Peer Praise: Staff Shoutouts and Celebrations

We all work with a team. Our project and client and career successes rely on each other. Here are some stories where we put a spotlight on our peers that help us shine, as told by their colleagues. There are so many great tales like this and we’ll keep telling them in this ongoing series.

Daniel Babcock, Project Geologist

Shoutout by Jasmin Toro, Project Engineer

How does your colleague help you?

Daniel is one of the most positive young professionals at Aspect I’ve been around. He supports a variety of environmental cleanup projects and is now exploring new territories as the Environmental Health and Safety representative. This is a key role that keeps our staff safe and our projects on point. He is also learning the ins and outs of project management while remaining closely engaged with the environmental field staff group. Without him, it’s unlikely we would have as strong a commitment in the field staff team in our environmental group.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

Daniel is an available shoulder to lean on. Even when he’s well beyond a full work week, he’s available to help. Daniel is always a pleasure to communicate with; is proud of his work; and happy to share his skills with others. He does exactly what Doug Hillman – a recently retired Aspect owner – encourages us all to do: “Empower Others.”

Any other ways they stand out to you?

Across many projects this year – whether sampling a well or being patient with a hurried call from field staff or a client – Daniel leans into the unknown and embraces it. He’s fearless and wears many hats and wears them very well.

Carla Hanafee, Contract Specialist

Shoutout by Owen Reese, Principal Water Resources Engineer

How did your colleague help you?

Carla is a true specialist in one of my least favorite parts of project management – evaluating and negotiating contract terms. We’re all excited to get going on a project, but first there’s the hurdle of insurance, and limitations on liability, and other contract terms.

All critically important, but not particularly fun (at least for me). Carla’s always there to help me through this phase thoughtfully and quickly.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

I really appreciate the care and ownership Carla brings to the contracting process – she proactively works to propose solutions to sticky contract terms and follows up with clients to see those changes through.

How else do they stand out?

We consistently get workable contract language that’s fair to the client while protecting Aspect from undue risk – all because of Carla’s help in sorting through the details.

Jill Van Hulle, Sr. Associate Water Rights Specialist

Shoutout by Kelsey Mach, Project Geologist

Jill (on the left) and Kelsey (on the right) at MLK volunteer event in January 2022.

How did your colleague help you?

Jill is my sounding board and often second brain when it comes to water rights projects. It’s a regular occurrence that I say “Jill, I got a puzzler for you” and she always seems to have thoughtful and helpful insight to provide.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

Jill is good at having my back. I appreciate the feedback but also the overall support and unwavering confidence in me and my abilities.

How else do they stand out?

Ultimately, she helps to not only make my work environment better, but also to make the quality of work we produce at Aspect better.

How SNOTEL Sites Show Our Water Future 2022 Part 2: Halfway Through the Water Year

It has been a rollercoaster of unpredictable weather in the Pacific Northwest so far in water year 2022, yet as of early May, the snowpack remains above normal at 107 percent.

Aspect staff monitoring water levels along the Cedar River in western Washington.

In early May 2022, we’re officially more than halfway through the ‘Water Year’, which starts counting on October 1. This is also the time we typically reach maximum snowpack depth and begin the period of springtime run-off as warmer temperatures and longer hours of sunlight transport the snowpack stored in our mountains downstream into lower basins. If you’re outdoors right now in the PNW and looking near a river or stream, you’ll notice a robust color and churn in the water that only happens this time of year– that is born from the melting snow rushing down into lowland regions.

How is the PNW Water Year Looking in Spring 2022?

Relentless weather cycles have guided our snowpack through periods of below- and above-normal times, resulting in an exciting and volatile track of the 2022 SNOTEL data. Let’s take look back at how we ended up here.

An early trend of warm temperatures and atmospheric rivers in fall 2021 delivered an abundance of rain across Washington state. However, the warm temperatures and exceptional torrents of rain stunted the initial snowpack development state-wide, bringing worries of yet another below-normal snowpack. By early-December, the snowpack was at a dismal 40 percent of normal across the Pacific Northwest Region.

Figure 1. Snow Water Equivalent in Pacific Northwest Region. The black line shows 2022 SWE trends to date. The green line shows normal “median” snowpack blue and red lines show the max and min (% median). 

Then, cold temperatures accompanied by snow in mid- to late-December 2021 rocketed the snowpack on a trend well above normal. On January 8, 2022, the snowpack was nearly 140 percent of normal – a dramatic comeback from the previous month. Still, the uptrend was short lived and by mid-January and into February, the snowpack growth plateaued.

So Far, Is the Snowpack Feeding Our Water Needs?

Part 1 of this blog series ended with snowpack right near historical normal values. Since then and into spring, we’ve witnessed wild swings in weather resulting in uncertain snowpack conditions. We ended April with colder than average temperatures slowly reviving the snowpack and bringing it once again back above normal.

In Washington, most basins remain above normal, with the central Puget Sound basin leading the state with the highest snow water equivalent values, at 136 percent of normal to date. Only the Lower Yakima basin is below normal, at 90 percent.

Figure 2. Snow Water Equivalent in Washington . As of early May 2022, most basins are above normal.

Not all regions in the western US are faring well in the battle against below normal snowpacks. Zooming out, the northern states of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming all have snowpacks near or above normal while Nevada, Utah, and Colorado face below normal snowpack and challenging hydroclimate conditions ahead.

Figure 3. Snow Water Equivalent in Western US basins. Most basins to the north are above normal while basins in the south continue to struggle.

SNOTEL Forecast Secrets Unpacked

This two-part blog series that put a magnifying glass on 2022 Pacific Northwest snowpack shows how water supply from our largest and most valuable reservoir is constantly changing.

A useful key to forecast the security of our water supply and adapting to the everchanging conditions is the integrated network of nearly 300 SNOTEL climate monitoring stations scattered across the state.

Forecasting Washington’s water future is vitally important as communities, farmers, industries, and habitat all depend on this resource when the ‘reservoir’ stored in the snow transforms into streamflow that replenishes river and groundwater basins

The Path to Professional License: Isabellah von Trapp, LG

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.

Isabellah von Trapp, Licensed Geologist (LG)

Test taken: October 2021

Results given: November 2021

Isabellah at Mt. Rainier demonstrating how she felt when she received her LG exam results.

Where did you start with your test prep?

I got out some construction paper and my favorite markers and drew a big, beautiful geologic time scale and geologic diagrams (e.g., fault blocks, Bowen’s Reaction Series, etc.). I hung them on the wall adjacent to my desk so it would be a constant reminder to study. Helpful? Not really. But it was a nice and fun way to ease into reviewing what initially felt like a very daunting amount of material.

What were your study tactics?

Practice tests, reviewing the study guide, flipping through flash cards, desperately seeking ASBOG advice on Reddit (r/geologycareers for curious minds), etc.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I woke up around 8 am. The test didn’t begin until early afternoon, so I tried to sleep in as much as my body would let me. Despite the nerves and not feeling hungry at all, I forced myself to eat something. I opted for oatmeal, a clementine, and some coffee. I put on my favorite jeans (for style) and favorite flannel (for comfort). Perhaps unsurprisingly for a geology exam, the exam room, as I would later find out, was full of people in very similar outfits.

