What:  The Structural Engineers Association (SEA) 1st General Meeting will be welcoming Matthew Parkolap and James Pawlikowski from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). SOM is one of the largest and most influential architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world! They have worked on some of the most innovative and renowned structures around the globe including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. They’ve even worked close to home, helping to design and build the Sears Tower and Millennium Park.

At this meeting they will discuss their work in designing the Tianjin CTF Finance Center in Tianjin, China. This skyscraper will be the 5th tallest building in the world, reaching 96 stories! They have even designed it to reach LEED Gold Standards. Construction is projected to be completed by 2016.

Plus, there will be free pizza served at the meeting! This is a meeting you will definitely not want to miss.
Contact Peter Busch <pbusch93@gmail.com> with questions.

When:  Today, Thursday, September 11 at 5:00pm
Where:  1310 Newmark Lab (Yeh Student Center)

What:  SEGSO will be hosting a Professional Weekend in Chicago for the second consecutive year.  This unique two-day tour will introduce the city from a structural engineering perspective, giving students the opportunity to learn about local structural engineering practitioners and major firms, as well as Chicago’s unique architectural history.

When:  Friday, September 26 – Saturday, September 27

Where:  Chicago, Illinois, USA

Event registration will open tomorrow, September 5, at 9am.  You can find registration materials as well as more detailed information on our event page: Chicago Professional Weekend 2014

What:  Come meet the American Concrete Institute (ACI) student chapter, learn about upcoming events, and find out how you can participate in the ACI National Convention that will take place this October. There will be free desserts in the way of cookies, brownies, and beverages. There are also plans for some positively explosive high-strength concrete cylinder tests in the concrete lab.

When:  Thursday, September 4 from 7- 8 pm

Where:  Newmark Building Room 1225 (adjacent to the concrete lab)

More information about the organization is at http://publish.illinois.edu/americanconcreteinstitute/

What:  Learn about the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) student chapter and the exciting events they have planned for this semester. There will be free pizza, a tour of the large-scale structural testing facility, and the opportunity to see a shake-table test in the Smart Structures Technology (SSTL) lab. This is a great opportunity especially for students that want to see the facilities that enable Illinois’ world-class experimental tests.

When:  Thursday, September 4 from 5 -7 pm

Where:  Newmark Building Room 1233 (located in the North Crane Bay)

More information about the organization is available at https://sites.google.com/a/illinois.edu/eeri/

What:  Unwind after a long first week of classes in Downtown Champaign!  Enjoy beverages, conversation, and/or board games with your fellow Structures grad students.
When:  Friday, August 29 from 8:30pm – ??
Where:  Quality Bar, 110 N Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820

Quality is readily accessible by bus—check the CUMTD schedule.  Need a ride? Sign up here.

Welcome back to all continuing students, and welcome to UIUC to all those of you who are new to CEE Structures graduate programs!  SEGSO will host the first general meeting of the year this week:

SEGSO Fall 2014 General Meeting
What: Join us for a general meeting to find out more about SEGSO, share your ideas, and enjoy free pizza!  We will discuss:

• Opportunities to get involved with SEGSO
• Semester event plans
• Chicago Professional Weekend

When: Thursday, August 28, 2014 from 5:30pm–6:30pm
Where: 3310 Newmark Civil Engineering Lab (Yeh Student Center)

RSVP Here!

Get excited, because we’re having our…

Finals are Finished Fiesta!
When: This Friday, May 16th at 11:30 AM (immediately following the CEE 570 final exam!)
Where: Newmark Crane Bay
Why: FREE BLACK DOG BARBECUE CELEBRATING THE END OF FINALS!

For our last event of the semester, we’re going all out and ordering up some delicious Black Dog Barbecue to celebrate being done with another academic year. Take this opportunity following the CEE 570 final to forget your worries in a pulled pork sandwich and say your goodbyes to those grad students heading their separate ways after this semester.

RSVP FOR THE LUNCH HERE

When: THIS WEDNESDAY, May 7th at 5:00 pm
Where: 3310 Yeh Center
Free pizza and beverages will be provided!

Reflections on Graduate School and Post-Graduation Decisions
Congratulations! You have made it to – or hopefully almost through- your grad school. That is probably one of the most important decisions you have made in your life. Its impact goes far beyond the few years you are spending here to affect your career options, friends’ network and in many cases your perception of your role as an engineer. In this presentation I will share some tips on how to “survive” – passionately- in grad school and what to consider when trading off between post-graduation careers in academia and industry.

RSVP FOR THE SEMINAR HERE

When: THIS WEDNESDAY, April 23rd at 6:30 pm
Where: 2311 Yeh Center
Free pizza will be provided!

Being a Professor in Structural Engineering in the US
This introductory seminar to the SEGSO academic series will share Professor Kuchma’s own experience at the many different phases of working in academia, as well as his observations on what his Illinois and non-Illinois colleagues do in their careers.

A full abstract for the seminar is attached.

RSVP FOR THE SEMINAR HERE