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October

October 10, 2019 12:20 PM | Anonymous

Ken O'Dell, SE
President

When you take on the role of President of any Association you are often handed some big initiatives to move forward and an opportunity to help craft the direction the organization will take in the future. SEAOSC is no different. Over the past few years, several members of the past and the current board have worked to build opportunities for local university students to be engaged more directly with the Association through University based student chapters. While this remains a fledgling endeavor, I’m pleased to share that progress is being made. With renewals picking back up after the beginning of the academic calendar, we have over 250 student members active in the Association through their on-campus chapters. I’m also excited that another 70 plus members will be joining our ranks as we strengthen our relationship with UCLA students. In partnering with the student chapter at UCLA, to create an expanded opportunity for the students, EERI-SEAOSC at UCLA will bring together the researchers and practitioners and ensure engagement of young members as they transition through their academic curriculum and into the industry, hopefully into the offices of structural engineering firms throughout Southern California.

This is an incredibly important step that I encourage our firms and members to embrace and support. We will continue to seek ways to create robust opportunities to bring together our entire membership. These efforts will be focused on building life-long relationships with our peers. Student and young members are the future of our profession and this Association - be sure you don’t miss the chance to interact and help nurture the future direction of the Association.

I am also excited to announce that our Committee Showcase in September resulted in the reinvigoration of our Sustainability/Resilience Committee with a new Chair volunteering to step in. Additionally, our new Concrete and Wood Committees have been kicked-off with several members seeking to be part of their inaugural launch…we hope to schedule first meetings between now and early November. Don’t forget every member of SEAOSC is invited to be a part of the conversation through our committees. I encourage you to not wait to ask Why? Instead be part of the conversation that helps Frame Why! Your professional growth and the growth of the association can only be stronger by your involvement. Be sure to check out the SEAOSC website and Committee page (https://seaosc.org/SEAOSC-Committees) to get connected.

This next week the Association continues to bring good content and engagement to our members and the community. On October 24th we host our annual Safer Cities Policy Breakfast in downtown LA with invitations to the District Directors from the offices of our local California State legislative members. The breakfast will engage these individuals in roundtable conversations regarding opportunities for SEAOSC and our members to support our communities with statewide initiatives. These conversations continue endeavors initiated 8 or so years ago with our first Buildings at Risk Summit. Over the years these conversations have directly resulted in Cities in southern California seeking guidance from SEAOSC to help craft and adopt important seismic safety ordinances. Also, on the 24th, we will host our first-of-the year Tri-Counties Dinner meeting in Santa Barbara with discussion regarding the recently released SEAOC Blue Book.

Let me wrap this up with two last opportunities to engage… October 17th is the 30th Anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. SEAOSC is hosting a Webinar on lessons learned for horizontal diaphragms. Be sure to register soon, it will come and be gone quickly. AND… Don’t forget to participate in the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill…held this year on the actual Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Register to participate at https://www.shakeout.org/ and be ready to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” at 10:17am on 10/17.


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SEAOSC Office
10945 Burbank Blvd. 
North Hollywood, CA 90601
Phone: (562) 908-6131
Email: seaosc@seaosc.org
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About SEAOSC

The Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC) is a professional association with a rich history and a commitment to shaping the future of structural engineering. This legacy continues to affect the field, as SEAOSC remains a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, professional development, and community engagement.

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