Maine Engineers Week 2019

Maine

February 17th – 23rd, 2019

e n g i n e ew re esk

Engineering expo Saturday, March 2nd Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Location: University of Southern Maine Gorham Campus At The Fieldhouse Costello Sports Complex engineeringme.com Date:

A Special Section of the Bangor Daily News February 22, 2019

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

‘One percent could change the world’ For MMA students, details make a job well done

MMA S T U DENT PRO FILE:: Ka y leigh Mc C o y

BY ALAN CROWELL Just about every time a Maine person turns on the lights, there’s a Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) power engineering graduate on the other end of the line.

MMA Engineering Professor Mark Cote said a big part of the reason for that is the small Castine school’s emphasis on turning out engineers who don’t take shortcuts and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.

Cote, who grew up on a potato farm in Aroostook County picking rocks during the summer and potatoes during the fall, had a pretty good start on a work ethic when he arrived at MMA as a freshman.

His engineering professors took those good work habits and taught him how to apply them to engineering.

“They demanded that you do things the right way, develop good habits and use industry best practices in everything that you do,” said Cote. “You don’t just stand and watch, you dive in and participate and help out.”

After graduation, Cote worked in the power industry, first for North Carolina Power and Light, then for Duke Power, and then, after earning his master’s in mechanical engineering from Clemson University, for General Electric in Schenectady New York.

If Cote was leading a team that was inspecting engines at a plant, it wasn’t just his mechanics who got their hands dirty. Cote himself was likely to be found up to his elbows in lubricating oil with them.

It was the kind of thing that got noticed by not just his superiors but the men and women he worked with.

After 19 years in private industry, he returned to Maine Maritime Academy, where he has tried to pass on many of the same lessons he learned from his professors and from his time in private industry.

Technology has changed a great deal since Cote was a student. Then, Maine Maritime had one computer, which was connected directly to the University of Maine system.

Today, computers are ubiquitous in every part of engineering, constantly measuring, recording and adjusting processes and flows. Spreadsheets allow engineers to instantly see how changing one variable affects a complicated process, dramatically improving engineers’ ability to analyze problems.

Studies of nuclear power disasters in Chernobyl and Fukushima have led to new significant changes for the better when it comes to the way the industry approaches safety.

At its core, however, many of the lessons remain the same.

“The key thing, and the habits that I try to instill in my students, are just to be methodical and be ethical,” said Cote.

Engineers should be problem solvers, always thinking and brainstorming about how they can improve the process, said Cote.

Cote remembers one of his professors, Don Small, telling his students that if they could find a way to improve what they were doing by one percent, they could change the world. In the intervening years, decades of small, incremental changes have proven him right.

When Cote was a student, a well-performing power plant might be just 33 percent efficient.

Now a natural gas power plant within an hour’s drive is about 55 percent efficient and new plants can be roughly 5 percent more efficient than that.

“We use a lot less fuel to make the same power,” said Cote.

Continued on page 4

“They don’t have to know everything going into their co-op, but they need to be ready to try new things and work very hard,” said MMA Senior Kayleigh McCoy when asked what students need to know going into their first MMA Cooperative Education Program summer experience.

MMA’s Cooperative Education program places students in industry jobs with real responsibilities.

Power Engineering students are required to participate in the program the summers following their sophomore and junior years.

The summer jobs give student an inside look at their industry and helps them apply the knowledge they learned in the classroom. They also learn a great deal about what will be expected of them in the workplace. For the participating companies, the summer program provides a chance to get to know students’ capabilities as well as how they fit into the company’s culture.

McCoy, who is from Washington, worked her first summer in a large paper mill in Washington state and her second year at the Penobscot Energy Recovery Company in Orrington. Both were great experiences, said McCoy, who worked more than 800 hours this past summer and picked up a lot of practical knowledge.

Sargent Corporation provides technical expertise, dependable service

ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

COURTESY OF SARGENT CORPORATION

Sargent Corporation is an employee-owned earthwork construction company that traces its beginning to 1926 in Alton, Maine. Today, Sargent Corporation’s 400 employees work in seven states, specializing in commercial, industrial and institutional site preparation, landfill construction, utility projects, airports, athletic facilities and wind power access. The company is led by a field management team boasting over one thousand years of combined experience.

