The Rochester Engineer June 2024

www.roceng.org

June 2024

Record federal funding drives Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ next chapter

The latest cooperative agreement builds on the Laser Lab’s significant scientific productivity and contributions to national security efforts by Sofia Tokar | 22

The newest cooperative agreement with the National Nuclear Security Administration allows the Laboratory for Laser Energetics to operate the Omega Laser Facility, which houses two of the largest laser systems in academia.

(University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Eugene Kowaluk)

Also in this issue: 

RES Events in June June 6th - Monthly Social Gathering at

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June 13th - RES and ASHRAE Continuing

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Rohrbach's, 97 Railroad St., 5:00 PM | 8 Educatiion Webinar - 3 PDHs | 9 

RES Annual Meeting & Retirement Reception for Lynne Irwin Wednesday, June 26 | 6

NOTICE TO ALL RES MEMBERS 2024-25 Slate of Officers | 7

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Member Profiles: Mike Walker | 18

Affiliate - ASPE | 20 

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RES Scholarship Alumni Spotlight Calvin Nau | 19

RES & Affiliates Calendar | 34 FEATURE ARTICLE: Post-Eclipse Details | 26

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Campus News | 32



Position Openings | 36

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Photos from May 4th Awards Program | 10

Corporate Members of the Rochester Engineering Society

ENTERPRISE LEVEL

CHAMPION LEVEL

SUSTAINING LEVEL

IS YOUR COMPANY LISTED HERE? Call 585-254-2350 for information.

2 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

corporate members of the rochester engineering society

Volume 103, Number 1, JUNE 2024

Cover Article:

contents RES NEWS

UR LLE - Record federal funding drives Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ next chapter

(Highlighted in Blue)

Page 22

news of the...

2

Corporate Members of the RES

4

RES Board of Directors

5

RES President's Messages

6

RES Annual Meeting, Wed. June 26th Bausch Auditorium, RMSC

7

Notice to all Members, Slate for 2024-25 RES Board of Directors

8

RES Event Calendar - Save the Dates (PDHs Available)

9

RES/ASHRAE Condinuing Education Webinar - June 13th -3 PDHs

10

Photo's from RES Awards Program on May 4th

12

RES History: April - May1978

14

RES Tutoring Team at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy - A Reflection

15

What will the future hold for the RES Tutoring Team?

16

RES Technical Corner

17

RES Member Benefit

18

RES Member Profile - Mike Walker

19

RES Scholarship Spotlight - Calvin Nau

20

RES Affiliate Member Profile - ASPE

22

Record federal funding drives LLE's next chapter (cover article)

26

'Eclipse Chasers Chased' after optimal view of the sun and moon (feature article)

• ABCD

21 RES Donations

32

Campus News (pages 32-33)

34

Engineers' Calendar & Continuing Education Opportunities (PDHs)

36

Position Openings

47

Professional Firms Employee News

47

Directory of Professional Services (pages 49-50)

49

Affiliated Societies of the RES

50

Directory of Business Services

index

Association for Bridge Design and Construction.................................. 40

• ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers.............. 41

• ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers....................... 43

• ASPE American Society of Plumbing Engineers...... 46

• EA Electrical Association......................................... 45

• IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (pagrs 38-39)............... 38

• IES Illuminating Engineering Society...................... 37

• INCOSE International Council on Systems Engineering........................................................... 44

• RES Rochester Engineering Society...............2-21, 25

• TERRA TERRA Science & Engineering Fair (pgs 42-44)................................................... 42

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 3

Board of Directors: OFFICERS:

President MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE Colliers Engineering / Michelle.Sommerman@collierseng.com

First Vice President DENNIS ROOTE, PE CDE Engineering & Environment, PLLC / dennis.roote@cde-pllc.com

Second Vice President MIKE KURDZIEL, PhD L3Harris Corporation / mike.kurdziel@L3harris.com

Treasurer TBD - Dennis Roote is interim treasurer.

Immed. Past President GREG GDOWSKI, PhD University of Rochsester / Greg_Gdowski@urmc.rochester.edu

DIRECTORS:

HOWARD RESSEL, PE Popli Design Group (retired NYSATE) / ressel@frontiernet.net

RICHARD E. RICE Erdman Anthony / rricesquash@gmail.com

BRETT ELIASZ, PE Colliers Engineering / Brett.Eliasz@collierseng.com

KENTON G. HINES Merrill Lynch / Kenton.Hines@ml.com

DAWN LaPIETRA .

L3Harris Corporation / dawnlapietra@gmail.com

STEVEN W. DAY, PhD Rochester Institute of Technology / swdeme@rit.edu

NOAH KELLY NAM Products Services Manager, Alstom noah.kelly@alstomgroup.com

LEANDRO AVEIRO Engineering Group Manager - Verification & Validation, Alstom leandro.aveiro@alstomgroup.com

YVETTE LaBOMBARD, PE Director Gas Engineering, RG&E yvette_labombard@rge.com

SHEILA RANSBOTTOM, PE Senior Transportation Engineer, Wendel anumrich@wendelcompanies.com

Administrative Director LYNNE M. IRWIN

The Rochester Engineer Published since 1922 by ROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY, INC.

Founded March 18, 1897 Volume 103, Number 1, JUNE 2024 (Electronic Copies Only) You can purchase individual printed copies directly from ISSUU. 2,500+ Monthly Circulation (11 issues electronically) ISSN 0035-7405

RES Mission Statement: The RES will become the lead organization for improving the image and influence of the engineering community in the greater Rochester area by: Demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the region’s engineering and technical capabilities; Providing the best clerical support and public relations assistance to our affiliates; Continually communicating the engineering and technical accomplishments to both the engineering and technical community and the public; Providing regular forums and networking opportunities for the exchange of ideas and discussion of issues; and, Providing programs that identify career opportunities to the region’s youth and develop the skills of the practicing engineer.

News items and articles are invited.

Materials should be submitted to e-mail: therochesterengineer@gmail.com. Phone number is (585) 254-2350, The web site for the RES is: www.roceng.org.

The deadline is the 10th day of the month prior to the issue. Unless otherwise stated, opinions expressed in this publication are those of contributors, not of the Rochester Engineering Society, Inc. Advertising information may be obtained by contacting the office of the Rochester Engineering Society or going to the website at www.roceng.org.

Published every month but July. You can purchase individual copies directly from ISSUU. Go to www.roceng.org to join the Rochester Engineering Society. Click on the individual membership and you can submit your application on-line.

Rochester Engineering Society / e-mail: res@frontiernet.net or therochesterengineer@gmail.com

4 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

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RES News - President's Messages Dear Fellow Engineers, The RES social gathering is this Thursday June 6th at Rohrbachs Brewing on Railroad Street. Please come join us for some conversation and refreshments!

We had a great awards event Saturday May 4th at the University of Rochester…see page 10 for photos. Thanks again to our Sponsors and ALL that helped to organize the event! I am already looking forward to next year!

Affiliate Member Profile this month is the American Society of Plumbing Engineers Rochester Section (ASPE) on (p20).

This month’s member profile: member since February of 2010, past Young Engineer of the Year recipient, past RES BOD member, current Explorer Post Corporate Presenter and member of the RES Scholarship Committee, Mike Walker (p18). If you have a suggestion for a Member Profile or YOU would like to share your profile, please email us! The Nominations for Officers and the BOD is on p7.

As my term as RES president comes to a close, I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me. Truly thank you so much…a captain is only as good as the crew! I have learned from the best. A special thanks to our dedicated Administrative Director, Lynne Irwin, who will be retiring this July. She has been a pleasure to work with ever since I joined RES. Please join us following the Annual Meeting this June 26th for a Retirement Reception for Lynne! See page 6 for details.

As a reminder, the Builders Exchange of Rochester (ROBEX) will provide Association Management services to the Rochester Engineering Society (as of July 1st, 2024).

There are many things to be transitioned so please bear with us during this time of change. There will be an email to all members in June on logistical changes (address, contact, etc.). If you have any questions or comments, you can contact Michelle Sommerman.

A few highlights from the June Rochester Engineer: Save the date, Thursday June 13th, for the RES & ASHRAE Continuing Education afternoon of webinars for 3 PDHs (p9).

Check out what RES was up to in the spring of 1978 in the History column on page 12. The tutoring team at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy is still going strong, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and Lee Loomis. This will be RES last year at School #10 since it will be closing. If you would like to assist in developing where we will tutor next, please contact us! (p1415). I sat down with recent RES scholarship recipient and tutor Calvin Nau to chat about his experiences (p19). The cover article discusses the record federal funding for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ next chapter in educating scientists, advancing technologies and pioneering new res news - president’s messages

scientific understanding. (p22). On p26 is a great article

by Lori Maher of the Genesee Transportation Council on the Eclipse Aftermath!

First firing of the 60-beam OMEGA Laser System. (University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Eugene Kowaluk)

Campus news from the U of R starts includes student capstones presented during Design Day ranging from mobilized tickcollection to Major League Baseball (p32).

Photo provided by RMSC.

Continuing Education Opportunities (PDH’s) and Engineers Calendar starts on page 34.

As a reminder, the calendar is also on the website so you can check there for the latest event updates. www. roceng.org/Calendar Affiliate’s news from IES, IEEE, ABCD, ASCE, TERRA Science & Engineering Fair, ASHRAE, INCOSE, EAWNY, and ASPE, starts on p37 and includes many golf tournaments!

As always, the best way to support something is to get involved! This is YOUR community’s society. We want to make sure your voice is heard, and that RES is sustained into the future.

Please email us with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Thank you!

Continued on page 25

Michelle Sommerman, PE Colliers Engineering & Design

RES President June 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024 JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 5

RES Annual Meeting & Retirement Reception

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ANNUAL MEETING &

Retirement Reception for Lynne Irwin WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024 Place:

Bausch Auditorium, RMSC Campus, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Time: 5:30 pm

Registration

Business Meeting

6:00 to 6:30 pm

6:30 to 8:00 pm Reception (Hors d'oeuvres, Jazz Music & Cash Bar) Cost: $10 pp (Sponsorships available on the website) Thank you L3Harris as an Hors d'oeuvres Sponsor

Learn About RES Activities RES Update Briefing Board and Officer Elections Congratulate Lynne on her retirement!

