Virtual Learning Environment

This class will help participants understand the issue of tree canopy decline throughout the region and identify steps engineers can apply in planning community projects to support best practices and forestry research.

• Designing to maximize tree preservation 
• Avoiding tree preservation deviation request if possible 
• Best Construction practices
• Designing and building to save tress
• Lessons learned
• Which species to use and what plants are not appropriate

Instructor: Dr. Jim McGlone, Virginia Department of Forestry
Thursday, January 12 3:30-6:30 p.m. (In-person)

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) operates Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), the Dulles Airport Access Highway, and the Dulles Toll Road. In the past, MWAA managed construction of the Silver Line project—a 23-mile extension of the Washington region’s Metrorail public transit system through Fairfax County and into Loudoun County, Virginia.  As of June 23, 2022, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that it had taken over control of the Phase 2 project from the MWAA.

Specifically, this class will highlight all civil engineering endeavors including demand capacity forecasts, stormwater management, erosion and sediment, and dry utility master plans. Baggage conveyance systems and modernization of facilities will be highlighted as well.

Instructor: Roger Natsuhara, SVP MWAA Civil Engineering
Thursday, January 19 3:30—6:30 p.m. (In-person)

An informative site visit to IAD highlighting sustainability initiatives for future development, land use compatibility, economic development opportunities, discussion of environmental impacts, and emerging technologies. What happened to the people movers? How has the Silver Line affected future planning? How to plan demand capacity forecasts are highlighted with discussion of stormwater management, erosion and sediment, and dry utility master plans. Baggage conveyance systems and modernization of facilities will be toured.

Instructors: Sophie Ji, Thomas Beatty, Andrew Hascall, Keith Autry, Roger Natsuhara
Thursday, March 30 1:00-4:00 p.m. (In-person)

This class will highlight:

·         Framework that FEMA and related agencies base policy and make directives which affect local governments. (100 year flood, etc.)

·         USGS programs in operational topographic map production, collection, and dissemination of a national lidar program.

·         Creating networking initiatives and links to infrastructure efforts to maintain a national hydrography dataset for use by Federal, State and local governments.

·         Future visions for integrated topographic data.

·         Use of USGS data in infrastructure planning. 

The National Geospatial Program (NGP) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provides the digital geospatial foundation for the United States and is responsible for designing, planning and executing the national topographic mapping program. Dr. Tischler provides management oversight and direction to the NGP, including The National Map, the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center, the 3D Elevation Program, the National Hydrography Dataset, the US Topo Map Series, research activities performed at the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS), and geospatial data and information in response to natural disasters. Dr. Tischler also serves as the Department of the Interior representative to the Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Prior to joining the USGS, Dr. Tischler worked as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Geospatial Research Laboratory in Alexandria, VA providing strategic and technical oversight to a variety of basic and applied geospatial research projects.

Instructor: Mike Tischler, Ph.D., Director of National Geospatial Program, USGS
Thursday, February 9 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Online)

Much of our current water infrastructure traces its roots to the Roman Empire. Moreover, some of the greatest monuments from antiquity that survive today are colossal aqueducts that lace the old Roman Empire. Please join the unabashed water & Roman guy, Dr. Bill Hunt, as he explores how Roman engineers planned, designed, and maintained water infrastructure including aqueducts, water delivery systems, reservoirs, and drainage. Their philosophies are compared to what we use today when researching wastewater, stormwater and erosion and sediment constraints.

Dr. Hunt will further discuss Americans' love of entertainment traces its roots to antiquity. While many cultures valued entertainment (e.g., the Greeks), the peak of entertainment infrastructure occurred during the Roman Imperial era. Theaters, amphitheaters, and horse racing (the circus) were standard fare for Roman fun. Explore how the Romans engineered entertainment both in Rome and throughout the empire. Participants will learn how much Roman civil engineering thought survives today in current large entertainment spaces.

Instructor: Dr. Bill Hunt, NCSU, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished University Professor & Extension Specialist
Thursday, February 23 3:30-6:30 p.m. (Online)

A discussion and review of Fairfax Virginia’s Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for dealing with excess wastewater flow. Fairfax County researched future flow projections and compared them to existing capacity of pipes, pump stations, and treatment systems. The study showed that facilities in northern Fairfax County had insufficient capacity to handle future flow. Based on this research,  wastewater flows from northern Fairfax County will be pumped to the Noman Cole Pollution Control Plant wastewater treatment facility in Lorton VA. To transport the flows to the treatment facility, Fairfax County has developed three main components of transmission infrastructure: a gravity sewer pipeline,  a pump station, and a force main—a pressurized pipeline.

