What is the ultimate key to delivering a project on time and under budget with minimal design changes and RFI’s? Every AEC professional has probably…
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origin: starting the conversation
Author Archive
Three Lessons AEC Firms can Learn from Fastpitch Softball at the WCWS
In AEC, we’re always looking for a competitive advantage. In fact, I’m guessing over the course of your career, you’ve likely read a few books…
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Five Tips for Tackling Your Engineering Summer Internship
School is winding down, and finals are on the horizon…which means summer internships are right around the corner! Are you ready? Whether it’s your first…
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Unconventional Units: Converting Square Footage, Volume of Concrete, and Tons of Steel into More Familiar Measurements
You’re probably familiar with typical AEC new construction descriptions: 150,000 square feet! 11,500 yards of concrete! 3,300 tons of steel! Don’t get me wrong, as…
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Wallace Design Collective Expands Surveying Services with the Addition of Bennett Surveying
Considering Wallace’s exciting developments and growth over the past 5 years, is it any surprise that we’re kicking off 2023 with more monumental news? We’re…
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5 for 5: Five Insights From Tom Hendrick Celebrating 2022 and the Growth of Wallace Design Collective in His 5+ Years as CEO
Whew. How is 2022 almost already in the books? Wallace is wrapping up another exceptional year, crushing records yet again for revenue and number of…
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Where Would We Be Without Accounting? Spotlight on Associate, Dena Dye
For almost 35 years, Dena Dye has played an integral role in Wallace Design Collective’s success – and not in a way you might think….
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Zahner and Wallace: A Glimpse Into the Artful Engineering Collaboration Behind Iconic Metal Facades
When Steve Huey, PE, was 12 years old, he went on a life-changing family trip – one that set the course for his future. While…
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Drilling Down into AEC Specializations: Landscape Architecture with Nan Yuan, PLA
From civil and structural engineering to surveying to roof consulting, there are a lot of specializations within the AEC industry that are often overlooked or…
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Construction Appreciation Week 2022: Celebrating Flintco and Their Use of Construction Technology on 222 North Detroit
“Design” and “problem solving” are terms that typically get associated with engineering. But what about the design and problem solving that go into bringing an…
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Everything is (not) awesome (all the time): 5 Tips for When You’re Frustrated with Work
So here’s the thing: If someone tells you that they absolutely love their job every second of every day…I’m just going to go ahead and…
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How KSi Tackled Construction Administration Challenges on Coda at Tech Square
Structural engineering is all about design, right? Sum forces to equal zero. Check beam deflection. Analyze shear and moment. Based on coursework, your average structural…
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School’s Out! How Are Your Facilities Holding Up? – Part II: Pavement Management Programs
Welcome back to Summer School: Facilities Maintenance Edition! School’s out, which means it’s a great time for school districts to take a hard look at…
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School’s Out! How are Your Facilities Holding Up? – Part I: Why Your School District Needs a Roof Consultant
School might be out for summer, but we have a multiple choice test for you: Which school budget category should receive increased funding for the…
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1 + 1 > 2: KSi Structural Engineers Joins Wallace Design Collective
First Impressions Matter On a stormy summer night in 2011, Kurt Swensson, PhD, PE, and founder of KSi Structural Engineers, boarded a puddle jumper for…
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Why is the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa? It’s Really the Only Logical Choice.
When you hear “Bob Dylan,” what words come to mind? Iconic? Unique? Timeless? Tulsa? Up until recently, Tulsa would likely have never been included on…
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Tornado Season is Here: How Safe are Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms?
As tornado season approaches, you might hear the terms “storm shelter” and “safe room” advertised as areas to take shelter during a storm. But what…
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4 Ways Landscape Architects are Helping Bring the Stress-Relieving Wonders of Nature to All
Have you stopped to smell the roses recently? It’s the time of year when trees are flowering and wafting their sweet scent through the air….
