessment and developed rehabilitation plans. The design team’s solution to the leaking issues was a unique redundant waterproofing system, an advancement over typical one-layer protection systems. An electronic leak detection system was

also incorporated to identify any unlikely future membrane breaches.

With the practical issues resolved, the design focused on transforming the hardscaped plaza into a green roof with a park-like appearance. For this portion of the project, a host of security challenges, which could have threatened the adjacent public courts and County jail, were addressed. Today, panels of lawn and mass sedum plantings provide large areas of green space. A variety of trees in raised planters ensure color throughout the seasons. The green roof is a model of sustainability and reduces rain water runoff into the storm water system by 30%. Additional rain water is captured in a 24,000-gallon rain water harvesting system which provides irrigation to the green roof. The County’s weekly savings for the roof system is 24,000 gallons of domestic water use. Further savings are realized with energy efficient lighting which reduces wattages by 50%.

This project was completed with the assistance of federal stimulus funds through the Green Initiative Grant Program. In order to meet the grant requirements and internal County timelines, this $10M project had to proceed from concept design to bid documents in only seven weeks. A project of this magnitude normally requires a six- to eight-month design cycle.

The Civic Center project has also won the Platinum Award in the Special Projects Category of the 2013 Engineering Excellence Awards sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York and the 2012 Harley Hill Excellence in Lighting Award in the Exterior Category of the Illuminating Engineering Society, Rochester Section.

Monroe County’s Civic Center Plaza Rehabilitation

Wins State and Local Project of the Year Awards

Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge Named Association for Bridge Construction

and Design Project of the Year

Continued on next page...


Rochester Chapter

Society for Imaging Science and TechnologyWebsite:

is&t news | news from professional firms

Save the Dates: 2013-14 Meeting ScheduleSeptember 18, 2013

October 16, 2013November 13, 2013December 11, 2014

January 15, 2014February 12, 2014

March 19, 2014April 9, 2014May 21, 2014

Our meetings are held at 6:00 pm in Room 1275 of the Carlson Center for Imaging Science on the RIT campus. Everyone is welcome to attend. Parking is available in the F lot, just north of the building. No meeting reservations are required.

structure offering a quality of life improvement to the community. Throughout the course of the project, T.Y. Lin International and the City of Rochester worked hand in hand to build community support and address design challenges. One such hurdle was to create an aesthetically-pleasing, ADA compliant access ramp within a severely limited physical space that was rife with utility conflicts. Success was achieved with a unique serpentine alignment that avoided the utilities, kept an acceptable grade for ADA access, and complemented the natural environment of the river walk area.

The final design of this adaptive re-use project incorporated approximately 1600 linear-feet of multi-use trail to and across the existing railroad bridge – connecting the University of Rochester, Bausch and Lomb Park, the Genesee Riverway Trail, the Plymouth-Exchange neighborhood, and the Vacuum Oil Brownfield Opportunity Area while providing another vital trail link to the downtown area. The impact of the Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge is being acknowledged on all sides. At the ribbon cutting celebration, the City was presented with the 2012 Champion Award from the New York State Bicycle Coalition in recognition of the City’s notable achievements in promoting cycling throughout the Rochester region. The award honors communities that exemplify a willingness to invest in programs that improve the lives of cyclists, increase accessibility, and support green initiatives.

“The Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge further establishes our commitment to invest in the natural resources that give our city such an incredible quality of life, “ said Mayor Thomas Richards.

“For many decades, Rochester literally turned its back on the Genesee River. With projects like this, we are giving our residents and visitors new opportunities to experience the beauty of this river on a daily basis.”

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, University of Rochester President Joel Seligman affirmed the University’s commitment to the area and echoed the Mayor’s sentiments stating, “The University is proud to partner with the City, neighbors, community leaders and private developers on transformational projects and initiatives to revitalize and redevelop the areas surrounding the University. The completion of this bridge, like the pedestrian bridge before it, is another physical embodiment of our collective efforts to enhance our connection with the City and its neighborhoods. We remain committed to connecting with and contributing to our community, and appreciate the continued collaboration that makes this important work possible. Today, we celebrate the many ways that the University and community are linked – now and for many years to come.”

The full service project included planning, detailed structural inspection, design of a new concrete deck, landscape architecture, and community involvement. It blended conventional steel bridge rehabilitation and concrete repairs with modern day pre-cast retaining wall systems. Today, the historic Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge is a scenic structure providing an important link to the Genesee Riverway Trail for City of Rochester residents and visitors. q

Erie-Lackawanna Pedestrian Bridge Named Association for Bridge Construction and Design Project of the Year; Continued


Campus News

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Beardsley Design Associates announced that Tracy L. Bellerdine, Registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional, has been selected as the recipient of the 2013 Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce, Terri Bridenbecker, Young Professional Award. The Award is in memory of Terri Bridenbecker, past Executive Director of the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce from 2001 to 2009, who passed away unexpectedly in January

2009 at the young age of 47. The award recognizes an individual who is pursuing excellence in their career. A young professional is a goal-

oriented person under the age of 40.

Richard Elliott, President of Beardsley Design Associates, feels that Tracy is very deserving of this professional recognition. He notes that Ms. Bellerdine has been with the firm for 13 years. In that time Tracy has successfully passed the licensing exam to become a Registered Architect in New York State and the U.S. Green Building Council’s certification to become a LEED Accredited Professional. Tracy is dedicated to designing sustainable buildings that are comfortable for the occupant and respectful to the natural environment. She has taken a lead in the firm’s job shadowing program, visiting schools and leading job shadowing days, at the office, to give students a better idea of the profession she loves. Tracy also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity.

q

Bellerdine Receives Young Professional Award

Tracy L. Bellerdine, RA

Social media became an integral part of a packaging redesign project, connecting student-designers in Rochester with clients nearly 400 miles away in Washington, D.C.

