On March 10th, the New York-Northeast Chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) and the Deep Foundations Institute’s (DFI) Women in Deep Foundations Technical Committee co-hosted a Reception and Panel Discussion on Professional Women in the World of Construction. The event was moderated by Dr. Sissy Nikolaou of MRCE (EERI subscribing member), Director of EERI and President of the NYNE chapter, and Ms. Helen Robinson of Schnabel Engineering, Chair of the DFI Women in Deep Foundations Technical Committee.
Speakers: the Dean of Engineering of the University at Buffalo Dr. Liesl Folks, Mr. Ramon Gilsanz founding partner of GMS (EERI subscribing member), Chair of the 2014 NYC Building Code Technical Committee, and Director of EERI-NYNE chapter, Ms. Mary-Jane Augustine, Partner of Construction Law at McCarter-English, LLP, and Aspa Zerva, Professor at Drexel University, lead member of the NSF program ENHANCE for career of women in earthquake engineering, and Director of EERI-NYNE chapter.
The objective of EERI is to reduce earthquake risk by (1) advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering, (2) improving understanding of the impact of earthquakes on the physical, social, economic, political, and cultural environment, and (3) advocating comprehensive and realistic measures for reducing the harmful effects of earthquakes.
DFI is an international association of contractors, engineers, suppliers, academics and owners in the deep foundations industry, promoting the advancement of the deep foundations industry through technical committees, educational programs and conferences, publications, research, government relations and outreach. The Women in Deep Foundations Committee is comprised of women and men who are advocates for retaining women in the deep foundations industry. The goal of the committee is to foster greater success and interest of professional women in the industry by promoting networking events, endorsing outreach and building mentoring relationships.
