PE Matters – March 2022
>>> MARCH 2022
State News for NSPE Members
Mine Does Not Have Water Rights, State Engineer Says
After it closed in 2014, the Chevron Questa molybdenum mine company planned to divest some of its water rights, including to a family hoping to start a farm. However, the Office of the State Engineer has ruled that water rights no longer exist. Chevron had asked OSE for an exception because they want to help the community economically.
The decision leaves unanswered questions about whether Chevron will be able to go forward with its plans to transfer water rights to the village of Questa, which needs additional sources of water, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Chevron has ongoing mine reclamation projects and federal Superfund cleanup work that require significant amounts of water, but the company wants to return surplus water to the community, the article says.
Hydrogen Hub to Build Near Albuquerque Sunport
A California-based hydrogen firm, Universal Hydrogen says it will build a new manufacturing and distribution center on property near the Albuquerque Sunport. The company, which seeks to use hydrogen to fuel airplanes, is getting a $10 million dollar investment from the state for the project through New Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) funding, according to according to a KRQE News report.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham made the announcement alongside several state lawmakers, Universal Hydrogen officials, and Albuquerque city officials. With the announcement, the governor also signed an executive order centered on furthering hydrogen investment in New Mexico.
Universal Hydrogen’s future hub is expected to sit on 50-acres of airport property near the intersection of Gibson and Girard. Known as the “Aviation Center of Excellence,” the property on the northeast corner of the Sunport is a former, now decommissioned runway site that’s sat vacant for nearly a decade.
State Licensing Board Meeting
The New Mexico Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers & Surveyors will hold a special full board meeting on Friday, March 18 (9 a.m.). The public can access the meeting via Zoom (Meeting ID: 832 5272 8182 Passcode: 440167).
Stay up to date on legislative issues through the NSPE Advocacy Center
Meet the 2022 Federal Engineer of the Year
Robert Zueck, Ph.D., P.E., was named NSPE’s Federal Engineer of the Year during a virtual awards event on February 24 for his discoveries and contributions in the engineering field. The Federal Engineer of the Year Award, sponsored by the Professional Engineers in Government, honors engineers employed by a federal agency that employs at least 50 engineers worldwide.
Zueck works in the US Department of the Navy’s Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Expeditionary Warfare Center at Port Hueneme, California. He is heralded for applying his vibration research to military defense projects for which engineers can now design beyond the speed, agility, and stealth limitations of many military sensors, weapons, and platforms.
“Every success for me has come out of the hard teamwork of many fellow engineers and scientists,” Zueck stated. “I thank them all—particularly those who provided valuable constructive criticism of my rather unique research results.”
In a basic research project conducted several years ago, Zueck discovered how geometrically complex vibrations initiate, grow, and sustain themselves, often limiting higher performance for many combat systems. He used this new vibration knowledge to improve the Expeditionary Warfare Center’s modeling capability for designing, analyzing, and deploying towed sensors, ship moorings, sub-sea arrays, and other slender naval structures.
“This basic science discovery could be very useful for modeling, simulating, and testing in many other fields of engineering and science,” he said.
Mark Your Calendars: 2022 Professional Engineers Conference
The 2022 NSPE Professional Engineers Conference will bring together professional engineers across disciplines from August 1–3, in Philadelphia at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown. Registration for the conference opens in April.
PECON attendees can access specialized content from experts as they discuss issues and trends impacting the profession, develop power skills and life skills not taught in school, and advance their careers by expanding their expertise and preparing for future developments in the industry.
The seventh annual PE Day will coincide with the conference’s culmination on August 3. These two events allow PEs to join their peers in celebration of the profession and advocacy for licensure.
NSPE will continue to monitor health and safety guidelines while we proceed toward hosting this in-person event.
2022 NSPE Student Scholarships Available
Students can apply for the 2022 NSPE Education Foundation scholarships through a new online submission platform. The following scholarships have an April 1 application deadline:
The Maureen L. and Howard N. Blitman, P.E., Scholarship to Promote Diversity in Engineering is awarded annually to a high school senior from an ethnic minority who has been accepted into an ABET-accredited engineering program at a four-year college or university.
The Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship is awarded annually to a female undergraduate entering or continuing their junior year of a four-year ABET-accredited engineering program.
The Steinman Scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduates entering or continuing their junior year in a four-year ABET-accredited engineering program.
The George B. Hightower, P.E. Fellowship is awarded annually to a current engineering undergraduate or graduate student who is enrolled in, or graduated from, an ABET-accredited engineering program.
Coming soon! The Swadesh and Om P. Popli, P.E., P.L.S. Scholarship will be a multi-year scholarship, providing $5,000 each year for the recipient’s four-year education. Applicants must be a female high school senior from an ethnic minority pursuing a degree in engineering at an ABET-accredited program.