Benefits

Scheduled seminars throughout the DC 37 Education Fund provide licensed Professional Engineers and Registered Architects the opportunity to earn Professional Development Hours for license renewal. Engineers are required to have a minimum of 36 development hours as part of the renewal process; 18 of which must be in an interactive classroom setting. These seminars are open to licensed engineers and architects only.

---

January-February 2025 – Seminars and Instructors’ biographies.

---

ME-131 (*) Analysis of Engineering Disasters (Pt. #5)
This course examines how engineering, design and management processes conspire to cause catastrophic failure and the most effective methods to avoid such events. Presented as a series of case studies, the course covers causes of failure such as poor engineering practice, design flaws, material failures, defective construction and fabrication, extreme operating conditions and inadequate management processes. Specific events covered in this course are Hurricane Katrina, American Airlines flight 191, the R101 Airship, Bhopal India and the Liberty Ship events. Any of the engineering disasters courses may be taken individually without prerequisite.

---

ME-132 (*) Analysis of Engineering Disasters (Pt. #6)
This course examines how engineering, design and management processes conspire to cause catastrophic failure and the most effective methods to avoid such events. Presented as a series of case studies, the course covers causes of failure such as poor engineering practice, design flaws, material failures, defective construction and fabrication, extreme operating conditions and inadequate management processes. Specific events covered in this course are the BP Gulf Oil Disaster, Swiss Air flight 111, the Northridge Earthquake, the Hartford Civic Center Roof collapse and United Airlines Flight 232. Any of the engineering disasters courses may be taken individually without prerequisite.

Neil Weisenfeld, M.S.E.E., P.E.
Neil Weisenfeld is a professional engineer with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He has 23 years of experience in the power industry and is currently a department manager in Con Edison’s Distribution Engineering department. He has worked in the areas of Power Generation, System Operation, Engineering and Energy Services. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Power Engineering Society of IEEE for over 10 years, is a senior member of the IEEE and holds four U.S. patents.

---

CE-260 (*) Codes and Liabilities for Building Renovation Easements (Pt.1)
This Seminar will provide an understanding of easements, license agreements, franchise agreements, covenants, leases, air rights/subsurface rights to engineers and architects and how they can affect design and construction parameters. The discussion will focus on different types of easements and their purpose in preserving existing and future rights, including: public/private, express/implied, appurtenant, easements in gross. Easements are necessary to preserve the rights necessary for rights-of-way (including aerial/ surface/ subsurface), highways and streets, shared driveways, water (e.g., well access to groundwater/aquifers), utilities (e.g., gas, electric, telecommunication, fiber optic, storm drainage, sanitary sewer, structural best management practices, etc.), light and ventilation, party walls.

---

CE-261 (*) Codes and Liabilities for Building Renovation Easements (Pt.2)
This Seminar will explore real-world practices, examples, and concerns that engineers and architects must consider in their design and construction. The discussion will involve real-world examples and examine how to accomplish the various purposes of easements discussed in Part 1 (CE-261) that are critical to a project’s success. The rights of parties will be assessed, including use of easements, duty to maintain, interference with easements, obstructions/ encroachments, altering or relocating easements, transferring easements, and other transactional/litigation matters (e.g., conveyance, condemnation, adverse possession).

Ricky Chu, M.S.C.E., Esq., P.E.
Mr. Chu is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York (1998). He graduated from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (1992) and Master of Science in Civil Engineering (1995). In addition to his engineering background, Mr. Chu also graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law (2005) and is admitted to the New York (2006) and New Jersey (2005) state bars and to the Federal District Court for the District of New Jersey (2005).

He has performed physical condition studies at major facilities including airports, and building and home inspections. He has also developed sites for airport terminals, bridges, residential buildings, including grading and drainage, sediment and erosion control, and utilities.