Orange County
Engineering Council

May 2009

Diamond Valley Lake (DVL) WATER INSPECTION TRIP

Friday, May 29, 2009

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) and the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) organizes Water Inspection Trips each year. The Orange County Engineering Council is organizing a tour with MWDOC for those who are interested to attend inspection trips to key water facilities in California and learning about the planning and management of Southern California’s water supply. All travel and meals are provided compliments of Metropolitan.

Diamond Valley Lake (DVL)

Southern California’s newest drinking water reservoir is located just outside of Hemet, in Riverside County. The reservoir holds nearly 260 billion gallons of water for Metropolitan’s 5,200-square-mile service area. Guests on this one-day inspection trip will have an opportunity to see the lake and its surrounding facilities, and also learn about the issues and challenges affecting Metropolitan’s regional water management efforts.

To sign up for this trip, please register at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=p456JR_2fbXQaz3CeapwRYDQ_3d_3d

The deadline to sign up is May 14, 2009 at 5pm.

Meet at 18700 Ward Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92843, at 7 am, free parking, depart at about 8 am, and return the same evening around 5:30 pm.

Flyer

Mohammad Sadiq, OCEC Tour Director, mohammad_sadiq@dot.ca.gov , (949)724-2840

Rocket Science Tutors (RST) Completes its Fourth Successful Year

With funding from several organizations including OCEC, RST expanded its scope, exposing approximately fifty 8th grade students from McFadden and Carr Intermediate Schools in Santa Ana to the excitement of math and science this year. RST enhancements ranged from the basics – new force gauges and beam scales to the exotic – solar powered kits and basic electronics labs.

Using California State requirements as a guide, RST used experience gained over the past several years to improve its labs on density & buoyancy, chemistry and forces & motion. These labs provide “hands-on” experience in building, measuring and calculating results – important skills that are the basis of engineering. These labs include determining the weight of a chunk of aluminum using the Periodic Table, constructing a wide array of simple machines and determining their mechanical advantage and learning how to derive Pi with everyday objects and measurement tools.

RST also created “full scale” simple machine demonstrations to reinforce what is being done in the lab. For example, a pulley demonstration (with real pulleys) allows students to rig various configurations of fixed and moveable pulleys, measure and actually “feel” the difference in lifting metal weights. A “variable fulcrum” six foot long lever drives home the difference between a mechanical advantage of 3 and of 1/3.

Rocket launches are the RST finale with each student building and flying a “chemical “rocket launch, bringing Newton’s laws of motion to life and providing a taste of the excitement of flying. All of these exercises reinforce the link between math and science while providing “hands-on” building and measuring.

RST is a 501C-3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization comprised of technical professionals who operate in the classroom for 24 weeks during the school year. RST provides a spark to ignite a desire to pursue technical education for students in an after-school program. RST also provides “homework” sessions where students can practice and gain fluency with their math.

Picture from RST

RST is continually seeking volunteers to join us and help expand our effort. If we Engineers won’t do it, who will? Go to: www.rocketsciencetutors.com

Westwood College Survey

Westwood College is seeking comments from the public about the College in preparation for its comprehensive evaluation visit beginning May 4, 2009, by a team representing The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Westwood College was granted candidacy status in October of 2007. Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. The comments must be in writing and include the commentor's name and street address; comments will not be treated as confidential.

The link below will take you to the site where you can complete a Third-Party Comment form that you submit directly to the Commission.

http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=247&Itemid=24

Exclusive Arabian Horse Ranch Bus Tour
May 30, 2009

OCEC has teamed with Celestial Arabians and the NMA Boeing Aerospace Leadership Chapter (BALC)  to offer a tour of one of the most exclusive Arabian horse ranches in North America on May 30, 2009. Here you can spend an afternoon living the life of the rich and famous while admiring beautiful Arabian horses and their foals. The tour, priced at $35/PP, includes transportation to and from the ranch, a complementary barbeque lunch with an open bar and a chance to see Arabian horses up close. Celestial Arabians will donate 20% of the tour fee ($7/PP) to the  OCEC  scholarship fund, so here's your chance to do good while having a fantastic time.