Graduate students in the packaging science program at Rochester Institute of Technology used social media and an alumni connection to bridge the distance between themselves and Robert Morton, co-owner of Power Supply, a prepared-meals company in the nation’s capital. It was a chance for the packaging students to provide consulting work within the context of a graduate seminar, and for Morton to explore new, more sustainable packaging options for his health-conscious meals and customers.

The project was part of a spring quarter class led by Deanna Jacobs, professor of packaging science and graduate program chair in RIT’s College of Applied Science and Technology. But the working relationship began several weeks earlier when RIT packaging alumnus Derrick Lawrence, senior packaging engineer with Seventh Generation, a national green cleaning products company, introduced his former professor to Morton.

“You know what rocks? Networking,” says Jacobs, who built the seminar class around Morton’s project. “I was intrigued. I thought, what a great, cool experiment, to actually have the opportunity to use social media to design a system for a confined geographic region, but keeping in mind long-term applicability to urban areas across the country.”

Since opening two years ago, Morton’s company has provided more than 250,000 packaged meals to members at CrossFit and other gyms in the D.C. area. Clients pick up the meals weekly at the gyms. With such a large volume of packaged products, even

small changes to materials can make a big environmental impact, Jacobs adds.

Popular among active fitness communities, the paleo lifestyle emphasizes nutrient-dense, high quality vegetables, animal and seafood proteins along with fruits, nuts and healthy fats. Currently, Power Supply’s prepared meals are packaged fresh in individual containers then wrapped together in 2-, 3- or 6-meal sets. The redesign project entailed finding a sustainable alternative to the cling wrap being used to bundle meals, developing a more sustainable overall packaging system and customizing the packaging to enhance Power Supply’s brand.

“Sustainability was a big driver and the original spark for the project,” says Morton. “But we also asked students to consider this idea of ‘opening joy.’ You eat with all your senses, so thinking about usability and the experience from a customer’s perspective of interacting with this package was a key factor, in addition to production realities.”

The first series of designs was posted to a private networking space, built by student Catherine Burke, located on the company’s Facebook site. The students, separated into three working groups, sent photos and drawings of prototypes with information about the advantages of stacked or sealed packages with different models of handles on the primary containers or with special lids that held together multiple containers. Other designs included reusable bags accenting the logo—a hand holding a bunch of carrots—as the actual handle design. All options had details about materials used and the environmental impact.

Customer feedback included questions about reusing the current packages, the ability to

microwave containers and recycling options. Using Facebook provided immediate and important feedback for the students from customers invested in the lifestyle and supportive of the company, says Burke.

Her classmate, David Goldstein, agreed. “They see what you may not. This was one of the first times I have used Facebook for feedback or had customers so involved in the process.”

Over the past few years, the RIT packaging science department has worked closely with corporations on re-design projects like this one, and the students learn about how clients and designers work together on product development teams. It is a real-world scenario, but also an unpredictable and interesting one, says Jacobs. “Didn’t we discover that it was just as complicated to work in a confined area with boundaries, as with larger multi-national corporations and a huge geographic area? It was a fascinating learning experience for us.”

Both Morton and co-owner Patrick Smith participated in a design review with the students over Skype on the last day of class. All the data about materials used, the environmental impact statements, and the design dimensions were submitted to the company; Morton and Smith plan to carry the design research further with customer advisers later this year.

“Introducing change for packaging at the core of your product is a big thing that has to be done with care,” says Morton. “So getting actionable suggestions on everything from short-term improvement steps to pursuing one of these completely new ideas in the medium-to-longer term is hugely valuable and core to what we’re doing around sustainability and the customer experience. ” q

Facebook replaces traditional focus groups for customer feedback on packaging projectRIT packaging students help business owner re-design paleo meal packs to be more sustainable


Campus News

campus news

The Wolverines led through most of the endurance race, but close on their tails were Tigers, Bears and Cardinals. Collegiate Baja race teams from Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, Ohio Northern University, and the University of Louisville were four of the 90 teams competing in the 2013 SAE Baja Rochester World Challenge.

The University of Louisville Cardinals took first place during the four-hour endurance event, beating the Michigan State University Wolverines at the checkered flag by two seconds. RIT Racing, which placed seventh in the same event, also won the coveted Toyota Teamwork Award, given to the group that goes above and beyond helping other teams throughout the competition.

“Teams compete toe-to-toe in these competitions, but at the same time, when someone needs something, they offer assistance,” says Christopher Powell, sales and service manager of Briggs and Stratton, an event sponsor. “To me that is the Baja way—to compete, but to still have each other’s back—and the school that has helped repeatedly is Rochester Institute of Technology.”

National and international collegiate racing teams participated in the Society of Automotive Engineers design challenge, three-days of off-road racing held at RIT on June 7 and at Hogback Hill in Palmyra, N.Y. on June 8 and 9. This was the fifth time RIT has hosted the international design and race event. Colleges from seven countries were represented—the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, India and the United Arab Emirates—and more than 790 engineering and engineering technology students competed.

In individual events, RIT Racing placed second in acceleration and maneuverability, third in the hill climb, and tied for fourth in the design competition with Cornell University and Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Brazil).

