OCEC Liaison Committee

Orange County Engineering Council

The Orange County Engineering Council (OCEC) is an umbrella organization representing the engineering and related scientific societies and corporations in Orange County, California. It is a non-profit organization, supported entirely by voluntary contributions from scientific and engineering societies and corporations practicing in Orange County.

Mission Statement

To enhance the public image of engineers and scientists and promote the interaction of professional societies and engineering/scientific corporations and universities in Orange County California.

The efforts of OCEC include but are not limited to the following:

Honor the outstanding projects and achievements of engineers, related scientists, and their corporations in Orange County during the National Engineers Week in February.
Organize a Leaders Night dinner for officers of the Orange County professional societies, technological corporations, and universities to promote networking and professionalism.
Offer scholarships to outstanding educational institutions (K-University) through the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program.
Support the Future Scientists and Engineers of America (FSEA) and Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) programs both at high school and university levels.
Participate in the Orange County Science Fair and present awards to the outstanding student projects selected by the OCEC Board.
Introduce prospective interns to the Orange County engineering and scientific corporations.
Operate a website on the Internet and disseminate the OCEC information and programs to the membership (http://www.ocec.org). Publish the directory and profiles of the sponsoring professional societies and engineering/related scientific corporations on our web page.

OCEC does not compete with these organizations but rather provides a forum to develop synergy between them.

As a professional society operating in Orange County, OCEC welcomes the professional societies and corporations in Orange County to become members and to actively participate in the Board meetings and nominate worthy candidates and projects for suitable awards at the National Engineers Week awards banquet.

Contacts

C. T. Bathala, PE
OCEC Liaison Committee Chair
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: 657-328-6142

Committee Files

There are no related documents at this moment.

Shaping Our Future World

Civil engineers reimagine the world and shape the future of our civilizations. Recent conversations with several Orange County Branch members reminded me of the inspiring initiative led by ASCE, known as Future World Vision. The effects of climate change, increasing population, and rapid deployment of new technologies drive civil engineers and the infrastructure industry to be at the forefront of changing trends and to constantly adapt. ASCE performed an in-depth analysis of future macrotrends to generate a projected evolution of our industry's infrastructure through the Year 2070.

Summer Bike Rides

My friend, Sam Ali, P.E., recently wrote a story on bike trail connectivity in Orange County. The article was published in the ASCE Civil Engineering Magazine. Since Sam and I share the same passion for cycling, I thought I would seize the opportunity to share a few enjoyable rides in our OC backyard.

Inflation and Shortage Supply Impacts

We have all been witnessing price inflation, whether it is at the gas station or at the grocery store. Both inflation and material shortage have become part of our design considerations when we select and specify materials for our projects. The approach has been further emphasized over the last couple of years: the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) community should initiate design and construction projects with a thorough understanding of material availability, fabrication, delivery lead time, projected construction index price, and an evaluation of equivalent alternatives.

Sudamericana Water Conservation

Last month, I traveled to Chile for my brother’s wedding and took the opportunity to wander in Patagonia, the Colchagua Valley (wine country), Santiago, and a few other places. I don’t know if the pattern is common across my peers, but as for myself, travels are generally punctuated by a constant evaluation of the local infrastructure, design details, construction means and methods, and an assessment of the infrastructure challenges that each region faces.

Connecting the Dots in 2022 and Beyond?

As we enter 2022, I wish our members a very happy and prosperous new year. It would be a shame not to recognize the accomplishments of the past year. Our hyperactive Orange County Branch committees did not stop interacting and implementing activities: I counted over 60 events held during the past year. I could not be prouder to belong to such a resilient and proactive organization. I thank my predecessor, Clint Isa, P.E., for spearheading the efforts, and all of our volunteers for your contributions over the past couple of years.

So It Goes…

With the new fiscal year having begun in October, we felt this month’s President’s Column would be a good forum for our new presidents (Remi Candaele, ASCE OC Branch President; Ashlyn Alexander, ASCE OC YMF President) to introduce themselves and for me and YMF counterpart (Melissa Hilsabeck) to reflect on our respective terms as president of the OC Branch and OC YMF. I hope that the Q&A that follows helps you get to know more about each of us.