Article Contributed on: 3/11/2009 12:00:02 PM
The
American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC/CO) announced that Highlands Ranch resident
Stephanie Sangaline, P.E., CPESC, of Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig and
Minal Parekh, P.E., of Lyman Henn, Inc. have been named
ACEC/CO 2009 Outstanding Women in Engineering. Sangaline and Parekh and were among seven engineers who were nominated by members of the Council. The prestigious award recognizes women who demonstrate exceptional technical, educational, community involvement and leadership competence in the engineering industry.
Sangaline is a senior project engineer with Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig. A graduate of
Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Civil Engineering, Sangaline has tapped into new markets and identified how changes in the engineering field can address her clients' needs. She was among the first engineers in Colorado to recognize how engineering could resolve problems with train horn disruption to communities. Her work led to the development Railroad Quiet Zones in Colorado. She worked with municipalities to negotiate the process of obtaining Quiet Zones in their communities, obtained the first three Quiet Zones in the state, and now works for multiple agencies for this purpose. Sangaline's Commerce City BNSF South Quiet Zone Project received a Merit Award in the 2009 Engineering Excellence Awards competition. Sangaline is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control and is involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of State Floodplain Managers and the International Erosion Control Association.
Parekh is on Lyman Henn's executive committee and serves as an integral part of the leadership team responsible for strategic planning, marketing, operations, internal training, and personnel issues. She also directs I.T. implementation for the firm and is an expert in providing a full range of geological and geotechnical consulting services, geological interpretation and analysis, evaluation of design alternatives, and preparation of contract documents and specifications.
Parekh has been project manager for many high profile projects including the RTD West Corridor Light Rail Project in the Denver area, where she led the geotechnical team to meet the challenging conditions and dynamic design process for the complicated urban corridor, and worked to provide evaluations for tunneled alternatives for the light rail to cross under an interstate highway and a complicated intersection. She is active in industry-related organizations and committees, is a published professional and is an active parent volunteer at a science- and technology-focused charter school in northern Colorado.
ACEC/CO supports programs and industry organizations that mentor and acknowledge women in the design and construction industry. "It is important that we, as an organization and as an industry, continue to support and evolve women within our industry and attract women who have the aptitude and passion for engineering the world around us, now and in the future," said
Marilen Reimer, executive director of ACEC/CO.
"Today women enrolled in U.S. colleges of engineering represent nearly 18 percent of total enrollments. We continue to promote the dynamic career opportunities for women who choose a career in engineering," she continued.
"We are also creating partnerships with some of the state's greatest attractions, such as Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science and Denver Botanic Gardens to create ways to showcase the important contributions engineers are making to these great public places. As the business organization for the engineering industry, ACEC/CO is dedicated to feeding the pool of talent that makes up our consulting engineering industry. We do that by touching and inspiring children and young adults to enter the consulting engineering field as a career and by associating with private and public sector organizations to maintain top-of-mind awareness of the tremendous opportunities that await our future problem solvers," Reimer added.
Lauren Evans, president of ACEC/CO, knows first hand that the engineering field holds a depth and breadth of opportunity that is rarely paralleled in most other industries. "It is exciting to have the opportunity to honor two women who have done such great things in an industry with historically few women. Minal and Stephanie are great role models for young women who are interested in a career in engineering," Evans said.
Also nominated for the 2009 award were
Kirsten Cremona, P.E., LEED AP, The RMH Group;
Nancy White, PE, LEED AP;
Jessica Lorentz, EMC Engineers.
AnnBowers, P.E., PTOE, Drexel, Barrell & Co.; and
Valerie Walker, Merrick & Co.
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC/CO) is the business association of 250 member firms employing more than 12,000 employees in the independent private practice of consulting engineering. ACEC/CO is a primary resource for accessing engineering information, expertise and business ethics practices. The Council provides leadership and direction by developing practical, feasible options and solutions based upon technical collaboration to achieve enduring outcomes to benefit society.