Sargent Corporation uses the latest technological resources available, a commitment to the equipment they operate, and a perpetual attention to detail.

Their mission is to be the most efficient and effective contractor on the planet—and to do things better than they’ve ever been done before.

With operations in Northern New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, you can count on Sargent Corporation’s team to meet the demanding technical challenges of your next heavy earthwork project and to produce world-class results. The company is dedicated to providing exceptional quality, ingenuity and service for their clients.

Herbert E. Sargent, Founder Photo Couresy of Sargent Corpoation They look forward to continuing their uncommon drive to participate in the community and contribute to the growth and development of the people they serve. Sargent Corporation is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. They are the foundations of your roads, runways, wind power and more.

Sargent Corporation’s success, they say, is in the dirt—they never stop honing their craft. As they say, that’s what earthmoving excellence is all about.

Sargent Corporation is proud to support future engineers and welcome the opportunity to meet them in the near future.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Continued from page 2 Many of those improvements have been made possible by new materials and by computers that can monitor every aspect of a plant down to the way air flows over turbine blades.

But while many of the tools have changed, the core of engineering is still about values.

“You still want a good person to be an engineer,” said Cote. “You want somebody who not only wants to get the job done but also wants to protect the environment.”

Translating those values to the workplace is largely a matter of teaching habits and attitudes, particularly when it comes to safety.

Power generation in most of the country uses fuel to create steam under enormous pressure which drive turbines to generate electricity.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with that process, which makes power plants potentially dangerous places.

“Every night you want to go home with the same number of toes and fingers as you had in the morning,” said Cote, and he added you want the same thing for the people you are working with.

Achieving that goal, day after day, year after year, means paying attention to details and following protocols, every time.

If part of a routine check of a plant calls for climbing 65 rungs up a ladder to read a gauge, MMA students are expected to climb all 65 rungs, every time. Climbing that ladder might not only allow them to read the gauge, it may also allow them to observe valves and check for leaks that could become a problem later.

One of the first places MMA students put those habits to work is through the cooperative education program, which requires students to participate in summer jobs in the power industry after their sophomore and junior years.

Chuck Easley, MMA Cooperative Education Coordinator, said the program requires students to work in maintenance or operations of plants that use high pressure steam to produce electricity.

The stereotype of an intern making copies all day or going on coffee runs does not apply to the cooperative education program.

In addition to applying the knowledge they acquired in school, the students also learn to communicate with and earn the trust of older and more experienced co-workers. Those sorts of soft skills can be among the most important lessons, said Easley.

The program tends to be a progression with the student spending the first summer learning systems and the components of a plant. The second summer, they are required to do some engineering, including completing an analysis of the plant.

For the plant operators, the program offers a chance to get to know students as future employees.

By working with a student over a summer or two, plant operators can learn about not only students’ abilities, but how they fit into the company’s culture. Easley said it also gives them a chance to see their plant and operations through a fresh pair of eyes.

Many companies also participate out of a sense of responsibility to help train and prepare the next generation of plant operators and engineers.

Particularly if they are MMA graduates, plant employees will often challenge students.

“I think alumni appreciate the opportunity to contribute and this is one way they feel they can contribute significantly,” said Easley.

From the students’ perspective, the summer programs are often the first time they have been in a real adult working experience with adult expectations and responsibilities. Often, the experience is a challenge, the kind best appreciated years later.

Parents and teachers, however, can often see the change in students after they return.

The school also benefits, said Easley, because students sometimes bring back experience of new technologies or trends in the industry, and that knowledge can help keep the program up to date.

Over the years, the types of plants that students work in has also changed, from many coal and oil-fired plants to more gas-fired plants or biomass plants.

There is now more of a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship, said Easley.

ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

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Cianbro team members exemplify company excellence COURTESY OF CIANBRO As we celebrate Engineers Week this year, Cianbro would like to recognize two team members who have excelled in our company, both of whom are graduates of the engineering program at the University of Maine (UMaine). Their achievements are a testament that engineering graduates can find fulfilling jobs in Maine, with boundless opportunity for growth.

Graduating from UMaine with a degree in civil engineering, Eve Jordan joined Cianbro six years ago and has continued to make a name for herself with the clients she works for and the project teams she manages. Eve began her career with Cianbro as a project engineer. Her leadership skills were quickly realized and she now holds a project superintendent role. When asked, Eve explained that her time at UMaine prepared her “for the problem solving and critical thinking my role at Cianbro requires. It gave me tools to quickly identify a challenge, think outside the box, and generate possible solutions to work effectively, efficiently, and safely as a member of a team.”

When Eve graduated from UMaine, she was most interested in gaining hands-on experience.

Cianbro offered such an opportunity through our Management Development Program (MDP), which according to Eve was the “major reason why I chose Cianbro over other companies. I could not pass up the opportunity to work for a company that wanted to ensure my first two years were spent learning and growing.” In addition, when asked why she continues to work for Cianbro, she replied, “Diversity of opportunities the company has to offer. Engineers are given the chance to learn and gain exposure to numerous types of projects. I have worked in paper mills, nuclear power plants, and various manufacturing facilities as well as helped to build wind towers, dams, compressor stations, and buildings.” Most recently, Eve and team received an Excellence in Construction award from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for their outstanding work on Cianbro’s Millstone Outfall Fish Barriers Restoration Project.

Anthony Passmore is anther Cianbro team member whose UMaine education, coupled with his work ethic, has propelled his career forward. Graduating with a degree in construction management technology, Anthony joined Cianbro in 2012 as a project engineer, and through various promotions, is now a project manager. When Anthony was asked to reflect on how his UMaine education prepared him for his current role, he explained that it “provided me the background necessary to make an immediate impact in the construction industry. I am constantly incorporating techniques from my engineering, business, and construction classes.”

In addition to his participation in the MDP, Anthony explains why he chose and continues to choose to work for Cianbro, “I chose to work for Cianbro because I wanted to make an impact with my career. Cianbro works on many diversified projects and I wanted to be involved with a company that can accomplish those goals successfully. The culture and family atmosphere at Cianbro is also another reason that lead me to the company. Knowing that you are working for everyone in the company, and yourself, as part of the employee ownership makes every day, project, and task as important as the next.”

Anthony has spent the majority of his time with Cianbro working on projects in our Building Market. Most notably, last year Anthony and team’s work on Cianbro’s Life Sciences Facility Upgrade Project earned an Award of Merit from ABC. Additionally, and closer to home, Anthony worked on the 12,750-square-foot Alfond W2 Ocean Engineering Lab addition located on the UMaine campus.

In addition to Eve and Anthony, Cianbro proudly stands behind more than one hundred engineers who are dedicated to our company’s success.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Maine needs engineers, and a new UMaine facility could help

BY ALAN CROWELL Every new engineer that goes to work in Maine adds roughly $500,000 to the state’s economy, according to a University of Maine analysis.

Current graduates of Maine’s engineering program have a job placement rate approaching 99 percent. This past fall, 158 companies attended the university’s annual engineering job fair.

That’s the good news. More engineers putting their skills to work in Maine makes for a healthier economy and just about every engineer that graduates from Maine schools can find a well-paying job.

Now, the not-so-good news: the state’s colleges and universities are not producing nearly enough engineers.

About 27 percent of engineers working in Maine are 55 years old or older. Just to replace those that will retire in the next 10 years, Maine will have to find about 1,840 new engineers.

Factor in the growing demand for engineering jobs in everything from the biomedical field to paper making and the deficit grows larger—much larger.

To meet that need, University of Maine College of Engineering Dean Dana Humphrey estimates that Maine will have to roughly double the number of engineers graduating from its schools over the next decade.

If a lack of engineers is the problem, however, a new Engineering and Design Center that is slated for construction beginning in 2020 is part of the answer.

The 105,000 square-foot facility is expected to cost between $75 and $77 million and, if all goes well, should open in the fall of 2022.

University of Maine engineering students operate a mannequin designed to diagnose breathing problems in children.

Photo courtesy University of Maine

The building will help the University of Maine expand its engineering program, but just as exciting to Humphrey, it will greatly improve the university’s ability to train engineers.

At its heart will be a series of spaces designed to allow engineering students from different disciplines to work together, creating machines and materials that solve real-life problems.

