Women in STEM: Hear How STEM Women Succeed

If you want to hear a discussion that’s well worth your time, check out this engaging roundtable conversation about women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). During Women’s History Month and hosted by Seattle’s Pacific Science Center and moderated by Angela Jones – CEO of Washington STEM – the panel includes Fumbi Chima (Executive at BECU), Eset Alemu (City of Seattle Engineer), Deena Pierott (iUrban Teen and STEM+Arts Executive), and Isabellah von Trapp (Aspect Hydrogeologist).

The conversation discusses finding career paths you love, the excitement of STEM careers, and advice for girls and women in pursuing a career in STEM industries.

Meet Marc Chalfant

Aspect recently welcomed Marc Chalfant to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know him better.

Marc Chalfant, PE, Project Engineer

Backpacking the Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Backpacking the Alpine Lakes Wilderness

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I’m originally from Yellowstone National Park and having lived in a handful of states (and a Canadian province!), I finally find myself firmly planted in Seattle, where I’ve lived for the last 6 years. The mountains and culture brought me here, and after learning how to enjoy the long, dark winters, I’ve grown to appreciate the Pacific Northwest more and more every year.

2. What inspired you to pursue remediation engineering? What made you curious about it?

Growing up in a National Park engrained a sense of environmental responsibility and interest. In college, a hydrogeology course sparked an interest in remediation. The combination of geology, water resources, and chemistry in the context of environmental work got me hooked. My curiosity turned into a career when I accepted a position to research remediation approaches in graduate school at Colorado State University.

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

Because remediation engineering is a relatively young field, our collective knowledge and skills are continuously developing. I love being in a field where creativity and nuance provide value on a technical level. It is also a great feeling knowing that at the end of the day we are working to reduce risk to human health and the environment, which is something I am proud of.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

Whether on skis, in climbing shoes, or packed for a week-long backpacking trip, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a weekend where I’m not in the mountains in some form, joined by my fiancée, Tamera. I also play ice hockey, enjoy cooking, and have taken to designing and constructing outdoor gear including packs, tents and sleeping bags.

5. Where in the world would you like to travel next?

I’d love to check out more of southeast Asia. We visited Indonesia a couple years ago, and it was hands-down the best trip I’ve ever taken. The food, climate, variety of activities, and natural beauty were unmatched!

Meet Rachel Cornwell, Sam Adlington, and Jay Pietraszek

Aspect recently welcomed Rachel Cornwell, Sam Addlington, and Jay Pietraszek to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better…

Rachel Cornwell, Staff Scientist

Rachel on a January walk at Gross Reservoir in Boulder, CO

Rachel on a January walk at Gross Reservoir in Boulder, CO

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I was born and raised in Bellingham, WA. I went to school in Colorado but making the decision to return to the Pacific Northwest was an easy one (despite the rain). There is something about the nature and the people here that makes it feel like home. Although I grew up just a couple of hours north of Seattle, living in the city now feels like an entirely new place that I am excited to explore!

2. What inspired you to pursue environmental engineering? What made you curious about it?

In high school, I got the opportunity to travel to Honduras with Living Waters for the World. I worked on the engineering team to install a water purification system in a rural town called Las Bodegas. Working with mentors and community members showed me that engineering was not only about efficient, cost-effective design, but also about how that design impacts a community’s health, business opportunities, and ability to live a better life. This experience opened my eyes to the kind of impact I could make and inspired me to pursue an environmental engineering degree.

Through my time in the environmental engineering program at Colorado University, my focus shifted from water treatment to remediation of contaminated sites, and I realized that my connection with environmental remediation work began as a kid; I grew up spending most summers at Holden Village, a small retreat center in the mountains near Lake Chelan. The village was historically a mining town for the Holden Mine, which became a Superfund site in the 1980s. I remember seeing the tailing piles and remnants of the mine on hikes around the area. The orange coating of streambeds and the eerie, abandoned structures surrounding the village always left me curious. As I learn more about remediation processes, I constantly connect it back to these images that stuck in my mind as a kid.

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

I love that remediation work allows you to both zoom into the tiny details and zoom out to a bigger picture. I think shifting between those perspectives keeps things interesting and creates complex problems that require innovative solutions. Hitting specific cleanup levels requires precise design and detailed understanding of remediation mechanisms, but also requires an overarching understanding of stakeholders and their priorities, as well as why the remediation is important. Right now, I am excited to learn more about remediation mechanisms and to see first-hand how a remediation system impacts sites in different ways given unique sets of soil and groundwater conditions.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I love to get out and hike on the weekends! I find hiking to be the best way to get to know a new area – it’s how I came to feel at home in Colorado, and how I am rediscovering the PNW now. I also love to write songs. I’ve been re-learning how to play guitar recently and enjoy writing songs with piano and voice.

5. Where in the world would you like to travel next?

Last summer, I spent a few weeks traveling down the eastern coast of South Africa after a two-month bridge construction project in eSwatini. I would go back there in a heartbeat! That area was so diverse in culture, natural features, and things to see and do! In the time I was there I learned a lot from locals about the different ethnic groups and how their languages and experiences differ. I would love to return to that area and continue exploring other parts of southern Africa, like Zimbabwe and Mozambique, as well as more of South Africa.

Sam Adlington, Project Engineer

This is from my last trip to Bali Indonesia in 2018. With the heat and not being acclimated to the climate I was taking every opportunity to get some shade and coconut water.

This is from my last trip to Bali Indonesia in 2018. With the heat and not being acclimated to the climate I was taking every opportunity to get some shade and coconut water.

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I am a greater Seattle area native. I grew up on the north end of Ballard before my family moved to Shoreline when I was 10. Since I finished college I’ve lived in Bellevue, Redmond, and Lynnwood. Frankly I never really wanted to live anywhere else.

2. What inspired you to pursue remediation engineering? What made you curious about it?

Technically most of the engineering work I’m involved in is for the solid waste industry or general environmental engineering/consulting. Within solid waste engineering there are a lot of the concepts of remediation engineering that are similar, just applied differently or with alterations to timelines, capacities, and project scale.

I seemingly fell into this line of work, but it works with the way that my brain is wired and I haven’t wanted to stop since I got started. It all started in college — like most students I could not make up my mind on a major. I started out really looking at either mechanical or chemical engineering. Through engineering clubs that I participated in, I had a few friends that were getting environmental engineering degrees through the civil engineering department. I started taking classes out of curiosity since it sounded like an interesting combination of the elements that got me started with engineering. I found it really worked well with what I liked to do and where I wanted to move my career.

Fresh out of college I wound up getting a job as a groundwater sampler/field tech for a firm that specialized in civil and environmental engineering for the solid waste industry. Since then I’ve sought out projects that have elements that I’m interested in, leveraging experience and trust built to get where I’m at now.

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

I should preface this by saying that I really like problem-solving. I’m not the type that will sit and do Sudoku or crossword puzzles because I get a lot of satisfaction out of what I get to do daily. A big driver is that no two projects are ever identical. While there are similarities, there always seems to be some complication, technicality, or nuance that needs to be managed and accounted for which keeps the work fresh and interesting.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I always seem to have a few half-completed projects that I’m tinkering with in my spare time. Recently I’ve gotten into brewing and I’ve got a few tech/electronics projects on my workbench. The shortlist of longer-term interests includes:

  • Snowboarding (when the weather is cold)

  • Bicycling (when the weather is nicer)

  • Playing soccer (goalkeeper), generally I lean to indoor but the occasional full field game when the weather cooperates

In addition, I bought a house right at the start of the pandemic. So all the new chores and other tasks that come with that have been keeping me busy during the pandemic.

5. Where in the world would you like to travel next?

Europe is on my shortlist when we can safely travel again. Still haven’t made up my mind on whether or not to go with the UK or EU, but we’ve got time to think about it. Places like Finland, Norway, or Sweden really seem interesting to me, but my partner is originally from a tropical country and she will likely not want to go anywhere cold for vacation.

Jay Pietraszek, Senior Hydrogeologist

Beautiful 12 pound Silver Salmon caught on the Akwe River, southeast Alaska, September 2020

Beautiful 12 pound Silver Salmon caught on the Akwe River, southeast Alaska, September 2020

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I spent the majority of my childhood in the Chicago area. I came to Seattle initially after graduating from the University of Montana. But I’ve been in the Pacific Northwest for over 15 years, so it’s home now.

2. What inspired you to pursue hydrogeology? What made you curious about it?

I always loved being on or near the water, both as a kid on the Great Lakes and then during college on the rivers of Montana and Wyoming. My interest in the field grew from those experiences and memories. I became curious about the profession and industry as a student and the curiosity continues!

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

I enjoy the creativity and problem solving that is required, and the complexity and diverse nature of the questions that we try to answer for our clients. I believe in the growth potential of the industry, particularly over the long term, and I am excited to keep pushing forward and helping those coming up in the profession.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I enjoy spending time with my family, first and foremost. A Saturday evening with a couple of The Mandalorian episodes on the docket is about as good as it gets for me these days. I like tinkering around the house and learning something new. And of course, I still love being outside on the water or somewhere up in mountains, off the beaten track.

5. Where in the world would you like to travel next?

Tasmania, with a fly rod in hand!

A Year in Photos

Aspect is lucky to have amazingly talented photographers – who also just happen to be amazingly talented scientists and engineers as well. Our marketing team received over 1,100 photos this year (continuing a photo culture that has seen over 2,000+ photos submitted in the last 2+ years alone). Though there were many exceptional ones, we have gathered 10 that best represent our 2020.

Meet Katie Sultani-Wright and Scott Mortensen

Aspect recently welcomed Katie Sultani-Wright and Scott Mortensen to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better…

Katie Sultani-Wright, Practice Coordinator

First camping trip with the five of us at Birch Bay, near Bellingham

  1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

    I was born in Washington, DC, and have been making my way west ever since.  I’ve lived in DC, Maryland, Colorado, Michigan, Alaska, and Washington State.  I came to Seattle for a job after college.  Graduating as a naval architect/ocean engineer, being near water was, well, a requirement.  I currently live in West Seattle.   

  2. What inspired you to pursue project management? What made you curious about it?

    I don’t know that I pursued project management, I think it’s more like project management pursued me!  Being a consulting engineer, effective project management is a critical skill and a huge part of good client service.  For me, Operations is a natural extension of project management — there are even more moving pieces and the work is never done.  I like that I get to work hard and there is always something to learn. 

  3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

    I like the fact that I get to support others!  I love being a part of systems and processes that enable my colleagues to do their best work.  I am motivated by continuous improvement.  How can we challenge ourselves to do better?  Let’s do it!

  4.  What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

    I like to spend time with my spouse (Jon) and our three children.  I like to read books — business, sci-fi, fantasy, survival/disaster.  I like puzzles, especially crosswords and jigsaw.  I like to be outside.  My kids and I have fun playing Nintendo games together.  Music is what brought Jon and I together, so we enjoy going to shows on the off chance that we find someone willing to take care of our kids for an evening.

  5.  What five people would be your dream dinner party guests?

     ABBA!  And I suppose I’d invite Jon, too.  

Scott Mortensen, Staff GIS Analyst

Hiking in California

Hiking in California

  1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

    I am from the PNW but a little more NW than Seattle; I’m from Anchorage, AK. After more than a decade of moving around as a young adult, I suppose I felt drawn to reconnect with my PNW roots and be closer to family.

  2. What inspired you to pursue GIS? What made you curious about it?

    GIS was something I was first exposed to while surveying gravity-fed aqueduct systems as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama. I was drawn to the technical skill and the practical application of data management, manipulation, and visualization as a tool for decision-making and communication.

  3.  What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

    I like the combination of fieldwork + office work and the balance of the analytical left brain + creative right brain. GIS seems to always be evolving so there’s never a dearth of things to learn.

  4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

    Relationships are the most important thing to me and I highly value having an active lifestyle, so I spend a good deal of my free time combining those things: spending time with friends and family backpacking, cycling, working on house projects, and cooking. I like to read and am learning to play the harmonica.

  5.  If you were given $50,000 to donate to any cause what cause would you choose?

    Increasing access to high-quality education is the cause that I would most like to dedicate resources towards.

The Path to Professional License: Kirsi Longley, PMP

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Kirsi Longley, Project Management Professional (PMP)

PMP awarded February 2018

Kirsi in Sunshine_stamp.jpg

What the heck do the initials PMP stand for?

Pretty Marginal Pianist? Nope! PMP stands for Project Management Professional. It’s a certification administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the internationally recognized association “for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession.” Pretty fancy, huh!

Having PMP certification can give you a great advantage in a variety of careers, including environmental consulting. When clients see PMP on your resume, it shows you’re a professional and among the cream of the crop of project managers. In Aspect’s realm of work, some public agencies, like King County, strongly encourage or even require PMPs to be included on project teams to be considered for contracts. You also receive recognition from fellow PMPs who know and appreciate the hard work and diligence that goes into the certification.

Kirsi - Girl Boss Mug.jpg

How does one become a PMP?

The process of becoming a PMP is not as long as what’s required for a PE or LG in terms of meeting the qualifications, testing and studying, but it is still pretty rigorous. For me, it was a very intense six weeks.

In-Person Course Work

The first step is to complete 35 hours of in-person project management education. Several organizations offer classes with curriculum approved by PMI. I went through the Project Management Academy, which I highly recommend. I took a week off from Aspect (thanks Aspect!) and met with the class in a hotel conference room over four long days. On the last day of the in-person class, we took a practice test to gauge how well we’d absorbed the material. Let’s just say that I did not ace the practice test, meaning I had a lot of studying ahead of me.

Application

It was recommended to me that I take the in-person course first, and then fill out the PMP application. This might seem counterintuitive, but once you’ve gone through the course, you have a solid grasp on the terms PMI uses and can then incorporate that language in your application to talk about your experience. It also makes it easier for you to go through your work history and identify pieces they are looking for.

The application takes hours to complete. In order to be considered a candidate for PMP certification, you must document at least three years managing projects during the five stages of the project lifecycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing. You have to document this experience in great detail and provide references for those who oversaw your work over the years. This takes a lot of time and research to track all of it down and complete the application.

After you’ve completed the course work and application, it’s time to start studying for the 4-hour exam.

How did you study to prepare for the exam?

I’ve heard the passing rate for first try is 50-60 percent, so the pressure was “on” to really absorb the material. I studied for about 5 weeks before taking the exam. The Project Management Academy and PMI have a lot of Study Guides and other materials to review, including all of the slides from the course, and some mock exams. There are Laminated Study Guides – double-sided sheets that cover the key concepts, work flow charts, vocabulary, and equations – that you can write on and mark up as needed. Those came in quite handy. There are also PMP apps that have flash cards and quizzes to help. I made myself some flash cards too, mostly to help memorize vocabulary with definitions specific to PMI.

Over those 5 long weeks, I ran flash cards or studied on the app on the bus to and from work, then would come home and study for a few hours each night. I studied in 4- to 8-hour blocks on the weekends, including taking practice tests – which meant sitting for 4 hours at a time on a Saturday.

To help me focus on the weekends and remove household distractions, I would set up camp in the local library with snacks, white-noise sounds playing through my headphones, and my study materials. 

What is the best piece of advice you got during your study process?

Kirsi side bar.jpg

The best piece of advice I got from those who’d gone through this was to take the practice exams repeatedly until you get at least 80 percent correct. The practice exams are the best gauge of how well you understand the material. The exam results break down how you did on each section – showing what you got wrong and what the correct answer was, and summarizing all incorrect questions so you can review and know what material you need to focus on in your next study section.

I took five practice tests in all. On the last one, I got 81 percent. I knew then I was likely as ready as I could be to take the real thing.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I was assigned to take the exam at a testing center north of Seattle, so I stayed at my parents’ house the night before to save some commuting time and get a better night’s sleep (unfortunately, my dog Cooper had other ideas about getting sleep that night).

On Test Morning, I went to a coffee shop a few hours beforehand to wake up with some caffeine and a bakery treat while getting in some last-minute studying. At this point, I was very ready to have it all be done. Then I drove to the center and sat for the 4-hour exam.

Kirsi and her dachshund, Cooper

Kirsi and her dachshund, Cooper

The test itself was at times excruciating. It’s multiple choice, but there are nuances in answers that require you to really sit with them and think about the right choice. There are also math equations.

How did you feel when you finally got the results?

One great thing about the PMP certification exam is that it’s scored in real time and the results are immediate – no waiting in agony for weeks to find out how you did. After I submitted the answer for my last question, a pop-up appeared letting me know I’d passed. I felt a rush of mixed emotions as weeks of anxiety lifted off my shoulders. I closed my eyes and raised my arms in victory. This drew the attention of a test proctor, who came over to ask if I was ok. I just gestured at the screen, and they nodded approvingly. I left the testing center and cried in my car with relief that this was no longer hanging over me. The journey was over, and I’d earned that certification.

Any parting advice?

I would pass on the advice I got to keep taking the practice tests until you’re getting at least 80 percent correct. You don’t want to take the test, fail, and have to go through prep all over again.

Aspect Welcomes Hydrogeologist Jay Pietraszek to Water Resources Team

Senior Hydrogeologist Jay Pietraszek joins Aspect’s Pacific Northwest-leading water resources team. Jay is a hydrogeologist with over 15 years of experience focusing on process-based assessments of water quality and water quantity for water supply, resource evaluations, and water management planning for commercial and industrial projects. He is based in Seattle, supporting Aspect’s Puget Sound clients as well as expanding Aspect’s water supply services throughout the Pacific Northwest.  

Jay Pietraszek, LHG

Jay Pietraszek, LHG

“As a firm founded by hydrogeologists, Jay’s background and expertise are an ideal match with Aspect’s water resources client base,” said Dan Haller, Principal Engineer for Aspect’s Water Resources Practice. “We’re excited to continue to build Aspect’s water resources team to be one of the strongest in the entire Pacific Northwest.”

Jay has performed extensive hydrogeologic analyses including site characterizations, water quality source assessments, evaluation of surface-groundwater interactions, pumping test analyses, well installations in complex hydrogeologic systems, production well design, and dewatering assessments for public agency, tribal, and mining clients. Pairing with his deep scientific know-how is Jay’s ability to translate complex ideas into clear communication and engage with regulatory and permitting bodies to move projects towards milestone goals.

“I’m excited to join the Aspect team and have the opportunity to work and collaborate with such a talented group of consultants,” said Jay.  “Aspect is one of the premier hydrogeologic consultancies in the region, with an excellent reputation for developing innovative and practical approaches to solve complex water resource challenges. I’m confident that Aspect’s core values and brand will provide a foundation for future success and opportunities, particularly as the demand for water resource-related services continues to grow.”

Join us on November 3rd and 4th for the 13th Annual Washington Water Code Seminar

On November 3rd and 4th, join (virtually) Aspect’s Principal Water Resource Engineer Dan Haller and Senior Associate Hydrogeologist Tyson Carlson at The Seminar Group’s 13th Annual Washington Water Code Seminar.

As Co-chair, Dan will guide a distinguished group of professionals presenting on the past, present, and future of key issues in water law, including relinquishment, adjudications, conservancy boards, water banking, and instream flows.

In addition to Co-chairing the conference, Dan is leading the “Water Right 101 Power Hour: An interactive presentation on how the prior appropriation system works, impairment in water rights, and how engineering, hydrogeology, policy, and legal disciplines all have important roles in administering the water code.”

Tyson is co-presenting at the “COVID-19 Impacts on Water Resources in Washington” Session. This session aims to inform attendees on the “economic impacts, regulatory response, and use of technology in adapting to COVID-19 issues in water resources; New Health and Safety Standards for Projects; Use of Technology (drones) for site visits; how technology is changing the water resources practice.”

The Conference will also highlight Ecology’s recent legislative report on the future of adjudications in Washington. Given that the Acquavella Adjudication in the Yakima basin lasted 42 years, Ecology’s recommendation to adjudicate basins in Whatcom County and near Lake Roosevelt will help shape the future of water right law and policy for years to come.

Learn More about the upcoming conference here: https://www.theseminargroup.net/seminardetl.aspx?id=6064

How Turning Off The Flare Helps Us Sleep at Night: Landfill Milestones

In the world of landfills, the transition from active to closed status is much like the transition from feast to bed. When a community is done “feeding” the landfill, i.e., finished actively adding waste to it, owners pull a cover from the toe to the crown of these giants and allow the necessary digestive processes to take place. The digestive process in this analogy equates to solid waste degrading over time until the landfill can move into a “post-closure” care step and, eventually, into productively reusing the land.

Often, the landfill flare – which is a controlled flame that burns off excess landfill gas – is the most conspicuous sign of the digestive process. Flares, in tandem with a landfill’s post-closure slumber, may go for several decades during which time owners diligently keep watch. Some landfills sleep soundly, while others may suffer indigestion – often in the manner of excess landfill methane and other contaminants impacting landfill area groundwater, soil, and gas -- and require special attention.

When the flare or “Night Light” goes out, landfill owners and operators can move on from active to passive landfill gas treatment, which means one step closer to post-closure finalization and closing the landfill.

After Nearly 30 Years, Jefferson County Celebrates a Rare Landfill Milestone

The flare at the Jefferson County landfill has run since 1993, until this year when owners, regulators, and Aspect partnered to turn it off – a rare milestone in the lifecycle of closed landfill operations.

Those responsible for watching and caring for these sleeping giants rarely see true milestone moments as the years roll on. Aspect has supported the team at Jefferson County for over 10 years with monitoring and reporting post-closure care at their landfill just outside Pt. Townsend. Over the last year, Aspect has guided the Jefferson County team toward ending post-closure care. As one of the final milestones, they finally turned off the flare installed in 1993, nearly 30 years ago, effectively turning out the “night light.”

Closed landfills don’t get new waste but still have active engineering controls and monitoring to ensure digestive byproducts, like gas and leachate, don’t impact air quality or groundwater quality. At enormous landfills, like the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill Facility in King County, landfill gas is often used as an alternative energy source. At smaller landfills, like the Jefferson County landfill, flares have been used to treat landfill gas to control odor, prevent air pollution, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over time, the digestive processes slow down and less gas is created. Eventually, there is not enough landfill gas to directly fuel a flare, and supplemental fuel (like propane) may be used to keep the flare going—which erodes the value of using a flare for landfill gas treatment.

Switching Off the Night Light in Favor of 14 Biofilters

It takes a coordinated effort to turn off a flare. After years of operating the flare with supplemental fuel, Aspect coordinated with Jefferson County and regulatory agencies to help move to a better solution. The regional air quality authority, ORCAA, confirmed air quality would be protected without the flare. Jefferson County Public Health approved removing flare treatment from the closed landfill permit. The Jefferson County Public Works team built and installed 14 new biofilters and is now monitoring them to ensure they effectively do their job.

Landfill gas flares – like this one at the Port Angeles landfill, which Aspect also consults on — require both considerable operation and maintenance and constant care as landfill gas – i.e., their fuel – runs out.

Biofilters are increasingly used to treat landfill gas during the final stages of digestion and gas generation because they provide “polishing” treatment with little monitoring or maintenance. Landfill gas is directed from horizontal collectors below the cover system through perforated pipe, which is buried by wood mulch. Naturally occurring microbial communities break down landfill gas as it passes through. Barometric pressure changes will allow the landfill to breathe, inhaling atmospheric air during increasing pressure and exhaling landfill gas during decreasing pressure.

Safely Reducing Monitoring Costs and Seeing the End Goal

Turning off the flare brings the Jefferson County team one step closer to ending post-closure monitoring at the landfill. The next steps include showing:

  • There is little to no landfill gas generation. No subsurface landfill gas migration has been observed recently under intermittent operation of the flare. Compliance gas probes near the property boundary will be monitored during passive landfill gas collection to ensure explosive gases remain in very good control.

  • The cover system has good integrity with little to no settlement and is resilient to erosion. The cover system prevents rainfall from infiltrating through the landfill and creating leachate. Settlement surveys have begun, and the vegetated surface is in very good shape.

  • There is little to no leachate generation. Like most older landfills, the Jefferson County landfill started receiving waste before bottom liners were required. So, any leachate that is generated due to infiltration or during digestion will reach groundwater. A network of groundwater monitoring wells is being sampled for a wide range of potential contaminants and results look favorable.

Also, see Peter Bannister’s article on this topic in Municipal Solid Waste’s (MSW) magazine January/February 2021 issue.

Read more about Aspect’s full suite of services for landfill operators and owners.

Join Aspect Stormwater Experts (Virtually) at NEBC Stormwater Conference Thursday September 10

Touted as “The State’s Largest and Most Comprehensive Stormwater Conference,” the Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC) will host the Managing Stormwater in Washington state conference on Thursday, September 10th. For the first time, this conference will be held virtually, and Aspect is proud to be a premier sponsor of the event again.

This focused one-day conference is Washington’s leading stormwater event, convening regulated companies, governments, solution providers, and regulators for learning, networking, and business development. The conference’s educational sessions will cover both fundamental and advanced topics in the areas of industrial, construction, and municipal stormwater management. Aspect’s stormwater professionals Owen Reese, James Packman, John Knutson, and Erik Pruneda and will also be contributing to three of the sessions.

Owen will be part of the panel during the conference’s Featured Plenary Session, The Impact of Third-Party Lawsuits. Clean Water Act lawsuits brought by public interest groups have become an effective enforcement tool for stormwater permit compliance. Functioning as a supplement to agency enforcement efforts and feared by regulated industry, these citizen suits can lead to unwanted scrutiny and often carry stiffer penalties than an agency enforcement action. The panel of experts will shed light on the citizen suit provision of the Clean Water Act, causes and timing, and what you can expect if you find yourself in trouble.

James will moderate the Municipal Fundamentals session, where attendees can gain a thorough understanding of the basic elements of municipal stormwater management including general permit requirements and enforcement; watershed planning; source control; creating Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs); proper sampling techniques; and the most common Best Management Practices (BMPs) in municipal settings.

John and Erik will be presenting on the Keys to Successful Infiltration, where they will discuss the recently published Infiltration Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that Aspect developed for the Port of Seattle’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The SOPs provide a holistic process for planning infiltration system and dive into the details on field testing and using test information to support design.

Learn more about the conference HERE.

The Path to Professional License: Matthew Lewis

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Matthew Lewis, Hydrogeology License (LHG)

LHG awarded October 2019

Matthew in the field at a gravel mine in Shelton

What was the best piece of advice you received as you started your LHG journey?

The best piece of advice I received was to keep this test in perspective and not let it stress me out. That the worst-case scenario would be to just take it again. Failure is feedback, not the end of the world.

Given this advice, what would you tell those about to begin?

My first piece of advice to anyone starting out is to treat the application as an important task itself, not just a formality. You will need to take time to coordinate with your project managers, who will have to take time to submit their own forms on your behalf. The application also requires a lot of information about projects you’ve worked on to prove evidence of your experience. I found that remembering relevant projects and describing my contributions were more time consuming than I initially thought they would be (what was that 5-year-old-project’s name again?), and I had some unexpected issues arise in gathering information about the projects as well. I was glad I started work early and submitted my application well ahead of time –a small road bump can turn into a critical failure when you’re up against a hard deadline.

Matthew and his high-energy family

My second piece of advice is to assess ahead of time how studying will impact your work/life balance. I have three high-energy kids at home, none of whom like to go to bed, and post-bedtime was the only time I could hope to squeeze in some study time. So I knew I had to start studying months in advance and plan for smaller, bite-sized study sessions. This early start helped me manage my time and stress and allow some flexibility in my study routine.

How did you study strategically?

I made sure to lock in the fundamentals like calculating a groundwater gradient by hand from a few wells, determining hydraulic head across an earthen dam from a flow-net diagram, and even just memorizing common unit conversions. Since I’m typically working with spreadsheet models and calculation software, it was easy to let some of those basic skills get rusty.

I knew from my days playing guitar that the best way to make progress is to practice towards your weaknesses. At work, I typically work on pumping tests, construction dewatering, and infiltration analysis, etc., so I focused my study efforts on areas of hydrogeology that I don’t work with every day. Even so, I was caught off-guard by several questions about aquifer tracer tests that I didn’t have that specific background knowledge in. This was a little discouraging, but I did so well in the other areas that it balanced out in the end. So, I recommend that once you have the fundamentals down, find the areas of hydrogeology you have the least exposure to and put your energy there.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

My main focus on Test Day was to manage my stress levels and keep my mind clear. My LHG test was in the afternoon, so I made sure to get a good night’s sleep (no cramming the night before!) and eat breakfast with my family. I arrived at The Evergreen State College with plenty of time to find my testing location and listen to a bit of my favorite music. When I finally took the exam, I flew through half of it in less than an hour, and then spend the rest of the period taking my time on the more complex problems. I left feeling cautiously optimistic, but I also knew that test results don’t come for three loooooong months, so it’s best not to dwell on it—just let it go. Also, why does a scantron test take so long to process?!

How did you feel when you got the results?

I was thrilled to find out I had passed the exam. I was expecting a letter, but the email was just sitting there in my inbox one morning. I immediately called my wife with the news, and then I called my studio lead.

Obtaining my LHG was an important career milestone that helped pave the way for my Project Manager position. It also feels good now to see my LHG stamp on Aspect reports; it communicates a specialized knowledge background to our clients.

Matthew Lewis, LHG is a Project Hydrogeologist in Aspect’s Seattle office.

The Path to Professional License: Delia Massey

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Delia Massey, Professional Engineering License

April, 2019 – Tested; April, 2019 – Awarded

Mountain Biking Happiness!
Photo Credit: Riley Seebeck (Flowphoto Co.) https://flowphotoco.smugmug.com/

Where did you start with your test prep?

I started by going through a review book and focusing on sections that had the highest percentage of questions on the test and that I needed the most help with. There weren’t a lot of options for study materials because I was taking the new computer-based test, but I went with the highly rated “PE Environmental Review” by Michael R. Lindeburg, PE from PPI. Once I was done reviewing, I began taking practice tests and would go back to review specific sections as needed.

Knowing the test material is just one part of the experience. What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social aspects of test prep?

Preparing for your PE exam means making big sacrifices in your life outside of work. It takes a toll on your mental and physical state and your close relationships. I knew it would be hard, but the stress, anxiety, and burden of needing to succeed were worse than I imagined. I also put unnecessary amount of pressure on myself to pass the first time (only about 64 percent of people pass on their first try) because if I passed, I would be the first woman to receive a PE while working at Aspect.

I think part of what made preparing for the PE so hard for me was that I have a very active life outside of my engineering job. I am a semi-professional mountain biker, and I spend my free time riding bikes, working on bikes, planning for rides and races, and talking about bikes. I normally say yes to every adventure, and thrive off of a packed weekend and post-work schedule of outdoor activities. Getting outside to exercise solo or with friends helps calm my mind and gets me through hours of sitting at a computer for my day job.

Preparing for the test meant I had to say no to everything I loved so I could focus on my career, and I lost my physical, emotional, and social outlet. It meant spending my weekends indoors studying in addition to a full workload.

My anxiety about the exam grew to be almost unmanageable and I began to have panic attacks, which were terrifying and made it hard to focus on studying. I would allow myself to go on one bike ride per week, but I felt guilty for taking time off from studying. Usually, riding my bike is one of my biggest comforts when I’m feeling down, but during my final month of preparation, I was studying two days per weekend to prepare for the impending test. I tried to stay off social media because it made me sad and angry that everyone else was seemingly out having fun all the time, and I had nothing happy or positive to post about.

Bike-to-Work-Month Selfie!

What was the best piece of advice you received as you started your PE journey?

Figure out what works for you, not what works for someone else. I quickly realized that trying to study after a full day of work wasn’t effective for me, and moved my study days to the weekend. I also realized that starting 8 months before the exam and studying for 500 hours was not realistic for maintaining my sanity, so I set a goal of studying over 4 months, which equaled about 100 hours.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

Exam day came, and I was tired and extremely nervous. I was one of the first people to take the computer-based test [1] , and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

It was stressful to have to decide when to take my lunch break while not knowing what the second half of the exam would look like, and I ended up guessing on a few questions to save half the allotted time for the second 40 questions.

I felt like I bombed the first half, and sat in my car at lunch, sobbing hysterically and debating whether I should just give up and drive away. I took a deep breath, reminded myself of how much preparation I had done, and tried to focus on positive self-talk, and went back in feeling much better about the second half, but was still afraid that wouldn’t be enough to pass.

I went home and spent the weekend in a dark mood, thinking I had failed and would have to re-take the exam, which would mean more weekends of studying, and admitting to everyone at my company that I was a failure.

How did you feel when you finally got the results?

Six days later I got my exam result (one benefit to taking the computer-based exam!). I HAD PASSED. I was so relieved I was shaking, crying, and laughing all at the same time—my hard work had paid off, I was a licensed professional engineer and I would never have to take that test again. My months of stress and anxiety and feeling isolated were over.

Getting my license nearly killed my soul, but it’s the biggest and most important milestone in my career, and necessary for me to advance in the environmental consulting field.

I am already seeing the benefits of having a license as I get to take on more responsibility at Aspect. It’s important to remember that while I had to give up my life for about four months, the benefits of getting my PE will last forever. The suffering and sacrifice are temporary.

Any parting advice?

Although the PE is really important for your career, remember that it is just one exam, and that passing or failing does not define the rest of your life. You may be surprised to find out which of your coworkers failed their first attempt at a professional licensing exam, yet are now licensed and highly successful!

Delia Massey, PE is a Project Engineer in Aspect’s Seattle office. She was the first woman to become a professional engineer while working at Aspect.

[1] Historically, the PE exam has been a written test where you have four hours to complete the first 40 questions, a set lunch break, and then four hours to complete the second 40 questions. Test takers were also able to bring in any reference materials to use during the exam. I was one of the first groups to take the computer-based test, which is formatted slightly differently. Examinees are allotted eight hours to take the whole exam, but you can only see the first 40 questions before your lunch break.

You choose when to take your lunch break, so you could spend 5 hours on the first half of the test, but then you would only have 3 hours for the second half, and you don’t know what the second 40 questions are until you return from lunch. And, test takers only have access to the supplied reference material (which you can use while you study), and you can’t bring in any outside reference materials.

Dave Cook Declared “Rock Star” by Alma Mater Northern Arizona University

Principal Geologist Dave Cook is featured in the latest issue of Pine, the alumni magazine for Northern Arizona University. Dave reflects on how a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon while he was an undergrad in Ohio sparked his curiosity for geology and led him to NAU to earn his master’s degree in Geology. There, he focused research on a remote, little-studied part of the Canyon called the Chuar Group and its 800-million-year-old rocks that show evidence of an ancient sea.

The lessons Dave learned on that project—about geology, project management, and himself—have informed and enriched his current work leading clean up of contaminated land to create affordable housing in Seattle and other cities in the Pacific Northwest, as well as volunteer efforts with Engineers Without Borders USA and NAU. Read the full article here.

The Path to Professional License: Taylor Dayton

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Taylor Dayton, Professional Engineering License

October 2019 – Tested; January, 2020 – Awarded OR PE; May, 2020 – Reciprocity WA PE.

There comes a point in every engineer-in-training’s life where you have to face the music. Eight years into my field of practice, I had my own hardhat, leather-bound hydraulic flow data quick reference manual, and a fancy metal scale ruler sitting on the corner of my desk. I’d written hundreds of pages worth of technical reports and wiled away long afternoons in AutoCAD wondering why the newest version hid all the buttons I needed to pull together a construction plan set. I’d even replumbed part of my own home successfully after mistakenly spilling a can full of black beans down my garbage disposal – confirmation that my skills can fix real-world problems.

Eight years in, it seemed like my career was going well, but there was one specter looming. The state licensing board has chosen the eight-year mark as the best time for a casual spot check of your developing skillset through a 9-hour NCESS-administered examination of every engineering concept you’ve ever learned. If you are successful, you gain the privilege of ordering new business cards with two tiny letters at the end of your name.

Where did you start with your test prep?

I started studying in March 2019 in preparation to take the October 2019 exam. My goal was to hit 300 hours of dedicated study time. Because of my degrees (undergraduate in biochemistry and master’s in civil engineering, with water and wastewater focus) I knew I would be strong in chemistry, pumps, and pipes, but not have as much experience with air engineering or landfill design.

Knowing the test material is just one part of the experience. What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social aspects of test prep?

This was my general approach to the exam. Season your preparation approach to taste.

  1. Philosophy: Failure was not an option. I was committed to temporarily sacrificing elements of my work/life balance to make sure I would nail this exam on the first try.

  2. Time Management: I evaluated my performance at work, talked to my manager, and adjusted my commitments to what was realistically possible knowing that I would need enough mental energy to hit the books just about every day before or after work. I minimized travel where possible and dialed down on my business development efforts while I was preparing for my exam.

  3. Friends and Family: I notified everyone in my life of my six-month commitment to a disgruntled hermit lifestyle. I set up a dedicated study space and committed up to two hours a day during the week and up to 12 hours on the weekends. If this sounds like a HUGE time commitment, it was. I’m not really geared for partial commitments to things.

  4. Mental/Physical Health: I blocked out and prioritized a time to hit the gym four times a week. This is absolutely critical. You will be consuming many study snacks and disappointing your daily step counter of choice during the study process and it’s easy to let that inertia get you down.

  5. A Pre-Test Reward: Plan a trip or mini-adventure for two weeks prior to your exam. Stop studying when you hit that point and do a lot of fun things in the two weeks leading up to your exam.

What was the best piece of advice you received as you started your PE journey?

I appreciated everyone who was humble enough to reveal that it took them two or three times to pass the exam. It was comforting to know that their lives didn’t fall apart immediately and that it didn’t hinder their journeys to becoming respected scientists and engineers. They just refocused, studied better, and got it done.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

After months and months of preparation, test day approached in October. I recommend doing the following to help keep your peace of mind before/during/after the test:

  • Book a hotel as close to your testing location as possible. Take a half-day from work and travel to the hotel. Go pick some great snacks for your lunch break the next day, eat a good dinner, and watch a great movie.

  • Plan to take off work the day after the exam to de-stress and start getting your life back in order.

  • Reconnect with whatever friends and family will have you back, notice your pets are a little overweight from all the hikes you haven’t been taking them on, and go outside to see what season it is in nature now since you probably missed at least one while studying.

Ten days later, you will receive your results and can send them on to the State Engineering Board for verification.

Here I am repping my top of the line safety gear and the North Central Washington Beekeepers Association, cracking open the overwintered beehives for the first time this season.

How did you feel when you finally got the results?

“All right! Time to go after that beekeeper certification!”

Any parting advice?

In retrospect, was the amount of time I dedicated to this crazy? Could I have gotten away with only 150 hours of preparation or one quick scan of my old college binders the night before? It’s possible, but I think this approach was helpful on three levels.

  1. Preparing the PE is an introspective journey. You get to retread eight years of growth and affirm that you’re not the freshman barely treading water in differential equations anymore.

  2. The process reminded me of the breadth of the skillset I’ve built as a professional and encouraged me to reach out to PMs I don’t usually work with to utilize some of that skillset in new ways. Aspect does water system planning now!

  3. The (over) preparation made exam day a straightforward and easy experience. There were a few questions on topic areas I have never encountered in my day job, but they were a very small portion of the exam. I’d practiced 95% of the test in my review process and was familiar enough with the process that I didn’t have to waste time browsing the reference manual. That allowed plenty of time to make some educated guesses on the material I didn’t know and knock out the exam a couple of hours early.

Taylor Dayton is a Project Engineer at Aspect Consulting in Wenatchee, Washington. Contact her to share any test-taking tips you have.

Favorite Study Resources

PE exam-specific guides:

The NCEES reference manual – Free. This is your only lifeline to the outside world during the exam. Print it out and become familiar with every page and table.

The NCEES practice exam - $30. This is your bible and only insight from the test provider on the actual content of the exam. I recommend attempting this exam once at the start of your studying process and again near the end. Use this to gauge the difficulty of the problems you may encounter on the exam.

PE Environmental Review by Michael Lindburg - $290. The golden standard reference for PE preparation. I committed to reading a few sections of this book each study session. I found it helpful to recall the topics I was familiar with in graduate school, but have not encountered in my current practice. There are other resources available in this series of books if you need additional problem sets to work through (PE Practice, PE Practice Exams), but I did not find them very true to the actual questions on the exam.

School of PE On Demand Lectures and Problem Sets - $340 for one month. I highly recommend the School of PE course to help structure your study approach. They have a much more expensive live version of the course, but one month of the On Demand course was enough for me to review all the lecture video content, annotate the provided course notes, and make a binder of the practice problems they provide. I used the practice problems as the core of my study sessions and they prepared me very well for the test.

Textbooks to Flip Through:

Introduction to Environmental Engineering. Any variety of this kind of textbook will do, but I like the intro book by Gilbert Masters and Wendell Ela. You can find it for a cool $20. It includes great primers on climate change and ozone depletion, risk assessment, indoor air quality, source-reduction and recycling, and groundwater contamination.

Hazardous Waste Management by Michael LeGrega. Your one stop shop for landfill questions.

Water Quality and Treatment by James Edswald. The absolute best handbook for drinking water treatment.

Biological Wastewater Treatment: The golden standard is the Metcalf and Eddy textbook, but I found I preferred Biological Wastewater Treatment by Grady, Dalgger, Love, and Filipe. There are very good comprehensive chapter summaries that I read through that addressed every wastewater question I encountered on the exam.

Trusty Calculator Companion?

I brought along the same loyal TI-36X that I used on the FE exam. I even bought a second one to bring along as a backup, which the test proctor thought was very cool. I’m pretty sure that’s what her expression meant anyway.


Zap! Pow! Remediators Unite: Environmental Science in a Comic Book

Aspect feels lucky to have a strong connection with Western Washington’s Huxley College of the Environment in Bellingham. Associate Scientist Kirsi Longley (Huxley College alumnus; featured on page 38 of the below comic!) and Principal Hydrogeologist Steve Germiat have guest lectured there over the years, talking the ins and outs of environmental remediation along with the day-to-day realities of being an environmental consultant. In fact, Steve Germiat presented to the class in March 2020, just a day before they stopped meeting on campus due to COVID-19 risks.

We wanted to turn the spotlight on this innovative and creative group taught by Professor Ruth Sofield. In just one example of creative communication, the students in the Science, Management, and Communication of Contaminated Sites (SMOCS) have taken their learning of environmental remediation and powered it into comic form. The comic is an innovative form of public outreach – and communicates the complexity of environmental cleanup to reach all audiences.

Given the recent COVID-19 public health recommendations, the class is now meeting exclusively online thus highlighting, even more, the importance of unique science storytelling that can reach many audiences even when not physically in the same location.

See the latest example of The Remediators here: https://issuu.com/ruth.sofield/docs/volumefive

Meet Cleo Pineda and Baxter Call

Aspect recently welcomed Cleo Pineda and Baxter Call to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better…

Cleo Pineda, Stormwater Engineer, EIT

“I rode in a crystal cabin up to the Yao Yue Tea House in Taipei, Taiwan. The floor to ceiling windows provided scenic views of lush green mountains and tall skyscrapers as we approached Maokong mountain…2.5 miles all the way to the top”

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I was born in Pampanga, a province located on the largest island of the Philippines. After my grandpa retired from the Navy and received his U.S. citizenship, he settled down in Lacey, Washington, and petitioned for my family and I to come to America. In June of 2000, I flew to the PNW with my two older sisters and our dad. The immigration process for my mom and younger brother took longer than anticipated so they didn’t get to join us until six years later. During the time we were apart, I traveled back to the Philippines to visit them for extended periods of time. I haven’t been back to the Motherland since 2006, but I heard a lot has changed since my last visit and I’d love to go back there someday.

2. What inspired you to pursue stormwater engineering? What made you curious about it?

The deeper I got into my civil engineering major, the more I realized how much it is a service-driven profession as it is a technical profession. I took stormwater design as an elective during my junior year of college, and it was in that class where I first saw the connection between my personal strengths and their impact on serving a “real-world” purpose. Like many engineers, I went into this career to help solve problems—and protecting the health of our waterways was a goal that made the most sense to me.

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

Every project will get rained on, especially here in the PNW. What’s cool about stormwater design is that each site will have its own unique set of solutions. The design process involves factoring in not only varying site conditions but also the far-reaching implications of stormwater pollution that inspire me to use inventive ways of implementing on-site stormwater management. The days of solely relying on traditional conveyance systems are over. Stormwater design keeps my mind open to new ideas, which is what I love most about engineering in general.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

Though I enjoy the “structure” involved in engineering (no pun intended), I make it a point to exercise the right side of my brain too whenever I get the chance. I was raised in a very creative household. My dad showed all my siblings and me how to play instruments, while my mom taught me how to cook Filipino dishes. Some form of art was always happening around me growing up. Now as an adult, I spend most of my free time painting, writing, trying new recipes, or building DIY home improvement projects. During the summer, I take advantage of the nice weather by going on new hikes and city day trips with my loved ones.

5. Anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Experiencing different cultures is one my life’s greatest pleasures. Last year, I got to explore different parts of Asia (Tokyo and Taipei). This year, I will be going to Europe for the first time. I’m excited to visit Paris with my boyfriend and family in October.

Baxter Call, EIT, Environmental Engineer

1. Where are you from? If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what brought you here?

I was born in Seattle and grew up living on Vashon Island. Being a kid on a small island, I feel like I had the quintessential PNW experience; sea kayaking and biking in the summers and skiing on the weekends in the winter were certainly the highlights! That love of the outdoors has kept me firmly planted in the PNW—I only got as far as the Willamette Valley in Oregon for any significant amount of time before moving back to Seattle. Corvallis, where I completed my undergraduate degree, feels a lot like Vashon in that it is content to exist a little removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. Living in Seattle has been a great new experience and offers a lot more variety than I am used to, although I have discovered that I have no patience for sitting in traffic and try to avoid it at every opportunity.

2. What inspired you to pursue environmental engineering? What made you curious about it?

I have to thank my parents for introducing the idea of environmentalism to me. They framed it as an effort to protect the things that we derive such enjoyment from and are so easy to take for granted. That idea has stuck with me and is certainly why I chose Environmental Engineering without hesitation when I started college, and I haven’t looked back since. My interest started to focus when I began taking more classes related to chemical fate and transport in the environment. I think that there is a really engaging problem-solving challenge to environmental engineering work, and that has always held my attention.

3. What do you like best about your area of expertise? What excites you and keeps you motivated?

Something I find very exciting about my area of expertise is the long-time scale that we work on. Environmental processes are slow, even considering all we do to accelerate them. While that does not sound conventionally exciting, it forces you to take a step back and consider the big picture. When you adopt that way of thinking the anxiety of day-to-day, minutia disappears and what you are left with is a body of work that you can be proud of. I really connect with that idea and it helps me work come to work every day with a purpose.

4. What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

Rowing has been a huge part of my life since I was 14 years old and continues to be something that I derive an immense amount of pleasure from. As I have gotten older, and the injuries have piled up, I have shifted my focus away from competing and towards coaching. Most weekday evenings and early weekend mornings you can find me barking at the Green Lake Crew high school guys team. I also enjoy running and biking, which have been a great way to familiarize myself with the city.  

5. Where in the world would you like to travel next?

I have not traveled nearly as much as I should, so I have a lot of ground to make up in this category. Madagascar is a destination that is on my radar right now. One of my best friends is in the middle of a Peace Corps deployment in Madagascar. The country sounds very interesting, and the opportunity to go and visit him makes it easy to justify traveling there when normally Madagascar might be forgotten with so many other cool places to visit.

Leadership Training in the Built Environment: One Engineer’s Perspective

The built environment (i.e., the man-made environments we live and work in) is developed by interdisciplinary teams of planners, architects, engineers, permitting and construction experts, and other professions. Given the complexity of building in today’s urban world, setting aside time outside of project delivery to connect—and learn from—each other is challenging. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is the world’s oldest and largest network of real estate and land use professionals and with over 1,000 member organizations. ULI’s Northwest chapter is a thriving network of 1,000 professional members and facilitates connection and professional development opportunities in the region.

Aspect’s Associate Engineer Adam Griffin recently completed ULI’s six-month Center for Leadership (CfL) program with a cohort of 36 fellow professionals. Adam shares some thoughts on this program and the value of trying something different to grow professionally.

Adam (center left, middle row in solid blue shirt) and his Center for Leadership Cohort

 What was the program like?

My cohort was the 5th of the CfL program, which consisted of 6 sessions culminating in a team deliverable and presentation to the Puget Sound Regional Council. The regional ULI staff have refined a program that weaves leadership development into the region’s built environment vision, projects, and challenges. The leadership element is founded on your DiSC® profile[1] in the first session and evolves to sessions and projects where teams are designed based on leadership profiles. Session themes ranged from “Urban/Rural Divide: Finding Common Ground” to “Resilience in the Age of Disruption” and were hosted at some of the region’s coolest spaces (i.e., the Amazon sphere)—my favorite spot was Taylor’s Shellfish Farms on West Samish Bay on a bluebird day!

What did you learn?

A lot! Awareness of my Steady leadership profile (from my DiSC® assessment)—tendencies, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth—and how to apply this awareness to my own professional growth. This program was a departure in how I’ve historically used my professional development time and I learned that when you step outside of your comfort zone, growth and learning are inevitable. I re-learned that relationships are the best investment of professional time. I also learned about the vision and ambition of our region, and what a tremendous opportunity we currently have to shape it.

[1] DiSC is a non-judgmental communication tool that stands for Dominance, Influence, Conscientiousness, and Steadiness. It’s similar to a Myer Briggs approach but focused on describing someone’s communications style—including priorities, motivators, and stress triggers.