MO Public Outreach Challenge
2020 Winners 
Press Release
Public Outreach, SEAW (Washington)
SEAW's entry highlighted their lecture series, which presents structural engineering topics to a wider audience. This year, they rose to the challenges presented by COVID and expanded their reach to multiple continents via a well-designed virtual forum. Their execution of collaborating with cooperating organizations (from universities engineering and architecture departments to other SEAs and materials organizations), getting published in various news outlets, and self-advertising on a widely followed social media platforms was impressive, and demonstrated the ability of structural engineers to capture the interest and attention of the masses, even when faced with incredible constraints and limitations. Read Full Submission
Students & Educators, SEAKM (Kansas-Missouri)
At the beginning of 2020, SEAKM received a grant from NCSEA to help a local elementary school with supplies for a weekly student STEM learning activity period, and chose to provide Mola magnetic structural model kits. This idea blossomed from helping one school to an entire school district, and SEAKM's program inspired a larger collective effort of NCSEA to partner with Mola Models, developing lesson plans, activities, and exercises for structural engineers to partner with schools across the country. Read Full Submission
Political Advocacy, SEAW (Washington)
SEAW presented a comprehensive look at their integration with legislative boards dealing with building codes, licensure, and disaster response. Through their involvement in multiple committees and councils, SEAW is a great example of how structural engineers can be recognized as resources for governing agencies. Read Full Submission
Other Outreach, SEAOC (California)
SEAOC's submission demonstrated a clear response to NCSEA's "Call for Action", published earlier this year. The have a flourishing and active committee (SE3) dedicated to supporting DEI initiatives through successful mentorship programs, roundtable discussions, events, forums and presentations. They have promoted and created opportunities with ally organizations to empower local leaders and community members with an understanding of how structural engineers support their community. And they offered substantial documentation of efforts of their funding commitment to scholarships for a diverse group of students, as well as sponsorship and publication of scientific studies, papers, and other reports of special importance and significance to structural engineers. Read Full Submission
NCSEA’s External Communications Committee expanded last year’s MO Public Outreach Challenge to allow members, delegates and SEA leadership to submit their Member Organization’s most effective program for achieving NCSEA’s goal that
practicing structural engineers are recognized by clients, media, policymakers, educators, students, and the public for the value of their contributions to society.
SEAs were eligible to submit one entry for each of the following categories:
- Public Outreach
- Creating or expanding your electronic engagement (website, social media, e-newsletters)
- Assisting with publication of structural engineering media content (newspapers, magazines, interviews, podcasts, video series)
- Political Advocacy
- Influencing public policy (SE licensure, code adoptions)
- Providing educational and/or event opportunities supporting political actions
- Supporting programs for engineers to stay in touch with political representatives and officials
- Students and Educators
- Forming partnerships with schools
- Offering mentoring or job shadow programs for college students
- Awarding scholarships to students studying Structural Engineering
- Other Outreach Programs Related to Current NCSEA Initiatives:
- Collaboration with allied organizations, ie ASCE/SEI, CASE, etc. to address issues relevant to the profession
- Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts including those related to NCSEA Call for Action, ex:
- Advocacy efforts for underrepresented individuals in the middle school and high school levels
- Mentoring programs for underrepresented professionals
- Creation of and/or engagement with student chapters at the university level to increase the diversity of engagement in programs that lead to careers in structural engineering.