Meet new and continuing officers and directors for the the fiscal year 2024-2025. You will hear a few words from the current President, Michelle Sommerman, PE and incoming President, Dennis Roote, PE

Registration and details are on the website calendar. Questions? Email res@frontiernet.net 6 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res news - annual meeting

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Notice to All RES Members NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE ROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY

Published pursuant to Article IX, Section 1 of the Constitution Pursuant to Article VII, Section 9 of the Bylaws to the Constitution, the Nominating Committee of, Greg Gdowski, PhD, chair and Michelle Sommerman, PE, co-chair, reported a slate of officers for the 2024-2025 RES year. The fiscal year has changed - July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

Selected by the Nominating Committee for the designated offices are: PRESIDENT (2024-2026) DENNIS ROOTE, PE Owner, CDE Engineering & Environment FIRST VICE PRESIDENT (2024-2026) DAWN LaPIETRA Senior Engineer Manager, L3Harris SECOND VICE PRESIDENT (2024-2026) MIKE KURDZIEL, PhD Senior Fellow, L3Harris TREASURER MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE Project Engineer - Mechanical Colliers Engineering & Design DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2026) STEVEN W. DAY, PhD Department Head, Biomedical Engineering Rochester Institute of Technology DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2026) NOAH KELLY Leadership Excellence & Development Program (Engineering), Alstom DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2026) SHEILA RANSBOTTOM, PE Senior Transportation Engineer, Wendel DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2026) KELLY ROBINSON, PE, PhD Founder, Electrostatic Answers, LLC DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2026) JESSICA SHANG, PhD Associate Professor, ME Department University of Rochester res news - 2024-2025 BOD Nominations

Directors who will continue in office until the expiration of their terms are: DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2025) BRETT C. ELIASZ, PE Discipline Leader - Electrical Bergmann DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2025) RICHARD E. RICE Retired, Consulting Engineer DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2025) HOWARD RESSEL, PE Senior Highway Engineer, Popli Design Group DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2025) KENTON G. HINES Merrill Lynch DIRECTOR (Term Ending 6/30/2025) YVETTE LaBOMBARD, PE Director Gas Engineering, RG&E Past President who will serve as a member of the Board of Directors, pursuant to Article VIII, Section 2 of the Constitution is: IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT (2024-2026) MICHELLE SOMMERMAN, PE Project Engineer - Mechanical Colliers Engineering & Design Pursuant to Article IX, Section 2, of the Constitution, additional nominations may be made by a petition signed by at least 10 VOTING members. Such a petition, together with a written acceptance from each nominee, must be filed with the RES Administrative Director no later than 12:00 noon on May 30, 2024. If there are additional nominations, ballots will be mailed to all members in good standing and ELIGIBLE to vote by June 6, 2024. If there are no other nominations received, the election will be by a vote at the annual meeting to be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Respectfully submitted, Lynne Irwin, Administrative Director (till June 30, 2024)

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 7

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RES EVENT CALENDAR - SAVE THE DATES

RES is excited to announce some 2024 programs with a mix of Continuing Education and Social Gatherings!

Updates will be posted on the website calendar as they become available.

Social Gatherings are the 1st Thursday of every month at 5:00 pm Continuing Education Courses are the 3rd Thursday of every month from 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Here are the plans (subject to change): EVENT DATE EVENT NAME Thursday, June 6, 2024

Social Gathering! Rohrbach's, 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY 14609. Time: 5:00 PM. Please register so we know many are attending!

Thursday, June 13, 2024

The RES and ASHRAE Continuing Education Webinar

Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Theme: Refrigeration

Cost: $45

3 PDHs

Registration on the RES Website Calendar

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

The RES, ASCE and NYSATE Continuing Education Webinar

Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Theme: Transportation

Cost: $45

3 PDHs

Registration is on the RES Website Calendar

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

SAVE THE DATE! RES Annual Meeting and Retirement Reception for Lynne Irwin - Come meet the new officers and hear about the office move to Robex starting July 1, 2024

*Dates and topics are subject to change*

Future Education Courses Being Planned - RES is offering these courses to support the engineering community.

Each Continuing Education Session will consist of two or three educational 1-hour webinars with one, two, or sometimes three eligible for PDH's. Registration will be on our website soon: www.roceng.org. *Date, cost, and topics are subject to change* 8 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res - event calendar

RES and ASHRAE CONTINUING EDUCATION WEBINARS Date: Time: Cost: Theme: Registration:

Save the Date!

Thursday, June 13, 2024 1:00 to 5:00 pm $45.00 Refrigeration On the RES Website Calendar

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm The Future of Refrigerants

3

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H D P

1 PDH

by Ivan Rydkin, Director of Regulatory and Indystrial Affairs, Daikin Applied Americas Abstract - Review of Legislation, Regulation, Product Standards and Codes that are relevant to implementation of Low GWP refrigerants in HVAC applications. Review of Low GWP refrigerants proposed to replace R410a, R123, R134a in HVAC. Specific attention to NYS Regulation that is above and beyond federal requirements and recent DEC proposals out for review.

Biography - Ivan Rydkin is the Director of Regulatory and Industrial Affairs at Daikin Applied Americas, He has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester, Ivan has 13 years experience, currently focusing on Decarbonization advocacy and policy. Also knowlegebale in embodied and operational carbon and chemical management. He is an expert with Refrigerants, Modeling, Novel System Development, Refrigerant Safety with A2 and A2L Applications and sensors.

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm New Equipment Technology to Improve the Transition to A2L Refrigerants

1 PDH

by Mark Palitza, Sales Manager, Seresco Dehumidifiers Abstract - The presentation covers technology available to reduce the impact of new regulation on HVAC equipment with A2L refrigerants. Including Compressor Wall Technology, electronic expansion valves, pressure transducers, microchannel coils, and more.

Biography: Mark Palitza is well regarded in the HVAC industry as an expert in dehumidification and Indoor Pool Design. He has been in the dehumidification and Natatorium design field as well as Humidification since 1989 and speaks regularly at ASHRAE meetings across the country. Mr. Palitza is a Sales Manager for Seresco Technologies Inc., the leading indoor pool dehumidifier manufacturer.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Unravelling Government Regulations Across the Commercial Refrigeration Sector

1 PDH

by Michael Pennington, Director of Engineering, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products Abstract - Navigating the complex and dynamic commercial refrigeration regulatory landscape and understanding alternative refrigerants can be daunting. For at least the next decade, there are important dates to prepare for Annual Walk-In Energy Factor (AWEF) updates from the Department of Energy (DOE), and new and evolving regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and from individual states, such as those with governors in the United States Climate Alliance (USCA).Knowing which, and when, regulations apply to enable clear and concise communication to customers is imperative. We must be prepared to source and select the right equipment, with the right refrigerants, that meet regulations efficiently and cost effectively.

Biography - Michael Pennington is director of engineering at Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, with more than 37 years of experience primarily in HVACR. During his time in industry, Mike has cultivated extensive knowledge in engineering, manufacturing, and product development, and is well-versed in the complex regulatory environment – including current and future Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and the evolving low-GWP and alternative refrigerants landscape.

Mike joined Lennox in 2010, and Heatcraft in 2017 and manages a collaborative team, often working with research and development to adapt to a “regulated world” and position Heatcraft as a leader. He is involved with government affairs committees – along with AHRI, HARDI, NAFEM, NASRC and other industry associations – and advocates for policy to benefit both the industry and the environment. Mike earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University.

Zoom links will be emailed to you and your link is unique to you only. Be sure to check your spam folders as we find many companies block emails coming from our website because it is from Canada which is international.

You may want to use your personal email when signing up for these courses.

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 9

RES NEWS - Photos from May 4th Awards Program

Kelly Robinson, PE, PhD 2023 Engineer of the Year (Painting by Dick Kate)

Jessica Shang, PhD receiving her award from Dennis Roote, PE, RES 1st Vice President

Scholarship recipients in attendance at the May 4th Awards Program

L to R: Laura Alexander PE, 2023 Young Engineer of the Year Finalist, Jessica Shang, PhD, 2023 Young Engineer of the Year, Richard Booton, 2023 Young Engineer of the Year Finalist, and James Richards, 2023 Young Engineer of the Year Finalist

L to R: Seven Engineers of Distinction - Henrique de Melo Cunha, Cletus Ezenwa PE, Katie McConky PhD, James Hood, John Compton, Pier Giuseppe Albano, and Robert Hochman PE 10 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res news - photos from may 4th awards program

RES NEWS - Photos from May 4th Awards Program

L to R: Kelly Robinson, PE, PhD, 2023 Engineer of the Year, Michelle Sommerman PE, RES President, and Dennis Roote PE, RES 1st Vice President

A few candid photos (page 10 & 11) from our Awards Program on May 4th at the University of Rochester (additional photos on the RES website). Thank you to our sponsors, award recipients, family, and friends coming out to support these awards.

Credit for ALL photos to Lori & Erin Photography

res news - photos from may 4th awards program

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 11

RES NEWS - ROCHESTER HISTORY A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society.

1897 - 1978

by Lee M. Loomis Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the years following "The Great War", into and through the “Great Depression”, continued to be a time of reaching out for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally. The meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's).

The RES affiliated itself with a number of National technical societies, adopted local Affiliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters. Certain issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the RES and its affiliates. In the pervasive economic downturn of the “Great Depression”, the magazine offered classified advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis. Still, it continued its effort to shape the function, focus and infrastructure of the City of Rochester, and beyond. World War, again affected the Society, taking away many of its leaders while providing opportunities for others to step forward to fill these vacancies. In an effort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, a synopsis, featuring selected items from "The Rochester Engineer" has become an integral part of this series. The Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War are now history. These experiences have changed the face of and will, no doubt, influence the future of the community. The Rochester municipal leadership and the industrial community have become immersed in the cold-war, growth economy.

12 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

“The Rochester Engineer” (April 1978) (continued) This issue (reported on in last month’s RES History Article) also includes an article, “Downtown Development Plan”, by Dave Tuttle, Chair of the RES Public Affairs Committee, describing the recent (March 1978) City Council public hearing on Rochester’s Community Development (CD) program.

Specifically, he describes the Chestnut Street Extension (from East Avenue to University Avenue), a Pleasant-Amity Street widening project to connect the extended Chestnut Street to St. Paul Street, the return of Broad Street and Court Street to two-way traffic, and the construction of two additional parking garages, accessible from the proposed Chestnut Street extension. Another article, “Consider Human Factors Engineering”, reprinted with permission, by John Dinan, an experienced Raytheon human factors engineer, describes how, following WWII, human factors engineering came into great importance. While it was apparent that, by the 1950’s, we had the technology for developing and flying aerospace hardware, human errors in design, production, and control of these systems were still creating problems – some of which were catastrophic. Finally, an article in this issue “Major Facility for Studying Ionosphere Being Constructed in Puerto Rico” describes the planning, design and development of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) new High-Frequency Ionospheric Modification Facility, at the Arecibo Observatory. This facility, run by Cornell University, will be for the study of the ionosphere (starting at 25 miles and rising to 500 miles in height), a band of electrically-charged particles around the earth that responds to solar flares and sunspots.

May 10, 1978 (Board Meeting, University Club) The Board approved one application for Regular res news - history

Membership and one for Associate Membership.

