Lessons not learned in school: Career development of a consulting geotechnical engineer

Pete Quinn, Ph.D., ing., P.Eng., Principal Geotechnical Engineer with BGC Engineering, presents his talk "Lessons not learned in school: Career development of a consulting geotechnical engineer".

Abstract: We start our engineering careers with a foundation of formal education, the beginning of a path of life-long learning. Pete will share some of the things he has learned about consulting as a geotechnical engineer through education, experience, mentoring and mistakes. So many mistakes... The talk will focus mainly on non-technical aspects of consulting engineering practice, with reference to project experiences to create context.

Speaker Bio: Pete Quinn is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer with BGC Engineering, currently based inOttawa, and recently returned from four years in Europe where he worked quietly in the disproportionately tall shadow of his wife Darlene. Pete completed his undergraduate training in Engineering Physics at Royal Military College, followed by a masters in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering at UBC and a doctorate in Geological Engineering at Queens. He is mainly interested in risk from geohazards, particularly landslides. His work has taken him around the world to tackle geotechnical problems in a wide range of geological settings.His best days at work involve flying around in a helicopter, driving around in an ATV, hiking through the bush, swinging a shovel or rock hammer, or scribbling furiously in a notebook or on a white board surrounded by people smarter than him.