MSPE Western Chapter

May 2012 Dinner Meeting

Date: Thursday, May 24th, 2012                   Time: 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.: Board Meeting

5:30 - 6:00 p.m.: Registration

6:00 p.m.: Dinner and Presentation

 

Location: Black & Veatch                                  Cost: $20.00 for Members and Guests

$10.00 for Student Chapter Members

8400 Ward Parkway

Kansas City, MO 64114

816-458-9600

 

Parking: Parking On-Site

 

Menu: Jack Stack: Beef Brisket, Smoked Turkey, Burnt Ends, Beans, Cheesy Corn Bake, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Brownies.

 

Reservations:     Kyle Roberts by Friday, May 18^th

E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tel: 816.823.7035

No-shows will be billed

 

About the Speaker and Program

Bill Menge – Director, SmartGrid

 

Bill Menge is KCP&L's SmartGrid Director. Key in his present responsibilities is leading KCP&L's true end-to-end SmartGrid Demonstration Project. Prior to SmartGrid, he was Manager of Asset Management and oversaw completion of the T&D infrastructure portfolios under KCP&L’s award winning Comprehensive Energy Plan. He has been with KCP&L since 2006 and spent the previous 20 years with Exelon Corp in both Illinois and Pennsylvania. His industry experience includes a wide array of engineering, construction, operations and maintenance roles. Bill serves on the N.E. Johnson County (KS) Chamber of Commerce Board, the Kansas Smart Corridor Economic Development Board, NERC’s Smart Grid Task Force and received a BSEE from Bradley University.

KCP&L's SmartGrid Demonstration - the "Future of Energy"

 

KCP&L is showcasing the "Future of Energy" in Midtown Kansas City, MO in their Department of Energy sponsored Regional SmartGrid Demonstration Project. The project includes nearly every aspect of SmartGrid technologies from Smart/Renewable Generation, Smart Substation, Smart Distribution, Smart Homes, Smart Buildings and the integration and interoperability of a multitude of systems. The project also includes a unique approach to customer engagement and education on the SmartGrid and energy. Finally the project dovetails together with the Green Impact Zone of Missouri and other stakeholders in an urban revitalization effort in the heart of KC's urban core. The presentation will give an overview of the SmartGrid project and objectives, technologies, status and future plans.

 

Are you proud to say that your brain is bigger than your bicep? You can count in binary? You dream in code? You’d like to build robots that rule the world? Then, it’s time to GET YOUR GEEK ON!

In the second annual Geeks vs. Geeks Robotics Challenge, you’ll have a chance to prove that your team can out-engineer and out-program all the other geeks in town. Better still, you don’t have to do an ounce of prep. We provide the chassis and basic training, and you come for two action-packed days of fun.

LEARN Science & Math Club – a local, not-for-profit enrichment program for kids 5 to 18 – invites you to the corporate challenge that tests your brains, not your brawn.

What’s On the Menu

Day One

• Designing Great Robots – Tips and tricks for building a robot that actually works. (We’ll tell you now that LEGO Mindstorms – though they look like kids’ toys – are not child’s play. They’re challenging enough to have you sweating bullets by the end of the day!)
• Meet Your ‘Bots – An introduction to your robot chassis, also known as “love at first sight…”
• Scope Out the Playing Field – See where you’ll meet soaring success or crushing defeat… not really, competition is all for fun, right?
• Robot Programming – A lesson in how to talk “robot”
• Lunch – Relax, fuel up and prepare for the next events. Lunch and drinks are on us!
• Build Some Cool Stuff – This is where you get to put your mark on the robot world – add arms, design rams, create the next modern marvel…

Day Two

• Build Some Cool Stuff – Round Two
• Lunch – Relax, fuel up and prepare for the next events. Lunch and drinks are on us!
• Compete – This is where you find out whether you’re geek enough to take home the grand prize!
• Award Ceremony – Win cool prizes & the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve got the best engineering team in town.

 

The Details

Date:                     Friday & Saturday, May 18th & 19th

Time:                     9:00am to 4:00pm

Location:              The Truman Forum, Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch, 4801 Main Street,
Kansas City, MO 64112

Cost:                      $550 per team buys you two days of mind-bending robotics competition, free lunches and a whole lot of fun.

Qualifications:   Geeks from all walks of life are welcome – IT gurus, engineers, programmers, nuclear physicists, basement tinkerers and other brave souls. Teams are limited to two to four people.

Team Size:          2 to 4 Geeks

 

Get your tickets while they’re hot. We only have space for 80 geeks this year. It’s first come, first served; so, if you want to prove you’ve got the ultimate Super Geeks team, register online today at: http://www.learnscienceandmathclub.org/Events/GeeksvsGeeks/Registration.aspx.

The Missouri Society of Professional Engineers - Western Chapter would like to congratulate the following newly registered professional engineers. They will be recognized at a ceremony in Jefferson City at the Capitol Building on Friday, April 13th, 2012.

 

Jeremy Barber
Paul Brandt
Benjamin Brooks
Phillip Brown
Lindsey Busch
Todd Chandler
Srikrishna Chatrathi
Jennifer Clark
Amber Crosley
Ryan Elam
Andrew Fazel
David Forrest
Ronald Gawer
Elijah Greene
Brian Hofstetter
Thomas Holleran
Wade Johnson
Paul Kemp
John Kevern
Atul Kulkarni
Tyler McArthur
Sawyer Morrow
Paul Novogoratz
Jason Oakley
Molly Pesce
John Ransom
Reid Riley
Justin Ritter
Matthew Scott
Bhrijesh Shah
Walpole Shrestha
Scott Strawn
Joshua Tucker

Welcome to The Western Chapter of MSPE.  We are glad you are visiting our website.  If you are not yet a member, please consider membership.  If you are a licensed engineer or working toward that goal, you will find like-minded engineers supporting this organization.  We are the only professional organization that promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, regardless of discipline.  In our view, the best way to accomplished this goal is to become licensed whether or not it is required by law for you field of practice.  Licensure is an outward symbol of your commitment to these principles.

The Western Chapter Board of Directors and Committee Chairs met in late August to plan out the 2011 - 2012 programming year.  Our goals are:
1.    Increase membership by inviting our peers to become actively involved and participate in our activities.
2.    Have pertinent programs that provide the opportunity to earn Professional Development Hours (PDH's).
3.    Provide regular opportunities to network and socialize with our fellow engineers.
4.    Advocate for effective and responsible government that will protect the public and  the engineering profession.
5.    Promote STEM education for our young people increasing those interested in an engineering career.
6.    Promote professional engineering through community service programs.
7.    Enhance the image of the professional engineer.

That may seem like a lot to accomplished in only nine short months, but the Western Chapter and MSPE are fortunate to have a highly qualified and committed leadership that will be working diligently on these goals.  But we need your help, so there are ample opportunities for you to get involved in your area of interest and expertise.

Please feel free to contact me or any of the officers if you have any questions.

Bill Anthony, PE, LEED AP.