The top overall performance finishers were:• McGill University• Louisville• RIT• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor• Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil)• Ecole de Technologie Superieure (Canada) • University of Maryland Baltimore County

• University of Wisconsin Madison• Ohio Northern University • Iowa State University

Teams from India and the United Arab Emirates traveled more than 24 hours to attend the competition; fellow competitors from Mexico drove twice that amount of time to reach RIT. New York state teams participating included Cornell, Clarkson and Buffalo State.

“I like being around all the teams and seeing the way they work together,” says Eugenia Episcopo, Buffalo State’s team captain. The second-year mechanical engineering technology major was proud of her team’s performance, especially with many new members. “This is so much more than just putting parts together. It takes a lot of time, a lot of engineering. There’s a lot to the design, and good designers behind what we build.”

Baja events are an educational design competition, and companies come to the event to find students that are not only book smart, but business smart, says Shannon Henderson, Honda talent management/recruiter and an event volunteer. The international company is a long-time sponsor of SAE collegiate design programs.

“We participate in three of the Baja and two of the Formula events a year,” says Henderson. “We often look for mechanical and electrical engineers, the ones knowledgeable in those areas, but also those with enthusiasm for the work. If they already have the passion, these are the ones we are looking for.”

It takes nearly a year to design, build and test the off-road vehicles for competitions, says Tim Brogan, team manager for RIT Racing. Many of the

students are engineering and engineering technology majors; however, to provide financial, marketing and logistical support, team members need more than technological skills.

“This is like a small business,” says Brogan, who will go into his fourth year at RIT in its mechanical engineering technology program.

Sam Barill, manager, SAE Collegiate Design Series, Educational Relations, agreed: “Companies come to the event for more than the fun,” Barill says. “These engineering students are the crème de la crème.”

q

As Clear as Mud: 2013 SAE Baja Rochester World Challenge Crowns ChampionsHost team RIT takes Teamwork Award and third in overall performance at international event

The rain and mud did not deter the 90 collegiate racing teams at the 2013 SAE Baja Rochester World Challenge. RIT Racing placed third place overall in the major international competition, and was also awarded the Briggs and Stratton Teamwork Award, given to the group that goes above and beyond helping other teams throughout the competition. Photo by Michael Bush


Campus News

campus news

A new study by astronomers at NASA, Johns Hopkins University and Rochester Institute of Technology confirms long-held suspicions about how stellar-mass black holes produce their highest-energy light.

“We’re accurately representing the real object and calculating the light an astronomer would actually see,” says Scott Noble, associate research scientist in RIT’s Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation. “This is a first-of-a-kind calculation where we actually carry out all the pieces together. We start with the equations we expect the system to follow, and we solve those full equations on a supercomputer. That gives us the data with which we can then make the predictions of the X-ray spectrum.”

Lead researcher Jeremy Schnittman, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, says the study looks at one of the most extreme physical environments in the universe: “Our work traces the complex motions, particle interactions and turbulent magnetic fields in billion-degree gas on the threshold of a black hole.”

By analyzing a supercomputer simulation of gas flowing into a black hole, the team finds they can reproduce a range of important X-ray features long observed in active black holes.

“We’ve predicted and come to the same evidence that the observers have,” Noble says. “This is very encouraging because it says we actually understand what’s going on. If we made all the correct steps and we saw a totally different answer, we’d have to rethink what our model is.”

Gas falling toward a black hole initially orbits around it and then accumulates into a flattened disk. The gas stored in this disk gradually spirals inward and becomes compressed and heated as it nears the center. Ultimately reaching temperatures up to 20 million degrees Fahrenheit (12 million C) — some 2,000 times hotter than the sun’s surface — the gas shines brightly in low-energy, or soft, X-rays.

For more than 40 years, however,

observations show that black holes also produce considerable amounts of “hard” X-rays, light with energy 10 to hundreds of times greater than soft X-rays. This higher-energy light implies the presence of correspondingly hotter gas, with temperatures reaching billions of degrees.

The new study bridges the gap between theory and observation, demonstrating that both hard and soft X-rays inevitably arise from gas spiraling toward a black hole.

Working with Noble and Julian Krolik, a professor at Johns Hopkins, Schnittman developed a process for modeling the inner region of a black hole’s accretion disk, tracking the emission and movement of X-rays, and comparing the results to observations of real black holes.

Noble developed a computer simulation solving all of the equations governing the complex motion of inflowing gas and its associated magnetic fields near an accreting black hole. The rising temperature, density and speed of the infalling gas dramatically amplify magnetic fields threading through the disk, which then exert additional influence on the gas.

The result is a turbulent froth orbiting the black hole at speeds approaching the speed of light. The calculations simultaneously tracked the fluid, electrical and magnetic properties of the gas while also taking into account Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Running on the Ranger supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center located at the University of Texas in Austin, Noble's simulation used 960 of Ranger’s nearly 63,000 central processing units and took 27 days to complete.

Over the years, improved X-ray observations provided mounting evidence that hard X-rays originated in a hot, tenuous corona above the disk, a structure analogous to the hot corona that surrounds the sun.

“Astronomers also expected that the disk supported strong magnetic fields and hoped that these fields might bubble up out of it, creating the corona,” Noble says. “But no

one knew for sure if this really happened and, if it did, whether the X-rays produced would match what we observe.”

Using the data generated by Noble’s simulation, Schnittman and Krolik developed tools to track how X-rays were emitted, absorbed and scattered throughout both the accretion disk and the corona region. Combined, they demonstrate for the first time a direct connection between magnetic turbulence in the disk, the formation of a billion-degree corona, and the production of hard X-rays around an actively “feeding” black hole. Results from the study, “X-ray Spectra from Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Accreting Black Holes,” were published in the June 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ, 769, 156).