Students will work together at 42 workbench spaces located at the center of a series of shops, including a wood shop, composite shop, 3D printing shop, metal shop and electronics shop. Working collaboratively, students will be able to design a part, use one of the shops to fabricate the part, and then bring it back to their project to see if it works.

“An important characteristic of being an engineer is being able to build prototypes, diagnose what is wrong with them, and make them better,” said Dr. Humphrey.

In addition to being creative, engineers also have to be able to work with people and communicate well if they are to be successful after graduation.

“In the real world, engineering is very cross disciplinary,” said Humphrey. “What the new building will allow us to do is to have all those majors working in the right place.”

Biomedical engineering majors might work with electrical engineering majors to design a new type of medical manikin using the 3D printer to create new parts. Electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering majors might work together on a new type of hybrid car.

Humphrey said the building will be the finest space of its type available in any educational facility in the northeast and he is confident the building will have the biggest long-term impact on the state’s economy of any capital investment in the University of Maine system in recent years.

Even before shovels go in the ground, the new center already appears to be helping the University attract new engineering professors in an intensely competitive field.

Over the past several years, the College of Engineering has added 14 new positions and replaced seven staff who left through attrition. About half of the new staff members are women, said Humphrey.

Some new staff members joined the staff after putting their specialized skills to work in their fields for decades.

Continued on page 8

Maine’s ‘Outstanding Engineer’ keeps industry, colleagues on the cutting edge

ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

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COURTESY OF TRC When Brandon Davies joined TRC after graduating from the University of Maine in 2006, he was excited about embarking on a career as a consulting engineer and the variety of work that would come his way. He soon found himself forging valuable relationships with mentors, working on challenging projects, starting along a career development path, and taking advantage of industry leadership opportunities.

But little did he know that one day he’d be named Maine’s Outstanding Engineer by the Maine Chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power Engineering Society (PES).

“The award from IEEE was such a wonderful honor,” Davies said. “I have been fortunate to be part of so much interesting, challenging work during my time at TRC. I started out doing protection and control design drawings, but then had the opportunity to transition into a relay settings role where I could apply my deep interest in technical details. Over the years I have been able to take on a lot of responsibility, including lead roles on large projects. I really enjoy the leadership side and TRC afforded me the chance to be where I am today which is supervising one of the company’s system protection engineering teams.”

Brandon received the IEEE honor in December in recognition of his 12 years of experience in power engineering and his technical and professional contributions to the field. At TRC, he has been an integral part of many complex projects involving power engineering design, studies and protective relay settings for utility clients nationwide, including helping to develop IEC-61850 protection and automation platforms.

For five years, Davies has also served on multiple IEEE Power System Relaying and Control (PSRC)

Brandon Davies, PE-Supervisor of System Studies Photo Couresy of TRC Committee working groups, which develop standards, best practices guidance and reports that help protection engineers worldwide excel in their work – and do so safely.

TRC is a longtime supporter not only of IEEE’s PSRC group but other important associations like the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

“It has always been our philosophy that to stay ahead in the rapidly changing world we work in, you have to be actively engaged in these key organizations,” said Paul Elkin, TRC’s senior vice president of substation engineering. “When our best talent is involved, it keeps TRC at the cutting edge of what’s going on in the industry and allows us to deliver the best solutions to our clients. We’re proud of Brandon’s role in shaping engineering standards for the next generation of equipment and applications, and we encourage all of our engineers to explore similar opportunities.”

By participating in professional technical organizations and performing work for clients in the field, Brandon says he and his TRC colleagues are making an impact on the world.

“I love that I can stay based in Maine, but work on high profile projects across North America, including efforts to advance sustainable, resilient energy systems,” he said. “From helping to interconnect solar and microgrid projects nationwide, to supporting the restoration, design and rebuild of the power grid in Puerto Rico, there really is no limit to what you can do as part of the TRC family.”

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Students test remotely controlled equipment in the University of Maine College of Engineering.

Photo courtesy University of Maine

Dana Humphrey, Dean of the College of Engineering at UMaine, teaches an Engineering Leadership and Management course recently.

Photo courtesy UMaine College of Engineering

Continued from page 6 One of the new instructors who joined the university only about a year ago is Dr. Robert Bowie, a professor in the biomedical engineering program who was an emergency room physician for many years and who also has a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. His goal is to find ways to get care to injured or ill patients faster.