Having an intense fear of being late, I left Seattle around 9:30 am for a 1pm exam in Olympia. On the drive down I listed to all my favorite music. Upon arrival, my extra time – given the dramatically early arrival – was spent reviewing the study guide in my car. I don’t think I learned anything new at that point but it eased my mind to have one last look at things.

There was a lot of nervous energy in the exam room leading up to the test. I remember the first page of questions being fairly easy, which inspired initial confidence, but they seemingly got harder as the exam progressed. Afterwards, I genuinely felt pretty bad about the way it went. I drove home semi-deflated but happy to be done in the interim. Later that evening I met my friends at a cabin on a lake for the weekend. It was nice to get my mind off the test.

How did you feel when you got the results?

Honestly, I was shocked. One of my old college classmates took the exam at the same time. He called me one Thursday night (after I had just landed in New Orleans for a short, extended weekend vacation) to see how I did as he had just received his passing results. Anxious, I checked my email. Nothing! I refreshed my email approximately every 10 minutes for a few hours but didn’t hear anything that evening. At this point, I assumed I failed and would be a recipient of the “We regret to inform you” email the next day. Much to my delight, I got a congratulatory email and a digital copy of my newly minted license the next day. A sunny Friday in New Orleans was the perfect time and place to receive this news. You can bet I took myself out for a beer (or two) after that!

What was the best piece(s) of advice you got from others who’d done this before?

• Life does in fact go on if you don’t pass the exam on the first try.

• Even if you do pass, you will probably feel like you didn’t afterwards so there’s no sense in stressing during the approximate 45-day period it takes to get your results. Think “ignorance is bliss” purgatory.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

Depending on how you study/absorb material, you probably won’t have much of a life for a month or two leading up to the test. However, you probably will not set yourself up for success if your mental batteries are drained at the expense of your physical and social health. I think it’s critically important to give yourself a break. About 3 weeks before my exam, I skipped a weekend study session to go backpacking through the Enchantments with my friends. This was probably the best thing I could have done.  

Any parting advice for those getting ready to embark on this journey?

The LG exam is offered twice per year – once in March and again in October. If possible, try to take the exam in March so you can spend the rainy winter months inside studying instead of the coveted, sunny, August/September days. Also, have a treat on deck to enjoy immediately after the exam is finished. I did not anticipate how hungry I would be afterwards. Unfortunately, I did not heed either piece of my own advice in this instance, but that is okay. Hindsight is indeed 2020.

The Path to Professional License: James Packman, 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. 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.

James Packman, Project Management Professional (PMP)

Test taken: September 2021

Results given: About 10 seconds after completing the exam (it’s a long and nervous 10 seconds)

James hiking in the Enchantments

Tell us a little about the PMP program. How long does it take?

To qualify to take the PMP exam, one must have 36 months of experience leading projects (60 months if no 4-year college degree) and take a 35-hour prep course. There are many companies that offer PMP prep courses; I chose to take it from Project Management Academy (PMA). The course was live online over 2 weeks. The PMA prep course costs a little more than some other vendors, but they have good online resources, which I used extensively for independent study after the prep course.

After the prep course, I studied for about 4 months before I was ready to take the exam. This was longer than I anticipated partly because I had a challenging personal issue occur (the death of a close friend). I also followed PMA’s advice to keep taking practice exams until you score 80 percent or higher. But in hindsight, I found that the actual exam questions tended to be much simpler than the practice exam questions. Most of the charts, equations, and management models covered in the prep materials weren’t on my exam. Maybe this helped prepare me well, but I think I ended up over-studying.

What was the best piece of advice you got as you started the certification?

Study at least a little bit several days a week. There’s so much information to learn, it helps to build the knowledge in small pieces and reinforce it with frequent study.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of certification?

For fellow Aspect staff who are considering PMP certification, they should know that only some of the content applies to the types of projects we do at Aspect. Skills like communication, budget management, and leadership apply to every project. But many of the technical project management skills covered in the PMP material are used more widely in other industries, such as manufacturing, software development, and construction.

In some of those other industries, Agile and related approaches, such as Lean, are widely used for managing projects. These methodologies complete work incrementally and/or iteratively from a backlog that is developed during the project. Most of the projects we do at Aspect are what are known as Predictive or Waterfall in the project management world: we scope out the entire project at the beginning and then implement it based upon an agreed budget (here’s a handy article that compares the Agile and Waterfall methodologies).

I find that the project management approach is largely dictated by our clients who often require a complete scope and cost estimate to authorize work. However, an Agile approach could be useful on some Aspect projects, especially when there are unknowns that the initial work will reveal and affect subsequent work. The incremental approach does occur at Aspect to a degree, such as environmental site assessments (Phase II ESAs occurring based on Phase I findings), and I’m using it on some data analysis tasks in the Ecology SAM Study on Stormwater Source Control that I’m leading.

A helpful, albeit intangible, take away for me was trying to adopt an Agile mindset when it makes sense for a project. Specifically, when the work lends itself to adaptive outcomes, flexibility, and the client is open to realizing project value along the way rather than just when the final report is delivered.

Anyone considering PMP certification should also know that the knowledge base is jargon-heavy (at times even pedantic), and a term in the project management world might mean something different in other realms. Sample alternate definitions in the PMP world include the terms: activity, process, risk, charter, coach, domain, quality, parametric, baseline, float, scope, and value—to name a few.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I registered to take the exam about a month in advance to get the date and time I wanted. The test is typically proctored at a testing center, though at-home testing was possible during the pandemic. The at-home testing was more restrictive with things like fewer breaks allowed and more complicated with verifying your home setup before the exam. So, I chose a testing center in Northgate (Seattle) that offered evening times so I didn’t have to miss work.

The testing area had about a dozen walled cubicles, each with a desktop computer. You can’t bring anything of your own into the test area: no food or drink, no pen or pencil, not even your own earplugs (they provide). You may take breaks to eat or drink in the lobby but the exam clock does not stop during breaks. The exam is closed-book and they give you a notepad to make notes during the exam, which you must turn in at the end. I was given a few 8x14 laminated sheets and some dry erase markers.

For the exam, you have up to 230 minutes to answer 180 questions, including breaks (the clock keeps ticking!). However, the exam is divided into three segments of 60 questions each, and you have to close out each segment before moving onto the next one. The goal is to answer each question as there is no advantage to leaving questions blank (blank = wrong). So, the exam is effectively three 60-question exams back-to-back and thus requires good time management.

Another good piece of advice I was given is to do a brain dump onto the notes pages as soon as you start the exam. For me, the brain dump was formulas, definitions, and reminders about how to estimate activity durations, calculate earned value, budget forecasting, and the differences among the many types of charts and their associated uses.

How did you feel when you got the results?