Please refer to the flyer link below for more information and the signup web link. The web link also has pictures from the last bus tour. You can bring guests as noted, but get your reservations in early, as participation will be limited. When signing up, please indicate BALC in the comments box, along with the names of any guests, to ensure scholarship credit for OCEC. Once registered, you will be provided with payment  instructions and a full itinerary. Your payment, ($35/PP) must be received by May 22, to guarantee your space on the bus.

Arabian Horse Ranch Bus Tour Flyer
Cover Letter

OCEC Honors and Awards Banquet recognizes the best of the best of engineering in Southern California

The 2009 OCEC Honors and Awards Banquet attracted 240 participants and was held at The Centre, Sycamore Plaza in Lakewood on February 20. The event was kicked off by an invocation and pledge of allegiance featuring the Fullerton color guard. The after-dinner keynote address by Peter Buffa, Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), provided an inspiring look at future transportation options ranging from Metrolink to high-speed trains. The subsequent presentations to the Award Winners began with the recognition of seven Outstanding Students from CSULB, UCI, UCLA and USC. Two Outstanding Student Projects on aero design and rockets from CSULB also received special awards. Fifteen Young Engineers from companies across Orange County were cited for their exceptional contributions. Outstanding Engineering Merit Awards and Distinguished Engineering Merit Awards were presented to eleven outstanding engineers from industry and government. Key engineering projects ranging from aerospace improvements to biomedical advances to major civil constructions received Project Achievement Awards. Similarly, academic excellence was recognized by an Outstanding Engineering Educator Award from Westwood College and four Distinguished Engineering Educator Awards from CSUF, CSULB, UCI and USC.

The OCEC awards ceremony concluded with the top awards of the night. The Ground-based Interceptor Project was recognized for its successful demonstration of hostile in flight missile destruction. Angelo Truncale was awarded the 2009 James E. Ballinger Engineer of the Year Award for his extensive contributions to inertial guidance; and Dean Debra Richardson of the Computer and Information Sciences Department at UCI received the OCEC Presidents Award for her major efforts in advancing computer sciences and obtaining associated funding to strengthen associated educational opportunities.

OCEC Awards Banquet Slide Presentation

The event finished with final photographs of the winning teams and individuals. Banquet photos taken throughout the evening are available online at this link.

OCEC’s Engineering Week activities also offered two major engineering facility tours. The first, a behind-the-scenes visit to the Toy Story ride at Disneyland on February 18, provided a fascinating look at the advanced electronic and mechanical technology powering this unique attraction – including a ride on Toy Story. The second, an afternoon boat tour of the Port of L.A. on February 25, offered an unparalleled view of the port and the facilities that make L.A. the fifth largest harbor in the world.

2009 OCEC Honors and Awards Banquet

OCEC's annual Honors and Awards Banquet will be held at The Centre,  Sycamore Plaza, Long Beach on February 20, 2009. This gala event, described on the enclosed flyer, will  feature a sumptuous dinner followed by a fascinating keynote address on Rail in Orange County: All Aboard...or Not? by Mr. Peter Buffa, the Chairman of the Orange County Transit Authority. Peter Buffa is a media and political consultant to companies and public agencies. He has also been involved in transportation issues for over 20 years. He currently serves as Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority, served 11 years as a Director and Chair of the Orange County Transportation Corridor Agencies and 12 years as a Mayor and Council Member of Costa Mesa, California.

Next, OCEC will recognize the best of the best in engineering for Southern California in 2008 by presenting awards in a broad range of categories, ranging from Outstanding Student Awards to Project and Engineer of the Year Awards. These presentations, which acknowledge outstanding individual and project achievements, are always a highlight of the year. 

To register for the Awards Banquet, please fill out the ticket order form on the flyer (including your meal selections), and mail the completed form with your payment to Phil Ridout, OCEC Treasurer, 6962 Los Amigos Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 prior to February 13, 2009. 

We look forward to seeing you at this premiere event. 