Under his leadership, a group of students have designed a drone that can carry a special biomedical glove to the site of an accident. When placed on the hand of an injured person, the glove can transmit temperature and pulse information back to the drone, which then can relay the information to medical professionals.

The glove is designed to help doctors and emergency medical professionals begin planning the care of an injured person before they even see them. If the injured person is a snowmobiler or a hiker in a hard-to-reach location, the glove can reach the injured person well before emergency personnel and help them better understand the injured person’s condition so they can decide what types of equipment backcountry rescue personnel should carry with them on their mission.

Another group of bioengineering seniors have created a vest designed to help train medical students to diagnose patients with heart conditions. The vest is worn by actors who are taught to mimic the symptoms of patients with medical conditions.

Currently, while actors can verbally describe the symptoms of a patient—for example, a person with an irregular heartbeat—they aren’t able to reproduce the sound of an irregular heartbeat that a doctor would hear if the doctor were diagnosing a person who actually has that medical condition.

The vest generates sounds that mimic irregular rhythm heart beats, so when an actor-patient verbally describes the symptoms of someone with a heart condition and the doctor-in-training listens to his or her chest, the doctor-in-training hears the irregular rhythm he or she would hear if they were listening to a patient who had an irregular heartbeat.

Maine engineering students also have the opportunity to help real Maine companies solve problems through the university’s Advanced Manufacturing Center, which pairs students with companies who need technical assistance.

ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Engineering tomorrow’s workforce COURTESY OF BURNS & MCDONNELL

Photo Courtesy of Burns & McDonnell Change is the new norm. Electric and natural gas vehicles are on the rise. Renewable energy is no longer a rookie in the industry. Cities are becoming smarter. To keep pace, companies, utilities and municipalities must adapt traditional processes to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

But who will lead the charge? Katryn Mitchell, project manager at Burns & McDonnell and one of ENR New England’s 2017 Top Young Professionals, tells us about the “next-generation engineer” and how the industry is shifting.

What is a “next-generation engineer” and what’s caused this shift?

A new type of engineer has risen as an advocate for customers’ success in our ever-changing industry: the next-generation engineer. Next-generation engineers are adaptive, business-savvy professionals who are embedded with their clients to see the big picture firsthand.

The ability to embrace challenges and change is important for today’s engineers. We’re moving away from engineers specializing in one area their entire careers. Now, an engineer’s capacity to learn is paramount and there is a focus on cross-trained, cross-functional professionals. It’s important for nextgeneration engineers to be adaptable and tech-savvy, understand regulations and requirements across industries, and possess strong communication skills.

How are you developing and retaining a diverse team of cross-trained professionals?

No project is ever the same as the next. Team members, technology and client expectations change.

Even a project as structured as a substation design for two similar utilities will come together differently based on design philosophies and needs. Because of this, some of the most valuable education engineers in today’s market will receive is from a diverse team.

An engineer with diverse experience needs less training to begin a new project and can be brought up to speed more quickly — reducing the length of project schedules and saving the client money.

What industry challenges are you seeing in the region?

In Maine and beyond, the industry is experiencing a major labor shortage and it’s becoming harder for companies to attract new people given the large number of open positions. Our clients are facing an increase in project work without enough staff to execute the work. That’s where we can step in: to fill the gap and bring in the right team to the job. We’re able to leverage a strong local and national network of engineering and construction professionals, subcontractors and partners to meet our clients’ needs.

Learn more about game-changers within engineering and what it takes to solve challenges in an ever-changing market at burnsmcd.com/nextgeneration.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Engineering among top careers for math-proficient students

Economist:

Economists study and analyze the effects of resources on costs and their relation to industry and government.

Accountant:

Accountants are responsible for keeping accounting records and preparing financial statements for businesses or individuals.

Game designer:

Mathematics is involved in game theory, and programmers regularly utilize trigonometry, physics and calculus. The same can be said for movie or television animators.

Math is an important subject, and proficiency in arithmetic serves people well when it comes time to leave the classroom and enter the workforce. As demand for workers proficient in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics continues to grow, students can benefit by working diligently when studying such subjects.

