December 2013

NSPE TODAY
Top Young Engineers of 2013

Every year, NSPE state societies select engineers under the age of 35 for their Young Engineer of the Year award. We have gathered 19 of this year’s winners here, along with the national winner. Read on to learn about their professional and service lives.

Florida

Victor Herrera, P.E.

32 years old

Manager of civil infrastructure for Atkins in Doral

Named Volunteer of the Year by a local newspaper, Herrera developed the program Discovery Days for his Florida Engineering Society chapter. With the program, engineers conduct hands-on demonstrations for students between kindergarten and 4th grade.

Idaho

Seth Olson, P.E.

33 years old

Project engineer for GeoEngineers in Boise

Olsen stays busy with professional organizations, volunteer groups, and legislative activity. He helped run a local politician’s reelection campaign in 2010 and has served as his ASCE section’s representative with the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure program.

Kansas

Travis Stryker, P.E.

33 years old

Executive vice president for CAS Constructors in Topeka

Stryker is heavily involved with local service organizations, including serving on the board for the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center and secretary for the board of the TARC Foundation, a Topeka-based organization helping people with disabilities.

Kentucky

R. Darin Hensley, P.E.

35 years old

Project engineer for EA Partners in Lexington

Hensley has been involved with Kentucky’s MATHCOUNTS program for 10 years, serving as chair of the competition for 2008–09 and cochair of finance last year. He also recently represented his local chapter on the board of directors for his state society.

Louisiana

Josh Hays, P.E.

34 years old

Civil engineer for Lazenby & Associates in West Monroe

After a shipping barge collided with the I-20 Vicksburg Bridge on the Mississippi River, Hays worked on a team of engineers to collect, calculate, and analyze data from the bridge site. This work directly helped protect the public health and safety.

Minnesota

Lindsey Meek, P.E.

33 years old

Project manager for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Meek manages projects within the Mayo Clinic that exceed $30,000, including a $5 million utility and pedestrian tunnel, the first phase of a much larger $200 million cancer treatment facility.

Mississippi

Matthew Gong, P.E.

33 years old

Design engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Jackson

Nevada

Harshal Desai, P.E.

34 years old

Water resources manager for Atkins in Las Vegas

Currently treasurer for his local chapter, Desai moved to the United States after earning his bachelor’s in India in 2000. His current position affords him work on both local and international projects.

New Hampshire

Britt Audet, P.E.

33 years old

Project engineer for CMA Engineers in Manchester

As a member of the steering committee for a new research grant at the University of New Hampshire, Audet helps coordinate a network to integrate climate science and engineering research for sustainable transportation in New England.

New York

Vanessa McPherson, P.E.

31 years old

Project engineer for Malcolm Pirnie/ARCADIS in White Plains

McPherson has worked as lead engineer on a number of projects, including a denitrification facility and upgrades to a water pollution control facility. She is also president of the Manhattan College Environmental Engineering Alumni Society.

North Carolina

Sarah Puffer, P.E.

34 years old

Lead engineer for Duke Energy in Raleigh

Most recently serving as president for her local chapter of Professional Engineers of North Carolina, she hosted two Habitat for Humanity work days, four young engineer events, and three panel discussions for local university students.

NSPE

D. Scott Wolf, P.E., F.NSPE

34 years old

Safety and geometric design engineer for the Federal Highway Administration in Maryland

Wolf serves as a national expert in the areas of geometric design, freeway and interchange design and evaluation, and highway intersection safety and design.

Ohio

Adrienne Taylor, P.E.

33 years old

Chemical process engineer for SSOE Group in Toledo

Taylor has served on her local Engineers Week committee for three years in a row, functioning as vice chair in 2013. In addition, she is vice president and director of programs for the Technical Society of Toledo.

Oregon

Felicia Knox, E.I.T.

25 years old

Staff engineer for SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists in Coos Bay

Currently assisting on the Jordan Cove Energy Project, valued at $7.5 billion, Knox coordinates work between agencies and consultants on a nationwide level. She also volunteers for Engineers Week, discussing the profession with interested high school students.

Pennsylvania

Anthony Fitzpatrick, P.E.

32 years old

Project manager for Michael Baker Corp. in Pittsburgh

Fitzpatrick’s early experience was as an engineer for the U.S. Navy, serving in a support role in locations such as Cuba and Greece. He now works as a contractor overseeing construction and design for the U.S. military in the Middle East.

South Carolina

V. Spring McEwen, P.E.

31 years old

Lead design engineer for Metromont Corp. in Greenville

McEwen has recently led design for data centers and a parking garage expansion, multimillion dollar efforts covering hundreds of thousands of square feet. She also recently served as her local chapter’s treasurer.

South Dakota

Adam Norman, P.E.

32 years old

Lead project engineer for Bartlett & West in Sioux Falls

Norman has given a number of presentations in his professional career, most recently at a local technical conference on process design for a new water treatment plant. He has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and MATHCOUNTS.

Tennessee

Jonathan Haycraft, P.E.

34 years old

Senior associate for Gresham, Smith & Partners in Nashville
Joining Gresham, Smith & Partners as an intern during college, Haycraft has spent his entire professional career with the firm, and currently leads roadway design projects as senior associate in the transportation services division.

Texas

Angela Matthews, P.E.

34 years old

Project manager for GarzaBury LLC in Dallas

Matthews is an active member of her local TSPE chapter. She has coordinated the chapter’s MATHCOUNTS competition and has helped develop both young women and Asian-American professionals.

Wisconsin

Ed Rodden II, E.I.T.

36 years old

President of Rodden LLC in Waukesha

Rodden has 13 years of experience as a civil engineer in planning, design, and construction transportation projects, and currently puts that to use as both the executive director of the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers and as president of Rodden LLC.