SEAOI upcoming events

2025-2026 SE Exam Refresher Course (September 15, 2025)

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

2025-2026 SE EXAM REFRESHER COURSE

Live Instruction (via Zoom): September 15, 2025 - March 30, 2026
Mondays and Thursdays, 6:00 PM – 7:45 PM Central
View Full Course Schedule 2025 - 2026

Course Highlights

The SEAOI SE Exam Refresher Course is the longest-running, most comprehensive review of structural engineering principles and applications to prepare candidates for the NCEES SE Exam.

100% Online

Live Stream and On-Demand - Flexible learning options to fit your schedule

Highly experienced instructors with backgrounds in practice and academia

48 Sessions Covering 7 Content Areas - Steel | Concrete | Bridge | Masonry | Wood | Design Loads (Seismic/Wind/Snow) | Geotechnical

Over 80 Hours of Instruction Time

20 Dedicated Instructor Office Hours - Personalized support to address your questions

Lateral only sessions available - See schedule for details

Content Available for Two Years - Includes all recorded sessions and course materials

Additional Tips & Tricks Session - Including computer-based testing (CBT) insights Check out the one for 2025 here!

Licensed engineers can also register for one or more content areas and receive continuing education credits for each hour of class.

More about the SE Exam Refresher Course

We Hear You!

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback regarding their experience talking the new NCEES computer-based test (CBT) – we’re continuing to monitor the situation and provide feedback to NCEES and the Illinois SE Board. In light of the recent changes to the SE Exam and the user experience, we understand that providing support to those taking the exam is more vital than ever before. We have made the following changes to our SE Exam Refresher Course, effective immediately:

Registrants will have access to all course materials (recorded and live) for two years from date of purchase.
Registrants who do not pass the full SE Exam will be able to re-enroll for the SE Exam Refresher Course at no cost within one month of receiving notification from NCEES.

Please contact Staff@SEAOI.org with any questions, or if you would like instructions on how to re-enroll for the course.

NCEES PE STRUCTURAL EXAM WEBINAR - 10/22/25

NCEES PE Structural exam presentation (PDF)

Sample Session Videos

Check out these samples of the course experience!

Course Registration

	Members	Non-Members
Full Course	$1680	$1880
Lateral Only Sessions*	$840	$940

*For all sections. Not available for individual section purchase

Current members of other SEAs receive SEAOI Member pricing - use the SEA Registration option.

Corporate Rate: Contact staff@SEAOI.org for pricing if two or more employees will take the course.

INDIVIDUAL SECTION REGISTRATION

Each subject area of the Refresher Course is available as a stand-alone purchase; pricing for each section is based on the number of sessions:

	Member	Non-Member
Steel - 8 sessions	$360	$560
Concrete - 8 sessions	$360	$560
Bridge - 7 sessions	$315	$490
Masonry - 5 sessions	$225	$350
Wood - 6 sessions	$270	$420
Design Loads - 11 sessions	$495	$770
Geotechnical - 3 sessions	$135	$228

Contact SEAOI if you are interested in registering for one or more content areas only.

CE CREDIT

CE credit is calculated based on the time the course meets. Each class session is scheduled to offer 1.75 hours of content and certificates will be issued at the completion of each section.

Testimonials

"Just wanted to give you all a quick update that I passed the SE this October!!!! I appreciate all of your efforts in delivering a wonderful resource, and I... consider SEAoI to be a huge part of my success!"

"I'm very happy with the course. Not only did I learn a lot, it also helped me build discipline in studying and staying on track."

"This course was extremely valuable to my preparation. The instructors were very knowledgeable and always willing to help answer questions."

"All the instructors were very knowledgeable, had excellent presentation slides, and gave excellent detailed examples to really illustrate how to understand and to do calculations."

SEAOI YMG Speed Mentoring (May 13, 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Join SEAOI YMG Speed mentoring, this event is for young professionals that are interested to learn from senior professionals about what their career journey is. Young Professionals will have time to ask questions to mentors. Mentors who volunteer will speak about their experience and help younger engineers understand what they need to focus on to have a successful career path.

