civil-engineering

From the moment he joined Oregon State University’s College of Engineering in 2019, Aaron Mendez has pursued opportunities that promote leadership and community, including serving as president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers student chapter and a statewide transportation committee.

Photo by Johanna Carson.

Brian Staes moved to Oregon from Florida this past spring to pursue his doctorate in civil engineering with a transportation emphasis at Oregon State University. One of the first things he did upon arrival was visit the coastal town of Seaside to envision people evacuating in the event of a tsunami.

“You can simulate different individuals’ decision-making processes to determine how much it would take for a random person to walk from wherever they are to evacuate,” Staes said.

Photos courtesy of Chris Tyndall.

The next time you hop on a subway or ride a train between terminals at an airport, give a nod to engineers like Chris Tyndall, B.S. civil engineering ’09. A design manager for Kiewit Corp.’s infrastructure engineering design group, Tyndall manages what he calls the “chaotic process” of combining electrical, mechanical, and communications systems in mass transit projects.

Delora Kerber, B.S. civil engineering ’83, director of public works for the city of Wilsonville, Oregon, was selected as a 2021 Top Ten Public Works Leader by the American Public Works Association.

The honor recognizes leaders’ professionalism, expertise, and dedication to improving the quality of life in their communities through the advancement of public works services and technology.

What if you could give millions of people access to safe drinking water and help solve the climate crisis at the same time? As a bonus, you could help your own community prepare for when the Big One comes.

That’s the vision behind a personal-sized water treatment appliance now in development by a team led by two Oregon State engineering alumni.

“For most people around the world, water out of the tap has to be treated, not optionally for better taste but to make it safe to drink,” said Paul Berg, B.S. civil engineering ’78.

No question about it, Alex Saccente was going to study art when she went to college. Art was her passion, and she’d been painting and sketching for years. At the start of her senior year in high school, Saccente poured everything into completing her advanced placement art portfolio. 

A couple of teachers at Wilsonville High School had a different idea. Recognizing their student’s aptitude for math and science, they encouraged Saccente to contemplate a future in engineering. 

Tadesse Meskele (’13 Ph.D., Civil Engineering) has always been driven to make a difference in his community. Growing up in Ethiopia, Meskele walked five miles to school and back each day, because there was no transportation, or even roads, available.