In the corona, electrons and other particles move at appreciable fractions of the speed of light. When a low-energy X-ray from the disk travels through this region, it may collide with one of the fast-moving particles. The impact greatly increases the X-ray’s energy through a process known as inverse Compton scattering.

“Black holes are truly exotic, with extraordinarily high temperatures, incredibly rapid motions and gravity exhibiting the full weirdness of general relativity,” Krolik says. “But our calculations show we can understand a lot about them using only standard physics principles.”

The study was based on a non-rotating black hole. The researchers are extending the results to spinning black holes, where rotation pulls the inner edge of the disk further inward and conditions become even more extreme. They also plan a detailed comparison of their results to the wealth of X-ray observations now archived by NASA and other institutions.

Black holes are the densest objects known. Stellar-mass black holes form when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse, crushing up to 20 times the sun’s mass into compact objects less than 75 miles (120 kilometers) wide. q

NASA-led Study Explains Decades of Black Hole ObservationsRIT scientist’s simulation code takes ‘snapshots’ of the X-ray spectra

30 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 afe news

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 31swe news

If you are interested in becoming involved or serving as a committee chair, please contact one of the board members. Monthly board meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month starting in September.

It’s Time to Renew! Don’t forget to renew your SWE membership dues for FY2014. SWE’s membership year runs July 1 through June 30. Don’t miss out on the SWE Magazine, access to the SWE resume database, and other benefits of membership. Visit www.societyofwomenengineers.swe.org to join if you are not already a member!

The executive board will hold a program planning meeting on Thursday, Aug. 22nd at 7 pm. Come find out about our plans to create an all-women build team for Habitat for Humanity! Please contact Carol Richardson at [email protected] to RSVP and for specific meeting location details.

In this issue of the Rochester Engineer, we highlight the rest of our FY14 Executive Board members.

VICE PRESIDENT: Jodi CarvilleBS Industrial EngineeringJodi is the Director of the Women in Engineering Program at RIT. She is responsible for the initiatives to inspire, educate, recruit, support and retain girls and women engineering students focused on engineering careers. She has worked with IBM and Kodak as an engineer and in sales and marketing with both Kodak and Learning International. Jodi also ran a successful direct sales business for 16 years; marketing children’s educational products that inspire learning. She recruited and trained women to be business owners and served as a speaker and trainer at conferences and events across the country. She has been an active volunteer in many school and community events including her two sons’ hockey and baseball teams. She serves on the RIT Women and Gender Board, is active with the Rochester SWE Section, and enjoys long distance biking, travel, gardening and family activities.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR: Cheryl HanzlikB.S. Physics PreMed option: Minors: Biology and Chemistry, St. John Fisher CollegeM.A, Ph.D. Physics, The University of Rochester; M.S. Imaging Science, Color Science Track, RITCheryl is currently an adjunct professor in Biomedical Engineering and a con-focal microscopy technician at RIT. She worked twenty two years for Xerox Corporation as a xerographic materials, product developer, manufacturing, computer and color science engineers. She holds a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma and is also a certified SCRUM Master. She is an author of ten patents. She is editor-in-chief of the Cenco Inquiry -Based AP Physics Lab Manual and accompanying lab kits. She has performed much STEM outreach. Her research interest is in biomass production as an animal forage and energy resource. She is the mother of three adult daughters.

AWARDS/SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR: Jeanne ChristmanBS Electrical and Computer Engineering, ClarksonMS Computer Science, University of Texas at DallasJeanne is an assistant professor of Computer Engineering Technology in Rochester Institute of Technology’s College of Applied Science and Technology. Her primary area of focus is embedded systems design. She worked in industry for ten years as an integrated circuit designer. Jeanne’s secondary area of focus is on the recruitment and retention of women in science and technology. She is a board member of RIT’s Women In Technology Program and has developed and participated in numerous outreach events aimed at 4th-7th grade students.

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Susan AurandBS ME, Purdue University; MS ME, The University of RochesterSusan has been active in the Rochester SWE Section for the past 18 years. She has held several leadership positions in the section including president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, membership committee chair, and newsletter editor. She has enjoyed meeting and working with other women engineers while attending regional conferences and planning meetings and events for SWE Rochester. Currently Susan is employed as a mechanical engineer at Xerox working in product development of high speed digital production presses.

If you are interested in becoming involved on a committee, please contact Carol Richardson at [email protected]. Visit us online at www.swerochester.org and Like our SWE Rochester page on Facebook.

Rochester SectionSociety of Women Engineersc/o RES at the RMSC, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 www.swerochester.orgASPIRE • ADVANCE • ACHIEVE

2013-2014 Executive BoardROCHESTER SECTION

PresidentCarol [email protected]

Vice PresidentJodi Carville, [email protected]

SecretaryDr. Marca [email protected]

TreasurerJacqueline TysonXerox [email protected]

Council of Representatives Mary Barker StebleinLaBella Associates [email protected]

Membership ChairCheryl [email protected]

Awards/Scholarship ChairJeanne [email protected]

Newsletter EditorSusand AurandXerox [email protected]

Feel free to contact any of us with questions, comments, or concerns. Email can be directed to [email protected]

The Society of Women Engineers inspires women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders; expands the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in the quality of life; and demonstrates the value of diversity.

Pictured left to right:Jodi Carville,

Dr. Cheryl Hanzlik, Jeanne Christman,

Susan Aurand

32 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 apwa news

Genesee Valley BranchAmerican Public Works Associationwww.APWA.net

Geoffrey Benway, PEGenesee Valley Branch President

With each passing day, I hear of another public works individual announcing his or her retirement. I recently attended a “retirement” party for Lee Sinsebox of Costich Engineers. (Of course, nobody ever really “retires”, it’s just a transition to other activities and opportunities!).