Schedule

5-5:30pm Networking Hour

6-6:30pm Introductions

6:30-7:30pm Roundtable Speed Mentoring

60 minutes- (Each Mentor will have 3 young professionals to speak with for 10 minutes)

Location

EXP Chicago Office
205 N Michigan Ave,
Chicago, IL 60601

Registration

Limited Space Available! Please sign up by April 15th.

This event is FREE for everyone!

IDOT Shop Drawing and Fabrication FAQs (May 21, 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Shop Drawing and Fabrication FAQs

What to expect when doing shop drawing reviews. Including NCR, RFIs, codes, guidelines and typical resolutions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

What is expected from the EOR when checking shop drawings.
Typical NCR/RFIs and how to address them.
Why keeping accurate records of shop drawings are important.

1hr of CE credit

Registration

This is a virtual event on Zoom. All registrants MUST have a free Zoom account to access the webinar and must register with Zoom to receive the link.

Members - $60
SEA Members - $60
Nonmembers - $85

Event registration closes 30 minutes before the webinar starts.

About the Speaker

T. Wayne Halstead
BBS Shop Plans and Steel Fabrication Unit Chief - IDOT BBS

T. Wayne Halstead; Fabrication Unit Chief in the BBS IDOT. I've been with IDOT for over 29 years total experience. Working primarily with structures, including design, planning, construction, Resident Engineer, bridge inspection and Fabrications.

Innovations Series - Particle Packing Factor (PPF): A Quantitative Parameter for Designing Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) (May 27, 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Innovations series

Particle Packing Factor (PPF): A Quantitative Parameter for Designing Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

Ultra‑High Performance Concrete (UHPC) delivers exceptional strength and durability, but widely used UHPC systems are often proprietary and prone to high autogenous/drying shrinkage due to very low water‑to‑binder ratios and high binder contents. This webinar introduces a practical, nonproprietary mixture design framework based on particle packing morphology. Using a multi‑binder system (cement + silica fume + ultra‑fine fly ash + slag) and multiple sand gradations, we define a Particle Packing Factor (PPF) derived from composite particle size distributions and packing curve fitting. We show how PPF links to workability (flow normalized by HRWR demand), strength development (3–28 days), open porosity, and drying shrinkage, enabling rational selection of constituent combinations that meet performance targets (e.g., IDOT shrinkage limits) while reducing costs through cement reduction.

Learning Objectives

Define UHPC key performance attributes and explain why multi‑binder, non-proprietary UHPC designs require a packing‑based design metric.
Compute and interpret a Particle Packing Factor (PPF) from constituent particle size distributions and relate PF to flow/HRWR, strength, and open porosity trends.
Apply PPF‑based insights to select binder and aggregate gradations that reduce drying shrinkage while maintaining target mechanical performance for Illinois use cases.

1 hr CE credit

Registration

This is a virtual event on Zoom. All registrants MUST have a free Zoom account to access the webinar and must register with Zoom to receive the link.

Members - Free!
SEA Members - Free!
Nonmembers - $40

Event registration closes 30 minutes before the webinar starts.

About the Speaker

Nishant Garg
Associate Professor - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Nishant Garg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Illinois in 2018, he completed his postdoctoral research at Princeton University from 2016 to 2018 and earned his Ph.D. in Nanoscience from Aarhus University, Denmark, in 2015.

At Illinois, his research group focuses on the chemistry of construction materials using advanced characterization techniques. He has pioneered novel methods that accelerate and automate testing of cement-based materials, reducing test durations from several days to a few minutes.

His research efforts have been recognized by numerous awards, including the 2021 ‘Stephen Brunauer Award’ and 2025 ‘Early Career Award’ from the American Ceramic Society, and the 2025 ‘Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research’ at Illinois.

SEAOI Awards Celebration 2026 (June 04, 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Awards Celebration 2026

June 4th, 2026 5:00pm - 8:00pm
New Location: Goose Island - Barrel House

This Is the Night We’ve Been Building Toward.

Excellence doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in late nights, bold calculations, and the quiet confidence of knowing your work will stand — literally — for generations. It happens in welcome centers and honor towers, in parking structures and viaducts, in agricultural complexes and casino resorts, in college campuses and community colleges, in the places where people learn, work, heal, and gather.

On Thursday, June 4, 2026, we raise a glass to all of it.

Join us at Goose Island Barrel House for the SEAOI Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Celebration — the most anticipated evening on the structural engineering calendar. We’re honoring the minds behind the most extraordinary work in our field, and we want you in the room when it happens.

THE HAPPIEST OF ALL HOURS

Great structures. Greater company. The best drinks in Chicago.

This year’s finalists span the full spectrum of what structural engineering can be — seventeen extraordinary projects, each one a testament to ingenuity, perseverance, and craft. Every single one deserves to be in this room. And behind each of those projects is an engineer who refused to settle for ordinary. Seventeen of them. Seventeen stories worth celebrating.

Reconnect with the colleagues who get it — the ones who know that great structural engineering isn’t just about what stands, but about what it makes possible for the people inside it, on it, and around it.

DRESS THE PART

Casual cocktail attire — because you’ve earned the right to look as good as your work.

WHO BELONGS HERE?

EISE Finalists. SEAOI Members. The people who designed the bridge our guests drove across, the parking structure they left their car in, and the building where the party is happening. The ones just starting out and the ones who’ve spent decades shaping the built world. Friends. Family. Anyone who believes that structural engineering — in all its forms — is, at its core, an art form.

If that sounds like you — this night is for you.

We’ll see you there.

Location

Goose Island - Barrel House

603 N. Sacramento Blvd Chicago, IL 60612

Complimentary valet parking available!

Catering

Catering provided by Relish Catering Kitchen

Lemon Parsley Chicken
House-Smoked Beef Brisket - served with BBQ Sauce
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Sauteed Zucchini, Squash, and Cherry Tomatoes
Pesto Bow Tie Pasta
Parmesan-Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Tossed Garden Salad
Tomato Caprese Salad
"Goldin" Chocolate Chip Cookies
House-made Fudge Brownies
Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes
Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Registration

Members - $100

Nonmembers - $150

Table for 10 - $1000

Honor Excellence. Bring Your Team. - $1,000 - 5 available

The SEAOI Awards Celebration is the premier evening for Illinois' structural engineering community — a night dedicated to recognizing the outstanding projects, innovations, and professionals shaping our built environment.

Tables of 10 are now available for firms who want to join us for this important annual tradition. Whether you have colleagues being honored or simply want to celebrate the profession alongside your peers, there's no better way to bring your team together.

Partnership Opportunities

Your sponsorship of the Awards Celebration will give your company exposure to SEAOI members and friends, show your support for the individuals, projects, and companies being celebrated, and sustain the operation of SEAOI to continue serving as the voice of structural engineers in Illinois.

All sponsors receive recognition on the SEAOI website and in event marketing materials. In addition, sponsors receive additional benefits based on the level selected.

Partnership Registration can be found here

Skyline Partner (Formerly Brewery Sponsor): $5,000 - 1 available

24” x 36“ Sponsor recognition Entrance Poster
8.5” x 11” Sponsor recognition Bar Signage
branded cocktail napkins
Two minutes at podium
one Tuesday Update ad
One dedicated email blast
Four registrations to event

Load Path Partner (Formerly Food Sponsor): $3,500 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” Food station recognition signage
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Connection Partner (Formerly Brewery Tour): $2,500 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” Sponsor recognition signage
one Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Keystone Partner (Dessert Sponsor): $2,000 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” Sponsor recognition signage at dessert table
branded toothpicks
one Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Contract Documents Partner (Formerly Program Sponsor): SOLD OUT!

dedicated back page of program
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Gathering Table Partner(Formerly Centerpiece Sponsor): $1,500 - 1 available

branded centerpieces on each guest table
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Structural System Partner (Formerly Photography Sponsor): SOLD OUT!

24 x 32“ recognition poster
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Design Build Partner (Formerly A/V Sponsor): $1,200 - 1 available

24 x 32“ recognition poster
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Superstructure Partner (Formerly Gold): $1,000

three registrations to event

Substructure Partner (Formerly Silver): $700

two registrations to event

Foundation Partner (Formerly Bronze): $500

one registration to event

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS!

