February 2025 SEAOSD President's Report

For all of those not in attendance last month’s SEAOSD meeting it was a blast. Having all of our committees there together in a carnival setting with games and social networking was a great way to meet fellow SEAOSD members. And hopefully a way for those in attendance to get involved. Not only did I learn more about all the great work we as an organization are doing, I also got to see some inspirational costumes as well. I hope next year we will see you all there.

As we fall back with the end of Daylight Savings Time, and one day of cooler weather to me it feels like summer is winding down. As my dad used to say here in San Diego we are now changing seasons from summer to late summer before we go into earl spring. To me this is a time of change and preparation for what comes next with the new year, or in this case the new building code. I have been involved with the ICC Code development for many years now and this is the time that SEAOC and NCSEA kick it into high gear as we prepare to submit code changes to for the 2027 IBC! This process is always frustrating here in California because we never have a chance to experience the new edition of the building code before we must update for the next one. I don’t know of any engineer that is truly happy with the Building Codes, but they are a fact of life for our business. Over time the code development process, and the resulting codes, have gotten much more convoluted and complex which is not necessary a good thing. In the “old days” it was much simpler when everything was included in the building code, but now with the ever-growing list of Referenced Standards (IBC CH 35) meaningful changes involve multiple organizations with varying timelines and sometimes competing interests. Practicing structural engineers are only one small group involved within the process, we work with various groups, sometimes with competing interests, to make changes to the code. All this means that improving the building code is a time-consuming task, requiring a lot of volunteer hours for us as an organization. So if you have ever been frustrated with the building code I would encourage you to get involved with ICC, or a referenced standard (ASCE 7, ACI, AISC, NDS, TMS,…) to see how the process works and what we as practicing Structural Engineers can do to improve it. One thing being involved with code development has made me more familiar with the codes, and while not necessarily agreeing with provisions, it has given me a healthy understanding of the document. So get involved.

This month’s November meeting is a lunchtime meeting on November 19th. The topic is “Imposter Syndrome: What is it and what can be done about it?” I am looking forward to hearing from SDSU Psychology professor Lisa Kath on this important topic. Imposter syndrome is when that inner critic is yelling so loudly that you believe that you don't have the skills to be successful. This voice tells you that your past successes are flukes. This presentation will demystify that voice and talk about individual and systemic approaches to quieting that voice. If you have ever battled with your inner critic (like me) then I encourage you to come hear about this important topic.

Stephen Kerr
SEAOSD President 2024-2025