My first reaction is always amazement as I have worked or known these well respected people for a good portion of my career. The second reaction is jealousy as I realize that day is a long way off for me. Eventually, my mood turns to sadness when I realize the loss of experience, knowledge, and their legacy of many outstanding public works projects. As I look forward to the next few years at the Town of Penfield, I realize that many of my peers will be retiring in the next few years as well. This will leave a huge void in the operations and abilities of government at many levels. In my years of consulting engineering, there was always a system of the senior staff training the college graduates on the tips and traits needed to succeed. I have worked with many outstanding individuals who helped me along the way, Donald Schmidt, Joseph Siracuse, Jim Kaniecki, Floyd Herrick, Anthony Malone, John Graham, Terry Rice, Greg Barbour, Doug Fox, Jim Costello, Channing Philbrick, and countless others that provided their assistance, guidance, and professionalism.

I see a looming danger for many levels of government that this brain drain will affect public works for many years. As governments look for ways to reduce costs, staffs are being reduced or retirements are left unfilled. There is less time for mentoring or, worse yet, no additional people are being hired to fill the gaps. Public works is more than just a cog in the machine. It takes a unique personality to work with the public on a day to day

basis. A successful and efficient public works agency is more than being book smart. Each individual must be a multi-tasker, possess infinite patience, be oblivious to second guessing and contempt, and have a strong desire to help their fellow man. Having a mentor at every level of government is a critical need to show how these tools can be used to facilitate a positive impact on the community. Of course, institutional knowledge is almost impossible to pass on without adequate time. Whether it’s past property owners, a previous code issue, or a construction issue, there are some things that cannot be filed for future generations. For those that tried to read on old easement description (“starting at Farmer Brown’s oak tree and turning toward the east…”) you know what I mean!

Mentoring is another advantage of APWA. In our local branch and in APWA nationally, there is strong desire to increase membership in our younger members. They provide optimism, energy, and purpose to us older members. Networking APWA events can be more than an educational opportunity. It can be chance to meet and talk to those with years of experience. The Genesee Valley Branch is making strides to encourage younger members to be involved at many levels and events. Our future depends upon it.

I ask all managers at consulting firms, contractors, vendors, and government agencies to consider allowing your younger employees to get involved with APWA (or any other professional/technical society). For a better tomorrow, we need to train our next generation of public works practioners.

incose news


Finger Lakes Chapter

International Council on Systems Engineeringwww.incose/org/flc

incose news

Upcoming Chapter Meeting EventsWe hope you have enjoyed the 6 topics that were presented so far this year through our local chapter of INCOSE. Most of the presentation materials are available on our website (Events Tab - see link below), and some presentations are recorded there as well; in case you were not able to view live.

We are taking our normal summer break from chapter meeting so there will be no meetings (or presentations) for the months of July and August.

A dinner meeting/presentation is being planned for September. So please look to the next issue of RES or our Chapter website (given below) for further details. The website will have the latest information.

July-August PLEASE NOTE THAT: Presentations will be on haitus for July and August - resuming in September.September Dinner Meeting/Presentation details forthcoming.Oct.-Nov. Details forthcoming (Note, there is no chapter meeting in December)

Please check the FLC website (Events Tab) for current status on future presentations, or for past recordings (which began at the April 13 meeting): http://www.incose.org/flc/EVENTS/

Meeting Agenda: 6:00 pm Meeting Introduction / Featured Presentation

7:15 pm (Approx. Time) Adjourn and Networking

Locations: The following sites will participate in the meeting. All sites will have telephone conference access and will display the presentation (please contact Rick Zinni for any general questions at [email protected]):

1. Corning Inc. Amy MacDougall at [email protected], Corning, NY2. Lockheed Martin SI Wesley Hewett at [email protected], Owego, NY3. Cornell University Dr. Peter Jackson at [email protected], Rhodes Hall 267, Ithaca, NY4. Syracuse University Dr. Young Moon at [email protected], 220 Link Hall5. RIT, Rochester, NY Clark Hochgraf at [email protected], Rochester, NY, Bldg. 82, Room 11506. Moog Inc. Geoff Bright at [email protected]. Xerox Charles Rizzolo at [email protected]. Binghamton University Cheryl Monachino at [email protected]. Rome, NY Bruce Rubin at [email protected]. SRC, N. Syracuse, NY Kevin Devaney at [email protected], 6225 Running Ridge Road, N Syracuse, NY 13212

The program is open to members and non-members and is free to all attendees!

34 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 gvlsa news

Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association

Website: www.gvlsa.com

Year 2013 OfficersPresidentRobert B. Hatch, LSVice PresidentJohn F. Gillen, LSSecretaryRobert J. Avery, LSTreasurerMichael A. Venturo, LS

Michele A. Clark, LS, ex officio

Year 2013 Meeting Dates

Thursday, October 17, 2013Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 pmGeneral Membership Meeting at 7:00 pmYard of Ale in Piffard, NY

Thursday, November 21, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting at 6:00 pmGeneral Membership Meeting at 7:00 pm40 & 8 Club933 University Avenue, Rochester

Saturday, December 7, 2013 (tentative)

Annual Dinner, installation of officers, and Scholarship Recipient Announcement.

January 22-24, 2014NYSAPLS 55th Annual SurveyorsConference & Exhibition in Rochester

Professional Affiliations• New York State Association of Professional

Land Surveyors, Inc.• American Congress on Surveying and

Mapping• Rochester Engineering Society

August 2013Board of directors

2011-2013Michael P. Arsitz, LS

Jared R. Ransom, LS2012-2014

David J. LaRue, LSGregory D. Bell, LS

2013-2015Michael C. Bodardus, LS

Roy B. Garfinkel, LS

Board of Directors Meeting40 & 8 Club

933 University Avenue, Rochester

Thursday, September 5, 20136:00 pm

NYSAPLS Regional WebinarErdman Anthony Associates

Armory Building145 Culver Road, Suite 200, Rochester

Thursday, September 12, 2013

6:30 to 8:30 pm

A light meal will be served. Check out the website for the Webinar details.

Check out the re-designed website:www.gvlsa.com

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 35aspe news

Rochester, NY Chapter

American Society of Plumbing Engineers

PresidentALAN SMITH, P.E.IBC Engineering, PC3445 Winton PlaceSuite 219Rochester, NY 14623585-292-1590

Vice President TechnicalADAM KRAMERIBC Engineering, PC3445 Winton PlaceSuite 219Rochester, NY 14623585-292-1590

Vice President LegislativeJENNIFER WENGENDER, P.E.Clark Patterson Lee205 St Paul BlvdRochester, NY 14604585-454-7600

Vice President MembershipDOUG MEIERTwin”D” Associates1577 Ridge Road WestSuite 116BRochester, NY 14615585-581-2170

TreasurerTERRY BROWN, CPDM/E Engineering, PC150 North Chestnut StreetRochester, NY 14604585-288-5590

Administrative SecretaryED YELIN, PE, CPDErdman Anthony and Associates146 Culver Road, Suite 200Rochester, NY 14620585-427-8888

Education ChairmanROBERT J. WIND JR., PEIBC Engineering, PC3445 Winton Place, Suite 219Rochester, NY 14623585-292-1590

Newsletter EditorDAVID MYERSLaBella Associates, PC300 State StreetSuite 201Rochester, NY 14614585-454-6110

Affiliate LiaisonADAM FRENZELEmpire State Associates.181 Bay Village DriveRochester, NY 14609585-602-0271

President’s MessageASPE is going paperless with membership renewals starting July 2013. Please make sure your current e-mail address is accurate with Society so your membership isn’t dropped.

ASPE will have a new logo, which will be presented later this year.

Thank-you to the following sponsors that made the 2013 Golf Outing a success.

Clarion Leonard Valve

Clark Patterson Lee Liberty Pumps

Delta Faucet M/E Engineering

Emerson Swan Mansfield

Empire State Associates Medical Gas Systems Solutions

Ferguson Enterprises North East Sales Associates

Frey Technologies R.C. Kolstad Water Corp.

Guardian Equipment T & S Brass

Gerber Twin D

Haws Tyco Fire Suppression

Highland Tank V.J. Stanley

IBC Engineering Victaulic

Kolstad Associates WMS Sales

Labella

A special thank-you to the Golf Committee (Jennifer Wengender, Adam Kramer and Terry Brown) for organizing the golf outing.

I would also like to thank Terry Brown for his service as Chapter President for the past two years. Terry is staying on the board as Treasurer.

The 2013-2014 schedule for topics/speakers is in progress. Meetings will be on the 3rd Wednesday of the month starting in September.

Alan Smith, PERochester Chapter President

http://rochester.aspe.org/

Meeting Notice - September 18, 2013

Topic & Speaker - TBA

36 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 ashrae news

Rochester ChapterAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating,and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Rochester ASHRAE website: www.rochester.ashraechapters.org AUGUST NEWSLETTER

President's MessageWelcome back to another year of ASHRAE in Rochester! We’re busy planning our slate of meetings for the 2013-2014 chapter year. If you have any questions and/or suggestions for speakers and/or topics, please contact Ed Burns at [email protected]. The majority of our meetings will be lunch meetings held on the second Monday of the month, with possible exceptions.

We’re always looking to get more people, especially students, involved in ASHRAE. Chris Lukasiewicz ([email protected]) is our Student Activities Committee Chair this year and Jake Hall ([email protected]) is our Membership Promotion Committee Chair this year. Please contact Chris or Jake if you’d like to learn more about ASHRAE and what it can do for you!

The ASHRAE Chapter Regional Conference, or CRC, for Region 1 (which Rochester is part of along with 14 other chapters in the north-east) is in Burlington, Vermont this year from August 15th – 17th. The four main goals of the CRC are to:

1. Conduct Nominations – Recommend and elect future ASHRAE leaders2. Conduct Business – Review/present reports and motions from each chapter3. Conduct Training – Provide training workshops for various Chapter Committees4. Socialize – Interact with other ASHRAE colleagues at the chapter, regional and society levels

With several officers and committee chairs signed-up to attend this year, I’m sure we will all have a good time… and learn a great deal about ASHRAE and how it functions as a society. I’d like to thank everyone in advance for attending! Here is the Region 1 website www.ashraeregion1.org where you can find a map of the chapters served by the region.

Please check out the chapter website at www.rochester.ashraechapters.org for information on upcoming chapter meetings, current officer list and contact informaton, current electronic newsletter and more!

Robert J. Wind Jr., PE, 2013-14 Rochester ASHRAE President

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 37ashrae news ea news


Jacob Z. Schanker, P.E., Newsletter ChairE-mail: [email protected]

Rochester SectionInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

The new Rochester section web site is at: http://rochester.ieee.org (always check the web PDF edition for late changes and additions)

ieee news

Rochester Section MeetingTuesday, August 6, 2013 at Noon

The next Rochester Section business meeting is on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 12:00 pm, at the Hibachi Sushi Buffet Restaurant in South Town Plaza on Jefferson Road (Route 252) just west of West Henrietta Rd. (Route 15). Any IEEE member is invited to attend. Lunch is only $3 for IEEE members. No reservation or RSVP is needed, just show up.