Big relief! As soon as you complete the last 60-question segment, there is a pregnant pause, and a moment later it reveals your result. The exam is pass/fail only and you don’t get a numeric score or know which questions you got right or wrong. The result given just as below target, on target, or above target. I was grateful to pass on my first attempt with an “above target” score in all domain areas!

What advice do you have for people looking to get their PMP?

My advice is to give yourself enough time to study (weeks or months depending on your schedule) and for the 35-hour prep course, which is given over 1 or more weeks depending on how it’s taught. Also, be open to learning the concepts as the project management world understands them, some of which may be different than you’ve experienced so far as a project manager.

Meet Eric Maise

Aspect recently welcomed Eric Maise to our Wenatchee office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know him better.

Eric Maise, Project Engineer

Eric and his dog Wesley snowshoeing at Beehive Mountain near Wenatchee

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

I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, called Northville. After attending Michigan Technological University in the upper peninsula, I realized that I wanted to live somewhere I could better enjoy my outdoor hobbies and experience living somewhere other than Michigan. In 2016, I was able to transfer to my former employer’s Seattle office. In 2018, I moved to East Wenatchee with my wife.

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

Growing up around the Detroit area is what inspired me to pursue environmental engineering. The Great Recession and the automotive industry crisis greatly impacted my family and the community I grew up in. As a graduating senior in high school at that time, I wanted to make sure that the major I pursued in college could get me a well-paying job right when I graduated and that would also provide me with job security. I also enjoyed problem solving and had a natural strength in math and science. Based on this, engineering was a logical choice. I decided to specifically pursue environmental engineering because of my love of nature and the outdoors and from seeing all the pollution and blight in southeast Michigan.

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

The thing I like most about remediation engineering is that I get to clean up the environment and help communities. It’s very rewarding to see a contaminated property remediated and put to good use again. Challenging projects and problems are exciting, and a lot of my motivation comes from wanting to help people (clients and coworkers) with their projects and problems.

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

I have a ton of interests and hobbies that I enjoy doing when I’m not working. Two things that I’ve been really into lately are playing ice hockey and reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

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

Japan is on the top of my travel destination bucket list. I want to visit Tokyo and experience all the sights, sounds, tastes and culture. Then I’d like to do some skiing/snowboarding in Japan’s legendary powder.

Meet Becky Dilba and Kelsey Mach

Aspect recently welcomed Becky Dilba and Kelsey Mach to our Olympia office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better.

Becky Dilba, Staff Scientist

Becky making her way upwards in Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, Oregon

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

I grew up primarily in northwest Arizona and southern Oregon but have also lived in many other stops along the way. I attended college at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and earned my geology degree. After graduating in 2014, my husband and our two dogs relocated sight unseen to Olympia after he got a job with the state, and it has been our home ever since.

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

Growing up on the side of a mountain, I spent most of my childhood outside collecting rocks and venturing into abandoned mine shafts. I now realize how dangerous that was, but as a kid it was so cool to see what it was like inside of a mountain. My grandpa continued to feed my curiosity, taking me on road trips to places like the Grand Canyon and Canyonlands National Park. After he passed away, I continued to explore on my own, visiting Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and Zion National Parks. I always wanted to be outside and always wanted to learn more about what shaped those places. After talking with my former geology high school teacher, I decided that pursuing a career in geology would allow me to continue to feed my soul, be outside, and always be learning.

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

I have always enjoyed the field work life, even with these soggy Pacific Northwest winters. I find that you must be a problem solver and quick to adapt to because what is written on paper rarely translates to what is actually on site. I also enjoy learning about all the latest remediation technologies and putting them to practice—knowing that I am doing my part, no matter how small, to protect this small piece of Earth I have chosen to inhabit.

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

I am currently working towards starting my own guided hiking company so that has been a focus for me as of late. Typically, you can find me hiking in the mountains, paddleboarding on the Sound, or volunteering for my non-profit rescuing neglected and stray dogs.

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

Iceland is high on the “where to next” list. I hear that food and drinks are very expensive, which means I will have to BYOS – Bring My Own Snacks.

Kelsey Mach, Project Geologist

Kelsey hiking Dog Mountain along the Columbia River Gorge

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

I’m originally from central Pennsylvania, but I’ve moved around the country after graduation to Cody, Wyoming, El Paso, Texas, and Boulder, Colorado, before settling in for the last 4 years in western Washington which is my favorite place I’ve ever lived. I originally moved out here to join my now-husband who was stationed at JBLM, but now that he’s done with his contract, we’ve decided to make Washington our long-term home.

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

I was initially going to school for art, and after a year of art school I decided it wasn’t for me. I changed my major to environmental science because I was interested in learning more about the negative affects that humans have on the environment and how to counteract them. In my environmental science program, I met several geology students who spent their weekends mineral hunting, hiking, camping, and climbing and I decided those were my people. So, I finally settled on a degree in geology and have been nerding out about rocks and dirt ever since.

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

I really enjoy getting to work on projects that have a tangible goal with a direct impact. I love being able to meet and collaborate with the people who are affected by the projects I work on, and work together with them to come to a mutually beneficial solution. I also get excited by identifying and researching technologies that can make our work more efficient and effective.

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

Besides spending time with my husband and dog (a blue heeler/bull terrier mix named Billy), I have too many hobbies. I enjoy crafting (sewing and knitting clothes, building things, embroidering), looking at junk (thrift stores, estate sales, antique stores, beach combing), cooking and eating good food, travelling, gardening, and being outdoors (hiking, backpacking, camping). I also teach GIS and drones as an adjunct professor at a local community college.

5. Where would your dream house be located?

My dream house would probably be a renovated 1920s farmhouse with a gothic roof barn, located on 20ish acres, somewhere near a river or stream and rolling hills.

Powering Kids Through STEAM Teaching

Aspect’s Community Team (ACT) was created in 2017 to engage more non-profits and Aspect staff in philanthropy. Aspect employees co-lead the group and focus on organizing yearly volunteering events where staff give time, resources, and technical expertise. These investments take many forms:

• Participating in ecological restoration projects

• Speaking at a TYEE STEM Club meeting

• Advocating for science and engineering careers to students and educators

Through a bottom-to-top decision-making approach, ACT gives a platform for all staff to voice how Aspect should be investing in the community.  With how much the pandemic changed the education landscape, ACT put STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) outreach at the top of its 2021 priority list. Members wanted to use their skills to help students and educators who may feel overwhelmed with virtual learning.

Photo Credit: 2021 EarthGen Virtual Student Summit

Holding a Mirror Up to Budding STEAM Leaders

“Before we even crafted our first resume, many of us were already asked the big question: What do you want to be when you grow up? When you’re young, it can be challenging to find the answer simply because you haven’t figured it out yet. Hearing from professionals opens new worlds to students, especially marginalized identities. ”

— Cleo Pineda, Engineer

In alignment with ACT's mission to increase community involvement through education outreach, Aspect volunteers collaborated with EarthGen (formerly WA Green Schools) and participated as guest speakers at the Annual Clark County Virtual Student Summit career panel to elementary – high school-age students as well as educators learning science concepts. ACT volunteers include all Aspect career levels, genders, and ethnicities to reflect the diversity in STEM—they serve as mirrors for potentially underrepresented students who need role models to look up to.

In addition to providing valuable insight into the technical side of their professions, Aspect volunteers also shared stories of their career path. Some prepared informational videos while others led live presentations on ZOOM to show pictures of cool projects they’ve worked on, discuss their college journey, and even play games to introduce important environmental concepts.

EarthGen’s Curriculum Helps Future Scientists and Engineers 

The Virtual Student Summit was just one of many parts that make up EarthGen’s programs. The non-profit organization aims to support youth, educators, and their communities that may have limited access to quality instruction, extended learning opportunities, and funding. Some of their science-based, action-oriented programs include professional development training for teachers and their Stormwater Stewards environmental science unit for middle and high schoolers. Read more about the important work they do here and go HERE to donate (tax-deductible).

“Speaking to kids was initially more intimidating. They were silent during our talk, so it was difficult to have any idea of how anything we were saying was being received. It took some gentle encouragement, but once we got them participating in the chat they were a very insightful audience and I felt encouraged for these future STEAM careers.”

— ACT Volunteer and GIS Lead Robyn Pepin

“At the core I believe, and some research has certainly shown, that for children to see a ‘real life’ scientist or STEAM professional, particularly a woman of color, has a huge impact on how they see their futures and potential and that in others. So that is the foundation that drives me. In addition, I love to share about how incredible our earth is. Lots of young people don’t realize that geology or earth science or even environmental science are robust fields that they can enter.”

— ACT Volunteer and Senior Geologist Mei Lanier-Kamaha’o

“In the midst of a challenging and isolating year, it was crucial for students to have the opportunity to gather virtually, learn together, and connect over their shared interest of taking environmental action. EarthGen’s 2020-21 Annual Clark County Student Summit had professionals provide inspiration, knowledge and excitement for the students. It allowed students to understand that there are many careers that benefit the environment.”

— Shannon Brennan (Outreach Specialist at EarthGen)

Other ACT 2021 Highlights

Back in April, ACT leadership mailed out native wildflower seeds to green-thumbed staff looking for a spring project, hosted a friendly "who can pick-up the most trash?" contest, and coordinated a virtual happy hour in celebration of Earth Day.

Then in October, upholding the community team’s fall tradition of restoring a riparian area along the Snoqualmie River, ACT partnered with Stewardship Partners to organize an in-person volunteer experience at Carnation Farms.  

ACT's Owen Reese helping clean-up his son's school's parking lot

Eric Marhofer's little helpers joining in on the fun

Steve Cudd posing with his fury friend

Samantha Muchongwe showing a blackberry crown who's boss

Got an Idea for ACT?

Would you like scientists and engineers to work with your non-profit group? Please contact Cleo Pineda and Lisa Maeda to learn more.

The Path to Professional License: Ida Fischer, PE

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. 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.

Ida Fischer, Professional Engineering (PE) License

Test: 5/17/2021  Awarded: 6/3/2021

Ida at Rialto Beach.

When did you start with your test prep?

My PE test timeline was largely dictated by COVID. I began studying in January 2020, and was rolling along when COVID struck and everything shut down. So, I put studying on the back burner until December 2020 with the goal of taking the test before summer 2021—since I was taking the Environmental PE test, which is administered on a computer, you have to schedule it based on testing center availability (rather than the biannual pen and paper tests). I started to feel the pressure and kicked my test prep into high gear mid-March 2021.

What were your study tactics? How did you get started?

Generally, for standardized tests (SAT, GRE) I like to review testing strategies, but I couldn’t find much discussion of strategy for the PE test any other than “study as much as you can.” Taylor Dayton generously shared her study materials with me, which included a box of various books, practice tests, and some notes. I don’t have an undergraduate in engineering, so I thought a comprehensive review book was a good option to make sure I saw all the possible topics. I worked my way through the entire book (PE Environmental Review by Lindeburg), then about a month before the test, I switched to practice problems. I also used flash cards to drill general info and problem types I was consistently missing. In hindsight, I think it would have been more time-efficient to focus on the problems and then read up on topics that weren’t feeling familiar rather than reading the entire book. Problems force you to engage with key concepts in a different way.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

For most people, studying is a significant time commitment which will likely impact all other areas of your life. It is important to set your own expectations and get the other significant people in your life onboard with what your studying is going to look like. My studying experience was largely impacted by COVID – I didn’t have to cut back on socializing in a significant way since I was already at my maximum Zoom capacity.

Mentally, you have to find a time when you are able study productively. This will look different for everyone – I was a hybrid after work and weekend studier. Physically, I was studying while concurrently training to cycle across Washington. I think the physical activity provided an important mental break. I benefitted from multiple routine activities reinforcing each other.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I woke up early enough to have time to have a good breakfast and coffee and allow for traffic on the way to the testing center, but not so early that I had any time to review or extra time to work up any nerves. The Environmental PE test is administered at standard testing centers, so there is the usual review of how to check in and out and use the computer. As I was working through the problems, I kept track of the ones I was confident in, those that I was less confident in, and those that I had to guess on. I had some extra time when I was done, so I reviewed all problems I was less confident in and some of the others as well. Overall, the test felt easier than I expected. On the way home, I celebrated with a cookie. That night before bed, I did not review my flashcards and that felt like relief.

How did you feel when you got the results?

While studying for the PE exam, Ida was also planning a cross-state bike trip. She and her dad and uncle rode from Seattle to Idaho over 6 days along the Palouse to Cascades Trail and smaller country roads. This picture is on PCT either along Keechelus Lake or Lake Easton (hard to keep track on the trail). She was on the trail when she found out she’d passed the exam.

I was delighted. I did a victory cartwheel even though I had biked 70 miles that day. The test results were supposed to be ready in about 10 days, so I had been checking my email even though I was on a bike trip and generally like to eschew email while on vacation.

What lessons did you learn that you’d want others to know?

I believe I could have achieved the same result (passing) with less studying. I think I was so concerned about the possibility of not passing that I didn’t weight the opportunity cost of the amount of studying I was doing.

Washington requires an application and Board approval to even register for the test. I put this off until the 11th hour and the application process was more work than I expected and consequently more frustrating than it needed to be. I’d say as soon as you’re thinking about taking the test, get the application out of the way.

Feeling Good, Doing Good: Volunteering in the Pandemic for Riparian Restoration

On a crisp October 2021 day, Aspect staff, partners, kids (and one dog) helped restore a riparian area along the Snoqualmie River at Carnation Farms by clearing invasive blackberries and planting almost 100 trees and shrubs. In what has become a fall volunteer tradition, Aspect staff have worked with Stewardship Partners and Carnation Farms for years to volunteer and plant in riparian areas to help restore habitat along the Snoqualmie River.

This was our first big volunteer event in Pandemic times and everyone was excited to focus time and energy on giving back to our earth and water environment in Western Washington.

Reflecting on Working and Seeing People in Person

One thing quickly felt by all was how great it was to see people, meet people, and get outside.