Reporting for the Internal Affairs Committee, Doug Marshall, announced that the RES Annual Meeting, to be held at the University Club, would feature a presentation by Dr. Robert H. Johnson, Dean of RIT’s School of Fine and Applied Arts. The event would also feature dinner, live music and dancing. Professional Liaison Chair, Lee Loomis, reported that the RES Affiliates were being surveyed as to their interest in subscribing to make use of the RES’s climate-controlled storage facilities, for their Affiliate records. RES 2nd VP, Richard Rice recommended that next year’s RES Luncheon Committee begin meeting and planning monthly luncheon programs during the summer to provide sufficient advance notice to speakers and potential audiences toward improving attendance.

Technology Transfer Intern, David Opdyke reported on the status of the City Energy Report, the acquisition of a computer for his work, the County Energy Audit, the request for a Railroad Study, and the new office layout by RES Director, Dick Van Meter. Reporting for RES Affiliate, Solar Utilization in Northwest New York (SUNNY), RES Member Carl Lundgren thanked RES Executive Director, Joseph Campbell for his great assistance with publicizing the upcoming “Sun Day” activities on May 3, 1978.

College of Engineering and Peter C. Oppelt – Engineer – Lozier Engineers. Reporting for the RES Technology Transfer Project, Technology Agent, Andrew C. Hirsch, described progress/completion of comprehensive, twoyear energy audits for the City of Rochester and for the County of Monroe. Other upstate NY cities have inquired about such studies for their municipalities.

Thanks to excellent work by RES Technology Transfer Interns, Ronald Mead and David Opdyke, both from RIT, a report for the Handicapped Parks/Parks Safety was presented to Mayor Thomas Ryan and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Jeffery Swain, during the Easter Seals Telethon, in honor and recognition of significant project support from the Easter Seals Society.

RES Affiliate, Solar Utilization in Northwest New York (SUNNY) held its first “SUN DAY” celebration, on the Henrietta Campus, co-sponsored by RIT, the Center for Environmental Information, the Sierra Club and Genesee Audubon West. The morning featured student presentations, and the afternoon included presentations on Biomass, Wind Energy, Solid Waste Recovery, Solar Architecture, and Active & Passive Solar Systems. The evening presentations included Astronomy, Biology and Astrophysics…all by talented and informed local experts.

“The Rochester Engineer” (May 1978)

Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community, along with more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, especially those suffering from current economic crises, and adopted a greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming out of World War II and the Korean Conflict, as well as a hoped-for period of post-war growth and prosperity. These articles will also feature an impressive array of RES activities in support of post-war re-emergence of Rochester area industry, and the continuing prosperity of the second-half of the 20th Century.

The RES Nominating Committee, Chaired by Past President Jack Corson, announced the following slate of officers for 1978-79; President – Richard E. Rice – Director of Operations, Midtown Holdings, 1st Vice President – George G. Landberg – VP Mixing Equipment Company, 2nd Vice President – Lee M. Loomis – Energy Research & Utilization, RG&E Corporation, and Treasurer – Daniel E. Turner – Manager Assurance & Support, General Railway Signal Corporation. Nominated as new RES Directors; James Sterlace - Engineering Supervisor, Stromberg Carlson, James D. Row – Senior Engineer, Rochester Telephone Corporation, Virender Saigal – Group Leader, Manufacturing Development & Research – Rochester Products, and Richard Van Meter – Engineering Associate – Eastman Kodak Company. Continuing as Directors; Douglas M. Marshall – Associate Dean - RIT res news - history

We welcome your questions and comments on this series.

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 13

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RES NEWS - TUTORING TEAM

RES Tutoring Team at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy - A Reflection

by Lee Loomis, RES Tutoring Team Leader (2014 - 2024) With the impending closure of Dr. Walter Cooper Academy by the Rochester City School District at the end of this school year, it’s time to reflect upon the history, evolution and accomplishments of the Rochester Engineering Society (RES) Tutoring Team.

Invited to accept an in-person tutoring assignment in the Spring of 2014, RES Past President, Lee Loomis, discovered how rewarding such an experience could become, for tutors as well as for students, and he requested sponsorship approval from the RES Board of Directors for an RES Tutoring Team at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, recently re-named for Dr. Walter Cooper, “RES 1996 Engineer of the Year”.

Beginning that Fall, individual tutors were recruited from local business and industry, and began working with our “Cooper Scholars” on a regular basis at the school, at 353 Congress Avenue, in Rochester’s 19th Ward. Over the next few years some 20 – 30 tutors from around the Rochester area were volunteering their time in support of this effort, on a weekly schedule.

In an attempt to attract additional volunteer tutors, especially from the local consulting engineering community, several Rochester A & E firms were approached, “tutoring team” presentations were made, and four-person “teams” were formed to distribute tutoring responsibilities, such that tutors could “share” their tutoring assignments with each tutor working once each month as member of a team. Within a year there were several A & E firms, with multiple teams, tutoring on a weekly schedule, at Our School. Our RES Tutoring Team grew to over three dozen tutors, each of the next couple of years.

This practice continued, even as the RES Tutoring Team accommodated the two-year temporary relocation of Our School to the John Marshall campus, during the Rochester City Schools Modernization Program.

Then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived…

Following the Spring of 2020 RCSD shutdown, the RES Tutoring Team continued its work, following a much-reduced, “virtual tutoring” protocol, involving laptops and home-internet instruction. Finally, in the Fall of 2022-23, in-person tutoring resumed as we returned to the newly renovated 353 Congress Avenue campus.

Our cadre of individual tutors and team tutors has continued for these past two school years, recently expanding its work to include Grades 1 – 5, toward helping play “catch-up” from the loss of classroomeducation time, due to the pandemic.

In the past decade of its operation, the RES Tutoring Team has attracted some 75 volunteers, who worked directly with over 250 of our “Cooper Scholars” and logged over 4,500 hours of in-person support for their reading, math and social studies learning processes.

With the closing of Dr. Walter Cooper Academy (RCSD School #10), our “Cooper Scholars” will be dispersed throughout the RCSD, to schools of their parents’ choosing. The facility at 353 Congress Avenue will be renamed the “Dr. Walter Cooper Campus”, and another RCSD elementary school (RCSD School #53), with a unique Montessori-Learning protocol, will be placed there.

For now, the future of the RES Tutoring Team is uncertain, and therefore doubtful. q 14 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

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RES NEWS - TUTORING TEAM

What Will the Future Hold for the RES Tutoring Team?

With the impending closure of Dr. Walter Cooper Academy by the Rochester City School District (RCSD) at the end of this school year, we are being asked, “What happens next year for the RES Tutoring Team?”

The short answer is, “We don’t know.” That said, we believe we should be prepared for the future, by making sure we have tutors, and a Team Leader. Ten years after founding and leading the RES Tutoring Team, Lee Loomis has decided to step back, and the RES is actively seeking a new Leader for the Team.

The following is a brief job description…

Initial Responsibilities: Summer & Fall 2024 - Assemble a list of current tutors who are willing to resume their duties in working with our Cooper Scholars.

- Meet with School Officials to compare tutor availability with teacher/tutoring needs to set a tutoring schedule for the school year.

- Develop a “Tutor Information Folder” containing updated RCSD, and DWCA school calendars, school protocol (rules) and school programs/events information.

On-Going Responsibilities: October 2024 – May 2025 - Welcome each tutor (veteran and new) in-person, to the school, and introduce them to the school’s Community School Site Coordinator (CSSC), and then to the teacher and the students.

- Meet regularly with the CSSC to ensure that the teachers are satisfied with the process and results of the weekly tutoring sessions.

- Attend various scheduled parent-school meetings (some in-person, some via Zoom) to better understand the challenges faced by students, parents, and teachers.

- Connect periodically with each tutor to monitor their current experiences in working with students and teachers, and to ensure that they are satisfied with the use of their time and talents.

Time Commitment: Summer & Fall 2024 - It will take approximately six weeks of regular email/phone/text messaging to assemble the RES Tutoring Team, comprised of individual tutors (tutoring once, each week of the school year) and tutoring teams (working as four-person teams, alternating weekly, tutoring once per month).

- As the RES Tutoring Team is being assembled, the RES Tutoring Team Leader should interact with the CSSC to ensure that the teachers are aware that they will have tutoring support for their students.

Time Commitment: October 2024 – May 2025 - Regular interaction with the CSSC occurs 3 – 4 times per month, including 1 – 2 in-person, monthly visits.

- Periodic interaction with RES Leadership, RES Affiliates, Local College Officials and Community Groups in seeking prospective additional tutors.

Availability: - The RES Tutoring Team Leader should plan to be regularly available, and responsive (via email, text and/or phone) to the RES Tutors and to the CSSC. Are You Interested in/Available for this Challenge??? Please contact RES Tutoring Team Leader, Lee Loomis with any questions at…Rochester Engineering Society (585) 254-2350, via website: www.roceng.org, or via email: leeloomis46@gmail.com, (585) 738-3079 (mobile & text). res news - tutoring team

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 15

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RES - Technical Corner

Technical Corner The article this month will be Electrical focused and pertains to service entrance conductors.

Per NEC 230 many different service situations exist. I plan on focusing on quite a common instance of a utility owned pad mounted transformer which feeds a building.

The service entrance conductors in this instance are the segment of cables between the transformer and the building.

We want to determine if (2) parallel sets of #500kcmil cable are sufficient to feed an 800 amp service.

One might think that this segment of cabling is considered as transformer secondary conductors, which they are as well, but the NEC specifically defines this segment of cable in this instance as a service entrance conductor.

Therefore, we would have to follow section 230 of the NEC and understand the exceptions of NEC 230.90 (A) Exception No. 2. Which indicates that the “next size up rule” (NEC 240.4(B) AND 240.6) is allowed to be followed which is in contrast to what NEC 240.21 (C) eludes to when considered as transformer secondary conductors.

So now we can conclude that 2 parallel sets of 500kcmil cable has an allowable ampacity of 760 amps by looking at Table 310.16. (380amps x 2 sets).

The “next size up rule” comes into play an allows this cabling to be connected to an 800 amp circuit breaker.

Reference Material NEC 2020.

Hopefully this article finds you well and can be used as a reference for your project needs.

If anyone would like to contribute to the RES magazine and add an article or would like to request information on a specific topic (not limited to Electrical) just email me at Brett.Eliasz@collierseng.com. As always, any comments are appreciated…! Thank you for reading.

Brett Eliasz, P.E., LEED AP BD+C , RES Director

16 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res - technical corner

RES NEWS - Member Benefit Did you know….

If YOU are an RES member, you can search the member database on the website!

In this way you can connect to other engineers in the area!

How do you do this?

Login to the website at www.roceng.org.

Go to the ‘Membership’ menu, then ‘Membership Directory’.