Election Results

Jean Kendrick was elected to serve in the role of Awards Chair for the remainder of 2013. This is normally an appointed position and should revert to such in 2014, but due to special circumstances that were discussed at recent Excom meetings, it was decided to hold an election for this year only.

Nominations Sought for Section Leadership Positions

The IEEE Rochester Section Nominating Committee is seeking qualified candidates for the following elected leadership positions in the section: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. You may submit your name (self-nomination is permitted) or the name of any other active member of the Rochester Section to Alex Loui ([email protected]) or to Paul Lee ([email protected]), co-chairs of the section's nominating committee, for consideration. All submissions must be received by August 26 to be considered by the nominating committee. There will also be an opportunity for additional candidates by petition later this fall. We also want to hear from any members who are interested in any of the section appointed leadership positions: Membership Development, Professional Activities, Student Activities, Educational Activities, Newsletter Editor, Awards, Nominations and Appointments, and Webmaster. If you are interested in one of these positions, please contact your Section Chair, Bill Fowlkes([email protected]).

Electromagnetic Compatibility - ProductSafety EngineeringJoint Chapter

The chapter has had several planning meetings held by teleconference over the past two months. The first fall meeting is planned for September.

Title: Design Rescues - Real-life Signal Integrity and EMC Failures and their Mitigation

Speaker: Jim Herrmann, Managing Partner/Principal Engineer at AppliedLogix, LLC.

Abstract: This presentation will review three salient examples of new product development projects that were derailed due to board level signal integrity and/or EMC issues. We'll discuss the design details, identify the root causes and key electromagnetic principles involved, and describe the design techniques that were deployed to successfully mitigate the problems.

Date & Location: To be announced.

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 39ieee news

IEEE-USA E-Books will offer Nita K. Patel’s “Technical Presentations – Book 2: Structure-Anatomy of a Successful Presentation.” Patel is a former IEEE-USA vice president for communications and public awareness.

Patel writes that a technical expert must not only know, understand and interpret complex data, but also present the facts through clear, concise and correct speech. The first step in conveying technical information is to establish a clear understanding of when, where, why, how, what and to whom your information is to be presented.

The next step is to structure the presentation.

A sample of topics includes: “Pre-Writing,” “Personal Introductions,” “Captivating Openings” and “Compelling Conclusions.” Examples and checklists make this e-book a great reference tool for delivering effective presentations. “Technical Presentations – Book 2: Structure-Anatomy of a Successful Presentation,” will be available free to IEEE members beginning August 1.

To purchase IEEE members-only products, and to receive the member

discount on eligible products, members must log in with their IEEE Web account.

Call for Authors: IEEE-USA E-Books seeks authors to write an e-book or a series of e-books on career guidance and development topics. If you have an idea for an e-book that will educate other IEEE members on a particular topic of expertise, email your proposal to IEEE-USA E-Book Chair Gus Gaynor at [email protected] and to IEEE-USA Publishing Manager Georgia C. Stelluto at [email protected].

IEEE Provides Free PDH-Granting Webinars and Courses

If you are an IEEE member and also licensed Professional Engineer needing continuing education professional development hour (PDH) credits to renew your registration, IEEE has something for you. There are quite a few one-hour webinars archived at: http://spectrum.ieee.org/webinar all of which are good for one PDH. To receive your PDH certificate, you only need send an email request to [email protected] after completing the webinar.

I also found a commercial site which offers a one-PDH course on engineering ethics, free to IEEE members.

The site is: www.pdhengineer.com. Other courses are available at a discount to IEEE members.

Another commercial provider, which while not free, is still relatively low-cost, is www.suncam.com. There are many other commercial providers, but I've only mentioned those with which I have had personal experience.

Job Openings

If you have been looking for a position you probably know about the IEEE Job Site. There are lots of search options on the site, but if all you want to do is a quick check to see if there are any openings listed in Rochester for engineers, the following short link will do it: http://bit.ly/184Rl2L

IEEE-USA Free e-book for August

Congratulations to our Newest Senior Member

Rochester section member Lyle Tague was elevated to IEEE Senior Member at the June meeting of the IEEE Admissions & Advancement panel held in Vancouver, B.C.

40 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 res news | membership application

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 41res news | advertising rate sheetres news | membership application

42 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | AUGUST 2013 feature article

High Hopes for High Falls

A ninety-six foot tall waterfall, within a canyon, within a city — is a rare asset. In fact, these ecological features might only exist in one urban place. Rochester, NY.

Lewis Stess and Michael Philipson, co-founders of the not-for-profit organization Friends of the GardenAerial, felt this historic site was sadly underutilized and bounding with potential. Their original vision, to cultivate and transform the High Falls district into a world-class public green space, is becoming a reality with each passing day. Most recently, Friends of the GardenAerial, purchased the waterfall! Well, in a way. They acquired the 28,478 square foot property know as 275 St. Paul Street, a parcel that contains the landmark

RG&E Station #4 as well as the escarpment over which the Genesee River flows, otherwise known as High Falls.