Contract Documents Partner

Structural System Partner

EISE Awards Celebration 2026 - Partners (June 04, 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

EISE Awards Celebration - PARTNERship Opportunities

Your sponsorship of the Awards Celebration will give your company exposure to SEAOI members and friends, show your support for the individuals, projects, and companies being celebrated, and sustain the operation of SEAOI to continue serving as the voice of structural engineers in Illinois.

All sponsors receive recognition on the SEAOI website and in event marketing materials. In addition, sponsors receive additional benefits based on the level selected.

Skyline Partner (Formerly Brewery Sponsor): $5,000 - 1 available

24” x 36“ recognition Entrance Poster
8.5” x 11” recognition Bar Signage
branded cocktail napkins
Two minutes at podium
one Tuesday Update ad
One dedicated email blast
Four registrations to event

Load Path Partner (Formerly Food Sponsor): $3,500 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” Food station recognition signage
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Connection Partner (Formerly Brewery Tour): $2,500 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” recognition signage
one Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Keystone Partner (Dessert Sponsor): $2,000 - 1 available

8.5” x 11” recognition signage at dessert table
branded toothpicks
one Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Contract Documents Partner (Formerly Program Sponsor): SOLD OUT

dedicated back page of program
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Gathering Table Partner (Formerly Centerpiece Sponsor): $1,500 - 1 available

branded centerpieces on each guest table
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Structural System Partner (Formerly Photography Sponsor): SOLD OUT

24 x 32“ recognition poster
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Design Build Partner (Formerly A/V Sponsor): $1,200 - 1 available

24 x 32“ recognition poster
one June Tuesday Update ad
two registrations to event

Superstructure Partner (Formerly Gold): $1,000

three registrations to event

Substructure Partner (Formerly Silver): $700

two registrations to event

Foundation Partner (Formerly Bronze): $500

one registration to event

USCG Bridge Program (June 23, 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

USCG Bridge Program

New Date!

June 23rd, 2026

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) will provide an overview of the Coast Guard Bridge program covering the mission to ensure safe vessel passage under/through bridges over navigable U.S. waters, regulatory authority, and the four core functional areas: permitting regulation, monitoring, and construction.

Note that this presentation will not be recorded.

Specific Topics Include:

USCG Bridge Program 101
Navigation Impact Report/ Preliminary Navigation Clearance Determination
USACE Sections 404 and 408
USCG Permit Application Walkthrough
USCG Plan Sheets
Project timeline development
Post Permit coordination/completion reports/lighting

Learning Objectives

Understand the mission, scope, and regulatory authority of the Office of Bridge Program.
Describe the key steps and requirements involved in applying for a bridge permit.
Recognize how navigation impacts, clearance determinations, and other vessel related concerns influence bridge design and permit approval.
Outline the typical project timeline and stakeholder coordination (including other federal agencies, environmental reviews, and public notices) for a bridge project under USCG jurisdiction.
Identify situations when exemptions might apply (or when liaison with other agencies, such as highway authorities, is required) under the regulatory process.

CE Credit: 5.5 hours

Registration

This event is IN PERSON only.

Location

Follow The Directions For Student Center East:

Student Center East
750 South Halsted Street
Chicago‚ Illinois 60607

Registration

Government Employee - $200.00

Member- $325
Nonmember- $425

Receive $50 off both Member and Nonmember ticket prices if you buy in a group of 5 people or more. Email staff@seaoi.org to arrange.

About the Speakers

Crystal Tucker, CIV USCG COMDT
Bridge Management Specialist, USCG

Crystal Tucker is a seasoned professional with over two decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Coast Guard, from which she retired in September 2020. Following her distinguished military career, she transitioned to the federal service, joining the Coast Guard Bridge Program.

Initially, Crystal served as a Bridge Management Specialist for the Coast Guard East District in Portsmouth, VA. In this role, she honed her skills in regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement, working extensively with state, local, and federal agencies on matters of bridge regulation, inspection, maintenance, and permitting.

In 2023, she transferred to Coast Guard Headquarters, where she continues to apply her project management expertise to update and provide guidance on the bridge program, as well as to review district permit packages. Currently, she is filling in for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) liaison, a position that relies heavily on her skills in interagency coordination to ensure seamless communications and processes for infrastructure projects involving bridges over navigable U.S. waters.