We Make Civil Engineering Look Good | Working to Make Transportation and other Civil Engineer Projects Better through Outreach, 3D Visualization and More!
99 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 months ago -To all of the engineers, public information officers, project managers, 3D visualizers, landscape and aesthetic designers, artists and other professionals focusing on making transportation and other civil engineering projects look better through design or public outreach, this podcast is for you.
Published by Sam Lytle of Beyond CAD, a firm focused on creating better 3D visualization software for civil engineers. Learn more at www.beyondcad.com. Also now part of the CEMENT Network! Learn more at cement.network
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Episodes
The Civil 3D Jedi Finds New Hope in 3D Visualization
December 22, 2020 09:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBToday’s special guest is Juan Soto, famously known as the Civil 3D Jedi. He’s a civil designer in the Fort Worth area, Texas, who has worked 20+ years in the engineering side of things, both as CAD manager and 3D marketing visualization specialist. As with many people in the industry, his first contact with visualization and 3D models was not related to work at all. In fact, what got him into this world was aviation, even though he ended up going into civil engineering afterwards. He sta...
What Does the Future Look Like for Public Outreach on Civil Engineering Projects?
December 15, 2020 09:00 - 16 minutes - 17.4 MBCOVID has disrupted the ways we used to do things, both professionally and personally. The worldwide standard has shifted from in-person meetings and “recharging time” away from a computer screen to virtual meetings and constant use of technology. In fact, this shift will most likely be the driving force behind tomorrow’s public outreach within the civil engineering sector, and how professionals approach it. Today, Sam discusses how current trends can impact those involved in the field of...
Design and 3D Visualization from the Braves Stadium to Landscape Architecture with Nathan Ledbetter of Better Together Collaborative
December 08, 2020 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBToday’s special guest is Nathan Ledbetter, a skilled and passionate professional when it comes to making civil engineering projects look good. Considered a pioneer of SketchUp, he and Sam have known each other for as long as the 3D modeling tool has been around, so to speak. They both met while working at Kimley-Horn, and Nathan was the one who introduced Sam to Lumion. Nathan is a college-trained landscape architect who got his degree from the University of Georgia (UGA) in 2007, after wo...
Update on the Simulator for Active Distracted Driver (SADD) Virtual Reality Experience
December 01, 2020 09:00 - 18 minutes - 18.8 MBBack when Sam was part of Civil FX (now a division of Parametrix), he and his team started working on a totally different kind of project than the ones they were already used to — which they mentioned in episode #4 of this podcast. This project was the Simulator for Active Distracted Driver (SADD), in which they aimed at “using fortnight to save lives”. Today’s show is an update on the status of this project, and the challenges the COVID pandemic posed to its iteration. Essentially, SADD c...
From Urban Design Visualization to YouTube Success with Gabe from Mustard
November 24, 2020 09:00 - 41 minutes - 40 MBAs a podcast entirely dedicated to making civil engineering projects look good through 3D visualization, landscaping and aesthetics, interactive visualization, and more, we often talk about why the visual side of projects is just as important as the other aspects, as well as what the currently available and upcoming pieces of software used in the industry are. However, if you thought the standard tools could only be used for engineering-related reasons, you’d be wrong. As skeptical as we can...
Civil Engineering, Academia and Visualization with Cody Pennetti
November 17, 2020 09:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBToday’s special guest is Dr. Cody Pennetti, a professional engineer, university-level instructor, and researcher. Cody and Sam have similar stories about how they got into the visualization industry, with both of them being somewhat influenced by their brothers’ work in the animation and gaming industries, respectively. Cody received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and had an opportunity for an internship doing site civil design work, which included a variety of proje...
Trying to Create a Better 3D Visualization Tool for Civil Engineering
November 10, 2020 09:00 - 14 minutes - 16 MBWithin the civil engineering field, we definitely need our structures to function properly and be safe to use. However, while many notable breakthroughs have already been accomplished in almost every single one of the field’s disciplines, some aspects are not as optimized as they could ― or even as they should. Sam has been in the visualization industry for 10+ years, providing 3D visualization services of huge, billion-dollar projects for public agencies and private companies, whether it ...
Best Tools for Civil Engineering Visualization (Lumion, Twinmotion, Lumen RT, InRoads, 3ds Max)
November 03, 2020 09:00 - 24 minutes - 27.1 MBAs mentioned in previous episodes, visualization in the civil engineering industry may not be as ‘advanced’ as that in the architecture world. Fortunately, there are some visualization firms that we can hire to provide 3D models, renderings, videos, etc., to make our projects look good and help us communicate to all stakeholders what the project will look like. Although 3D visualization services should definitely be something to invest in, hiring such firms may not always be attainable for...
Creating the Earth's Digital Twin with William Pryor of Geopipe
October 27, 2020 08:00 - 46 minutes - 43.8 MBWhenever we talk about 3D visualization tools, most people immediately think of 3D renders and high-quality images displaying how the future, real version of a project currently in construction or about to break ground will look like, as well as its impacts on the surrounding environment. However, today’s guest goes beyond the common use of such tools for the presentation of a specific project itself. He applies them to a much larger scale, making use of AI and machine learning. Today’s ep...
Interactivity, Smart Traffic and More for Better Public Outreach (Presentation)
October 20, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 45.3 MBOn a previous episode of the podcast, Sam shared a presentation he gave alongside Nick Johnson, the chief of project management at the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), that focused on the future of 3D visualization tools and how they can be used to make public outreach more engaging and actually helps all stakeholders understand an engineering project, from commercial to infrastructure. Today, Sam shares the audio format of a solo presentation he gave in Las Vegas about the main...
Transforming Public Outreach at a State DOT with Lynnette Russell of Nevada Department of Transportation
October 13, 2020 08:00 - 45 minutes - 35.3 MBGovernment agencies all over the country have now been more frequently using interactive visualization and 3D models after noticing the huge impact it can cause on public engagement, and the benefits the agency can reap back from an investment in such tools. Today, we hear from someone within such an agency about how these visualization tools have enhanced the perception of their engineering projects by the general public. Lynnette Russell is the assistant chief of project management at th...
The Future of 3D Visualization (Presentation)
October 06, 2020 08:00 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBWhen it comes to the infrastructure industry, everyone has already been to, or even presented, one of the ‘old-school’ public meetings, where there were big boards and huge maps all over the room in an attempt to show the different aspects of a project and how it'll affect the public, both directly and indirectly. However, with all the latest progress in technology, “how can the public experience the project before it is even built?”. This is the central theme of today’s episode, which is ...
The Value of Positive Project Perception
September 29, 2020 08:00 - 28 minutes - 34.5 MBWhile a civil engineering project should definitely pay attention to the functionality and behavior of its structure, making sure it’s safe and functioning properly, an outstanding project also draws attention to how it will be perceived and understood by the public. On today’s episode, Sam provides us with a preview of a presentation he will be giving later this week as part of the Civil Engineering Collective by EMI. The topic of his presentation? The Value of Positive Project Perception. ...
What Architecture Can Teach Civil Engineering About Visualization and Aesthetics
September 22, 2020 08:00 - 18 minutes - 20.6 MBArchitecture and civil engineering are two professions that go hand in hand. While architects design with a focus on aesthetics, usage and space, civil engineers oversee the entire design-to-completion process with a focus on materials, construction and structural stability. However, the visualization field within civil engineering is still behind that of architecture, just as architecture is still inefficient in certain aspects when compared to civil engineering. Today, Sam walks us throu...
Utilizing Visualization to Build and Grow an Engineering Firm with Majed Agha of Agha Engineering
September 15, 2020 08:00 - 32 minutes - 26.9 MBToday’s guest is Majed Agha of Agha Engineering, a civil engineering firm headquartered in Houston that specializes in transportation, drainage and site development, and incorporates BIM technology in order to provide high-quality designs. Despite being the principal PE at his own engineering firm today, Majed started out his career by going to business school. After a six-month period, he decided to go back and join the engineering department of the University of Houston, eventually getti...
Past, Present and Future Visualization in Civil Engineering with Austin Reed of HNTB
September 08, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 28.8 MBAlmost everyone has already been into sports as a kid. But, as we grow older and find out the huge range of activities we can devote our time to, not all of us develop the exact same interest in athletics. Today’s guest, however, managed to keep his life-long love for sports, and integrated that with his passion for games and 3D visualization. Austin Reed is a 3D visualization specialist at HNTB, a design firm in Kansas City, Missouri. A huge fan of the Kansas City Chiefs since he was a yo...
Visualization in the Mining Industry with Olga Krelin
September 01, 2020 08:00 - 51 minutes - 39.8 MBPhoto rendering, 3D models, and interactive visualization are some of the many ways we can make civil engineering look good, from an architectural design to a brand new infrastructure project. However, today’s guest goes beyond the common uses of these tools and applies illustrations and graphics to the Mining Industry. Olga Krelin is a graphic, industrial, and information designer at Mining Illustrated, a Vancouver-based company that strongly believes in strategic visual content as a cruc...
