Committees

The SEAONC Business Forum’s mission is to advance the practice of structural engineering with the emphasis on business development, management, organization and professionalism. The goal is to encourage structural engineers and related professionals within the industry to support each other by sharing knowledge and experiences. It is the Business Forum’s mission to help professionals within this industry gain key knowledge from each event that can enrich themselves individually, better their associated companies, and further the AEC industry as a whole.

The purpose of the Bylaws Committee is to provide support to the Board of Directors in the administration, revision and update of the association’s Bylaws. The Bylaws Committee serves at the request of the Board of Directors to answer questions on and provide interpretations of meanings and procedures allowed in the Bylaws. The committee also serves to compose additions or amendments to the Bylaws as directed by the Board. The committee provides similar interpretations and input to the Board for the SEAONC Canons of Ethics for Engineers.

The Communications Committee assists with SEAONC public relations, including the management of social media accounts and other public-facing platforms. Through participation in structural engineering committees at the State (SEAOC) and national (NCSEA) levels, the committee aims to maintain SEAONC’s relationships with a number of member organizations and colleagues. The committee also aids in facilitating internal communications between SEAONC committees and association members.

The Construction Quality Assurance Committee deals with issues related to the engineer's role in the quality of construction. Our focus is on the primary quality assurance tools mandated by the building code: Special Inspection; testing during construction; and Structural Observation. We also look at the project specifications and the submittal review process as key contributors to construction quality. We develop and maintain guideline documents including the comprehensive "Guidelines for Special Inspection & Structural Observation", as well as documents on review of concrete mix designs, review of Welding Procedure Specifications, and inspection of wood framing. The committee has also been active in developing and commenting on code changes related to the committee’s scope.

The Continuing Education Committee (CEC) is dedicated to keeping SEAONC members at the forefront of the engineering profession by organizing technical seminars on the latest code developments, project case studies, and useful design practices. Our goal is to keep engineers informed about the current and future directions of our industry.

The Disaster Emergency Services (DES) Committee works with structural engineers, local communities, and various government agencies to prepare for and respond to disasters that affect structures’ integrity and safety.

The Existing Buildings Committee (EBC) works on issues related to the evaluation, analysis, retrofit, and alteration of existing buildings with the objective of improving engineering practices and safety for the existing built environment. The committee aims to improve understanding of existing risk and mitigation strategies among the profession and the public for the natural hazards present across California, including earthquakes, wildfires, and tsunamis. Together with the SEAOC Existing Buildings Committee, the SEAONC EBC provides reviews and commentaries on guidelines, codes, and standards, and works with local jurisdictions on policies regarding existing structures.

In 2014, SEAONC received a generous donation from the family of Walter Hensolt. Walter was a dedicated structural engineer for fifty years, where he was a principal at his firm, Chin & Hensolt Engineers. He left his professional legacy in the San Francisco Bay Area with signature projects such as the Transamerica Pyramid building, Candlestick Park, the St. Francis Hotel Tower, One Market Plaza and Marine World-Africa USA. In honor of Walter’s gift, the Board approved an initiative to create the Hensolt SEAONC Legacy Project. The goal of the Hensolt SEAONC Legacy Project is to celebrate, preserve, share, and learn from the legacies of SEAONC individuals, projects and organizations who have built our profession. To do this, the committee has developed an interactive online database and timeline through the Hensolt website, featuring stories and backgrounds on the engineers, firms, landmarks and events that have shaped structural engineering in Northern California and beyond. This database gives us the opportunity to understand how the structural engineering profession has developed over time and allows us to learn from both our colleagues and predecessors.

The Outreach Committee is committed to providing SEAONC members with avenues to contribute to the bay area community through both volunteer events and youth outreach programs. Volunteer events organized by the Outreach committee aim to employ the skill sets of structural engineers to give back to the community. Youth outreach programs aim to inspire students (from elementary to college level) to go into the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering Industry. Our committee particularly aims to expose students from low-income and minority groups to our field, to encourage diversity in our field. In addition to the external outreach goals, we also focus on assisting other SEAONC committees with outreach-oriented tasks relating to their charges and initiatives.

The Professional Practices Committee addresses professional issues common to the practice of structural engineering.

The Resilience committee develops positions and recommendations on issues in the emerging field of resilience-based planning and design. The committee coordinates with state efforts (SEAOC), national efforts (NCSEA) and other groups (including NIST, FEMA, ASCE, and ICC) to develop concepts of natural hazards resilience as they relate to the practice of structural engineering.

The SEAONC Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity (SE3) Committee was established in 2015 in SEAONC with the mission of attracting and retaining the best talent into our profession, and to ensure all structural engineers have a clear pathway to success in their careers. The SEAONC SE3 Committee provides programming on racial equity, mentorship, retention and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the structural engineering profession.

The Seismology Committee has historically engaged structural engineers in the development and application of the latest earthquake engineering codes and standards. In recent years, the committee’s mission has been expanded to include engagement of young structural engineers with the profession in a technical manner. Committee’s

The Sustainable Design committee advocates for the role of the structural engineer in the sustainable design process and the importance of incorporating sustainable design principles in practice.

The Young Members Forum (YMF) is a committee designed to serve young structural engineers in a unique way. YMF provides lively activities for structural engineers to connect with and learn from others in the industry in a more approachable setting, with the goal of promoting participation in the larger SEAONC community.