Civil Conversations

Today, we have an exciting episode all about sustainable cities, geographical information systems (GIS), and data tools for engineers and planners. Mateo Van Thienen, a graduating student of UF’s Sustainability and the Built Environment program, joins us to share his experiences and knowledge of GIS applications in transportation and land use. We speak about his work with the city of Gainesville’s open data portal, experience at the Oakland Department of Transportation, and design projects that focus on creating more walkable and sustainable cities. Tune in to discover how civil engineers, planners, and data scientists can use GIS and open data to inform decisions and produce more sustainable and inclusive designs. Show Notes:UF’s Sustainability and the Built Environment ProgramOpen Data CensusFacebook Group NUMTOTSArticle about NUMTOTSCongress for New UrbanismUF Students for New UrbanismMateo's websiteBus Rapid Transit ESRI GISThank you for tuning in! Civil Conversations is a podcast about civil engineering, exploring exciting research, projects, and innovations in the field through interviews with academics and professionals. This is an independent project of the University of Florida Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.comGive us your feedback to make this show better!Short Feedback SurveyMusic by Poddington BearImage from SNU Florida Facebook PageProduced, Edited, and Hosted by Sophia SemenskySupported by the UF American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter

Welcome to Season 2 of Civil Conversations! Today, we chat with Dr. Katie Indarawis, a research professor in Environmental Engineering at UF focusing on water treatment. In addition to her exciting research in alternative treatment systems and reverse osmosis, she also developed the Intro to Sustainable Engineering course and incorporates sustainability in her work. In this episode, we get a broad outlook on traditional water treatment, and then take a dive into current innovations and research in alternative treatments. Then, we discuss sustainability as applied to engineering and the importance of Life Cycle Assessments, or LCAs.Tune in for an informative and inspiring episode about the role engineers have in sustainability, our water systems, and adapting to changing climate. Show Notes:Water Treatment VideoWater Treatment ProcessReverse Osmosis Thank you for tuning in! Civil Conversations is a podcast about civil engineering exploring exciting research, projects, and innovations in the field through interviews with academics and professionals! This is an independent project of the University of Florida Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.comGive us your feedback to make this show better!Short Feedback SurveyMusic by Poddington BearProduced, Edited, and Hosted by Sophia SemenskySupported by the UF American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter Image: Perth reverse osmosis desalination plant (Australia)

Welcome to Season 2 of Civil Conversations! Today, we zoom into an exciting and growing discipline within structural engineering – Structural Health Monitoring, or SHM. SHM involves the implementation of data collection systems on engineering structures to collect dynamic response measurements. This information can then be used by engineers to model the structure, as well as analyze and diagnosis problems. We are joined by Dr. Jennifer Bridge, a wonderful professor in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering and the director of Small Infrastructure Management Laboratory. Dr. Bridge has worked on an exciting and diverse array of SHM projects, and has a wealth of knowledge on current research and trends in the field. On this episode, we learn the basics of structural health monitoring and then dive into the details of this more interdisciplinary side of structural engineering.Show Notes:UF SIM LabSunshine Skyway Bridge:PBSUF Transportation InstituteFDOT ReportCommitteesSHM in Hong KongStructural Health Monitoring VideoThank you for tuning in! Civil Conversations is a podcast about civil engineering exploring exciting research, projects, and innovations in the field through interviews with academics and professionals! This is an independent project of the University of Florida Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.comGive us your feedback to make this show better!Short Feedback SurveyMusic by Poddington BearProduced, Edited, and Hosted by Sophia SemenskySupported by the UF American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter

Welcome to Season 2 of Civil Conversations! Today, we dive into the intersection of bridges and software with Dr. Michael Davidson, the associate director of the aptly named Bridge Software Institute. The Bridge Software Institute develops geo-structural software to solve large-scale bridge engineering problems, and combines programming, engineering, and research. We talk about the complex and consequential world of bridge engineering and the increasing role of software and technology in structural engineering. Stay tuned until the end for a fun quickfire round!Thank you so much for listening in. Civil Conversations is a podcast about civil engineering, exploring exciting research, projects, and innovations in the field through interviews with academics and professionals! This is an independent project of the University of Florida Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Show Notes:Bridge Software InstituteFinite Element AnalysisFamous Pedestrian BridgesBridge of AspirationVideo of Gateshead Millennium Bridge TiltingThank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.com Give us your feedback to make this show better!Short Feedback SurveyMusic by Poddington Bear, Image from WilkinsonEyreProduced, Edited, and Hosted by Sophia SemenskySupported by the UF American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter

On this episode of Civil Conversations, we dive into the intersection of planning, community building, innovation, and engineering. We learn about the challenging and fulfilling work of community redevelopment from Ms. Sarah Vidal, the director of the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and Mr. Andrew Meeker, the CRA manager. A community redevelopment agency is a governing body tasked with instigating urban renewal, infill, and redevelopment. The Gainesville CRA has been involved in major infrastructure and urban improvement projects throughout the city of Gainesville, and the work reveals an exciting blend of civil engineering, planning, economy, and governance. Tune in to both learn about the philosophy behind community redevelopment, as well as dive into the weeds of a few complex projects.Show notes: Gainesville CRACRA FAQThank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.comPLEASE give us your feedback to make this show better!Short Feedback SurveyMusic by Poddington Bear, Image from Gainesville CRA

On this episode of Civil Conversations, we have a celebrity of the engineering world – the Florida section president of ASCE, Rachel Haeseler! In addition to serving on leadership at the section level, Ms. Haeseler has also been involved with student chapters and local branches, and shares her experience with ASCE and how the organization works at a local level.In addition, as an engineer at Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), she manages large capital projects in water treatment facilities. We chat about GRU’s sustainable strides, how she stumbled into water resources, and the differences between the public and private sector. Show notes: ASCEASCE FL SectionSweetwater WetlandsCEOS Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website You can contact the show by emailing civilconversations.pod@gmail.com Music by Poddington Bear, Image from Sweetwater Wetlands 

This week, we go underground to the world of geotechnical engineering with Dr. Ana Mohseni! Geotechnical engineering underpins almost all the work that civil engineers do, from providing foundations for structures to building dams, wharves, tunnels, and roads. We discuss metro construction, geosynthetics, the joy (and hardship) of fieldwork, and how geotechnical engineers shape the world around us.Thank you to our guest, Dr. Mohseni, and to our listeners! Show Notes: Tailings DamsLondon Crossrail Tunnel EngineerIf you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on:  Facebook  LinkedIn  Website  Music by Poddington Bear, Image from Wired Magazine.

This week, I chat with Ms. Wendy Thomas and Mr. Andrew Persons of the acclaimed Department of Doing, the planning and building department in Gainesville, Florida. This recently formed department is focused on a ‘citizen-centered’ approach, and has ambitious goals for transforming both the city and how planning works. We tackle the definitions and roles of planning, exciting (and sometimes controversial) projects in Gainesville, and the absolute necessity of civil engineers in this field. As always, thank you to our guests and to our listeners!Show Notes:Department of Doing City Website Fast Company article Quartz Article Gainesville Sun Article Comprehensive Plan Blue Ribbon Report Innovation Square Depot Park The Standard Official Website Why are developers only building luxury housing? Hub 2 Sidewalk Encroachment Housing affordability near UF Developer Meme If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Website Music by Poddington Bear, Image from Perkins+Will.Next week, we go underground into the foundations of civil engineering -- geotech. Thank you for listening to this civil conversation!

On this episode, we look into another field of civil engineering: Water Resources. Join me and Dr. Newman as we discuss water research, filing a patent, working at a water management district, and how data has changed the field. You'd be surprised at the diversity of work and efforts that go into preserving, protecting, and providing freshwater!Show Notes: UF ESSIE Water Systems Florida Water Resources Research Center Gatorade Patent USGS GIS Data NOAA GIS Data A Day in the Life of a Water Resources Engineer If you enjoyed the show, please share with your friends! Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Website Next week, we leave the water and go into the urban jungle in an interview exploring city planning. Thank you for listening to this civil conversation!

This is the first episode of Civil Conversations, a dive into the world of civil engineering for everyone!On our inaugural episode, we talk transportation engineering with Dr. Pruthvi Manjunatha. We discuss the transportation field, self-driving vehicles, and why you might be mistaken about what transportation professionals do. We also chat about the Gainesville Autobus, the difference between academia and consulting, and the best brewery in town! Thank you so much for tuning in. This is an independent project of the University of Florida Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. My name is Sophia and I am the host and producer of the show. I would love your feedback, please email me at civil conversations.pod@gmail.com or leave a review. Subscribe for updates and stay tuned for our next episode (Hint: we may be leaving dry land!) Visit us at civilconversations.buzzsprout.com and our ASCE chapter at gatorasce.com/podcast. Music: Poddington BearImage: Gainesville SunProducer and Host: Sophia Semensky Links:Gainesville AutobusTransdev AutobusUF Transportation Institute