“I really enjoyed it, it wasn’t too mentally exhausting for a Saturday morning which was perfect for giving space for small talk with each other. Another fun note was just meeting everyone’s plus 1’s too, everyone was lovely. Especially planting a tree with Milo and Athena, that was adorable and went along with the “stress-free/non-work” energy of the day.”

— Daniel Chang, Staff Engineer

“These volunteer events with Stewardship Partners are a win-win-win – it amplifies the importance of their Partners work; riparian habitat is restored; and we have a lovely day out building community within our company. ”

— Owen Reese, Principal Water Resources Engineer

“The pandemic has greatly affected many areas of our lives and one of them was our ability to volunteer (in-person). I felt very grateful for the opportunity to get to know some of my peers better while we planted trees and pulled out blackberry bushes. As an engineer, I am familiar with riparian restoration but I’ve never actually participated in it out in the “real world” before. It felt nice knowing that our team was proactively working towards a common goal together.”

— Cleo Pineda, Staff Engineer

“I really like getting outside, so that’s always a win for me, but it was especially meaningful to see people from Aspect in person again, it’s been too long since having that face-to-face connection.”

— Lisa Maeda, HR Generalist

“Thank you to all from Aspect Consulting who came out to help us restore riparian habitat along the Snoqualmie River at Carnation Farms. It was such a great day and a great way to continue our partnership. You all made a huge impact!”

— Chris LaPointe, Director of Ecological Restoration at Stewardship Partners

Since 2017, Planting to Build Riparian Zones and Construct Rain Gardens

Aspect has worked with Stewardship Partners since 2017 and this is our third event at Carnation Farms (2018, 2019, and 2021) and the sixth event total (the others are two work parties on the Rain Garden at Carnation Elementary + participating in a STEM night at Carnation Elementary).

Aspect Community Team (ACT) Activated

ACT is Aspect’s Community Team, which helps non-profit causes throughout the year and is led from within by Aspect staff. This Fall event is one ritual the team does – all are volunteers from Aspect staff -- as well as gather for other key programs such as STEM education events for underrepresented groups and participate in pro bono projects where we can share our Earth + Water expertise.

Meet Dawn Chapel

Aspect recently welcomed Senior Hydrogeologist Dawn Chapel, LHG, to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know her better.

Dawn out hiking east of the Cascades.

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

My roots have been the Pacific Northwest for the past 18 years. I was actually born and raised in Los Angeles, visiting my father in Eugene, Oregon, every summer and climbing the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. I always wanted to move to the Pacific Northwest, but I took a long path to get here. My family moved to Massachusetts in my 20s, where I majored in geology at Smith College. I loved New England, the small towns, and the fall colors. I then lived in Madison, Wisconsin, earning my master’s degree in geology before finding my path here to Seattle to begin my career in consulting. I think it was the summer I took off as a park ranger in Colorado that made me realize I needed to get back to the mountains of the West.

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

I grew up exploring the mountains and deserts of Southern California. I always loved rocks and reading the story in the landscape around me. I have collected a large rock collection over the years from various places – as most geologists do. I was also always aware of the importance of water living in Southern California – Save Mono Lake! I really like the applied aspect of hydrogeology. Merging the fields of geology with water resources was a way to apply my love of earth sciences while working with other scientist and engineers to manage an important resource.

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

I enjoy working with a team investigating and solving problems and the satisfaction of finding a solution. I’m always eager to learn new skills and provide mentorship to others and build close relationships with my co-workers and clients.

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

I enjoy hanging out with my dog, three cats, and wife at home. We seem to always be working on a new house project. I also love to get outdoors – hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, scrambling, skiing, etc. I enjoy playing guitar, reading, and getting together with friends and family. We also regularly go to our Tiny House in Twisp where my dad lives.

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

John Lennon, Amelia Earhart, Mary Oliver, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Winnie the Pooh. I believe that would be a fun gathering with a very lively discussion.

Sitkas That tell a Story: Chelsea Bush to present at GSA conference in Portland

Rialto Beach, north of La Push along Washington’s active, dynamic Pacific coast, is home to a stretch of Sitka spruce trees that are teaching geologists about how shoreline forests react to and recover from large-scale storms. Staff Geologist Chelsea Bush, GIT, will present this at the Geological Society of America’s Connects conference in Portland on Wednesday, October 13.

Her presentation, “Determination of Forest Age in a Coastal Setting Affected by Both Landsliding and Catastrophic Storm Events,” explores how she and her study group, part of her masters’ thesis at the University of Washington, started out trying to determine the age of the Sitkas in an effort to figure out when a landslide on site occurred. But after they’d researched Carbon 14 and LiDAR data, the results showed that the modern forest is younger than expected.

After further investigation, they determined that the diameter of the trees and the age of the trees weren’t related–most of the trees on site had been knocked down by the Olympic Blowdown of 1921 or had been shaped by other geomorphic processes. Understanding the true age of the trees will help geologist determine how they will respond to geomorphic or weather events and estimate how long it will take for the trees to succumb to erosion and fall to the beach below.

Chelsea and her team’s research shows that it’s easy to assume certain things about the age of a forest based on looks and the sizes of the trees – but when you look further, there may be more than meets the eye.

Aspect at 20

The story of our first two decades

Aspect Consulting is proud to reach our milestone 20th anniversary.  You – our clients, stakeholders, and team – are the reason we’re here today. Twenty years ago, Aspect started from a handful of staff and today we’re over 120 colleagues across 8 PNW Pacific Northwest offices. Thank you for being our beacon for Earth+Water client services to light the way.

Together with our clients, we are a union, invested in tackling the rising complexities of land and water resources in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the West. To celebrate, we created this “Story Map” highlighting Aspect’s journey over the years.

We continue to look ahead, laying the groundwork for a future where we work together – colleagues, clients, and community – to improve this region we call home. Thank you for partnering with us and helping Aspect thrive.

Forward together,

Tim Flynn
President & Managing Member

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Meet Samantha Muchongwe and Ashley Provow

Aspect recently welcomed Samantha Muchongwe and Ashley Provow to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better.

Staff Engineer Samantha Muchongwe

Sam out kayaking on South Lake Union in Seattle.

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

I’m from Mutare, Zimbabwe, and I first came to the United States for my undergraduate degree. Graduate studies at the University of Washington brought me to the Pacific Northwest.

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

My soil mechanics professor, Dr. Glenn Ellis, in college was a very engaged teacher and made learning about soils very exciting. He referred to Karl von Terzarghi and Arthur Casagrande as the grandfathers of geotechnical engineering, with some references to Harry Potter mixed in (I forget which ones), but they were very intriguing and enough to get me interested. His description of the research he conducted at an institute in Japan on earthquake engineering inspired me to seek out geotechnical research opportunities with another professor at the University of Massachusetts. That’s how I got started!