Click on ‘Advanced Search’

There are many search fields. Example below on a search for Binghamton alumni:

If you would like members to connect with you, you’ll need to make sure your profile is up-to-date. When you're logged in, click on your name in the upper right and ‘View profile’. There you can edit your profile and your privacy settings.

If you have questions on how to access your profile, please email us!

res news - Member Benefit

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 17

RES MEMBER PROFILE

Mike Walker RES History

Joined in 2010 2010 RES Kate Gleason – Young Engineer of the Year Award Recipient RES Board of Directors: 2010 – 2013 Explorer Post Corporate Presenter: 2012 - Present RES Scholarship Committee Member: 2015 - Present

Experience

20 years of experience in machine tool design, development and manufacturing at The Gleason Works Rochester • Mechanical design of machine motion elements • Chief Engineer for product design, prototype validation and production launch • Global travel for technical sales reviews

Education

BS, Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson University ME, Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Monroe Community College

Organizations & Groups: Pi Tau Sigma, Mechanical Engineering Honor Society FIRST Robotics Team 578 Mentor

Professional Highlight

Leading cross functional engineering teams in the development of specialized machine tools that realize high metal removal rates with micron precision and accuracy. Using the latest design and hardware technology to digitize the design process and validate product performance.

Awards and Distinctions

Adventures with the Family Running Camping Woodworking Timber Stand Management Snowboarding

18 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res news - member profile - mike walker

RES Scholarship Alumni Spotlight

Calvin Nau Recipient of the David Fergusson Memorial scholarship in 2022

Education

BS Industrial Engineering & MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering 2023 from Rochester Institute of Technology Calvin currently works for CUBRC in Buffalo as a Software Engineer Machine Learning and pursuing a PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at RIT. CUBRC is an independent, not-for-profit company executing research, development, testing, and systems integration focused on solving the country’s most high-stakes challenges. A typical day involves collaborating with colleagues to develop software to solve these challenges using state-of-the-art methodologies.

What did you find most valuable about college? How did skills, coursework, or extra-curricular activities you learned/participated in help shape your career?

Exposure to new topics and people in college. There were a lot of things I simply was unaware of prior to going to RIT. Luckily, I had professors such as my current faculty advisor, Dr. Katie McConky, who helped me get exposure to the topics I am most interested in and helped develop those interests. Those experiences gave me awareness of topics I didn’t realize I was passionate about until I became aware of them. It also taught me what I wasn’t passionate about.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career in your field?

Get as much exposure as possible to the different areas of industrial engineering. The field has a lot of possibilities, and it can be helpful to know what part you gravitate towards.

Anything about yourself, achievements, experiences, what inspires you that may be of interest/valuable to future engineers?

I have found a lot of value in taking a chance on opportunities that I didn’t see myself as the best candidate for. However, taking those opportunities have led to me being part of some great communities such the RES scholarship program, specifically the David Fergusson Scholarship, and the Patrick P. Lee Foundation. Those opportunities have continued to compound into new opportunities. One thing I have been able to learn from these experiences are ways to contribute to the Rochester community in and outside of my career.

Note: Calvin has been participating in RES’s tutoring program once a week at Dr. Walter Cooper Academy (RCSD School 10) since Fall 2023.

If you know of a student in grade 6 through college or a past RES scholarship recipient who should be highlighted in this column, please contact the RES, res@frontiernet.net. res news - scholarship alumni spotlight

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 19

RES AFFILIATE MEMBER PROFILE - ASPE

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The Rochester Engineering Society appreciates our affiliates which are the backbone of our organization.

We want to make sure our members and readers know who our affiliates are and what they do to further the Engineering field. Most professional engineering organizations offer networking, technical guidance, access to references and standards and much more. Many are affiliated with a national organization that provides services to its members and supports the greater benefit of the profession and of their specialty. Some organizations even set national and international standards.

We hope you find this occasional series helpful and informative. Feel free to check out the affiliates local and/or national web sites for more information.

This month’s featured affiliate:

American Society of Plumbing Engineers Rochester Chapter Mission:

Provide fellowship and continuing education for Plumbing Engineering peers. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is the international organization for professionals skilled in the design, specification, and inspection of plumbing systems. ASPE is dedicated to the advancement of the science of plumbing engineering, to the professional growth and advancement of its members and the health, welfare, and safety of the public.

Brief history:

We are one of the 60+ chapters of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE). The Rochester Chapter of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers was founded on June 8, 1995. Ed Maybeck was one of the lead proponents of that process and Doug Volland was our first chapter president. The national association was established in 1964.

Major activities of the local affiliate:

We hold PDH approved training sessions on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, September - May. We have an annual golf outing each year in early June.

Governance:

Local Board of Directors

What else to know:

Rochester ASPE chapter started with <30 members, but our post-Covid membership has continued to grow.

We currently have 83 members and had a record breaking 70 attendees at our last lunch and learn.

ASPE has been part of the Engineering Symposium in Rochester each year since 2005, providing 3 speakers and co-monitoring the MEP or ASPE/ASHRAE track.

Contact information:

All membership is through the ASPE.org website online and contact any of the current local board members for additional information – see our Rochester Engineer page for contact numbers. .

Learn more:

Currently the local Rochester website is off-line. If you are a tech savvy individual with web maintenance experience, please contact one of the current ASPE board members!

20 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

res - affiliate member profile - aspe

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RES NEWS - Donations

Did you know…

YOU can donate stocks, mutual funds or other investments DIRECTLY to RES? WHY? As a 501(c)(3) charitable organizaon, gis to RES are considered charitable donaons and you can use this strategy to increase the value of your donaon while removing appreciated investments from your porolio.

By donating an investment directly, you can remove the full value of the investment from your portfolio without realizing any taxable gains.

An example: Suppose you want to donate $5,000 to RES. If you sell investments of that value, you might generate $500 in taxable gains. Tax on those gains would be due when you file your taxes the following year. However, if you donate securities, you can gift the full $5,000 without generating any taxable gains.

This strategy is a great way to achieve you charitable giing goals while making the most of your resources and having minimal impact on your “everyday” spending and cash flow.

RES is not a tax advisor. We encourage you to work with a tax professional to ensure this is an appropriate strategy for your goals.

HOW?

Contact your broker or financial advisor and for the necessary and informaon.

Please visit the website today for details! www.roceng.org.

res news - Donations

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 21

COVER ARTICLE - UR Lab for Laser Energetics

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Record federal funding drives Laboratory for Laser Energetics’ next chapter The latest cooperative agreement builds on the Laser Lab’s significant scientific productivity and contributions to national security efforts.

By Sofia Tokar

First firing of the 60-beam OMEGA Laser System. (University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Eugene Kowaluk)

The University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have finalized a new cooperative agreement for more than $503M over five years.

The agreement, covering fiscal years (FY) 2024 through 2028, will allow LLE to operate the Omega Laser Facility, which houses two of the largest laser systems in academia. As NNSA’s high-energy-density (HED) user facility, LLE is a unique national resource that supports mission-critical research activities, educational 22 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

experiences, and workforce preparation for NNSA’s Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program, part of NNSA’s important national stockpile stewardship and management activities.

The latest cooperative agreement is the eighth one between NNSA and LLE and represents a 23 percent increase in funding over the previous agreement.

The renewed funding reflects LLE’s productivity and contributions to NNSA’s mission over the last five years, including the laboratory’s significant scientific progress in pursuit of direct-drive fusion, its expanded education cover article - University of Rochester

COVER ARTICLE - UR Lab for Laser Energetics mission, and needs for sustaining the facilities for the future. In the wake of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists’ achieving ignition, or a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain, there is an added emphasis on exploiting the new results for national and energy security.

“We’re grateful for NNSA’s renewed and continued recognition that LLE is one of the nation’s outstanding resources to conduct research that transforms scientific and academic fields,” said University President Sarah Mangelsdorf.

“We’re proud to partner with NNSA on some of the great The FLUX System at LLE is being developed to demonstrate the laser technologies for a nextscientific endeavors of the 21st generation laser-driver that will mitigate laser–plasma instabilities and improve laser imprint. century as well to help develop (University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Jake Deats) future generations of leaders for some of the nation’s storied academic and research institutions.”

Government officials—including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, US Senator Charles Schumer, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Joe Morelle, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, and Congressman Nick Langworthy—expressed their support for the latest cooperative agreement.

The officials’ efforts proved crucial to securing the funding to continue the NNSA partnership with LLE, which is home to more than 450 scientists, engineers, staff, and 230 students who currently utilize facilities at the LLE for their research. Direct employment (including LLE staff and employment spurred directly by LLE’s New York state purchasing and visitors) reaches 500. As estimated by the nonprofit Center for Governmental Research, the spending of LLE and its employees contributes to an additional 500 spillover jobs for a total impact of about 1,000 jobs across Upstate New York, more than $65 million of annual income to workers, and $3.7 million in revenue to state and local governments.

Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the DOE with core missions to maintain the nuclear stockpile, monitor and promote nonproliferation, power the nuclear Navy, and respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies.

Expanding operations, science, and education The FY24–28 cooperative agreement empowers LLE to continue working with the scientific community to develop novel diagnostics, experimental platforms, and laser technologies; to develop and demonstrate the physics required for laser-direct-drive ignition, robust target performance, and scaling to high yield; and to expand LLE’s role in HED physics research.

“Anyone who has seen the recent movie Oppenheimer knows the importance of bringing together great scientists to protect national security,” said Chris Deeney, director of LLE. “This was true in the last century and it remains true today. The new cooperative agreement between the University and NNSA ensures that LLE will play a key role in educating generations of scientists, advancing technologies, and pioneering new scientific understanding.”

Continued on page 24 cover article - University of Rochester

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 23

Back to Table of Contents

COVER ARTICLE - UR Lab for Laser Energetics, continued As the only ICF research laboratory of its complexity at a US university—offering science, facilities, engineering, and education at scale—LLE is ideally situated to continue advancing NNSA’s mission. “Many researchers from the national laboratories and academia come LLE safety officers perform an inspection of the OMEGA EP laser system. (University of to LLE each year Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Eugene Kowaluk) to benefit from our innovation and agility while working collaboratively with our tremendous team to test new ideas at a relevant scale,” said Deeney.

engineers, operators, and educators to help build and diversify the nation’s longterm workforce needs for national security. Beyond access to the LLE laser facilities, LLE will also team up with academic institutions across the nation—including locally with SUNY Geneseo, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Monroe Community College—on research, development, and education.

“We’re developing a pipeline of great students to be competitive for the amazing careers at the US national laboratories and here at LLE,” Deeney said, “and we have more than fifty of our researchers, graduate students, and staff who attended SUNY

As home to the DOE’s National Laser User Facility (NLUF), there are 794 registered users from other universities, industry, and The OMEGA Target Chamber lit up with its own laser light. (University of Rochester the national Laboratory for Laser Energetics photo / Eugene Kowaluk) laboratories who carry out fundamental research, training, and education at LLE’s facilities.