People with strong math skills who thrive on data and crunching numbers may find a diverse array of jobs available to them when they are ready to enter the workforce. One such career track is in engineering: mechanical, aerospace, and civil engineering go hand-in-hand with math. Engineers in various fields perform a host of tasks, including designing equipment and evaluating the adaptability of materials.

The following are just some of the other careers that require math skills, courtesy of the Occupational Information Network and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Stockbroker:

Stockbrokers purchase and sell stocks, bonds and other securities.

Exchanging large sums of money involves a strong command of math.

Chemist:

Chemists conduct analyses and experiments in laboratories that require qualitative and quantitative computation.

Pilot:

Navigating, calculating wind speeds and fuel ration and much more are involved in piloting an aircraft. Math skills can be life-saving when pilots have to make adjustments and calculations thousands of feet in the air.

Sports broadcaster:

Math is involved in many aspects of sports. Sports broadcasters often must add up statistics on the fly and proficiency in math makes that easier.

Astronomer:

Observing, researching and interpreting astronomical phenomena requires a strong understanding of mathematics.

Insurance underwriter:

Underwriters rely on math to assess risk as they make recommendations to insurance companies before such companies will issue policies.

Financial planner:

Financial planners help businesses and individuals map out the ways to grow their money so they can secure their financial futures.

Actuary:

Actuaries measure risk and uncertainty as they evaluate the likelihood of future events occurring as they apply to certain areas, including insurance and pension programs.

Strong math skills can provide an entryway into a lucrative and stable career.

ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

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One of Maine’s fastest-growing companies is co-owned by engineer

BY LORI VALIGRA A truck body manufacturing company in Waterville is growing rapidly as demand grows for lighter weight and more durable aluminum parts.

F3 MFG Inc. of Waterville, which makes aluminum truck bodies and headache racks that dealers add to trucks, plans to hire about 40 people to its current workforce of 162 by the end of this year. That’s up from 14 workers in January 2016 after the company reformed from the former Magnum Manufacturing.

It also plans to pull in $32 million in revenue by the end of the year, up 50 percent from $19.5 million in 2018 and $10.7 million in 2017, said Bill Cleaves, one of three owners of F3, which stands for “Final 3,” a nod to all three owners wanting this to be the last company they own.

“People are tired of steel bodies, which have an average life of only three years,” Cleaves said. “The average life of our DuraMag bodies is two trucks.”

Cleaves started Magnum in three buildings totaling 11,000 square feet in Liberty in 2009.

He took on two partners with manufacturing backgrounds in the fall of 2015. Joyce Galea, who handles directs sales, and Tom Sturtevant, who handles accounting, joined Cleaves, an engineer.

The owners moved the company to Waterville in January 2016, as that city is close to all of their homes and convenient to the interstate. F3 moved into 50,000 square feet in the former Wyandotte woolen mill in January 2016, and expanded twice since then to now

Former Sen. Angus King visits F3 MFG in Waterville in this March 2018 file photo.

From left: Owner Bill Cleaves, King, owners Joyce Galea and Tom Sturtevant.

Photo courtesy F3 MFG occupy 152,000 square feet at 977 West River Road. There are three unrelated businesses in the former mill.

“They were the third fastest-growing company in the state of Maine for 2018,” said Garvan Donegan, director of planning and economic development at the Central Maine Growth Council. That ranking was determined by the Inc. magazine 2018 list of the country’s 5,000 fastest-growing privately held companies.

F3 makes the DuraMag line of truck bodies that includes service, landscape, hauler, platform, van, dump, custom and anti-rattle stake bodies. Those represent 75 percent of sales and are sold through F3’s U.S. network of 180 dealers.

The F3 service bodies, which are the highest growth area for the company, have an average price of $7,500, but range from $5,000 to $25,000. They are used in the back of the truck by carpenters and electricians.

It also makes the Magnum line of truck racks, which represent 25 percent of total sales.

Half of the racks are sold through the internet and half through dealers.

In Maine, the company sells through Hews Company, a South Portland truck upfitter, and Bangor Truck Equipment. F3 intends at some point to expand internationally, but Cleaves said it currently is busy with North American sales.

Cleaves said he expects truck bodies, upward of 80 percent of which are made of steel, to be switched to primarily aluminum during the next 10 years. He said aluminum is 40 percent lighter than steel, and the price for aluminum in most products is getting close to that of steel counterparts.