Dr. Peter R. Kurzhals, CM 
OCEC President

2009 OCEC Award Nominations Underway

On behalf of the Orange County Engineering Council (OCEC), we would like to invite you to participate in the celebration of the engineering and scientific professions’ accomplishments during Engineers’ Week in February of 2009. We will be holding our Engineering Awards Banquet at The Centre, Sycamore Plaza in Lakewood, CA on Friday, the 20th of February. Details about the event will be posted on www.OCEC.org.

The Orange County Engineering Council is an umbrella organization of all engineering and scientific societies in our county and is engaged in many activities which promote technical disciplines and education.

OCEC sponsors various professional events such as:

  • Recognition of the engineering and scientific accomplishments of engineers and projects during National Engineers’ Week.
  • Support of scholarship programs and educational initiatives
  • Participation in the Orange County Science Fair and presentation of awards to the outstanding student projects selected by the OCEC Board.
  • Support of the Future Scientists and Engineers of America (FSEA) activities and Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) programs both in high school and university levels.
  • Liaison among and team with different engineering and science organizations.

We encourage you to nominate worthy engineers or projects from your member organizations by December 23, 2008. Award categories include:

  • James E. Ballinger Engineer of the Year
  • Distinguished Engineering Educator
  • Project of the Year
  • Young Engineer
  • Outstanding Engineering Merit
  • Outstanding Engineering Student
  • Engineering Project Achievement
  • OCEC President’s
  • Outstanding Service

 

Award description submission forms and instructions for nominations can be accessed from the links below.

Cover Letter

Award Descriptions

Nomination Form and Instructions

We look forward to hearing from you and recognizing your worthy individuals and projects.

OCEC Alameda Corridor Tour, rescheduled for 1/23/09

Join us for another exciting OCEC tour of the Alameda Corridor linking the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to the national rail system near downtown Los Angeles.

The Corridor was built to accommodate port growth and will reach capacity beyond 2020. It will handle 150 trains per day at its peak. The Alameda Corridor accommodates roughly 32% of all containers coming through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Currently, an average of 45-50 trains travel through the Corridor daily. An average train is about 8,000 feet (1½ miles long) and carries roughly 300 containers. On April 7, 2008 the 100,000th train traveled though the Alameda Corridor – a six-year milestone for the Corridor, carrying 12 million containers (21 million TEUs) during this timeframe.

For more information on this excursion, check out the flyer link. The tour will begin in Long Beach at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 23, and participants will be bussed to major points of interest along the Alameda Corridor before returning to the tour origin at noon. Participation will be limited, so please sign up ASAP.

To register, please contact Mohammad Sadiq, OCEC Tour Director, at mohammad_sadiq@dot.ca.gov no later than January 19, 2009. Registered participants will be provided with tour directions and parking instructions.

Cover Letter

OCEC Alameda Corridor Tour

OCEC 2008 Leaders' Night
(August 28, 2008)

Each year OCEC hosts a Leaders Night event for key company executives, society chapter/section presidents and college/university leaders from Orange County to help us formulate future OCEC objectives and opportunities, and to join us for a keynote address on an exciting new engineering related topic. This year, our keynote speaker will be John Noonan, Technical Director, Show Control Systems, for Walt Disney Imagineering, who will discuss Toy Story Midway Mania! - A Look at the Technology Behind the Attraction.

This years dinner is scheduled for Thursday, August 28 at the Old Ranch Country Club, 3901 Lampson Ave., Seal Beach, CA 90740 (see link below for more information). Please confirm your participation before August 18 by sending an email to Phil Ridout , OCEC Treasurer, at pridout@socal.rr.com with your name title, affiliation, phone, email and menu choice (Chicken, Steak, Vegetarian). If you choose to bring a guest, please include the guest’s name and meal choice in your email; and mail a completed registration form and a check ($35/guest) to Phil Ridout prior to August 20. Only invitees and their paid guests will be admitted to Leaders Night.

We hope that you can join us for this important event, and look forward to your ideas and suggestions.

Leaders' Night Information

OCEC boat tour of Los Angeles Harbor
 (July 11, 2008)

Come join OCEC for this fantastic two-hour boat tour of Los Angeles harbor. The Chief Harbor Engineer and his two assistants will join us as tour guides, so don't miss this opportunity to explore Port of Los Angeles operations. Water and soft drinks will be available for tour participants.

Students and guests are welcome, but tour participation will be limited to the first 38 who sign up by sending an email to Peter Kurzhals, OCEC President, at peter.r.kurzhals@boeing.com prior to July 3, 2008.
Detailed tour instructions will be sent to all successful registrants.

Note that the tour takes place inside the breakwater, so Dramamine is not necessary. However, low shoes or flats are best, and comfortable clothes and sunscreen and hats are recommended for tour guests who decide to sit outside to enjoy the tour. Cameras are permitted on the vessel, so feel free to photograph the sights.

We look forward to your participation in this great tour.

Tour Information

OCEC’s Engineers Week Tour of the Boeing C-17 assembly line and flight ramp was a great success!

Twenty-one representatives and guests from OCEC member companies took part in this exciting tour of the Boeing C 17 assembly line and flight ramp, hosted by Jaime Garcia. The tour began in the 1.1 million square foot hangar that houses multiple assembly lines for C 17 element construction and integration. Separate lines for aircraft wings, fuselage and tail sections are merged with nose sections, control surfaces and engines to produce a fully operational aircraft every 185 days. Some 15 planes are produced and delivered each year based on current budget planning. Engineering Support Centers built into the assembly lines ensure instant engineering and quality support during assembly; and LEAN and Employee Involvement teams continually optimize production flow and reduce production costs.

After touring the different assembly lines with expert Boeing guides, the OCEC group moved on to the C 17 flight ramp to inspect the 185th C 17, slated for delivery to the Royal Air Force on February 21. This beautiful cargo aircraft truly represented the best of the best in tactical and strategic capability. Configured to operate on landing strips of 120 feet or less, this superb aircraft is unequalled in the world. At a maximum takeoff weight of 500,000 pounds, it can support a wide range of missions such as air drops and parachute company deployments, large cargos including tank and helicopter deliveries, and humanitarian assistance to disaster areas. With a full fuel load of 250,000 pounds, the C-17 has a point-to-point range of 6,800 miles, which can be further extended by inflight refueling. The OCEC group toured the aircraft interior to observe its extensive load and deployment capability, and to tour the various support stations including the pallet and deployment options, survivability and offload accommodations, and the loadmaster station and cockpit.

After climbing all over the C-17, many tour members stayed behind to explored the outside of the aircraft and its many amazing features. This was truly a great experience and, as some participants said, better than a Disneyland ride.

Group Picture

OCEC’s Engineers Week Tour construction of overpass on Orangethorpe/Esperanza ave. and railroad crossing in Yorba Linda Caltrans, District-12 (March 5, 2008)

Because of rain, the tour date for this exciting engineering marvel was postponed to Wednesday March 5, 2008. Thirty-two representatives from OCEC sponsor companies and universities took part in touring the construction of the $40million project over Orangethorpe Avenue/Esperanza Road and the railroad tracks in Yorba Linda, California. The tour began at 9:30 AM and was guided by Caltrans Resident Engineer Mr. James Yii and Structural Representative Mr. Mo Rousta, who did an outstanding job in explaining the details of this enormous project to mostly civil engineering students audience, who had many engineering questions. At this time the initial construction of temporary roadways to divert traffic around the construction area was already underway. Aside from the construction of huge retaining walls starting 6 feet below ground level, the unique aspects of this undertaking is that neither the 46,000 daily vehicles nor the seventy plus trains that intersect currently can be interrupted. Upon completion, the project will support 80,000 vehicles and 128 train crossings on a daily basis. The first three pictures were taken three months ago. Sample pictures taken during the tour are attached.

