By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • 0 Comments

Engineering Strategies for Natural Disasters

Natural disasters, including extreme weather events, pose significant threats to property, infrastructure, and human lives. While it may not be possible to prevent these catastrophes entirely, careful planning and proactive measures can help mitigate their impact. In today's world, where natural disasters are becoming more frequent, it is crucial to have effective strategies in place to ensure preparedness and prevention.

Engineering strategies for natural disasters can be broadly categorized into four major phases: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Prevention is the first line of defense against natural disasters. It involves identifying potential risks and implementing measures to minimize their occurrence or impact. For example, in flood-prone areas, engineers may design and construct flood control systems such as levees, dams, and drainage systems. Similarly, in earthquake-prone regions, buildings can be constructed using seismic-resistant materials and techniques to reduce the risk of collapse.

Preparedness is the next crucial phase in natural disaster management. It involves developing plans and protocols to ensure a swift and coordinated response when a disaster strikes. Engineers play a vital role in this phase by conducting risk assessments, creating emergency response plans, and establishing communication networks. They also work closely with other stakeholders to educate the public about disaster preparedness and organize drills and simulations to test the effectiveness of response strategies.

When a natural disaster occurs, a prompt and efficient response is essential to minimize casualties and property damage. This is where engineering strategies come into play. Engineers work alongside emergency responders to assess the situation, provide technical expertise, and assist in rescue and relief operations. For instance, in the aftermath of a hurricane, engineers may be involved in assessing the structural integrity of buildings, restoring power and water supply, and repairing critical infrastructure.

The final phase of engineering strategies for natural disasters is recovery. Once the immediate threat has passed, engineers play a crucial role in restoring normalcy and rebuilding affected areas. This involves assessing the damage, developing plans for reconstruction, and implementing measures to prevent similar disasters in the future. For example, in areas prone to wildfires, engineers may recommend the use of fire-resistant materials and vegetation management techniques to reduce the risk of future outbreaks.

In conclusion, engineering strategies for natural disasters are essential for minimizing the impact of these events on human lives and infrastructure. By focusing on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, engineers can contribute significantly to the overall resilience of communities and ensure a safer future for all. As natural disasters continue to pose significant challenges, it is imperative that we continue to invest in research, innovation, and collaboration to develop even more effective strategies for mitigating their impact.

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

Blue Eyes Technology

Given the vast usage of digital technologies, it is no secret that we live in the "Information Age", sometimes referred to as the "Digital Age". From consuming hours each day on social media to utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) at work to perform our duties.

As the ongoing evolution of digital technologies continues, some traditional industries have been progressively dying, while others have been able to adopt and thrive with the changes. When new technologies evolve, new dialogues on emerging technologies also give rise to open topics to debate both their advantages and disadvantages. Blue Eyes technology is one of the latest merging technologies that has been causing discussions throughout a vast range of industries due to its perceptual and sensory abilities, like those of human beings. The three main elements that give Blue Eyes Technology human beings ability are a computer, software, and a camera. Blue Eyes Technology’s program has an algorithm design that analyzes the computational pictures the camera takes of the user's eye movements to ascertain the user's intention. This allows Blue Eyes Technology to detect our human emotions, identify us, and even have one-on-one interactions like human beings. Blue Eyes Technology has a wide range of programs that can currently be available to boost productivity in many industries, including biometrics, education, and healthcare, to increase efficiency by minimizing the work of humans while implementing speed, convenience, and accuracy. However, a disadvantage of Blue Eyes Technology is the high cost of the maintenance and repairs, which, if not done correctly, can negatively impact the accuracy of the program. Additionally, if the programs are not maintained regularly, this can also compromise the security of the stored data. Furthermore, statistics indicate that a significant number of workers are apprehensive and think that Blue Eyes Technology would supplant people in the job; however, computers are only as good as their programming allows. Therefore, employers must decide if Blue Eyes Technology will be cost-efficient and beneficial for their specific industries.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

What is a Cybersecurity Engineer?

The Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) defines cybersecurity as the practice of guaranteeing information's confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as the art of preventing illegal access to networks, devices, and data. Cybersecurity, expressed simply, is the safeguarding of computer networks and data systems.

Cybersecurity engineers, sometimes also called information security engineers, are responsible for preventing interruptions, cyberattacks, and breaches. Cybersecurity engineers are typically engaged by businesses dealing with huge volumes of sensitive data; a variety of industries demand their skill set. The need for cybersecurity has grown since the world of today depends more and more on cloud software and is driven by data. Considering they are the ones in charge of creating and executing well-thought-out security protocols and solutions, cybersecurity engineers hold a significant position in the engineering industry. But in order to be eligible to work as an entry-level cybersecurity engineer, you need to have some required skills. A wide range of testing tool expertise and a good critical thinking ability are prerequisites for cybersecurity engineers since they must foresee any risks and data breaches and determine the best course of action to address them. Furthermore, cybersecurity engineers must have technical and soft skills in addition to a degree in a computer-related subject.

If interested, to learn more about cybersecurity career, please visit: https://www.cisa.gov/careers.

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Kew Gardens Interchange Design-Build Project Wins 2023 ENR Best Project Highway / Bridge Award

KC is happy to announce that the $365.7M Kew Gardens Interchange Infrastructure and Operational Improvement at Grand Central Parkway design-build project, for which we served as major design subconsultant and Quality Manager on the Halmar International LLC team, was awarded the 2023 ENR Award for Best Project Highway / Bridge. KC was recognized for our efforts as civil engineer on this pursuit, where we provided structural design of three new bridges, retaining walls, overhead sign and ITS structures, and a shared-use path; utility design of water mains, combined sewers, and electrical systems; NYCDEP water regulator replacement and blow-off valve relocation design; Con Edison utility relocation design; development of the existing sewer condition report; temporary and permanent drainage, stormwater, and lighting design; landscape architecture design; and environmental permitting.

We worked closely with the lead contractor and designer to deliver long-term, cost-efficient infrastructure solutions that addressed operational deficiencies within the project limits. Our success is largely due to the contributions of our dedicated staff, who put in hours' worth of hard work to deliver our services to the highest degree of quality.

To learn more about this remarkable achievement and view the project award on ENR’s website, please click on the following link: https://www.enr.com/articles/57558-best-project-highway-bridge-kew-gardens-interchange-infrastructure-and-operational-improvements-at-grand-central-parkway

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

Women in Engineering Programs

With a higher percentage of degree holders than males, women have surpassed men in obtaining the top rank for more than 20 years. However, research revealed that women continue to be underrepresented in engineering degrees, even in today's culture. According to Census.gov, "despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, women are still vastly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce. Women made gains – from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 – but men still dominated the field. Men made up 52% of all U.S. workers but 73% of all STEM workers.” Unfortunately, persistent gender stereotypes can discourage women from pursuing engineering professions. Most women who avoid going down the engineering career path do so because they think it will be difficult for them to have a flexible schedule and because they think they will always work extremely long hours weekly. These misconceptions may discourage women from pursuing engineering if they envision starting a family in the near future. However, the truth is that a lot of women who work in the engineering field manage to reconcile their personal and professional lives. There should be more women in the engineering field, no doubt. And in order to continue to grow the percentage of women in the engineering field, we first must eliminate the stereotype that women won’t succeed in engineering. In addition, it is important to shift the gender balance in the workplace, where women need to be given more opportunity to provide their distinctive views, concepts, and expertise.  A diversified workforce, regardless of gender or ethnicity, stimulates the development of fresh ideas since each person has a distinct style of thinking. Therefore, it is important to continue encouraging and finding different ways to diversify the workforce for a better future.