Instructors: Bill Barrack and Katharine Sager, Fairfax County
Thursday, March 9 3:30-6:30 p.m. (In-person)

In collaboration with MWAA’s Dulles IAD expansion, the WMATA’s newly opened Silver Line offers a look at new economic development and enhanced access to the Fairfax-Loudoun corridor.

WMATA celebrated the opening of the Silver Line Extension on November 15, 2022, connecting customers to six new stations, adding 11.4 miles of track to the Metrorail system, and beginning operations at a modern rail maintenance facility. The Silver Line Extension provides customers with a new connection to Washington Dulles International Airport, as well as service between Reston, VA,  and eastern Loudoun County. The grand opening also marks the completion of the Silver Line project, a generational infrastructure investment in Northern Virginia. Six new Metrorail stations are part of this expansion offering further economic development:

• Reston Town Center
• Herndon
• Innovation Center
• Washington Dulles International Airport
• Loudoun Gateway
• Ashburn

As one of the largest capital construction projects in the United States, the Silver Line provides high-quality, high-capacity transit service between the Dulles corridor and Downtown D.C., expands the reach of the existing regional rail system, offers a viable alternative to automobile travel, and supports future development. The Silver Line Extension also includes a brand-new rail maintenance and service yard, located on 90 acres of the Washington Dulles International Airport property. The Dulles Rail Yard is the largest rail yard in the Metro system and employs approximately 450 people.

Instructor: TBA
Thursday, March 16 1:00-4:00 p.m.  (In-person)

Civil constructability review is a process that utilizes construction personnel with extensive construction knowledge during the design phase of projects ensuring projects are buildable, cost-effective, and biddable. Join subject matter experts from the Heavy Construction Contractors Association (HCCA), as they provide some lessons learned and best practices for performing a constructability review. Participants are encouraged to make connections and establish working relationships with HCCA personnel as they discuss each step of review. Topics planned for inclusion: Blasting, pre-blast requirements, soil conditions, utility depths, benching, utility conflicts, wall construction, earthwork, and safety.

Instructors: Michael Trabucco, Mike Henderson, David Yergin-Doniger and P.J. Heflin
Thursday, April 20 3:30-6:30pm (Online)

Offered as a follow-up to P505-23 United States Geological Survey (USGS)—Future Trends, this informative class provided by one of ESI’s top subject matter experts, Sean Peiffer, reviews boundary surveys, topographic surveys, site plans and trends in Metadata for future surveying.

Metadata describe information about data, including who, what, where, when, why, and how, so that it can be understood, re-used, and integrated with other data. Metadata records follow a standard format to enable interoperability, similar to Extensible Markup Language (XTM). Metadata are used for enabling data discovery, understanding data, analysis and synthesis, maintaining longevity of data, tracking progress of research projects, and demonstrating returns on investments.

Instructor: Sean Peiffer
Thursday, May 11 3:30-6:30pm (In-person)

This critical four-hour workshop helps develop ESI’s Professional Development curriculum for the next academic year. Under the direction of the Chair of the Education Committee, participants will consider classes suggested by ESI’s membership and consolidate them into a prioritized list of courses, identifying class titles, topics to be covered, and subject matter experts. Participants are subject to approval by ESI’s Director of Education, Education Committee, and/or Executive Director to ensure sufficient knowledge base of ESI curriculum and adequate representation from both the public and private sectors. 

Facilitator: ESI Educational Staff
Thursday, May 18 9:00am-1:00pm (In-person, includes lunch)

Members may perform study research and coordination regarding a topic identified by the Executive Director. The study shall include a study plan that identifies a statement of objectives, a desired result product, and a work schedule. The study shall have a final report identifying the work process and study results. The member shall provide the format outline for the proposed study to the Executive Director no later than 30 days after enrolling in this class.

Members of the Executive Committee may enroll in this class. Credit is contingent on meeting product and attendance requirements identified by the Executive Director.

Members of the Education Review Committee may enroll in this class. Credit is contingent on meeting product and attendance requirements identified by the Director of Education.

Members of the Engineering Standards Review Committee may enroll in this class. Credit is contingent on meeting product and attendance requirements identified by the Executive Director.

An ESI instructor who teaches a block of instruction in any of the ESI Education Programs in the current year may enroll in this class. Instructors may enroll in P910 only once per year. Approval by the Director of Education is required.