This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community.

Today, we welcomed Mia Kannik, a Program Manager with the Ohio Dam Safety Program with over 26 years of experience. Mia, thank you for your stories and advice!

Key Takeawaysfrom This Episode

• 7:00 – “Co-Ops can be great; they can also teach you what you don’t like as well”
• 11:25 – Benefits of working for a state agency include work life balance, an opportunity to work on a lot of interesting projects, and opportunities for upward mobility
• 12:20 – Soil Mechanincs and Earth Structures coursework in Master’s Degree Program helped prepare Mia early in her career
• 13:10 – There is a benefit to pursuing a Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering for a successful dam safety career
• 14:30 – There is a transition in the industry from building new dams to rehabilitation and decommissioning of dams
• 26:30 – Advice to younger self – Get involved and learn / collaborate with the community
• High Hazard Potential Dam Grant Information
• ASDSO’s Collaborate Website (Collaborate | Association of State Dam Safety)

We want to hear from you! Send us a message at info@damsafety.org and let us know what questions you may have for our leaders and innovators.

Get Involved!

Association Membership

In addition to free resources for the Dam Safety community, membership with ASDSO provides the following list of benefits and more! Follow this link to join! https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

• Member discounts on all training and products
• Unlimited access to full ASDSO conference papers
• Online member directory
• Miscellaneous surveys archive
• Journal of Dam Safety

.

Committee Membership

Consider joining one of the many ASDSO committees and Interest Groups. Find the full list at the following link: Committees and Interest Groups | Association of State Dam Safety

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Find upcoming training opportunities, including on-demand webinars, live webinars, seminars, and past content in the Training Center! Training Center | Association of State Dam Safety

ASDSO Toolbox

The ASDSO Toolbox (www.damtoolbox.org) is intended to be a one-stop shop for current guidelines and regulations of the dam safety industry. The content is growing but we need your help to further the momentum! Consider volunteering as a moderator, proposing new content, or suggesting additional resources.

This program was copyrighted in 2024 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials with All Rights Reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community.

Today, we welcomed Chris Goodell, a leader in HEC-RAS modeling, providing risk-based solutions to dam owners worldwide. Chris, thank you for your stories and advice!

Key Takeawaysfrom This Episode

• 1:30 - Discussion on playing to your strengths: Civil Engineering is so broad! Find your own path - structural, hydraulic, geotechnical, mechanical, environmental, and many more licensures play a part in dam safety and dam engineering. What’s your passion?
• 11:00 - Technology revolutions, how to adapt, and a new software developed by Chris: “McBreach.” I bet you’ve never had a McNugget this good!
• 17:30 - How does one find a mentor?... Be present, reach out, and ask smart people dam questions!
• 20:25 - HEC-RAS: Chris’s vlog and podcast about H&H modeling.
• Links here:
  
  • https://www.kleinschmidtgroup.com/full-momentum-vodcast/
  • https://therassolution.kleinschmidtgroup.com/
• 23:25 - As engineers, we love to solve problems. But it takes practice to ask for help and increase our knowledge and efficiency. You’d be surprised how many professionals are happy to reach out!
• 26:17 - Importance of networking for developing your career (even for introverts!)
• 27:55 - Continuing education and teaching others: get training, get involved, present, teach others, and go for it!
• HEC training (FREE!!): https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/training/
• Chris was just named as one of the top 75 most influential people in hydropower by Water Power Magazine, take a look! The Influencers 75 most influential people in hydropower

We want to hear from you! Send us a message at info@damsafety.org and let us know what questions you may have for our leaders and innovators.

Get Involved!

Association Membership

In addition to free resources for the Dam Safety community, membership with ASDSO provides the following list of benefits and more! Follow this link to join! https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

• Member discounts on all training and products
• Unlimited access to full ASDSO conference papers
• Online member directory
• Miscellaneous surveys archive
• Journal of Dam Safety

Committee Membership

Consider joining one of the many ASDSO committees and Interest Groups. Find the full list at the following link: Committees and Interest Groups | Association of State Dam Safety

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Find upcoming training opportunities, including on-demand webinars, live webinars, seminars, and past content in the Training Center! Training Center | Association of State Dam Safety

ASDSO Toolbox

The ASDSO Toolbox (www.damtoolbox.org) is intended to be a one-stop shop for current guidelines and regulations of the dam safety industry. The content is growing but we need your help to further the momentum! Consider volunteering as a moderator, proposing new content, or suggesting additional resources.

This program was copyrighted in 2024 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials with All Rights Res

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community.

Today, we welcomed Bill McCormick, Past president of ASDSO, former Chief of the Colorado Dam Safety Branch for ten years and now a consultant at Black and Veatch. Bill, thank you for your stories and advice!

Key Takeawaysfrom This Episode

• 5:10 – “One of the good things I learned… was to not burn bridges”
• 12:00 – Discusses importance of technical trainings and benefits of building out your experience for a career in dam safety engineering.
• 15:15 – “Seek opportunities to get involved with construction projects”
• 25:00 – Don’t be afraid of change or trying new things, and do it for the right reasons
• Colorado-New Mexico Precipitation Study (Dam Safety Bureau (nm.gov)_
• Chimney Hollow Project Information, 360-foot tall asphalt core dam (Home | CHRP | Northern Water)

We want to hear from you! Send us a message at [ADamConversation@gmail.com] and let us know what questions you may have for our leaders and innovators.

Get Involved!

Association Membership

In addition to free resources for the Dam Safety community, membership with ASDSO provides the following list of benefits and more! Follow this link to join! https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

• Member discounts on all training and products
• Unlimited access to full ASDSO conference papers
• Online member directory
• Miscellaneous surveys archive
• Journal of Dam Safety

.

Committee Membership

Consider joining one of the many ASDSO committees and Interest Groups. Find the full list at the following link: Committees and Interest Groups | Association of State Dam Safety

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Find upcoming training opportunities, including on-demand webinars, live webinars, seminars, and past content in the Training Center! Training Center | Association of State Dam Safety

ASDSO Toolbox

The ASDSO Toolbox (www.damtoolbox.org) is intended to be a one-stop shop for current guidelines and regulations of the dam safety industry. The content is growing but we need your help to further the momentum! Consider volunteering as a moderator, proposing new content, or suggesting additional resources.

This program was copyrighted in 2024 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials with All Rights Reserved.