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

I’m excited about making designs for foundations, retaining walls, and other geotechnical applications based off of soil parameters from field and lab analyses. I believe as much as we understand how different kinds of soils and rocks behave, even with local geological expertise, there is still much to learn. The approaches taken to solve geotechnical engineering problems can be drastically different and complicated, and I’m excited for the professional growth and experience that will allow me to tackle such engineering problems with relative ease.

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

I value “me-time” - that usually involves watching foreign TV, reading books, playing tennis, and sometimes hiking. My family and friends are spread out all over the globe, so I usually spend time catching up with them when I have free time.

5. If you could choose to have a superpower, what would it be?

Language mastery! I would like to be fluent in every language on earth and be able to communicate with all beings in their native language.

Staff Scientist Ashley Provow

Ashley at her work-from-home desk.

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

I am originally from Davis County, Utah, but moved to the Seattle area from Las Vegas, Nevada, where I was working towards a PhD at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in planetary geology. After two years in the program, I decided to try something different and began applying for jobs all along the west coast. I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest when I visited in 2017, and was elated to have the chance to move here for work.

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

My first geology course as a freshman in college piqued my interest in the subject, but I did not consider changing my major until I was several semesters into a degree in journalism. After that first geology class, I saw the mountains of the Wasatch Front in a different way and wanted to understand how they formed. I was excited to be able to study a piece of that history during my master’s research at Utah State University.

One of Ashley’s lace shawl knitting projects in progress.

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

I enjoy the variety of projects and methods, which helps keep me interested in the work. The thing that excites and motivates me the most is knowing that what we are doing helps clean the water and soil.

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

Outside of work, I am a bit of a nerd. I like playing video games (usually Star Wars: The Old Republic), consuming science fiction and comic-book content, and listening to history podcasts. I also like to hike, kayak, knit, and collect houseplants. But my number-one favorite thing to do is hang out with my spouse and our three cats: Zuko, Jinora, and Bucky.

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

I am honestly looking forward to exploring more of the Pacific Northwest before the fall.

The Path to Professional License: Amelia Oates, LG

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. 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.

Amelia Oates, Licensed Geologist (LG)

Test: Originally scheduled for March 2020 – test taken on October 20, 2020.

Awarded: November 25, 2020

Amelia Backpacking in Cispus Basin

Where did you start with your test prep?

I was originally scheduled to sit for the test on March 20, 2020. I was lucky enough to sign up to take it with a couple of my friends from grad school and we formed a study group, which made the whole experience a lot easier.

My first step was to gather all that info and wrap my head around it. I had the review course the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) offers and their review book and accompanying practice test booklets, which circulate around to the aspiring geologists in Aspect’s Seattle office. I was lucky to have it; it had a lot of personalized touches from those who’d used it before – old flash cards and other helpful pointers.

Next I took the practice tests to gauge where I was at with the material. If I was really deficient in one area, I focused on that for my studies rather than that material I already knew and was already practicing in my day-to-day work.

How did COVID affect your test prep?

March 2020 was a super unknown moment – we were just about to be in COVID lockdown. The week of the test, Washington State put into effect the mandate that no group over 50 people could meet in person. Uncertain about what would happen, we frantically emailed ASBOG, who also run the test.

Two days before the exam, they announced that the test had been cancelled until further notice. That was jarring. We’d just spent so much time studying; we had been at it every weekend from January to March. The test is only offered twice a year, so they moved us all to October 2020.

How did you feel when you found out you’d be taking the test months later than expected? How did it change your study tactics?

I was mad. I had scheduled my test intentionally so I wouldn’t have to waste a beautiful Seattle summer studying, but then I was forced to do that anyway. I put off studying until about August, when I resumed reviewing the material in earnest – every night of the work week plus one weekend day.

Most of the general concepts I quickly recalled from my previous round of studying, but I found I needed to brush up on some of the finer details. Also, in the time between March and October 2020, I’d done a lot more intense technical hydrogeologic work at Aspect, where I was actually using the calculations in the example problems in real-world situations. That really helped clarify and solidify some fundamentals I needed for the test.

What was the best piece(s) of advice you got from others who’d done this before?

There’s a great collective of people at Aspect and in my cohort of grad school colleagues that had gone through this before. Getting their take on the test was really helpful. I heeded their advice to take the practice tests to set my standard, then grade myself to see how I did, take another midway through studying, then take one more right before the exam. These were good check-ins to focus my studies.

I also learned there are people who I respect as geologists who didn’t pass the test the first time. That was a serious turning point in my studying journey and showed me the importance of giving myself some grace in the moment, especially with COVID. I was able to step back and not be too hard on myself, no matter the outcome. I reassured myself, “If you don’t pass in October, it’s ok. This year has been so much more difficult than expected, and at least you tried.”

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

Mentally, you need to prepare yourself to ingest a lot of knowledge. Some of it you may be learning for the first time, some of it you might just be refreshing, but you have to make time and space for that in your life. Prioritizing the studying over backpacking or other trips was initially a let-down, but ultimately helped me stay focused. I also enjoyed making a routine of studying—it helped me say no to social engagements and focus on the task at hand.

I was definitely physically stressed out during my year-long studying endeavor. When I was doing the bulk of my studying, I had a lighter workload with more flexibility. But the second time around, likely as a result of general COVID stress, I could tell my body was tense. Prioritizing walks, bike rides and runs here and there to clear my mind, and nourishing my body with all my favorite study snacks made everything much better.  

Thankfully, I was able to socialize as part of my test prep with my friend group, which was so beneficial to me through all of it. Zoom study sessions took the place of our pre-COVID 3 to 6 hours Sunday sessions, and having people to commiserate about the COVID parts of the experience was especially helpful.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

The test was at the Red Lion hotel in Olympia. We checked in, they took our temperature and went over the protocols—a combination of COVID considerations and not-cheating-on-your-test considerations. There were about 30 other people in the room with us. We had to wear our masks and we were socially distanced at long tables, more than 6 feet apart. The social distancing and mask wearing was a different level of physical tax I wouldn’t have considered before 2020, and it brought a heightened level of awareness to every sniffle or cough in the testing facility.

The test is a four-hour exam. You have a calculator, a protractor, a pencil, some scrap paper, and that’s it. You have those four hours to answer to answer around 150 questions, on a classic Scantron. A lot of the test prep resources tell you to go through the whole test first, answer the questions you know, then go back to the ones you struggled with. I did this, but if there was a problem that I could narrow down to two answers, I just picked the one that seemed most logical. There were a few I was really unsure of that I skipped and came back to. I ended up finishing the whole thing about 20 minutes from the end.

After the test, we waited for each other in the parking lot and hung out with others who had also just taken the test. It was weird standing in the parking lot debriefing about what we’d just been through and asking each other what questions others found easy or challenging versus our own experience, especially given we seen this many people in the same place in months.

How did you feel when you got the results?

When the test was over, I immediately felt like I had failed. I remember thinking, “Oh, that was terrible!”  and feeling really despondent knowing how bad it would be to have to take the whole thing over again, given all the time I put into it. There were some questions where I thought, “Oh, wow ok, I could probably have studied a little bit harder.” Questions on concepts that I had never taken classes in or had struggled with before seemed more frequent than I wanted them to be. So I thought for sure, 100 percent, that I’d failed. 

