10Th Annual YOUNG ENGINEER’S SYMPOSIUM

The Young Engineers Committee (YEC) of SEAOI is pleased to announce its Tenth Annual Young Engineers Symposium both live in-person and virtually! On January 27th, 2026, all young engineers are invited to attend or present at a symposium geared towards showcasing their work and experiences. This event will be composed of five brief presentations on a variety of topics.

5:00pm – Start of networking hour

6:00pm – Start of presentations

Program

Expect the Unexpected: Lessons Learned from Navigating Unforeseen Conditions during a Structural Masonry Repair Design Project Gloria A. Fite - Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc.

Load Rating, Retrofit, and 3D Finite Element Analysis of a Historically Significant Steel Tied-Arch Bridge Brian Borman - Parsons Corporation

From Concept to Construction: Overcoming Structural Obstacles at the 1901 Project   Marie Bond - Magnusson Klemencic Associates

A Guide to Healthcare Design: Structural Solutions for UChicago Medicine's Cancer Pavilion Mayren Mata - Thornton Tomasetti

Three Hour Fire Performance of Glulam Members and Concealed Connectors Jon Guttello - Forefront Structural Engineers

Learning Objectives

Expect the Unexpected: Lessons Learned from Navigating Unforeseen Conditions during a Structural Masonry Repair Design Project

• Discuss considerations for planning an investigation at the start of a repair design project, including equipment needs and the selection of locations for investigative openings.
• Compare and contrast the efforts of repair design immediately following the investigation phase, as opposed to re-design during the construction phase. Outline minimum building code requirements and construction tolerances for structural masonry columns in TMS 402/602 as they apply to this case study.
• Explore the nuances of communicating potential risks to a client, including the possible effects of unforeseen conditions on budget and schedule, and discuss risk-mitigating steps that can be taken during the design phase.

Load Rating, Retrofit, and 3D Finite Element Analysis of a Historically Significant Steel Tied-Arch Bridge

• The load rating and retrofit design of a historically significant tied-arch bridge.
• The 3D finite element modeling approach for the complex tied-arch bridge structure.
• How secondary bracing members can influence global force distribution and load-rating outcomes.

From Concept to Construction: Overcoming Structural Obstacles at the 1901 Project

• Thinking about constructability throughout each phase of design is critical.
• Unexpected challenges can and will arise in every design.
• Early coordination between the engineer, architect, and contractor is hugely beneficial.

A Guide to Healthcare Design: Structural Solutions for UChicago Medicine's Cancer Pavilion

• Understand key criteria for healthcare structures, including flexibility, connectivity, heavy loading, and vibration performance.
• Learn about intricacies of medical equipment and their structural implications.
• Recognize the importance of early and continuous coordination among structural, architecture, MEP, and contractor.

Three Hour Fire Performance of Glulam Members and Concealed Connectors

• Understand how to design glulam members for fire
• Understanding the intricacies of the fire testing
• Identify the difference between theoretical fire design calculations and real world behavior

2 hours of CE credit

Event Details

Location

Civic Opera Building

20 N Wacker Dr

15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606

Registration
In Person:
Members - $30
Non-members - $40

Livestreaming:
Members - $20
Non-members - $30

Sponsors (limit of 4):

Sponsors help offset the cost of hosting the Symposium. In return, they will receive:

• Two-minute presentation at beginning of event
• Sponsor logo inclusion in the printed program and marketing efforts (YEC Newsletters, Tuesday Update, SEAOI website, etc)
• Two complimentary event registrations

If using the Livestreaming option, you must have a free Zoom account to access the event.

Additional Questions

All questions regarding this event should be directed to the YEC at yec@seaoi.org

About the Speakers

Gloria A. Fite, PE
Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc.

Gloria Fite is a member of the structural engineering staff at Raths, Raths & Johnson at their Willowbrook, Illinois office. Registered as a PE in Wisconsin, she is engaged in field investigation, condition assessment, and structural analyses of existing structures. Gloria is involved in the young professional arm of the Landmarks Illinois preservation advocacy organization, and in the Women in Structural Engineering committee of SEAOI. Gloria holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Civil - Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During her graduate studies, Gloria served as a teaching assistant for structural concrete and pre-stressed concrete courses under Professor Emeritus German Gurfinkel.

Brian Borman, PE
Parsons Corporation

Brian is a structural engineer at Parsons-Chicago with 4.5 years of experience in bridge design. He received his Bachelors in Civil Engineering from the University of Dayton and his Masters in Structural Mechanics and Design from MIT. He has a strong passion for all things structural engineering, bridges, analysis, and parametric/3D design.

Marie Bond
Magnusson Klemencic Associates

Marie Bond is a structural design engineer at Magnusson Klemencic Associates. Currently working in the Residential and Hospitality market sector, she has contributed to the design of numerous buildings including a high-rise apartment building, a mid-rise hotel, a life science building, and an airport concourse. Her most recent project is a building featured in the 1901 Project, a multi-phase development in the neighborhood around Chicago's United Center. Outside of MKA, Marie also actively serves on the SEAOI Young Engineers Committee.

Mayren Mata, PE, SE
Thornton Tomasetti

Mayren Mata has eleven years of industry experience as a structural engineer. She works at Thornton Tomasetti's Chicago office and holds her S.E. license in the state of Illinois and P.E. license in the state of Michigan. Mayren plays an active role in the coordination, management, and design of various structure types. Her portfolio includes projects in a variety of market sectors, including residential, cultural, higher education, and healthcare. She has experience designing medical research laboratories and hospitals on tight urban sites.

Jon Guttello
Forefront Structural Engineers

Jon has a dual degree in civil engineering and architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently a project engineer and EIT at Forefront Structural Engineers. He is working on computational design with mass timber and post tensioned concrete. He also worked as a research assistant to create multiple virtual reality programs that would allow architecture and civil engineering students to visualize structural analysis in buildings.