Geneseo, RIT, and MCC.” More than 500 scientists have earned graduate degrees with research and education accomplished at the LLE, By building on its historical and recent scientific and and more than 100 graduate students are currently educational successes, LLE is better poised than ever studying or conducting research at LLE and its facilities. to fulfill its unique role as a regional, national, and international partner that is flexible and responsive to As part of the cooperative agreement, LLE will also NNSA’s evolving national security needs. q expand its long-established educational activities Sofia Tokar is a writer and editor based in Rochester, New York to include a new emphasis on training technicians, 24 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

cover article - University of Rochester

RES News - President's Messages, Continued Welcome All! As Michelle alluded to earlier, RES is starting a new chapter in its 125 -plus year history. We will no longer employ any staff – our association management will be contracted to ROBEX. This means that RES will be, as many of our affiliates are, an all volunteer organization.

Though this may seem significant, I can assure you all that our dedication to the engineering community in Rochester will not change. We will spend the summer looking at how we deliver corporate, affiliate, and individual news and announcements, affiliate support, continuing education, networking opportunities, and community involvement.

the challenging new realities of a post-COVID world. Though I look forward to carrying the torch as she as done so well, I will not do so alone. Joining the RES Executive Committee as 1st Vice President will be Dawn LaPietra, Senior Engineering Manager, L3Harris Technologies.

Dawn’s extensive background in engineering and management, plus her “fresh set of eyes”, will be a great asset while we continue to navigate the future of RES, and more importantly, the ever changing landscape of Rochester’s engineering community.

Thank you all for alllowing me to serve as your new president.

I am especially grateful to have served as 1st Vice President and Treasurer under our outgoing president, Michelle Sommerman. Michelle became president just as we (and everyone else), was coming out of the stupor of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her guidance and resolve helped us get back to serving all of you while facing

Dennis Roote, PE CDE Engineering & Environment, PLLC

RES President July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2026

Thank you Lynne for 40+ years with the Rochester Engineering Society!

Congratulations on your professional journey and your retirement!

The RES Board

res news - president’s messages

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 25

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse

‘Eclipse Chasers Chased’ after Optimal View of the Sun and Moon Potential visitors pivoted destinations from Rochester elsewhere in the path.

Visitors arrived early and stayed late; and locals rolled out the welcome mat by staying home.

By Lori Maher

Albeit Underwhelming, Mission Accomplished

Photo provided by RMSC.

The goal of providing a safe and memorable viewing experience for locals and visitors was undoubtedly achieved.

No unforeseen problems in terms of traffic delay, highway crashes, or injuries at mass gatherings were reported in the nine-county Genesee Finger Lakes Region surrounding Rochester, New York. Traffic was lighter than expected beginning the morning of April 8 (aka Eclipse Day), because locals took fewer trips and many potential visitors shifted plans to chase clear and sunny skies.

Immediate reports from transportation and public safety agencies in the region were positive, accompanied with a slight feeling of underwhelm. Many commented that the partnerships established, the information sharing, and dedication and support leading up to the event were key to being prepared and was time well spent. Dana St. Aubin with the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management, the chairperson of the Monroe County Eclipse Planning Committee, said, “The collaboration between multiple partners for upwards of a year was the highlight of my experience. Not only were we able to share in the celestial event, but we were also able to share in the planning and preparation that took place beforehand. We will also join each other in the aftermath as well. I look forward to continuing collaborative efforts.”

Had the weather forecast been different in the 36 hours prior to Monday morning, the situation in our region would have been a much different story. In fact, traffic volumes were quite heavy in parts of northern New York including Watertown, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid and in Vermont.

26 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

feature article - post-eclipse

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse, Continued

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Preparedness

Thanks to the preventive steps community leaders took, the highway system was in good position to welcome and service visitors traveling by personal automobile, charter/tour buses, intercity bus, passenger rail, air, and public transit.

• Public K-12 schools were closed for the day reducing traffic volumes.

• Few commuters were on the roads traveling for work.

• Some higher educational institutions flexed their schedule and held events on campus.

• The RMSC Ambassador program distributed educational viewing events across the region.

• Fewer local trips. People heeded advice to run errands on a different day which contributed to the free-flowing traffic conditions. People chose to gather with family to watch from home, attend viewing events within a short distance, or otherwise limit trips.

• Many visitors stayed until at least Tuesday dispersing the mass exodus Monday night. The trend for many hotels was to offer minimum hotel stays of 2 or 3 nights.

• Temporary construction work zones were missing because planned lane-closure restrictions were incorporated into highway/bridge project plans months, if not years in advance. Thank you to departments of public works at all levels for not trimming trees, cleaning ditches or painting lines on the road on eclipse day, making you available to staff viewing locations and be ready for emergency response calls.

• The RMSC offered a shuttle service throughout the weekend.

Tourism Was Indeed High

Although travel statistics are still being gathered, many people visited the Rochester region to view the eclipse, despite the unfavorable weather forecast. According to Visit Rochester, visitors traveled here from at least 24 states, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Spain, and South Korea. Approximately 8,000 hotel rooms were reserved and at least 11 motor coaches brought visitors to the region.

Eary reports indicated substantial attendance at the Photo provided by RMSC. George Eastman House, Rochester Museum and Science Center, Memorial Art Gallery, Parcel 5, Rochester Public Market, Genesee Valley Park, Ontario Beach Park, and many other viewing locations.

In the Finger Lakes region, the Geneva Solar Eclipse Task Force estimated 20,000 visitors. They reported local businesses averaged a 300% to 1,000% increase in foot traffic. Local businesses reported a range of 30% to 600% increase in sales, averaging $1,500 to $29,000 for Eclipse Week, with a median of just under $12,000 in sales.

Traffic and parking in downtown Geneva were without incident due to early and regular coordination efforts. The City of Geneva offered 400 free shuttle rides to ease traffic. Leaders heard many reports of first-time travelers talking about return trips, plus mentions of relocating homes and businesses.

Continued on page 28 feature article - post-eclipse

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 27

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse, Continued Active Transportation

Although vehicle counts were down, pedestrian traffic numbers at several downtown locations at least doubled.

Engineers monitoring traffic conditions from the Regional Traffic Operations Center were able to adjust traffic signals to address the conditions. Many people reported they saw people walking, riding bicycles or scooters to experience the eclipse. The region’s BikeShare vendor, Veo had its fleet of e-bikes and e-scooters deployed and ready for sky watchers.

General Aviation

The region has about 10 public-use general aviation airports to serve smaller aircraft in addition to the larger Rochester Airport that serves commercial airlines. Of the six airport managers who shared a recap of the day, there were 185 reservations in the days approaching April 8, while 80 pilots touched down. The rest opted for clearer skies elsewhere. Many visited from the southern and eastern states including Florida, by way of Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Pilots from Ohio and Kansas also chose to fly to the Genesee Finger Lakes region. A handful stayed overnight. Many were first-time visitors to the area and pledged to return soon. One airport owner commented on the level of interest and excitement in aviation that many locals showed during the day.

The airports brought people together to experience the darkness and stillness of the total solar eclipse, even if the clouds blocked the Moon eclipsing the Sun for us in our area.

Passenger Rail Service in Rochester

According to Amtrak, during the timeframe of April 5-9, 2024, approximately 1,300 passengers detrained at Rochester, a 50% year to year increase for the same day of week time frame April 7-10, 2023. There were many sold out trains to areas within the path of totality to areas such as Niagra Falls, Buffalo, and Plattsburgh.

Transit Ridership

According to RTS, ridership on Eclipse Day more resembled the previous week which was part of the Rochester City School District’s spring break. Even compared to another spring break Monday, eclipse day did see less ridership, particularly in the early afternoon supporting the suspicion that many people, who had the option, avoided going to work that morning thus not needing to commute back home during the eclipse.

RMSC Shuttle Service

Thanks to Rochester Museum & Science Center provided a free shuttle service between parking garages, the museum and other viewing destinations, fewer vehicles were on the roads and foot traffic was up. Both South Ave & East End garages were packed all weekend/Monday. The eclipse was obviously the busiest day. Reports didn’t provide an actual count, but organizers confidently estimated visitors who used the shuttle service that weekend were in the thousands.

Highway Traffic

Staff at the Regional Traffic Operations Center monitored traffic conditions before, during, and after the eclipse.

Preparations included developing traffic signal timing plans to minimize delay around event venues and a messaging campaign and using Dynamic Message Signs, to alert motorists to the possibility of heavy traffic on the day of the eclipse. After the eclipse, a closer look at traffic operations data provided by INRIX indicated that while there were delays in the vicinity of some event venues, the severe region-wide travel delays that local officials were concerned might occur did not materialize.

The INRIX data is insightful because it generates a series of performance measures that can be used to understand how traffic patterns shifted on the day of the eclipse. For example, one measure, the Travel Time Index (TTI) provides insights into the location and duration of traffic congestion. The TTI is the ratio of travel time during a specific period to the time required to make the same trip at free-flow speeds. A TTI of 1 (or 1:1) indicates that traffic is moving under free-flow conditions, a TTI of 1.3 (or 1.3:1) indicates that measured traffic takes one-third longer to pass a specific point than under free flow conditions, and a TTI of 2 (or 2:1) indicates that traffic takes twice as long to pass a specific point than under free flow conditions.

28 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

feature article - post-eclipse

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse, Continued

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Travel Time Index (TTI) Key Dark Green: 1.0 and Below Light Green: 1.1 – 1.2 Yellow: 1.3 – 1.5 Orange: 1.6 – 1.7 Red: 1.8 – 1.9 Dark Red: 2.0 – 2.4 Purple: 2.5 and Above According to INRIX, most of the roadways in the region were at free-flow speeds throughout the day.

The lefthand side of this image shows traffic conditions in the southeast portion of Monroe County and the northwest portion of Ontario County on March 25, the Monday two weeks prior to the eclipse. The righthand side of the image shows traffic conditions on April 8. Beginning in late afternoon of the 8th, a short section of I-490 in Victor near the NYS Thruway interchange turned shades of red and then purple at 4 p.m., indicating traffic took more than twice as long to pass that section of the highway than under free flow conditions. An hour and a half later, a portion of I-90 showed slow travel as indicated in red for a short period of time at 5:30 p.m.

Credit for both maps: INRIX 2024

The other area in our region that showed travel delays around 5:45 p.m. was on NYS Route 36 around Mt. Morris at the entrance to Letchworth State Park, and on I-390 north of Dansville, in Livingston County.

Traffic counts on the NYS Thruway in the Rochester area were summarized as being below average on Monday, April 8 and higher than average on Tuesday and Wednesday, indicating visitors delayed their departures.

Continued on page 30 feature article - post-eclipse

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 29

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse, Continued Background

The opening slide of every presentation the Genesee Transportation Council delivered throughout the 6 years of planning for the Total Solar Eclipse, featured an image of a newspaper article and photo published in the Herald-Leader newspaper in Lexington, Kentucky, next to the headline: ‘The rare eclipse was memorable. The ride home was something they wanted to forget.’

Looking at the limits of the Path of Totality, we assumed that travelers would originate their trips from points south and east including the Metro New York area, and beyond state lines along the Eastern Seaboard. Ticket sales from popular viewing events plotted on a map reinforced that theory. Based on the 2017 Eclipse, we could assume a significant number of visitors would depart the region Monday evening creating a mass exodus.

Traffic Forecasts

The second slide clarified that GTC is the federally designated planning agency that does not own, operate, or maintain transportation systems in our nine-county planning jurisdiction, but that its member agencies such as do. Further explaining the transportation planning agency’s role was one of informer and convener to share resources about this topic with little known knowledge or experience and plenty of uncertainty. Primary objectives were to ensure transportation and other public safety agencies would be wellinformed, prepared, and ready in the days leading up to, during, and following the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. The talk and discussion that followed covered trends and lessons learned from the Great American Eclipse in 2017.

The parts of the presentation about forecasting traffic were accompanied with possible scenarios with distinct variables; the biggest being the weather forecast that would dictate travel routes the day before, if not the morning of eclipse day. With so many unknowns about potential visitors, travel timing, trip origins, destinations and modes, planners used their best estimates to piece together bits and pieces of data based on guesstimates, anecdotes, and assumptions to prepare for the unknown.

Informed Assumptions

Despite the audience, the talking points emphasized its proud goal of being part of a larger purpose bringing the community together. The speaker praised the luxury of collaborating with other planning sectors in the science education and outreach and tourism realms to learn about event viewing locations, expected attendance, ticketing data and lodging occupancy to inform assumptions.

30 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

feature article - post-eclipse

FEATURE ARTICLE - Post-Eclipse, Continued

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Traffic Modelling Exercise

Based on estimates, GTC conducted a traffic modelling exercise to identify sections of highway in the Rochester region that could likely have heavier traffic congestion than usual and areas not typically busy but expected to be congested following the total eclipse. Examples included Lakeshore Blvd and Lake Avenue.

Some roadways that are typically not congested during the afternoon commute would likely see traffic congestion as visitors return home towards the south and east.

The slide deck would conclude with a message encouraging people to be purposeful in their transportation plans, to arrive early, stay late and take Tuesday, too, to consider bicycling, taking transit and allowing plenty of extra travel time, with an eye towards keeping travelers moving. The parting message was that time would tell and to be ready for whatever happens.

Geneva on Seneca Lake, provided by Solar Eclipse 2024 Geneva Task Force

Overview of GTC

The Genesee Transportation Council, or GTC, is the Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO for the ninecounty Genesee-Finger Lakes Region serving Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates counties. GTC is responsible for federally funded transportation policy, planning, and investment decision making as it concerns the movement of people and goods on the surface transportation system. Federal transportation legislation guides the planning process at the MPO. MPOs are responsible for three major work products including the Long Range Transportation Plan or LRTP, the Unified Planning Work Program or UPWP, and the Transportation Improvement Program or TIP. The LRTP sets the strategic direction for all GTC’s actions and programs and is updated at least every five years. The policies in the LRTP are further refined in the UPWP through individual concept-level projects and programs. The UPWP serves as GTC’s annual operating plan and budget. The TIP is the capital program that funds the specific transportation improvements in the region that will receive federal funding over the next four-to-five years.

GTC is governed by a policy board, made up of elected representatives from local, state, and federal governments along with transportation agencies such as New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), the Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council (G/FLRPC), and other agencies. As a policy making agency, GTC does not own or operate transportation facilities. Learn more about GTC and the MPO-planning process. q

By Lori Maher, Community Engagement Program Manager, Genesee Transportation Council feature article - post-eclipse

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 31

Campus News - UR

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University of Rochester engineering students put their skills to the test in design capstones Rochester students invest solutions for project sponsors ranging from major league sports teams to researchers in Costa Rica

by Luke Auburn, Sr. Communication Officer

ON A ROLL: Design capstone projects like this one, a mobilized tick collection system, are a culminating experience for students in the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences at Rochester. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)

Days before they are set to present their final design to the University of Rochester community during Design Day, a team of senior biomedical engineering students tinkers with a small radio-controlled car they have tricked out to handle rough terrain, travel long distances, and carry flannel flags. For their senior design project, the team is creating a mobilized system to collect ticks in Costa Rica for further study by epidemiologists.

Design capstones like this one are a culminating experience for students in the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. This year, 266 students are working on nearly 80 capstone projects, including 67 team projects and 12 individual theses. Clients who have presented the design capstone teams with problems have been providing input throughout the semester as the students work on solutions under the guidance of their faculty advisors.

In addition to providing hands-on opportunities to create something novel, the design projects offer opportunities for students to connect with potential employers, engage in global experiences, and conduct interdisciplinary research 32 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

campus news

with collaborators from places like the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Collecting ticks in Costa Rica The biomedical engineering team developed the tick collection system for Professor Timothy Dye, a medical anthropologist and social epidemiologist at the Medical Center, and Professor Adriana Troyo Rodríguez from the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Research in Tropical Diseases. The device is intended to overcome obstacles to studying tick-borne diseases.

“Currently there are very few tick collection solutions, and the most common one is flannel dragging,” says Rachelle Gomez-Guevara ’24. “The issue is that the technique is very labor intensive. You can imagine having to spend a lot of time bending down, and you might catch one or two ticks if you’re lucky. Our technique is less laborious and hopefully it will be more effective.”

Thanks to funding from Dye, two of the students were able to travel to Costa Rica to field test their design. The trip gave the group helpful feedback about their design and taught them valuable lessons about the design process.

“The most important thing I have learned is testing is essential. The math looks pretty, but can be very different from reality,” says Gomez-Guevara. “Costa Rica’s terrain is drastically different from Rochester’s, as you can imagine, and has a wide biodiversity. We went to different locations including a jungle and an area with tall grasses. Now we are modifying the device to better deal with the terrain we experienced.”

Analyzing energy transfer for the Houston Astros Meanwhile, a mechanical engineering team has been working to help a Major League Baseball team understand the energy transfer between a baseball and a bat. Their advisor is physics alumnus JJ Ruby ’17 (MA), ’21 (PhD), the senior director of research and development for the Houston Astros and a visiting assistant professor for the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The team is creating a device to launch balls at a speed ranging from 100 to 175 miles per hour to hit a half-inch radius target. The project, which will help Ruby study the inertial properties of bats, has posed an exciting challenge for the students.

“The baseball has a 500-pound force on the system campus news

as it’s rotating at these really fast speeds,” says Allison Thompson ’24. “Making a system that can handle those large forces yet have a high accuracy has been the hardest part.”

Thompson and her teammates each took turns as project manager, giving them leadership experience they can carry forward in their careers.

“The project sets up in a way that’s really similar to realworld experience,” says Thompson. “We have weekly meetings, we have deadlines we have to hit, and all of the designs are our own. We just go to the professor for help to make sure that it’s physically going to work and we’re doing the analysis properly. But we all have to own a part of this machine and we have to be confident that it’s going to work.”

Exploring trends in pregnancy episodes Although design capstone projects have been a mainstay in undergraduate engineering programs, students in data science and the Medical Technology and Innovation master’s degree programs participate in design capstones as well.

Four data science undergraduate and graduate students worked with the School of Nursing to leverage a diverse health dataset funded by the National Institutes of Health called the All of Us Researcher Hub. With guidance from Caitlin Dreisbach, an assistant professor at the school with an affiliation in the Goergen Institute for Data Science, the group is developing algorithms to study trends in the start dates, end dates, and outcomes of pregnancies.

“By doing this, we’re going to increase the opportunities for reproductive health research, both within the workbench and hopefully even beyond,” says Dreisbach.

The project is intended to reveal discrepancies in pregnancy outcomes among underrepresented populations. The students are excited about applying the skills they developed in the classroom in ways that can make a meaningful impact.

“We’re able to take these general principles and skills that we’ve developed in the data science program and we’re finding a great real-world example,” says master’s student Tyler Walton ’24. “We can see specifically what the cutting-edge of the research in that field is and how we can leverage more data-driven decision making and data science principles.”

To learn how to get involved by sponsoring a senior design project, visit the Hajim School website. q JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 33

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Continuing Education Opportunities

Go to the RES Website Calendar for Updated Details On All Meetings - www.roceng.org Thursday, June 13 Tuesday, June 25 Rochester Engineering Society (RES)

p9

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

RES & ASHRAE Continuing Education Webinars New Highmark Stadium – 1 PDH Approved 3 PDHs Theme: Refrigeration Place: Zoom Only Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm Cost: $45 Registration: Registration is available on the RES website calendar.

Wednesday June 19

Rochester Engineering Society (RES)

RES ASCE, NYSATE Continuing Education Webinars 3PDHs Theme: Transportation

p 41

Presenter: Bob Steehler, LaBella Associates Place: Kusler-Cox Auditorium (3rd Floor), Rundel Library Bldg. w/Hybrid/Virtual attendance option.

Time: Lunch hour – 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Cost: ASCE Members w/lunch: $20; Non-Members w/Lunch: $30; Virtual: $10 p 8 Registration: Keep an eye out for an email with links to register or check the website at https://sections.asce.org/rochester

Place: Zoom Only Time: 1:00 to 5:00 pm Cost: $45 Registration: Registration and details is available on the RES website calendar.

Support Your Affiliate Attend A Meeting

To post continuing education opportunities on this page please contact the Rochester Engineering Society, 585-254-2350, or email: therochesterengineer@gmail.com

Engineers’ Calendar

The engineering societies are encouraged to submit their meeting notices for publication in this section. The deadline for submitting copy is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. Please email to: Therochesterengineer@gmail.com. The meetings offering PDHs are highlighted in blue. Details about the meeting and affiliate (if in this issue) are on the corresponding page listed next to the affiliate name.

Tuesday, June 4

Sunday, June 9

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) EXCOM Meeting

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

Place: Hybrid, via WebEx and in-person (see vtools for venue and WebEx login) Time: Noon to 1:30 pm Registration for this meeting is at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/416556

Electrostatics Society of America Tutorial Program

Thursday, June 6

Registration is at

Rochester Engineering Society (RES) Monthly Social Gathering

Place: Rohrbach’s, 97 Railroad Street, Rochester, NY 14609 Time: 5:00 pm Registration: Please register so we know how many people are attending! www.roceng.org and go to the calendar.

34 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

p 38

Place: Remote participation.

Comments: See details on the topics/speakers on page 40 of the May Rochester Engineer publication.

p 8 https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/416694

Support Your Affiliate Attend A Meeting continuing education calendar | engineers' calendar

h

n

ENGINEERS' CALENDAR, Continued

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Thursday, June 13

Wednesday, June 26

Annual ASPE Golf Outing

SAVE THE DATE: RES Annual Meeting

American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) p 46 Rochester Engineering Society (RES) Sponsor: Multiple Sponsors – Thank you!

Place: Victor Hills Golf Course, 1450 Brace Road, Victor, NY 14564 Time: 10:00 am Reservations: Please check in at the Pavilion upon arrival. Plan on arriving around 9:30 am to check-in so we have a prompt 10:00 am tee time.

Additional details and registration will be available on the website at www.aspe.org/rochester.

Place: RMSC, Bausch Auditorium, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Registration will be available on the website calendar when details have been finalized, www.roceng.org and go to the calendar.

Tuesday, July 2

Institute of Electrical Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association (GVLSA) and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

Saturday, June 15

Joint Celebratory Event to Set Memorial Plaque for the “Final Point Monument” to Honor Robert Prescott PLS

Place: Orchard Grove Shelter at Ellison Park, Rochester, NY 14625 Time: Brief dedication ceremony at 12:00 noon with food and beverages to follow at 12:30 pm. Reservations are not needed.

Association for Bridge Construction and Design (ABCD) Scholarship Golf Outing

p 40

Place: Terry Hills Country Club, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020 Time: Registration begins at 11:30 am; Lunch at 11:30 (Halfway House); Shotgun start at 12:30; Steak dinner at 5:30 pm with awards following dinner.

Cost: $125 per person (includes lunch, golf w/cart, keg beer, dinner, and prizes. $40 or dinner only. $200 Hole Sponsorships available.

Register online at www.abcdwny.com from May 20th through June 14th.

Thursday, June 20

International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)

EXCOM Meeting

p 38

Place: Hybrid, via WebEx and in-person (see vtools for venue and WebEx login) Time: Noon to 1:30 pm Registration for this meeting is at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/416694

Tuesday, July 16

Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)

Wednesday, June 19

p6

p 37

Save the Date for the Annual Golf Tournament

Place: Fairview Golf Course in Avon, NY Registration and details coming soon on the website on the website at www.iesrochester.org.

The RES website has a calendar of events for this month's meetings and meetings that are received or updated after print

p 44

deadline. Please refer to the website for

Speaker: Dr. Ariel Kapusta, MITRE Labs’ Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Center.

Place: By zoom or the Rochester Host Site.

Time: 6:00 to 7:30 pm (eastern).

Cost: No cost to attend, but you need to register.

Registration: Attendees need to pre-register by sending an email to Susan.Urban@incose.net. A zoom link will be sent out a few days before the meeting.

updated information. If you wish to be

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assurance: Perspectives, Methods & Tools

engineers' calendar

listed in the calendar please send details to res@frontiernet.net.

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 35

Position Openings...Page 36

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CIVIL FACILITIES G E O S PAT I A L T R A N S P O R TAT I O N CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT

Learn more about us at: erdmananthony.com

Advertising Rates and RES Membership Application is Available at www.roceng.org

36 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

position openings | res news

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ies news

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 37

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June 2024 Newsletter Officers/Societies CHAIR Kelly Robinson VICE CHAIR Emmett Ientilucci TREASURER Lyle Tague

Message from the Chair

SECRETARY Eric Zeise AES & COMSOC Cristiano Tapparello CS & CIS Bo Yuan EDS & CSS Sean Rommel EMBS Cristian Linte GRSS Emmett Ientilucci LIFE Jean Kendrick APS & MTTS Danielle Walters PHOTONICS Parsian K. Mohseni PES & IAS Kelly Robinson Jean Kendrick SPS Eric Zeise TEMS Paul Lee YOUNG PROF. Eric Brown STUDENT CHAP. Univ. of Rochester Ming-Lun Lee RIT Jamison Heard AWARDS Jean Kendrick COMMUNICATION Christine Frayda Howard Bussey NEWSLETTER Mark Schrader PACE Bruce Rubin HISTORIAN Ram Dhurjaty CS/CIS RES LIASON Greg Gdowsk

Dear Colleagues, Our IEEE Rochester Section Executive Committee (ExCom) meets monthly to plan events. Our next ExCom meeting will be on Tuesday, July 2nd from noon to 1:30 pm. I invite you to register for in-person or virtual attendance at our next ExCom meeting using this link: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/420483.

I am greatly honored to be recognized as the 2023 Engineer of the Year by the Rochester Engineering Society! During the ceremony, I was humbled by the achievements of the 2023 Young Engineer of the Year, the finalists for the Young Engineer award, and by the Engineers of Distinction. This really accomplished group exemplifies the high level of engineering practice in the Rochester area and in Western New York. We are fortunate to be a part of such a strong, vibrant technical community with engineers representing many disciplines.

Please look for the reports on the 2024 UAV/UAS STRATUS Conference and the 2024 Electrostatics Society of America Annual Conference in our July or August RES Newsletters. Note that one of the latter events is upcoming: 2024 Electrostatics Tutorial Program, June 9, 2024. Please see: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/416694 for registration and more Info.

I look forward to working with you!

Regards, Kelly Robinson, PE, PhD Chair, IEEE Rochester Section

38 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

ieee news

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IEEE Rochester Section Chair Awarded RES Engineer Of The Year Kelly Robinson, PE PhD, Head of Electrostatics Answers has achieved the honor of being the Rochester Engineering Society Engineer of the Year for 2023. In honor of this achievement, Kelly was presented with a painting by a local Rochester artist by the outgoing President of RES, Michelle Sommerman PE, and the incoming President, Dennis Roote, PE.

IEEE Rochester Section Joint Chapters Meeting (JCM) - Report Over forty participants attended the Joint Chapters Meeting at RIT. The event was organized by Dr. Emmett Ientilucci and provided four technical talks: Dr. Santosh Kurinec presented Agrivoltaics: Combining Photovoltaics with Agriculture; Dr. James Albano presented Radar Signal Processing Education, Research, and Capabilities at RIT; Dr. Kelly Robinson PE presented Stopping Industrial Static Ignitions; and Dr. Dimah Dera presented Robustness and Reliability of Machine Learning and Its Importance in Imaging.

After the talks there was a networking reception with refreshments and Crudités and a buffet dinner. Dr. Robert Fiete presented the keynote address, Space Imaging Heritage in Rochester, NY. Dr. Fiete drew on his extensive experience and expertise to provide unique insights into the history of aerial and space-based imaging, and the numerous contributions of Rochester companies to an array of imaging platforms for military surveillance, remote sensing, and astronomy.

Dr. Dimah Dera

Dr. Santosh Kurinec

Dr. Emmett Ientilucci & Dr. Robert Fiete

TRFSEF (Science Fair) - Report The Terra Regional Finger Lakes Science and Engineering Fair (TRFSEF) was held at the Rochester Museum and Science Center on March 23. Sixty students exhibited and discussed their research projects and topic presentations with 28 judges over the course of several hours. Please see the IEEE Rochester Section website for an extended version of this report with photos. The link is: https://r1.ieee.org/rochester/newsletters/

ieee news

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 39

25th Annual Scholarship Golf Outing Wednesday, June 19, 2024 Save the date as the Association for Bridge Construction and Design would like to welcome everyone to participate in our annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. The tournament proceeds will benefit the ABCD Scholarship Program. The Western New York Chapter plans to award scholarships to students in a bridge related curriculum for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Terry Hills Country Club; Batavia, NY

Highlights • Registration beginning at 11:30 AM

• Keg beer starting 1 hour before dinner

• Lunch beginning at 11:30 AM (Halfway House)

• Steak Dinner at 5:30 PM

• Shotgun Start at 12:30 PM Location

• Awards following Dinner

Contact Information

Terry Hills Country Club 5122 Clinton Street Road Batavia, NY 14020 Phone: (585) 343-0860

Cost

$125 per person (includes Lunch, Golf Nick Barnhard, PE with Cart, Keg Beer, Dinner, and Prizes) Phone: (716) 997-3212 $40 (dinner only) Email: BarnhardN@ErdmanAnthony.com $200 Hole Sponsorships available

Register Online at www.abcdwny.com May 20th thru June 14th 40 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

abcd news

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Rochester Section

American Society of Civil Engineers www.asce.org

ASC E P DH Se ri e s : N e w H i g h m a rk Sta d i u m

Sit down with Bob Steehler of LaBella Associates as he discusses work on the new Highmark Stadium, future home of the Buffalo Bills! Topics include: an overview of the permitting process for the civil design, unique and multifaceted site design aspects, and complexities that set this project apart from standard development.

DATE: LOCATION: TIME: COST: PRESENTER:

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 Kusler-Cox Auditorium (3rd Floor), Rundel Library Building with Hybrid/Virtual attendance option Lunch Hour 12 – 1 pm ASCE Members w/ Lunch: $20 Non-Members w/ Lunch: $30 Virtual: $10 Bob Steehler (LaBella Associates)

Keep an eye out for an email with links to register, or check on our website:

115 South Ave, Rochester, NY Park at Court St Garage asce news

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 41

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r

Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair The 2024 Fair had 60 student with 50 projects, a 40% increase over last year!

Harold Clark TRFSEF Director trfsef@terraed.org

And we’re already planning next year’s!

Save the Date!

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Judges Needed for Genius Olympiadan international competition with over 700 studentsJune 12 at RIT Judge Registration Opened!

42 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

terra news

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Rochester Chapter

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Rochester ASHRAE website: www.rochesterashrae.org

June Newsletter

Welcome to the end of another chapter year! I am honored to have been trusted with the management of this chapter over the last year, and I would like to express my gratitude to the Officers, Board of Governors, and Committee Chairs for their hard work throughout the year. For my final President’s Message, I’d like to revisit some of the highlights of this year.

All the way back in September, we hosted our Annual Fall Social at the Round House Lodge in Genesee Valley Park. For the first time, we did this as a joint event with The Rochester Plant Engineers (RPE). The Social was very well attended, and we will be looking forward to repeating this joint event again next year. We got great feedback from our attendees and will be making some small tweaks to the event to make the Second Annual even more successful.

We started our technical sessions with two presentations focused on our society president, Ginger Scoggins’, theme of “Challenge Accepted: Tackling the Climate Crisis.” We saw a presentation on Inverter Driven Chillers from LG, and another on the Future of BMS in the context of decarbonization. It’s important as we move forward to analyze the impact that both equipment and controls will have on our carbon reduction goals. Proper equipment selection and control integration will become even more important moving forward.

We took a break from decarbonization in December to revisit a topic from the COVID-19 Pandemic, “Control of Infectious Aerosols (ASHRAE Standard 241-2023).” Distinguished lecturer Dr. William Bahnfleth, PhD, PE, FASHRAE from Penn State University spoke about this standard, the culmination of ASHRAE’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic that should help to prepare us all for future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

January and February took us back to the theme of Decarbonization, with a look at tax credits available for geothermal heat pump installations, and a look at alternative strategies for conditioning schools. February also featured our 65th Annual Valentine’s Dinner Dance and the Joe Harding Memorial Ski Day, where we got to break away from the engineering and let loose on the dance floor and ski slopes!

For our final presentation of the year, we had ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer Julia Keen visit our chapter to speak about “Recruiting and Retaining Gen Z.” Julia presented us with wonderful insights on reframing some of the paradigms we share across generations, so that we may all do a better job training the future of our industry.

We finished the year in traditional fashion, with a Refrigeration Tour in April at K.M. Davies Company Cold Storage in Williamson, NY, and our Golf Tournament in May at Ravenwood Golf Club. Both events were sellouts and lots of fun for all.

Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to serve the Rochester Chapter of ASHRAE as President this year. I look forward to placing the chapter in Bret Fryover’s very capable hands for next year; I know he has great things in store!

Sincerely, Jim Parks ASHRAE Rochester Chapter President 2023-2024 ashrae news

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 43

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Finger Lakes Chapter of INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

June 2024 Chapter Meeting  Feature Presentation: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assurance: Perspectives, Methods, & Tools o Presented by Dr. Ariel Kapusta, Ph.D. 

Lead Autonomous Systems Engineer in MITRE Labs’ Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Innovation Center. He has led development and published technical papers in the areas of robotics, AI assurance, and safety

Abstract: To enable adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems in consequential use-cases, such as clinical settings, these technologies require methods to ensure their safety and effectiveness. This talk will discuss perspectives, methods, and tools for AI assurance and AI test and evaluation.

This meeting will be on Thursday, June 20th, 6 – 7:30 pm (eastern).

Attendees can attend via zoom.

The session will be recorded for INCOSE members to view later.

Attendees need to pre-register. To register, send an email to Susan.Urban@incose.net.

The zoom link will be sent out a few days before the meeting.

There is no cost to attend the meeting.

If interested to attend in-person at the Rochester Host Site, please inform Susan Urban.

Note that attendees must be a US Person or above to enter the facility.

IF YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS MEETING FROM RES, PLESASE LET SUSAN URBAN KNOW.

© 2024 INCOSE Finger Lakes Chapter

44 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

incose news

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SAVE THE DATE

09.13.24 casa larga

100th Anniversary Gala Join the Electrical Association of Western New York as we celebrate our 100 Year Anniversary!

Visit www.eawny.com for more information ea news

JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 45

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President/: DAVE JERECKOS IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585-292-1590 Vice President Technical: LUKE LAWATSCH Labella Associates 300 State Street Suite 201 Rochester, NY 14614 585-454-6110 Vice President Legislative: TREVOR SAX IBC Engineering, PC 3445 Winton Place Suite 219 Rochester, NY 14623 585-292-1590 Vice President Membership: REBECCA KOLSTAD Kolstad Associates 40 Harrison Street Rochester, NY 14605 Treasurer / Education Chair: JENNIFER WENGENDER, P.E., CPD CPL 255 Woodcliff Drive, Suite 200 Fairport, NY 14450 585-454-7600 Administrative Secretary: ADAM KRAMER Bergmann 280 E. Broad Street Suite 200 Rochester, NY 14604 585-498-7802 Newsletter Editor: NADIA THOMPSON Turner Engineering 359 West Commercial St, Ste 2190 East Rochester NY 14445 (585) 381-3360 Affiliate Liaison: EMILY MILLER WMS Sales 9580 County Rd. Clarence Center, NY 14032 (716) 741-9575

President's Message Happy June everyone!

Well summer is upon us! We have our annual Golf Outing on June 13th at Victor Hills! Tee time is 10:00am sharp. Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided. Please see me at the pavilion when you arrive so I can sign you and your teammates in. I want to remind folks now that the 2024 ASPE Convention is coming up on October 18-24 in Columbus, Ohio. Registration is open for the event.

We have 85 Members consisting of 51 Full, 19 Associate and 15 Affiliate members. In that group of 85 members we have 20 PE’s and 9 CPDs. Of the those that attend meetings, about half are members.

If you attend meetings but are not a member, we are always glad to see you but please consider joining the Rochester Chapter of ASPE. We will be breaking from our monthly meetings at Three Heads for the summer and will continue in September for another exciting year! I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer. I am looking forward to seeing folks at the Golf Outing and in the fall!

Dave Jereckos, Chapter President (Chapters are not authorized to speak for the Society)

Meeting Notice – Save the Date Topic:

ASPE Golf Outing

Sponsor:

Multiple Sponsors – Thank you to all our Sponsors!

Location: Victor Hills Golf Course – 1450 Brace Rd, Victor, NY 14564

Rochester Chapter Website:

Date:

Thursday, June 13, 2024, 10:00AM

www.aspe.org/rochester

RSVP:

Please check in at the Pavilion upon arrival. Plan on arriving around 9:30 am to check in so we may have a prompt 10 am tee time.

46 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

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Directory of Professional Services

Solving soils problems for over 40 years.

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Novel approaches to geotechnical engineering and environmental problems.

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Advertising Rates and Membership Application is Available at www.roceng.org Professional Firms Employee News

Ravi Engineering & Land Surveying News

Ravi Engineering and Land Surveying, PC Welcomes Anisha Ravindra PE as Quality Control Manager

Anisha Ravindra, PE

Ravi Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C. (RE&LS) announces the appointment of Anisha Ravindra, PE as their new Quality Control Manager.

Anisha brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, further strengthening the company's commitment to delivering top-notch services and ensuring the highest quality of work in every project.

With a proven track record in the engineering industry, Anisha is poised to make significant contributions to RE&LS. She received both her B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering from Syracuse University and specializes in bridge design. Anisha is a licensed Professional Engineer who has accumulated 7 years worth of industry experience in her field. This directory of professional services | professional firms employee news

includes work on the Rte. 17 at Rte 32 (Exit 131) Reconstruction in Woodbury, NY ($134 Million) and Bridge Replacements over I-295 at Exits 20 and 22 in Freeport, ME ($25.7 Million) along with a variety of other NYSDOT, TxDOT, MaineDOT, Metro-North Rail, and Tri-borough Bridge and Tunnel Authority projects.

Anisha's responsibilities will involve working with RE&LS’ Transportation Department on bridge/culvert design projects. She is already hitting the ground running as she gets to know RE&LS’ client base as well as design duties on all the ongoing RE&LS bridge/ culvert projects. Her strategic insights and dedication to excellence align seamlessly with the company's values, positioning her as an invaluable asset to the team who is happy to have her on board.

To learn more about RE&LS’ personnel, services, and career opportunities, visit https://ravieng.com/ . q JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 47

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Directory of Professional Services, Continued

Customized Solutions All your project needs under one roof.

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Architecture Aviation Civil Planning Structural Survey

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48 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2024

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Affiliated Societies of the Rochester Engineering Society American Consulting Engineering, Companies of New York

Electrical Association

Executive Director, Karen Lynch

President, Pat Nicoletta, PE

American Public Works Association Monroe County/Genesee Valley Branch

Genesee Valley Land Surveyors Association

Chairman, Peter Vars, PE,

President, Jared R. Ransom, LS

Monroe Professional Engineers Society President, William Grove

New York State Association of Transportation Engineers, Section 4 President, Christopher Reed

Rochester, NY Section

American Society of Civil Engineers, Rochester Section President, Tyler C. Burke

P.O. Box 23795 Rochester, NY 14692 www.iesrochester.org

Illuminating SocietyMEETINGS of North IESEngineering ROCHESTER ARE BACK !!!

America Inc., Rochester Section President, Steven Galley

SEPTEMBER 29,2021 - 7:00 PM

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Rochester Chapter President, Matt Kremers

FREE Event Rochester Plant Engineers

COME TOUR THE WINNER OF OUR IES ROCHESTER President, Brian Laurer EXTERIOR LIGHTING AWARD - ROC CITY SKATE PARK MEMBERS FROM THE DESIGN TEAM FROM STANTEC AND FROM THE CITY OF ROCHESTER WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.IESROCHESTER.ORG

Imaging Science & Technology, Rochester Chapter President, Bruce Pillman

Sheet Metal & Air-Conditioning Contractor’s National Association Rochester, Inc. Executive Director, Don Fella

Wednesday October 13 - 12:00 Noon

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Rochester Section

Institute ofBasics Electrical and Electronics of Modern Theatre Lighting System Design Engineers, Rochester Section Chairman, Kelly Robinson - Power Distribution & Control

Chairman, Berto Perez

- DMX & Networking - LED Theatrical Luminaires

Society of Plastics Engineers, Rochester Section

Location & Details TBD - Save The Date !

Please Visit Our Website For More Details www.iesrochester.org

American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Rochester NY Chapter

Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Rochester Chapter

President, David Myers

President, Dr. Ehsan Rashedi

Association for Bridge Construction and Design President, Ashley Freeman PE

International Council on Systems Engineering, Finger Lakes Chapter

affiliated societies of the rochester engineering society

President, Teresa Fronk

President, Brett Blaisdell

Terra Rochester Finger Lakes Science & Engineering Fair

Director, Harold R. Clark, PhD JUNE 24 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 49

Back to Table of Contents

PUBLISHED BY ROCHESTER ENGINEERING SOCIETY 180 Linden Oaks, Suite 100 Rochester, NY 14625-2837

From Plans to REALITY

www.roceng.org

May 2024

Engaging Employees Through ERG | 22

By Trisch Axsmith Tavolette

Rochester | Buffalo | Syracuse | Capital District www.meengineering.com

Directory of Business Services Advisors

Philip J. Welch

Also in this issue: 

Senior Vice President - Investments

RES Events in May May 2nd - Monthly Social Gathering at





Wells Fargo Advisors

Member Profiles:



Campus News | 26



Position Openings | 30

xxxxx | 15

University of Rochester at 10:00 am | 7

400 Meridian Centre, Suite 210 Rochester, NY 14618 Direct: 585-241-7546 Fax: 585-241-3986 philip.J.welch@wellsfargoadvisors.com

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

Diane Trentini | 16

RES Awards Program - Brunch on Saturday, May 4 | 6

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New! Affiliate Member Profile: Affiliate - ABCD | 14

Rohrbach's, 97 Railroad St., 5:00 PM

May 4th - RES Awards Brunch Banquet

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

NOTICE TO ALL RES MEMBERS

2024-25 Slate of Officers | 8

RES & Affiliates Calendar | 32

Thank you Lynne for 40+ years with the Rochester Engineering Society!

Congratulations on your professional journey and Your retirement!

The RES Board

Advertising Rates and Membership Application is Available at www.roceng.org

RES Now Has A QR Code