It took a little over a month to get the results. I was out in the field at an excavation, and my friends who I’d sat for the exam with started texting me. They released the results in alphabetical order, so my friend with a last name at the beginning of the alphabet got her results and was trying to temper our expectations. It was two hours of not knowing—but when we all found out and we all passed, it was such a relief.

Any parting advice for those getting ready to take the test?

Be patient and compassionate with yourself through the process. It’s tenuous, and there’s A LOT of material to get through. Setting aside dedicated time each week was really important for my overall success. I recommend being organized, find your routine, and stick to it.

Meet Crystal Lambert and Jane Gregg

Aspect recently welcomed Staff Scientist Crystal Lambert to our Seattle office and Project Geotechnical Engineer Jane Gregg, PE, to our Bellingham office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better.

Crystal Lambert, Staff Scientist

Crystal admiring some amazing cross-bedding in the rocks at Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park.

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

I’m from North Cove, Washington, which is also known as Washaway Beach, one of the most erosive places on the West Coast. Life circumstances took me to the Midwest after high school and I ended up earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth. After graduating, I was chosen for a Geoscientists-in-the-Parks internship at Timpanogos Cave National Monument studying rockfall hazards. I truly enjoyed my time there and accepted a position at the park the following year. After a season, I decided to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Washington and came back to Washington full time. I graduated in late 2020 after creating a detailed geologic map for my thesis.  

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

I’ve always been fascinated by geologic processes. I think it comes from growing up in such a dynamic environment. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in geology!

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

I love trying to solve the puzzle. I enjoy finding a landform, sediment, or rock and trying to figure out how it got there. I also like thinking about how it might erode or change in the future.

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

I’m a bit of a homebody most weekends, but I do love to get out into the outdoors and go rockhounding for interesting minerals or fossils. I also adore National Parks and have spent quite a bit of time in Utah exploring the fantastic geology of their public lands.

5. Where would your dream house be located?

I like to picture my ultimate dream house somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, located on at least 10 wooded acres with a small clearing around the house itself and a view of mountains and the ocean. The house would be set far enough back that I wouldn’t have to worry about coastal erosion. I don’t think this place exists, but for me that’s the dream!

Jane Gregg, Project Geotechnical Engineer

Jane backcountry skiing in Callaghan Country, BC. If you find yourself there, she recommends Journeyman’s Lodge.

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

I’m originally from Houghton, which is the fifth largest city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with a population of 7,384! I went to college at the University of Michigan, where I met my now husband. After we graduated, he found a tech job out here and we made the move. The choice was easy considering it was between Seattle, San Francisco, and New York City! I’ve always been interested in the Pacific Northwest.

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

I always wanted to be an engineer! My father was a geologist and loved to teach us about different rocks, minerals, and formations. Choosing geotechnical engineer felt right and has been exciting. I don’t think I could have found a more fitting profession for myself.

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

There’s no one thing that I like best. I love constantly learning, performing technical analyses, working with teams and clients, training junior staff, and getting outside to play in the dirt.

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

Mountain bike, ski (every type), bake sourdough bread, and spend time with my weird cats!

5. If you had to choose a superpower, what would it be?

My gut says teleportation - as long as I could reach anywhere on the globe, have the ability to take a few people and duffle bags with me, and arrive safely.

Meet Chelsea Bush

Aspect recently welcomed Staff Geologist Chelsea Bush, GIT, to our Seattle office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know her better.

Chelsea Bush, Staff Geologist

Chelsea smiles after a great day of fishing in Port Orchard, WA.

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

I grew up in Edmonds, Washington, north of Seattle. I lived briefly in San Francisco while attending art school for fashion design. I then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where I took many classes and started many majors before settling on Geology at Georgia State University. I was so excited to move back home to the Pacific Northwest to start my Master’s degree at UW, and have no plans to leave the area. It is my favorite place to live!

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

During undergrad, I worked on a research project studying saltwater intrusion on the Georgia coast, near Savannah. I really enjoyed learning about groundwater hydraulics and geochemistry, and the relationships groundwater has with ecosystems. I am really interested in dedicating my career to conserving this most important resource.

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

There are so many interesting areas to study when it comes to hydrogeology and geology, and so many new areas of research. I am looking forward to learning more about groundwater modeling and applying new concepts to solve problems for our clients.

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

I love to garden, and spend most of my time with my hands in the dirt (both at work, and at home!) I also enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, and taking care of my chickens.  

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

My fiancée and I are planning a trip on the Trans-Siberian railroad for our honeymoon—from St. Petersburg in Russia to Beijing. We want to take a long break at Lake Baikal in Siberia, explore the Great Baikal trail, and hopefully do a little fishing!

Aspect's Dan Haller Presenting at Upcoming Water Law in Washington Seminar

Join Aspect’s Dan Haller at the upcoming LSI Water Law in Washington Seminar on June 10-11. Dan will join a standout group of experts addressing some of the most pressing issues in Washington water law including watershed planning, water rights adjudications, municipal transfers and inchoate rights, Tribal water rights, droughts, and more. Dan’s presentation will provide a status update on the watershed planning process and RCW 90.94 compliance across 14 Washington watersheds. The Conference will be presented via live Interactive Broadcast. For more details visit the LSI website.

Meet Daniel Chang and Ryan Mullen

Aspect recently welcomed Daniel Chang to our Seattle office and Ryan Mullen to our Bellingham office. Here are Five Questions we asked to get to know them better.

Daniel Chang, Staff Engineer

Yellowstone Grand Prismatic Spring! During my post-graduation road trip in Fall 2020

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

I was born and raised in Johnson City, Tennessee, but I knew that I wanted to explore outside of the Southeast post-college. After spending the summer of 2019 in Seattle for an internship, I knew I had to come back to enjoy the city and all the nature the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

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

I have always been a swimmer, so I like to think my interest in water came from that experience in the sport. Spending 20+ hours a week swimming is plenty of time to think about where this tank of water is coming from, what is in the water, and the occasional thought of the absurdity of swimming in a massive tank of water in the center of cities facing drought. The interest grew through courses in college learning about global challenges with water access, supply, and quality—all of which I am excited to tackle in my career.

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

I love the general idea of working “behind the scenes” for a resource that the general population takes for granted in our daily lives. We often have the privilege to not think about where our water comes from, or what is in it, so I enjoy investigating all of that under the surface and at the source.

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

COVID proved to me that I am truly an extrovert. When I am not working, I love to be with friends doing anything from re-watching guilty pleasure movies/TV shows for the 50th time, cooking (and eating!) massive feasts, or exploring nature in my journey to become a true PNWer. For the immediate though, I am currently training for swimming the Olympic trials in June 2021 for a final swan song to my swim career!

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

To get the perfect balance of conversation, comedy, and cuisine, I present my dream dinner party roster: Gordon Ramsey (to roast/maybe compliment my food), Meryl Streep (for the high class feeling), Adele (for some giggles and maybe live performance), Bill Nye (for the fun facts), and Mindy Kaling (for great laughs).