This story was originally published in The Bangor Daily News, January 11, 2019.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

How technology can reinforce lessons

>>Reinforce STEM

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says employment in occupations related to STEM —”Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics”—is projected to grow to more than nine million by 2022.

Technology plays a strong role in STEM careers. Honing these skills in the classroom can prepare students for professional arenas in which technology figures to play a sizable role.

>>Inexpensive resources

The use of technology both in and out of the classroom can be a polarizing subject.

Proponents of tech in schools contend that students must be skilled in the ways of the world, which is increasingly being governed by technology. Detractors to tablets and smartbooks in the classroom may say it contributes to excessive time in front of a screen and can prove distracting over other means of learning.

It is hard to deny the ways that technology has helped shape and improve education.

Students who may not excel with the traditional tools of learning might benefit from applications geared toward offering assistance for their particular needs. Furthermore, technology, through its globalization, can put educators and students in touch with a wealth of resources at their fingertips. The following are the myriad ways that technology can enhance lessons in the classroom.

Technology can provide various online resources that go beyond the study guides and other materials offered by textbooks. These resources can be very low-cost or even free, helping educators save money. For parents who need to reinforce lessons at home, the internet can help them collaborate with other parents and teachers and find fun ways to help their children learn.

>>Quantifiable results

Technology can process data more quickly and efficiently than humans.

Algorithms can be developed to help students learn faster. Tech can be customized in unique ways to help students learn. Not every student learns the same way. Technology provides for a multimedia approach that can combine visual and auditory tools to better teach students.

>>Connect more

Teachers can embrace technology such as YouTube-powered guides to show students how to complete assignments or to go over information in the classroom. Students who missed class or need a little reinforcement can benefit from a second look at lessons in online videos available at all times on the internet.

>>Transcend location

Technology can connect people by voice, text or video, which means that learning is not limited to geographic location. Notes and materials can be shared with teachers or study groups through digital connections around the world in real time.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Work with an innovative, inspiring team at Sappi COURTESY OF SAPPI NORTH AMERICA Paper is everywhere – even hidden in our clothes and cars. Because it is an important, sustainable resource, the industry is continuously innovating to meet consumer demands.

Sappi North America is well known for its commitment to high-quality wood fiber products. The company manufactures some of the most sought-after coated printing papers in the world, is continually finding new potential in paper packaging grades, supports the growing need for products like dissolving wood pulp, and is a leader in quality and durability in the global release paper market.

An engineering career at Sappi provides the opportunity to work strategically with an innovative and inspiring team of professionals dedicated to moving renewable and recyclable paper forward in a carbon-constrained world Sappi’s visionary leadership has enabled the company to continuously grow and remain nimble, and investments flowing to the company’s mills ensure its long-term viability. Most recently, the company completed a $200 million investment to rebuild a paper machine and update the woodyard in Skowhegan, increasing capacity by 180,000 metric tons and expanding its packaging product offerings.

The work is challenging and engaging, the pay is competitive, and Sappi has over 130 seasoned engineers ready and waiting to mentor younger staff. Many of Sappi’s employees

For more information or to talk with someone about joining our team, visit sappi.com or contact Dale Wibberly, Human Resources, at 207-238-7962. have been with the company for decades and are eager to pass their knowledge on to the next generation. Sappi’s local engineers come from a variety of institutions, including the University of Maine, Maine Maritime, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and more.

The company works closely with the University of Maine’s Pulp and Paper Foundation to support students who express an interest in the pulp and paper industry, and it partners with many local institutions to offer competitive co-op programs and career development opportunities.

Beyond the mills, Sappi supports more than 50 local organizations with volunteer efforts and financial contributions, and employees have donated thousands of hours to community groups. Sappi is committed to not only helping the paper industry prosper, but also the people of Maine that carry the paper industry forward.

For hundreds of years, the paper industry has been a staple of Maine’s economy. Sappi North America’s local mills and offices – in Skowhegan, Westbrook and South Portland – have remained a bright spot by using a forward-thinking approach to the pulp and paper business, focused primarily on unprecedented innovation. This is not your grandfather’s paper mill.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

STEM taking schools by storm An increased focus on STEM education is one of the most influential initiatives to reach schools in recent years. STEM is an acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.” The world has become increasingly complex and competitive, and today’s youth need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to evaluate ideas and turn them into productive applications. These are two of the key hallmarks of STEM. According to the National Science Foundation, STEM subjects include chemistry, computer and information technology science, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, social sciences (anthropology, economics, psychology and sociology), and STEM education and learning research.

