Modern Steel Construction Podcast Series: Field Notes

Fraser Reid did not envision becoming a sustainability champion when he began his structural engineering career, but he has flourished in that space and found an industry niche where he's comfortable.

An architecture career that has included stops in three countries brought Nima Balasubramanian to AISC, where she's helping create a crucial resource for educating architects about structural steel.

Growing up near Philadelphia helped shape Jill Lavine's childhood architectural aspirations. Decades later, she's a prominent figure in the area's architecture scene.

Kimberly Guzman has found her place in structural engineering after shifting gears to it during college and navigating early career challenges.

Tim Kohany found comfort in carpentry at a young age, but working with wood shaped a curiosity about engineering and designing with steel.

A recent project has made University of Kansas professor Caroline Bennett a well-known voice on the behavior of hot-dip galvanized steel.

Gary Stein has guided the steel distribution company his father founded from a one-location operation into a market leader.

Joshua Schultz entered the AEC world with visions of becoming an architect, but he has found his fit in academia after nearly a decade at Gonzaga University.

University of Notre Dame professor Ashley Thrall quickly immersed herself in engineering when she discovered it after college, and she's now a respected researcher who runs a cutting-edge campus laboratory.

Heather Gilmer studied linguistics before finding her way to her original engineering passion: bridges. Combining them has led to 20-plus years in fabrication quality management and specification writing.

Machel Morrison has become a respected voice in academia and steel design instruction within just a few short years of starting his teaching career.

Bob Shaw has made an illustrious career out of teaching professionals and immersing himself in committee work, and a student competition he created nearly 40 years ago has gained international acclaim.

Mike Grubb's exhaustive writing on steel bridge design led to him earning one of the profession's highest honors: The J. Lloyd Kimbrough Award.

Onur Avci pivoted from a career as a practicing engineer to academia, fulfilling his wish to share his wealth of knowledge with the next generation of engineers.

David J. Odeh's father helped steer him into structural engineering and to the family company, where he has become a widely respected voice and leader in his own right.

Four decades into his career, prominent fabrication engineer Mark Holland's first employer remains his only employer. Holland has spent 42 years with Paxton & Vierling Steel and is still as enthused about his work as when he started.

Rob Connor has helped make Purdue University a leader in steel bridge research and has helped build the university's S-BRITE center into a nationally known bridge inspection and testing training center.

"Steel Matchmaker" John Schuepbach links people from all corners of the North American structural steel industry, especially equipment buyers and sellers. His lengthy list of contacts has also helped make him a valued fabricator consultant.

Longtime AISC volunteer Steven J. Fenves has helped propel the steel industry forward for more than half a century. He joins the podcast to discuss his background, his work on the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, and more.

Georgia Tech professor and bridge expert Ryan Sherman has focused his recent research on 3D printing and its potential impact on steel construction.

Architecture professor and 2023 AISC Lifetime Achievement Award winner Terri Meyer Boake became a respected voice on architecturally exposed structural steel due in no small part to her photography skills.

Frank Russo, PE, PhD, founder of Russo Structural Services. Listen to Frank dive into his two-plus decades in bridge design and repair, his favorite projects, and the launch of his company in 2021.

Ruby+Associates' president and CEO Tricia Ruby didn't expect to work for the firm her father started. But now she runs it, complementing its engineering expertise with her business and leadership know-how.

Quality assurance expert Cliff Schwinger has spent a career helping designers and detailers improve their designs and view mistakes as learning experiences.

Nearly two decades ago, David Zalesne left a successful legal career in Philadelphia to revive a steel fabrication shop in South Carolina--and he's never looked back.

Extensive work with building codes as they relate to steel construction has been a defining characteristic of Robert Wills' award-winning career.

Mark Waggoner's experience designing long-span steel roofs has led to his working on multiple massive stadiums, including several that have hosted the Super Bowl in recent years.

An expert on steel design, fabrication, and erection with a half-century-plus of experience, former LeJeune Steel president Larry Kloiber shares his thoughts on his life in the industry, particularly his work with cambering steel.

After three decades of building portfolios for different structural engineering companies, Helen Torres decided to start building a portfolio for a new firm--one that bears her name.

Larry Kruth has dedicated the majority of his life to the structural steel industry as a practicing engineer, a fabricator, a safety expert, an instructor, a committee volunteer, and an AISC vice president. And even though he recently retired (for the second time), his work with the industry will continue.

Chris Raebel's life thus far has been a fruitful and varied journey, all without having to stray from the city he loves--Milwaukee--for too long.

Ron Klemencic's habit of questioning the answers has led him to play an integral role in developing the revolutionary SpeedCore high-rise core wall system.

One of this year's Steel Design Student Competition winners and his faculty advisor discuss the iterative process of transforming a decommissioned offshore oil rig into a cultural center.

Grady Harvell has been a driving force in Arkansas' steel industry, as well as in bringing a structural research lab to the state's flagship university.

Remember when computers weren't ubiquitous in engineering offices? Allen Adams does. And it led him to help create design software with the ultimate goal of letting engineers be engineers.

This year's Forge Prize winners discuss their Common Sky concept, which has the potential to take urban housing projects to new heights, both figuratively and literally.

Rae Ripple's life tree has branched off many times. And it's taken her to exactly where she wants to be.

Gian Rassati, a 2022 AISC Special Achievement Award winner, began life in a small Italian mountain town and has gone on to do big things in bolting research.

University of Illinois engineering professor Larry Fahnestock takes a proactive approach to teaching, advising, and covering great distances.

To Mary Jo Emrick, welding is an art, a science, an opportunity, and a lifelong skill that she is teaching to the next generation.

Dave Eckmann's approach to his work as a structural engineer is influenced by his architectural aptitude and education, not to mention his lifelong desire to build things.

AISC steel specialist, Alex Morales leverages his diverse background to help design teams make the most of their structural steel projects.

As one of AISC's longest-tenured employees, Cindi Duncan has wrangled countless committee members to keep publications on track and on schedule.

Gwyneth Leech brings out the bold beauty of steel construction in her portraits of under-construction Manhattan high-rises.

Larry Muir took an unorthodox path to get his various engineering degrees. But it has led him to connection design and consulting success.

Engineering professor Hannah Blum is working to make the most of her and her students' experiences in the real and virtual worlds.

University of Missouri Steel Bridge Team captain Corey Valleroy has elevated his team in both size and diversity and helped his fellow teammates make the most of their experience in the 2021 AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition.

Nick Colina has turned his once-struggling family business into a success story and is also working to turn the California construction industry into a more inclusive landscape.

Hunter Ruthrauff's Forge Prize-winning design was generated by his personal connection to San Diego's Balboa Park and addresses the need for a public connection across one of its canyons.

UMass engineering professor and structural stability expert Kara Peterman takes the long view on life.

Southern California architect Anders Lasater has found the perfect balance between designing buildings and banging drums.