Ryan Mulllen, Staff Geologist 

Mountain biking the 100-mile White Rim loop in Canyonlands National Park, UT

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

I am a Pacific Northwest native. I moved away from Washington after high school and spent the last seven years in southwest Colorado. I recently moved back here to be closer to family, water, and bigger mountains. 

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

I grew up spending summers swimming on Lake Washington and skiing down the glaciers of Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. Spending time on water was always a big part of my life. It was not until I moved to Colorado that I began to understand how important (and scarce) water can be.

I studied physical and historical geology during my undergraduate degree and was fortunate to have gone to school in a unique geographic environment where 500 million years of geologic time was on display in the cliffs and valleys across from campus. I witnessed the distribution and movement of water across these landscapes and saw how seasons of extreme drought and catastrophic flooding impacted the community. 

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

The work is always interesting and varied, allowing me to be involved in many different types of projects. Hydrogeology encompasses a range of disciplines and each project has its own set of challenges that require innovative solutions. 

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

Generally, just about anything besides relaxing. I typically try to pack in as many adventures as I can after work hours and on the weekends. Lately I have been pursuing trail running, climbing, paragliding, skiing, and mountain biking. My wife and dog often get persuaded into joining my overambitious exploits. When I do find some downtime, I enjoy cooking, photography, reading, and sipping on a tasty sour beer while planning for the next adventure. 

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

My wife and I dream of touring Europe by paraglider someday. On the more practical side, we are looking forward to exploring the mountains of the North Cascades, BC, and Alaska, hopefully this summer. 

The Path to Professional License: Mari Otto, PE

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.

Mari Otto, Professional Engineering License

Test: October 2020

Awarded: December 2020

Mari on the Skyline trail at Mt. Ranier

Where did you start with your test prep?

I started thinking about my PE test early in 2020 when I was making my New Year’s resolutions (Item 1: pass the PE). I did a bunch of Googling to see what people were saying about the exam – there’s a lot out there (Editor’s note: including Aspect’s own License Prep Series!) Some people say you need 300-400 hours of study, some people say you barely need to study at all – it was a little overwhelming, but I figured I could find a happy middle somewhere.

I spent some time outlining everything I’d need for my test application and researching study materials. The Washington State Board of Registration requires you to submit an application with an engineering law review exam, proof of experience (including transcripts from school and an experience verification form signed by a supervisor PE), and pay an application fee before you are approved for the exam. I decided to get my application in and buy my study materials early (like, in July) so later on I could focus just on studying. I’m grateful that Aspect is very supportive of the PE process and I was able to expense all my study materials and application fee. Thanks Aspect!

I started studying in earnest in late August 2020 for my exam on October 23, 2020.

What was the best piece(s) of advice you got from others who’d done this before?

• Do as many practice exams as you can.

• Do the actual test in passes:

Pass 1 = Go through the entire exam and answer the questions you know how to answer quickly.

Pass 2 = Go through the exam again and answer the questions you know how to answer but will take more time.

Pass 3 = Review any remaining questions.

This strategy helped me because I wasn’t panicking during the exam. I could look at my answer key and have a good idea of what my percentage score would be for that portion of the exam. Building up my score early on helped reduce anxiety as the clock ran down.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

I initially tried studying after work so I could keep my weekends free. That plan unraveled pretty quickly. It just wasn’t sustainable for me to work a full day and then hit the books. If you can make that work for you, then great! But go into it knowing that unless you’re a superstar time manager, you’ll probably have to give up at least some of your weekends to studying. That being said, I found it was really important for me to rest between long study sessions.

My schedule generally followed this timeline:

• Saturday: Practice exam (full 8-hour practice test)

• Sunday: Rest day – go on a nature walk or do a water activity

• Throughout the week: light practice problems if schedule allows

• Saturday and Sunday: ~4 hours study sessions to review practice exam and study weak material. Prep for another practice exam the next week.

• Repeat

I’m lucky that the people in my life had just the right mix of being understanding of my study schedule and being pushy enough to drag me outside every once in a while.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

The test was in Puyallup, so I got a hotel nearby and got a good night’s rest before the exam. I woke up early and did some light stretches and ate some yogurt and fruits. I made sure that I had my lunch packed and that I had plenty of water and granola bar snacks.

I felt pretty well-prepared for the exam from all my practice exams, so I just took my time and did my best. It actually wasn’t too bad. During lunch, I had a great big salad and took a walk around the neighborhood and listened to a podcast. I made friends with a neighborhood cat on my lunch walk, so that felt auspicious.

After the exam, I drove home and had vegetarian burgers and beer and just chilled. It was great. I then took that Friday off for a long weekend trip down to the Oregon coast for some surfing.

How did you feel when you got the results?

I did my best to put the test out of my mind after taking it, knowing that it would be a couple months before I got my results. When I finally got my results in December and saw that green “Pass” icon, I felt a huge sense of relief and gratefulness – I could relax! It was the middle of a winter week during COVID-times, so I really went wild with my celebrations – I spent the evening drinking peanut butter whisky and watching Schitt’s Creek.

Any parting advice for those getting ready to take the PE?

1. Lots of people love to talk about the PE and share their experience / give advice. I loved hearing people’s stories, but I found it important to not compare myself to others too much, ESPECIALLY when people talk about how many hours they are studying/have studied. You can listen to what worked for others, but in the end, you’ll have to find what works for yourself.

2. I spent a lot of time at the beginning of my studies trying to do a deep dive into the subjects that would be on the breadth morning exam – it was NOT necessary. When I started doing practice exams, I noticed that the Geotech questions on the breadth exam were really basic. It’s reasonable to assume that the breadth questions for the other subjects would be considered really basic by someone who specializes in that particular subject. Realizing that helped me relax about the breadth exam – I identified common questions using the NCEES Examinee guide (use it - they tell you exactly what kind of questions will be on the exam) and used that to guide my breadth studying. It helped me to not get too into the weeds subjects that were not Geotech.

3. Do lots of practice exams. The NCEES practice exam is the closest you’ll get to the actual exam. I did that exam at the beginning of my studies in late August and again at the end of my studies the weekend before the exam. I found other practice exams online. I took practice exams every other weekend and tried to simulate exam conditions – quiet environment, 4-hour morning exam, 1-hour lunch break, 4-hour afternoon exam. I even wore my facemask during my later practice exams to make sure I was used to having it on.

4. In addition to the huge CERM book, I would recommend getting the little CERM Quick Reference. It has 99% of the equations you might need for the morning exam and probably like 60% of the equations you might need for the afternoon exam (at least for Geotech).

Taylor Dayton Presenting on Washington Water Rights - April 14

Aspect Water Resources Engineer Taylor Dayton, PE, will present to the Central Washington University America Water Resources Association student professional chapter on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.

The presentation will explore the history of water law in Washington State, the process for obtaining new water right, the process for changing existing water rights, consumptive use and spreading , water right valuations, and water right holder “musts”.

See Taylor talk about what you’ll learn here: