SESOC-SEAOC Collaboration

SESOC have been collaborating with the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) for over a decade, and have been conducting monthly collaboration committee meetings with representatives from SEAOC since 2018. The goal is to foster trans-Pacific collaboration on topics of mutual interest, including papers, newsletter articles, conference presentations, webinars, publications, and networking.

Topics of collaboration have included:

  • Innovations in timber
  • Non-structural components
  • Low rise construction
  • Non-engineered construction
  • Cordoning after earthquakes
  • Functional recovery and low-damage seismic design
  • Licensure and regulation of engineers
  • Pathways (younger member engagement)

Conference representation:

An effort has been made to have representatives from the other organisation at conferences, including recruitment of speakers and member pricing. This cross-pollination of conferences allows in-person collaboration, networking connections to be established and flourish, and knowledge spread to the other organisation. Representatives from SESOC have attended the following SEAOC conferences and vice versa:

Year Conference and location Attendees
2011 SEAOC – Las Vegas, NV John Snook (SESOC)
2012 SEAOC – Santa Fe, NM Des Bull, John Hare (SESOC)
2014 SEAOC – Indian Wells, CA John Snook (SESOC)
2015 SEAOC – Bellevue, WA John Snook (SESOC)
2016 SEAOC – Maui, HI Paul Campbell, Hamish McKenzie, John Snook (SESOC)
2017 SEAOC – San Diego, CA Paul Campbell, John Snook (SESOC)
2017 SESOC – Wellington, NZ Kelly Cobeen, Joyce Fuss (SEAOC)
2018 SEAOC – Palm Desert, CA Paul Campbell, Laura Whitehurst (SESOC)
2019 SESOC – Auckland, NZ Jenn Ciofolo (SEAOC)
2019 SEAOC – Tahoe, CA Ben Westeneng, Laura Whitehurst (SESOC)
2020 SEAOC – virtual Laura Whitehurst (SESOC)
2021 SESOC – Hamilton, NZ No SEAOC attendees due to Covid-19 border restrictions
2022 SEAOC – Indian Wells, CA Laura Whitehurst (SESOC)
2023 SESOC – Christchurch, NZ Stefanie Rae Arizabal, Kelly Cobeen (SEAOC)
2023 SEAOC – Maui, HI Canceled due to 2023 Lahaina wildfire
2024 SEAOC – Portland, OR Paul Campbell, Michelle Grant, Laura Whitehurst (SESOC)

Scholarship Exchanges:

The two societies have also established an ongoing reciprocal arrangement for younger members of one organisation to attend and present at the other organisation’s conference through a scholarship competition. Effort is also made to integrate the scholarship recipient into the conference’s social, professional, and technical events, particularly those aimed at younger members. This arrangement has been in place since 2019.

Recipients of scholarships:

Year Sponsor Organisation Conference location Recipient Topic
2019 SEAOC SESOC – Auckland, NZ Jenn Ciofolo (SEAOC) Innovative Seismic Upgrade Programs for US Naval Hospitals and Medical Facilities – Case Studies
2019 SESOC SEAOC – Tahoe, CA Ben Westeneng (SESOC) Lessons Learned from the Automation of Seismic Assessment of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings
2023 SEAOC SESOC – Christchurch, NZ Stefanie Rae Arizabal (SEAOC) Establishing Cordons for Post-Damaged Structures Using Known Failure Mechanisms and Predictive Collapse Patterns
2023 SESOC SEAOC – Maui, HI* Laura Schwass (SESOC) A Raft of Challenges – Design and Construction of the Christ Church Cathedral Foundation Retrofit
2025 SEAOC SESOC – Wellington, NZ t.b.d.
2025 SESOC SEAOC – San Diego, CA t.b.d.

*Note: this conference was canceled due to the 2023 Lahaina wildfire

Contact

For any questions or suggestions for this committee, please contact Laura Whitehurst at lauraw@holmesgroup.com


SESOC-SEAOC Collaboration committee members at the 2024 SEAOC Convention
L to R: Kelly Cobeen, Paul Campbell, Michelle Grant, Laura Whitehurst, Joyce Fuss


SEAOC members and collaboration committee members at the 2023 SESOC Conference
L to R: Nic Brooke, Michelle Grant, Stefanie Rae Arizabal, Laura Schwass, Kelly Cobeen, John Snook, Laura Whitehurst, Megan Stringer, Tal Feinstein, Paul Campbell