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Women in Construction: Advice for Female Engineers Facing Sexism in the Field
Sexism in the construction industry. Is the concept real? Or overblown? Women in construction have historically been perceived as having a harder time gaining respect…
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Construction of New USA BMX Headquarters in Tulsa Creates Racing and STEM Opportunities for Kids
Lately, downtown Tulsa has been buzzing with new construction and…BMX bikes? That’s right, as of February 15, 2022, the city that’s known for hosting the…
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Drilling Down into AEC Specializations: Structural Engineering with Dan Popp, PE, SE
When it comes to architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), the “architectural design” and “physical construction” parts are pretty easy to wrap your head around. But…
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Conquer the Career Fair: Insider Resume and Interview Tips for Engineering Students
College career fair season is in full swing! Does the thought of suiting up and heading to campus to introduce yourself to recruiters in hopes…
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40 Acts of Service: Making Lives Better Through Community Involvement
Happy 2022! What’s your New Year’s resolution? A bit cliche? Maybe. But you can’t deny that a new year equates to a fresh start, making…
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Redefining Progress in the Tulsa Arts District
Is progress still progress if there’s an ugly side to it? As a recently replanted Tulsa transplant (one who moved to Tulsa almost ten years…
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Spotlight on OSU CEAT 2021 Hall of Fame Inductee Carrie Johnson, PE, SE
This year, we’ve been fortunate to be able to celebrate 40 years of success as Wallace Engineering and toast the company’s current and future progress…
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Concrete Combat Review: The Competitive Reality Show Designed for AEC Nerds
Everyone’s got that one reality tv show they’re just a little bit embarrassed to admit they like to watch… Mine used to be Holiday Wars….
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Just Your Standard Engineer DIY Project: Above-Ground Storm Shelter Footing and Anchorage
Normally, new homeowners get indoctrinated into the cult of “homeownership” with the standard DIY projects: painting, caulking, building IKEA bookshelves, etc. Unless the new homeowners…
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Structural Engineering Terms 101: Top 3 Commonly Confused Structural Engineering Terms
Every profession or industry has its own lingo. And if you’re an industry insider, you may not give some terms a second thought – they’re…
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Five Tips for Taking Better Photos for Your Assessment or Inspection Report
As an engineer, when you’re on site for an assessment or inspection, you’re confident you have a good handle on the issues. You take notes…
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Champlain Towers South Condo Collapse: An In-Depth Look at Concrete Spalling
The collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside, FL has left us with a number of questions. Most importantly, what caused this 12-story…
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40 for 40: 40 Insights from Tom Wallace to Celebrate 40 Years – Part 5
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know a little more about Wallace Design Collective’s founder, Tom Wallace! This week, we wrap up our “40 for…
Read More 40 for 40: 40 Insights from Tom Wallace to Celebrate 40 Years Part 4 – Success
What does success look like? Find out about the philosophies and influences that Tom Wallace believes contributed to his professional and personal accomplishments. Plus, get…
Read More 40 for 40: 40 Insights from Tom Wallace to Celebrate 40 Years Part 3 – Structural Engineering and Technology
A lot has happened in 40 years – especially when it comes to technology. This week, we get Tom Wallace’s thoughts on how technology has…
Read More 40 for 40: 40 Insights from Tom Wallace to Celebrate 40 Years Part 2 – Entrepreneurship
This week, we’re continuing our “40 for 40” series with eight insights from Tom Wallace on the subject of entrepreneurship. Find out more about Tom’s…
Read More 40 for 40: 40 Insights from Tom Wallace to Celebrate 40 Years Part 1 – Evolution of Wallace Engineering
In 1981, a young structural engineer purchased a $15,000 HP-85 computer with a 6 inch screen and 16KB internal memory, rented a 500 square foot…
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Journey to Doe Mountain
When I graduated with my master’s degree in civil engineering, one of the first things I did was send a copy of my thesis to…
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