Utility, Engineering + Surveying - Winter 2019 - 10

2018 Pipelines Conference an

International, Industry Success

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The UESI Pipeline Division's premier, annual event for the pipelines
engineering, utilities and surveying industries, took place July 1518, 2018, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Canada.
"Focusing on the theme of Revitalizing Global Underground
Utility Infrastructure, the 2018 Pipelines Conference continued to
provide a great forum where pipeline practitioners can gather to
exchange ideas and get revitalized," said Tennyson Muindi, P.E.,
M.ASCE, conference co-chair and current chair of the Pipeline
Division Executive Committee.
In its 38th year, the conference was also rejuvenated by its
location being outside the United States for the first time. Attendance was strong, at a total of 939 - almost exceeding the all-time
attendance record in 2015. The diverse 2018 group included 297
attendees from Canada, 519 from the U.S. and 123 from other
countries.
In keeping with the theme, the technical program covered all
aspects of utility engineering, divided among eight tracks, including construction and rehabilitation, condition assessment, planning
and design, utility engineering surveying, and multidiscipline
topics. Nearly 90 paper-based and panel sessions were presented
over two-and-a-half days.
In addition, four pre-conference workshops were conducted on
Saturday and Sunday:
* Large-Diameter Pipeline Forum
* Right-of-Way Considerations in Pipeline Routing
* Upcoming MOP on Seismic Design of Buried Water & Wastewater Pipelines
* Save Construction Time and Money with Subsurface Utility
Engineering
"These sessions gave participants an opportunity to study technical topics and new publications in greater depth," said William
Fernandes, M.ASCE, conference co-chair, from Toronto Water.
Complementing the technical program, 91exhibitors brought
products and services that attendees were eager to see and learn
about. "Traffic in the sold-out exhibit hall was high, enhanced by

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dedicated breaks when no other conference programming was
scheduled," said Muindi.
Another first at the 2018 Pipelines Conference was Tuesday's
"Women in Engineering Forum."
Attracting both women and men, from students to seasoned veterans, the session featured a guided discussion on a wide array of
topics tailored for women professionals in the water and wastewater
industry. Esteemed panelists were:
* Anna Pridmore, P.E., Ph.D., M.ASCE, Pipelines Division Executive Committee member
* Robin Kemper, P.E., LEED AP, F.SEI, F.ASCE, ASCE President-elect
* Therese Kline, P.E., M.ASCE, ASCE Region 3 Governor
* Marlee Frazen, DC Water
* Bethany McDonald, M.ASCE, Black & Veatch
* Stephanie Darr, First Energy

General sessions
Distinguished speakers at various general sessions also shared their
expertise, experience and insight with conference attendees.
Monday's welcome and keynote presentation came from Jaye
Robinson, Toronto City Councilor for Ward 25-Don Valley West,
and chair of the city council's Public Works and Infrastructure
Committee, which oversees a $2 billion portfolio of transportation
services, Toronto Water, solid waste management and engineering
and construction services. Robin Kemper, ASCE President-elect,
also spoke to the group about the ASCE Infrastructure Report
Card.
Michael Cook, Canadian researcher, underground photographer,
landscape architect and heritage consultant, was the keynote speaker preceding the technical sessions on Monday. In 2015, Canadian Geographic magazine named him as one of Canada's greatest
modern explorers for his photography that turned Toronto's sewers
into art, revealing the unseen infrastructure and heightening public
attention and understanding. In his comments, he shared stories
Utility, Engineering + Surveying - Winter 2019

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