Group Picture
Tour Leader
CAD Printout
Location 1
Location 2

OCEC’s Engineers Week Tour of the Caltrans Transportation Management Center (February 22, 2008, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

 On February 22nd, about ten professionals and guests participated in an informative tour of the Caltrans Transportation Management Center (TMC) organized by the Orange County Engineering Council (OCEC). The TMC is located at 6681 Marine Way, Irvine, close to the interchange of I-5 and Sand Canyon Avenue.   
     
Mr. Mahesh Bhatt, Chief of Traffic Management at Caltrans hosted the tour. He made a multi-media presentation of the facility. He explained that the TMC is the nerve center for the urban freeway and highway systems in Orange County. Traffic information is gathered from many sources, such as electronic sensors in the pavement, freeway call boxes, video cameras, CHP officers on patrol, motorist cellular calls, and commercial traffic reporters. This information is then analyzed by the TMC trained personnel who make informed decisions, that include but are not limited to, activation of the Changeable Message Signs, dispatch of Traffic Management Teams, Highway Advisory Radio, and notification to media and local agencies. These actions are key to the safe and efficient management of Orange County's freeway system. The TMC operates 24-hours a day and seven days a week. 

Following his presentation, Mr. Bhatt gave us a tour of the facility. The building is constructed on hinged foundations so the structure may sway but not be destroyed even if a severe earthquake strikes the area. The  facility also has many safety features that will automatically trigger during emergency conditions such as backup power source, retrieval of data from offsite memory bank, on-site food and shelter for operating personnel, etc.

Overall this was a successful tour and the participants got a first hand understanding of the complexities of managing and operating the complex highway systems in Orange County  

Tour Pictures:

Group Picture
Control Center
CAD Poster
Tower
Earthquake Foundation
Tour Guide

2008 OCEC Awards Banquet honors Southern California Engineers, Educators and Regents

The 2008 OCEC Honors and Awards Banquet was held at The Centre, Sycamore Plaza, in Lakewood, CA on Saturday, February 16, 2008. After a one-hour networking session of some 200 banquet attendees, the banquet was kicked off by a color guard parade followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Adam Chamaa, OCEC VP-Engineering and Invocation by Dr. Sam Sarem, OCEC Past President. Dinner entertainment included a stirring performance by the Sahara dancers who delighted the audience.

Dr. Pete Kurzhals, OCEC President, introduced Mr. Will Kempton, Director of the California Department of Transportation, who gave an inspiring keynote address on transportation improvements in California and Orange County.

Adam Chamaa, OCEC VP-Engineering and Master of Ceremonies, initiated the awards presentations. OCEC officers took their turn in recognizing the awards recipients, who received their plaques in a special presentation area. Photos of banquet participants and awardees (Click here for Images ) were captured by Don Henderson, the OCEC official photographer.

OCEC Award Categories included (Click here for slides ):

• Outstanding Student Awards
• Young Engineer Awards
• Engineering Merit and Distinguished Engineer Awards
• Outstanding and Distinguished Government Engineer Awards
• Engineering Service Awards
• Outstanding, Distinguished and Pioneer Educator Awards
• Engineering Project Achievement Awards
• Corporate Award
• Project of the Year Award
• James E. Ballinger Engineer of the Year Award
• President’s Award

with 44 engineering awards presented.

The Boeing Company received the OCEC Corporate Award; and their Orbital Express program was recognized as the 2008 OCEC Project of the Year. Bob Friend, Orbital Express Chief Engineer and Program Manager for System P6, was named as the 2008 OCEC James E. Ballinger Engineer of the Year; and his acceptance speech illustrated the many firsts achieved by Orbital Express with exciting flight videos.

The last award of the banquet was the OCEC President’s Award presented to Dr. Kathleen O’Connor Hodge, President, Fullerton College, for her leadership and advocacy of community colleges. Her acceptance remarks highlighted the importance of Orange County engineering and educational contributions, and stressed the key role of OCEC/University teaming in furthering engineering in Orange County.

Dr. Pete Kurzhals concluded the proceedings by thanking the awardees for their engineering contributions, the OCEC sponsors for their financial assistance, the student volunteers and Jack Byers for their key roles in effective banquet operations, and the audience for their participation and support.

