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.

 

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

What is the Role of GIS in Civil Engineering?

Did you know that the geographic information system (GIS) started as a concept in the 1960s?

GIS may have begun as a concept, but thanks to its incredible scientific development, it has evolved into a modern invention. A GIS is a computer program with multiple pieces of software that collect, stores, verify, and present information about locations on the exterior of the Earth. This multi-purpose tool can gather a lot of material data as well as dated information about an area and visualize it to later be used to successfully complete civil engineering projects. This tool gives engineers the advantage of collecting and analyzing geographic data that can later be presented as 3D models. Another advantage of GIS is the ability to identify possible obstacles and opportunities between various sites. What sets GIS apart from any other computer program is its ability to link spatial data with geographic data concerning any element on the map.

GIS tools and software play an extremely important role in civil engineering, especially when considering geographical projects. The most used GIS tools and software in civil engineering consist of AutoCAD Map 3D, which has all of the common CAD capabilities that are available; ArcGIS, which offers a geo-based analytical feature for data; and Blue Marble Geographic, which provides an extensive variety of layout options for data to be imported and exported. Because of its creative solutions, GIS software is being used in the civil engineering industry at a rate that is growing quickly. With the constant changes in our infrastructure generated by the environmental crisis and economic and social factors, GIS enables engineers to identify the best areas for potential future expansion.

Given the variety of tools and software that GIS provides to help engineers effectively and successfully manage any project, it is safe to predict that GIS will continue to play a big part in the civil engineering industry.

 

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

What Is Total Station Used For?

Total Station technology was first introduced in the 1900s; however, the first official Total Station tool was created in 1968 by a German company called Carl Zeiss Inc., and during that time, Zeiss called this tool the “electronic tacheometer.” It wasn't until Hewlett-Packard launched a tool that provided similar results, but with the name "Total Station," over thirty years after the electronic tacheometer was created that it adopted its current name.

Total Station is an electronic distance measuring device (EDM) that is utilized by land surveyors and civil engineers while performing site surveys and construction work. The Total Station combines the ability to measure vertical and horizontal angles with electronic distances by combining a telescope, computer, and reflector. Total stations are tools that can be placed on the ground and use various sensors to calculate kilometers, angles, sectors, and altitudes, and find items. This is a great tool to use when needing to get the most accurate measurements on a project. After all the data is collected, it can be imported onto computers or laptops for the additional information to be processed.

Total Station has advantages and disadvantages, just like any other tool. The Total Station's measurement accuracy is an advantage, but the cost of the tool increases with increasing measurement accuracy in addition to its features, which can be a disadvantage for many companies. Therefore, buying a Total Station requires a significant investment of funds, so it is important to evaluate which model is best for the kind of work that your company does. Prism total stations, robotic total stations, autolock total stations, and total mechanical stationary are some of the different types of Total Stations. Furthermore, if funds are an issue, there are other tools that can offer an excellent alternative at a small fraction of the cost for projects that do not require precise measurement.