The SC Engineering Conference & Trade show was held June 23-26, 2016 at the Embassy Suites Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston, SC, with a record number of 247 attendees.
The mission of the SC Engineering Conference is to have “timely presentation on various engineering subjects, keynote presentations and enough PDHs to meet the state’s annual requirements.”
The SC Engineering Conference is a partnership of the American Council of Engineering Companies of South Carolina (ACEC-SC), American Society of Civil Engineers – South Carolina Section (ASCE-SC), and the South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers (SCSPE). By joining together, these groups are able to provide more educational programs to attract South Carolina and surrounding area engineers. This year, attendees were able to gain up to 15 PDHs with full participation.
Registration opened on Thursday, June 23, 2016. The conference began with SCSPE, ACEC-SC hosting joint Board/Annual Meetings, while ASCE-SC conducted its board meeting before noon. The Trade Show opened at Noon with 33 exhibitors.
Sessions began at 1:00 PM with the conference mainstay “Board Panel Discussion with the SC State Registration Board for Professional Engineers and Surveyors.” Attendees got a break to visit the trade show and returned at 2:45 for “Defending the Battery Design & Reconstruction of Charleston’s Historic Landmark,” with Jim O’Connor, JMT, & Frank Newham, City of Charleston. The day’s PDH sessions wrapped with an interesting session on the Panama Canal Expansion Project, with James Nehez, PE. The opening day concluded up with the Trade Show reception allowing attendees face to face time with the conference exhibitors.
Friday started early with both registration and the trade show opening at 7:30 AM. Concurrent sessions ran from 8:00 AM until 5:15 PM with lunch and a Keynote Address on the SC Flood Issues & Response, by Major General Robert E. Livingston Jr, PE, Adjunct General of the SC National Guard.
Up to 7 PDHs could be obtained for those who attended the full day. Attendees could choose between the following tracks that day Civil, Electrical, Environmental, two different General tracks, Geotechnical/Structural, Transportation, and Fire and Life Safety. Attendees finished the day on a BBQ Blues Cruise of the Charleston Harbor aboard the Carolina Belle.
Saturday began at 7:30AM with concurrent sessions with topics on ethics, stormwater, rainwater harvesting, and LOPC improvement (Loss of Primary Containment).
Attendees enjoyed an afternoon in Charleston before coming back to Saturday night’s Keynote and Awards banquet. The banquet began with a cocktail reception before guest speaker Jon Tripak gave a interesting keynote address on the H.L. Hunley Submarine. After Tripak’s address, the following awards were given: SCSPE – Engineer of the Year to Mr. Marshall Norris, PE and Young Engineer of the Year to Mr. Sean Goddeyne, PE and NSPE Fellow to Mr. Martin “Marty” Mobley, PE, F.NSPE.
Those who attended the full conference were able to earn a total of 15 PDHs.
Thank you to our attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors for making this year’s conference a success.
SAVE THE DATE – 2017 SC Engineering Conference & Trade Show, June 8-10 at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort.