Newsletter – February 2016:
Thank you for reading the second edition of the new style WEDA monthly newsletter. This is provided to you as one of the many benefits your receive as a member. This newsletter will provide you with an overview of what is going on in the world of WEDA and dredging-related activities in the Americas.
As with anything else we do at WEDA, we appreciate your input and feedback, so if you have any comments, ideas, suggestions or other feedback related to this newsletter, please e-mail that to us atinfo@westerndredging.org
|
2016 Midwest Chapter Meeting
The 2016 Midwest Chapter Meeting is just over a month away in Davenport, IA. If you haven’t already done so, register today and reserve your room at the Radisson Quad Cities hotel. For all meeting details, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, click here to visit the Midwest chapter webpage.
WODCON XXI
Please join us June 13-17 at the Hyatt Regency Miami as we host the 21st World Dredging Congress & Exposition (WODCON XXI). WEDA will combine its annual Dredging Summit & Expo conference with this World Dredging Congress to form this monumental event. WODCON will bring dredgers from around the globe to Miami, showcase more than 80 exhibitors at the WODCON Expo, and will be the event to connect with others in the dredging industry and find out what is going on in the world of dredging. At the cross-roads of different cultures from around the world, Miami is the perfect location for this event, and will help make this an event you don’t want to miss! Click here for all WODCON XXI details.
|
2016 Midwest Chapter Meeting
|
|
March 23-25, 2016
|
|
|
|
WODCON XXI
|
|
June 13-17, 2016
|
|
|
|
Reduced Rate Registration for WODCON XXI ends March 31, 2016.
Register soon and take advantage of the reduced rates, and ensure that you will be included in all the functions and activities, some of which have limited capacities. Registrations received first will be given priority to attend the various functions and events we have planned throughout the week.
Membership Renewals:
Thank you so much to those that have proactively renewed your WEDA already. If you haven’t already renewed your WEDA membership for the 2016 calendar year, now is the time to renew. The easiest and fastest way to do so is online, through our WEDA website by clicking here.
|
In this section of your newsletter, we will post coverage of WEDA members in the news. Please help us keep our membership informed about news-worthy developments by sharing those with the WEDA office atinfo@westerndredging.org.
This month’s company spotlight is on Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD).
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) was founded on the shores of Lake Michigan in 1890. The company’s early roots centered on the dredging and construction of Chicago’s river lock system and existing shoreline, executing work on major city landmarks: the Chicago River, Michigan Avenue Bridge, and foundation for Navy Pier. Since its founding, GLDD has been highly invested in engineering excellence through innovative new techniques, adaptability of fleet equipment, and extension of the company’s service arm into full-scale infrastructure and environmental remediation.
GLDD has recently celebrated its 125th year in business and is proud to find itself as the largest dredging company in the US, and the only one that has expanded its reach to a global presence. The company has operated major dredging projects within the international markets of Europe, Asia, Middle East, Central and South America, and most recently Australia. Some of their notable projects from around the globe include the long distance sediment projects in Louisiana, Suez Canal, and Port of Miami deepening project. The Port of Miami deepening project (pictured on top) will be highlighted during the post conference technical tour at WODCON XXI. –See tour details
In addition to completing complicated major deepening projects in almost every port in the country, GLDD has also undertaken the most unique projects along the US coast, making this an important part of who they are today. As a publically traded company, GLDD also offers environmental remediation services through its subsidiaries, Terra and Magnus Pacific. The one thing that everyone at GLDD points to with great pride and commitment is their safety culture. In 2006, GLDD adopted an Incident- and Injury-Free (IIF) safety management program that has been integrated into all aspects of the company’s culture. The company’s commitment to the IIF culture promotes a work environment where employee safety is paramount. GLDD truly believes that no one should be hurt on any of their projects and this commitment goes from the deck level to the board room. Since safety is not proprietary, GLDD looks forward to sharing everything they have learned about safety in every venue they attend. They are looking forward to seeing you in Miami at WODCON XXI and wish everyone safe travels!
|
WEDA is a non-profit organization which is governed by a Board of Directors. Each month we list the profile of one of WEDA’s Directors. We hope this will help everyone get more familiar with the people behind our organization, make it easier for you to reach out to any of them when you want to, and in general to enhance our connections within WEDA.
This month’s spotlight is on: Dr. Robert E. Randall
Dr. Robert E. Randall received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Ohio State University. After graduation, he served in the US Navy as a submarine officer for four years. He then attended graduate school and received an MS and a PhD degree in Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Randall is the Bauer Professor of Dredging Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering (1975-2015) and Department of Ocean Engineering (2015-present) at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. His research has been in the areas of offshore, coastal, and dredging engineering. He is the Director for the Center for Dredging Studies. He joined WEDA in 1990, has served on the Western Dredging Association Board of Directors since 1994, and received the WEDA Dredger of the Year Award in 2006.
Dr. Randall authored the section “Pipeline Transport of Dredged Material” in the Handbook of Dredging Engineering published in 2000, the chapter “Dredging” in Port Engineering published in 2004 and the chapter “Dredging in the United States in Dredging in Coastal Waters published in 2006. He also authored the book Elements of Ocean Engineering in 1997 (1st Edition) and 2010 (2nd Edition). He is the Director of the annual Texas A&M Annual Dredging Engineering Short Course and Co-Director of the Cutter Suction Dredge Simulator Short Course.
Western Dredging Association
Board of Directors, Member, 1994-present
Editor, WEDA Technical Conference Proceedings, 1994-present
Associate Editor, Journal of Dredging Engineering, 1999 – present.
Environmental Commission, Member, 1994-2000.
Technical Paper Committee for WEDA Technical Conferences, Member, 1994-Present.
WEDA By-Laws Committee, Member, 2012-2013.
WEDA Certification Committee, Member 2014-Present.
World Organization of Dredging Associations
Editor, WODCON Technical Conference Proceedings, 1998, 2007.
Technical Paper Committee, World Dredging Congress (WODCON) XVII, Member, 2002-2004.
Technical Paper Committee, World Dredging Congress (WODCON) XVIII, Member, 2005-2007.
Technical Paper Committee, World Dredging Congress (WODCON) XVIX, Member, 2009-2010.
Technical Paper Committee, World Dredging Congress (WODCON) XX, Member, 2012-2013.
Technical Paper Committee, World Dredging Congress (WODCON) XXI, Member, 2013-Pres.
He also teaches a one semester course in Marine Dredging at Texas A&M University every other year. This Spring he will be teaching the course by distance education to a total of 55 students (seniors and graduate students) in College Station and Galveston, Texas.
Robert can be contacted at: r-randall@exchange.tamu.edu
|
Based upon the feedback we received from members regarding the January newsletter, we are currently in the process of adding a new technology segment to the monthly newsletter. Beginning in March, this section will be used to briefly highlight a new technological development, and for those that are interested in reading more, there will be a link to access the full article. If you have any input and/or a topic that you would like to see highlighted, please contact me to discuss.
|
Thank you for taking the time to read WEDA’s February 2016 newsletter. After the release of January’s newsletter, we received some excellent feedback from our membership, including the addition of the technology briefing. Without the feedback from our valued members, we wouldn’t be able to make the necessary improvements to the association. Please continue to provide me feedback directly, via email, telephone or in person at one of our conferences.
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at our Midwest Chapter Meeting in Davenport next month, and hopefully everyone at WODCON XXI in June!
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Cappellino
tcappellino@westerndredging.org
WEDA Executive Director
(949) 422-8231
Western Dredging Association
|
|
|
