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Core values: Luke A. Heath Portland office leader for PCS Structural Solutions believes in the legacy of engineering as a community builder.

By RICHARD MASSEY Editor

“E ngineering can be perceived as stuffy, but when you can share your excitement, your passion is a catalyst,” Heath says. “I’ve had multiple mentees who just recently graduated high school who chose to pursue an AEC path. That is so exciting.” A CONVERSATION WITH LUKE HEATH. The Zweig Letter: You are an ACE mentor. Tell us about your involvement in the program, what you are hearing from students, and what needs to be done to attract more young people to architecture, engineering, and construc- tion management? Luke Heath: I helped start a local chapter a couple of years ago and really enjoy working with the high school stu- dents as a mentor. High school students haven’t necessarily pinned down what they want to do, but when you can show- case what you do, it’s a spark. We’ve found that using technology to create and study a project in the mentoring sessions really has been a driver

for dialogue and ideas. They’re already using technology, so Revit, VR goggles, SketchUp, and other engineering pro- grams are relatable and a natural extension of their skills. It helps them understand that our jobs are stimulating and that there is a lot of creation taking place. “High client satisfaction is the natural result of knowing why we do what we do, doing it well, and building people within our organization.” I feel that the greatest impact is in sharing why structur- al engineering is important to me, that it’s a legacy profes- sion that builds community. Engineering can be perceived as stuffy, but when you can share your excitement, your pas- sion is a catalyst. I’ve had multiple mentees who just recent- ly graduated high school who chose to pursue an AEC path. That is so exciting.

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