Recognizing that more and more students are gravitating toward STEM-focused fields and that projected STEM job rates are rising steadily, schools have begun to beef up their offerings with regard to STEM subjects. Jobs in mathematics, computer system analysis, systems software, and biomedical engineering are just some of the careers in which anywhere from a 15 to 62 percent increase between 2010 and 2020 is predicted, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Individuals may believe that STEM study begins in high school, but the success of older students in STEM subjects is often shaped much earlier on. That’s why parents and educators can do much to cultivate an interest in natural and social sciences as well as in math as early as possible. Here are a few ideas to do just that.

Encourage participation in the community.

Various national clubs and science-based organizations have begun to pay more attention to STEM and offer activities that foster a greater love of science, engineering and math. By joining such clubs and organizations, students can learn more about these subjects and reinforce their enjoyment.

Set up an internship or meet-and-greet.

Take students to STEM-centered places of employment so they can get a firsthand experience from within the STEM trenches. Provide opportunities for students to chat with people in the field and ask questions about the type of schooling necessary to pursue a particular degree, and if any hobbies and other activities promote STEM learning.

Investigate school-based opportunities.

Schools are broadening course offerings and also establishing STEM-based clubs. Students have the opportunity to get involved with other like-minded classmates. If a club isn’t already available, a teacher or a parent can consider volunteering to serve as the head of the club.

STEM is a hot topic of discussion in the world of education. Students can expect to get plenty of exposure to science- and math-related topics both inside and out of the classroom.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Women enjoying STEM careers as gender gap lingers The number of women entering the professional fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is slowly growing around the world.

However, there is still a sizable gender gap in these professions.

According to the College Board, which produces many standardized tests, only 27 percent of all students taking the AP Computer Science exam in the United Science are women. Similarly, just 18 percent of American computer science degrees are attained by females.

However, this is not the case elsewhere in the world. A paper by Gijsbert Stoet and David Geary published in “Psychological Science” noted that women who live in countries with traditionally higher gender inequality tend to choose STEM professions more readily. Algeria, for example, has one of the highest ratios of women in STEM professions at 41 percent. Stoet and Geary surmise that women in these countries may be choosing careers with the strongest path to financial independence.

According to a U.S. Department of Education report, students studying science or math in college have a higher employment rate and salary than other majors after graduation. STEM majors typically earn an average of $15,500 more annually than non-STEM majors. Engineering and engineering technology tends to pay the most.

Women eager to secure competitive, stable and well-paying jobs should carefully consider the opportunities available to them in STEM fields.

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ENGINEERS WEEK • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • February 22, 2019

Behind-the-scenes solutions at UMaine lab COURTESY OF WBRC ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS

People sometimes ask WBRC engineers, “What exactly do you do?”

That’s because much of what mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineers do is behind the scenes.

For a facility like the new Cooperative Extension Diagnostic and Research Laboratory at the University of Maine, the engineering design process began with a thorough understanding of the lab’s complex functions.

UMaine’s Cooperative Extension provides testing and research on possible threats to Maine’s food chain. The laboratory staff needs to analyze pests and pathogens in a biosecure environment. That required WBRC’s mechanical engineers to design highlyspecialized redundant HVAC systems to accommodate fume hoods and biological safety cabinets and maintain pressure differentials. WBRC’s structural engineers retrofitted the existing structure to support key additions to the building, including a fully-automated monorail hoist crane capable of lifting 1.5 tons. Maintaining tanks full of fish takes continuous power; that redundant power system was designed by WBRC electrical engineers. And while this project was in an existing building requiring minimal site work, our civil engineers were responsible for coordinating with town authorities.

So while the long answer to “What do WBRC engineers do?” is complicated, the short answer is: “We help make Maine innovation a reality.”

UMaine’s new Cooperative Extension Diagnostic and Research Laboratory enables researchers to test and analyze plants, animals, insects, and fish in customized labs with different levels of biosecurity Photo by Greg Premru