This acquisition was an important pre-requisite to Phase One of the organization’s strategic plan, which includes: 1) the development of a new awe-inspiring walking bridge over the falls, 2) a pedestrian connection directly into downtown Rochester under the inner loop, 3) the restoration of the historic Brown’s Race raceway canal; and 4) the completion of a ¾ mile looped trail around the rim of the Genesee River Gorge. “Visitors will not only be able to simply view the beautiful Falls from a distance, but also more directly experience the river’s power from many more ‘up

close’ vantage points along the trail,” says Lewis Stess, CEO and Co-Founder of Friends of the GardenAerial. The river’s power, which Stess refers to, produced the energy that originally drove the early 19th century flour mills, giving Rochester its moniker The Flour City.

Phase Two, of the plan calls for the creation of a stunning arboretum high above the gorge on the existing Pont de Rennes bridge, an urban greenway or “garden in the sky” - if you will. Examples of other similar and wildly successful reuse efforts include The Highline (www.highline.org) in lower Manhattan, Walkway Over the Hudson (www.walkway.org) in Poughkeepsie, NY, the Bridge of Flowers (www.bridgeofflowersmass.org) in Shelburne Falls, MA, and the

Promenade Plantée (http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/promenadeplantee.htm) in Paris, France. The existing Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge would be converted into a multi-level structure with a covered lower-level for viewing the gorge, and the addition of permanent plantings, hardscape elements and interactive features on the upper level. “The vision of the GardenAerial project will enhance the City and further establish a sense of place in the Historic High Falls District. As projects included in the vision come online this hidden gem of a waterfall in the heart of the City will become a destination for residents and visitors alike,” said James McIntosh, P.E., City Engineer – City of Rochester.

A third-phase, involves the creation of a new environmentally friendly “winter garden” with panoramic views of the river gorge. This would be a year-round public space for interaction, thought and education. Organizers are also looking at how properties in the area could be re-imagined and re-purposed utilizing the framework of an EcoDistrict. An EcoDistrict is “a new model of public/private partnership that emphasizes innovation and the deployment of district-scale, best practices to create the neighborhoods of the future – resilient, vibrant, resource efficient and just.”1

As with any of these large-scale revitalization projects, funding, support and collaboration will be key to the effort’s ultimate momentum and success. In just the past 36 months, a lot has gone right. Several generous gifts from such donors as the Rose Family Foundation and a partial donation from the High Falls Development Corporation have made possible the addition of permanent staff members and other critical administrative expenses. Organizers hope that support from corporate and community citizens like Sweetwater Energy, RG&E, MCC, Paychex, WXXI and MVP Health Care, will snowball into additional partnerships, as has already begun to happen. Two successful Greentopia festivals, intended to raise funds and educate the public about the larger GardenAerial project, have attracted tens of thousands of sustainably– minded people to the High Falls area.

Photo courtesty of Sheridan Vincent

AUGUST 2013 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 43feature articlefeature article

A third-phase, involves the creation of a new environmentally friendly “winter garden” with panoramic views of the river gorge. This would be a year-round public space for interaction, thought and education. Organizers are also looking at how properties in the area could be re-imagined and re-purposed utilizing the framework of an EcoDistrict. An EcoDistrict is “a new model of public/private partnership that emphasizes innovation and the deployment of district-scale, best practices to create the neighborhoods of the future – resilient, vibrant, resource efficient and just.”1

As with any of these large-scale revitalization projects, funding, support and collaboration will be key to the effort’s ultimate momentum and success. In just the past 36 months, a lot has gone right. Several generous gifts from such donors as the Rose Family Foundation and a partial donation from the High Falls Development Corporation have made possible the addition of permanent staff members and other critical administrative expenses. Organizers hope that support from corporate and community citizens like Sweetwater Energy, RG&E, MCC, Paychex, WXXI and MVP Health Care, will snowball into additional partnerships, as has already begun to happen. Two successful Greentopia festivals, intended to raise funds and educate the public about the larger GardenAerial project, have attracted tens of thousands of sustainably– minded people to the High Falls area.

This year’s festival (September 10-15) features eco-friendly music, art, film, food and fashion along with the first two-day FUTURES Summit event, a knowledge exchange for those working toward building sustainable communities and businesses. The Summit, built around plenary discussion groups and several keynote speakers, is aimed at planners, engineers, architects, environmentalists, citizens and government officials. Among those speaking: Cincinnati, Ohio Mayor Mark Mallory; RG&E President Mark Lynch; Bloomberg News Architecture Critic James Russell; Seattle Artist Buster Simpson; Executive Director Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council - Vincent Esposito; Author/Activist/Keynote Speaker James Howard Kunstler; NYS Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy; and Wegmans’ CEO Danny Wegman. More info at: http://greentopiafest.com/futures-summit and http://gardenaerial.org. q1www.ecodistricts.org

www.facebook.com/greentopiafest www.twitter.com/greentopiafest

by Vincent Press

Photo/sketch courtesy of LANDGARDEN

Landscape Architects

Crowds enjoying Greentopia Festival 2012


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Affiliated Societies of the Rochester Engineering SocietyAmerican Consulting Engineering Companies of New YorkPresident, David J. Meyer, 585-218-0730Email: [email protected]

American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Rochester SectionChairman, Vincenzo G. Marcello, 585-422-0043. Email:[email protected]

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Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Inc., Rochester Section Executive Director, Chuck Eckert, 585-766-0329,Email: [email protected], Michael TrippeEmail: [email protected]

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New York State Association of Transportation Engineers, Section 4 President, Howard R. Ressel, 585-272-3372.Email: [email protected]

New York Water Environment Association Inc., Genesee Valley Chapter (www.gvcnywea.org) President, Bill Davis, 585-381-9250Email: [email protected]

Professional Services Management Association, Upstate New York Chapter President, Margaret Rathmell, SWBREmail: [email protected]

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