OCEC Engineering Week Tours

Once again, the OCEC Engineering Week activities will include three exciting tours.

Visit Boeing Long Beach for a VIP tour of the C-17 assembly and flight line, and see how the most advanced military airlift in the world is built and tested.

Travel to the Orangethorpe/Esparanza Avenue overpass for a hard-hat tour of the construction activities for this major overpass which will support 80,000 daily vehicles and 128 train crossings when completed.

Check out the Caltrans Transportation Management Center, the nerve center for Orange County traffic management, and see how this major facility and its support networks enable safe and efficient operation of both urban freeway and highway systems in Orange County.

Sign up for these tours by emailing the corresponding tour contacts on the tour flyer link below as soon as possible. Note that the individual tours may have special participation and/or safety restrictions, so make sure that you meet these before signing up.

Tour sizes will be limited on a first-come first-served basis; and tours will be closed when these limits are reached. Detailed tour instructions will be sent to all successfully registered tour participants.

So act now to learn more about these fascinating engineering capabilities in Orange County…

Pete Kurzhals
OCEC President
714-896-1123

Click here for tours information.

2008 OCEC Honors and Awards Banquet

OCEC's annual Honors and Awards Banquet will be held at The Centre,  Sycamore Plaza, Long Beach on February 16, 2008 to kick off National  Engineers Week. This gala event, described on the enclosed flyer, will  feature a sumptuous dinner followed by a fascinating keynote address  on Caltrans: Connecting California by Mr. Will Kempton, the Caltrans Director. Mr. Kempton will cover key contributions Caltrans has made to establish the state highway infrastructure since its inception, and will address current plans for future improvements. 

Next, OCEC will recognize the best of the best in engineering for Southern California in 2007 by presenting awards in a broad range of categories, ranging from Outstanding Student Awards to Project and Engineer of the Year Awards. These presentations, which acknowledge outstanding individual and project achievements, are always a highlight of the year. 

OCEC Engineers Week activities will also feature three exciting engineering tours to such sites as Disneyland, Boeing and other major facilities in Orange County. Details of these tours and sign-up instructions will be provided on this website in January. Plan to sign up early, since these tours always fill up fast. 

To register for the Awards Banquet, please fill out the ticket order form on the flyer (including your meal selections), and mail the completed form with your payment to Phil Ridout, OCEC Treasurer, 6962 Los Amigos Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 prior to February 8, 2007. 

We look forward to seeing you at this premiere event. 

Dr. Peter R. Kurzhals, CM 
OCEC President

OCEC Call for Awards Nominations

OCEC has initiated its annual honors and awards process by requesting award nominations for a broad range of categories, to be presented at our annual Awards Banquet which will be held at The Centre, Sycamore Plaza in Lakewood, CA on February 16, 2008.

To review these award categories and submit a nomination, please check out the award summaries, nomination form and guidelines on the link below. Completed nomination packets, assembled per the enclosed instructions, should be mailed to Adam Chamaa, OCEC VP-Engineering, AESCO Technologies, Inc., 17782 Georgetown Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 by December 20, 2007.

Nomination Form
Guidelines

We look forward to having you join us as we recognize outstanding engineering projects and individuals for their contributions..


2007 Leaders Night - Big Success!

2007-Leaders Night Success Story

2007 Leaders Night

Each year the OCEC hosts a Leaders Night event where we invite key company executives, society chapter/section presidents and college/university leaders from Orange County to help us formulate future OCEC objectives and opportunities, and to join us for a keynote address on an exciting new engineering related topic.
This year, our keynote speaker will be Art Leahy, CEO of OCTA, who will address plans for congestion relief in Orange County.

We invite you to participate in this year's Leaders Night, which is scheduled for Thursday, August 30 at the Old Ranch Country Club, 3901 Lampson Ave., Seal Beach, CA 90740.

For more information download a descriptive flyer here: 2007OCECLeadersNightFlyer.pdf (116Kb pdf)

Please confirm your participation before August 15, as we will not be able to accomodate walk-in guests for this occasion.

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