Why I Sold and Answers to Other Questions About the Parametrix Acquisition (Solo Podcast)
August 25, 2020 08:00 - 14 minutes - 14.8 MBLast week, we covered the official announcement of the acquisition of Civil FX by Parametrix. Today, Sam explains a bit further not only the reason why he accepted their offer, and specifically why he did it now, in the midst of a pandemic and economic uncertainty, but also some other aspects that immediately come up as a consequence of this merger. Will Civil FX change the way in which it’s been operating and the services it’s been providing? What are the basics of Sam’s new company, call...
Moving Beyond Civil FX (Parametrix Merger Announcement)
August 18, 2020 08:00 - 5 minutes - 6.36 MBToday’s episode is the announcement of the merger between Civil FX and Parametrix, a Seattle-based company that has recently started doing business in Las Vegas. The merger will be mutually beneficial, allowing Parametrix to increase its presence in the market and adding to the work of Civil FX in interactive and 3D Visualization. Even though upcoming episodes will dig deeper into the nuances of this merger, listen to this announcement in order to learn the highlights of it, the future of ...
Drones in Civil Engineering (multi-interview)
August 11, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBToday’s episode touches on the ever recurring, and fascinating, topic of drones, both in relation to their potential general uses and their particular, and very niched, uses within civil engineering. Even though the specific terminology for this type of hardware has not yet been officially reached, ranging from Quadcopters, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs), etc., the name that seems to have caught up among professionals and the general public is Drone. In this multi-interview episode, Sam sits...
Using 3D Tools to Solve Infrastructure and Transportation for State DOTs (AEC Next/Spar 3D Conference)
August 04, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBState Departments Of Transportation (DOTs) are critically important agencies whose work includes, but is not limited to, planning, maintaining and improving the complex infrastructure of a state’s land, air and sea-based travel systems. However, given the scale and complexity of the projects they work on, they face unique challenges that are intrinsic to the job’s nature. Whether it’s reaching places that are somewhat risky in order to collect data and perform structural assessment or acce...
Announcing the CEMENT Podcast Network
July 28, 2020 08:00 - 30 minutes - 26.5 MBIn today’s fast-paced and connected world, most professionals are almost always on the go and do not have the “free time” to sit down and grab the latest issue of one of the many technical magazines, newspapers, and newsletters available on their specific field. Therefore, podcasts have shifted from an entertainment tool to an easy-access resource that allows professionals to keep up to date with the latest trends within their industries. On today’s episode, Sam sits down once again to tal...
Reaching Millions with Virtual Reality to Save Lives with Jessi Acuna of the Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD)
July 21, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes - 30 MBWith a “bowl-like” geographical shape and a soil that does not absorb too much water, Las Vegas has a tendency to experience much more floods than any other place in the country, making it a necessity to not only develop and invest in infrastructure, but also to educate its residents about the dangers of driving through flooded roads. And, while this is precisely one of the goals of the Regional Flood Control District in Clark County (CCRFCD), the teaching methods they are currently using ar...
The Value of Geospatial Data in Civil Engineering with Carrie Wiley of Nearmap
July 14, 2020 08:00 - 38 minutes - 29.3 MBToday’s guest is Carrie Wiley, a technical sales engineer who has been working with Nearmap for over a year now. Nearmap is an Australia-born company focused on imagery technology and location data, that provides frequently-updated and high-resolution geospatial data of countries like Australia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. Carrie’s interest in the subject began while still in her sophomore year, when she took a GIS (Geographic Information System) course. Although she has alw...
Blockchain in Civil Engineering with Terry Walters (Part 2)
July 07, 2020 08:00 - 25 minutes - 20.7 MBToday’s episode is the second part of our two-episode series with Terry Walters, a technology evangelist at HW Lochner. This final episode focuses on Terry’s work in Blockchain and how this can be truly useful in civil engineering, especially in the discipline of transportation engineering. Roughly speaking, Blockchain is a series of records cryptographically linked together, which makes it easier to spot any attempt to fake or alter the original data. This trait in itself can be useful, and...
Evangelizing Technology in Civil Engineering with Terry Walters (Part 1)
June 30, 2020 08:00 - 52 minutes - 40.8 MBThis week’s episode is the first part of a two-episode series with Terry Walters. Terry has been a technology evangelist at HW Lochner since 2014 and he lives in a RV, traveling all over the country and visiting various offices along the way. His passion for technology started out when he was just five years old, after getting his first computer, and, even though he ended up in the transportation segment of the civil engineering world, he always had his interest in technology on the side. ...
Beautifying the World With Civil Engineering
June 23, 2020 08:00 - 21 minutes - 22.6 MBIn this week’s episode, Sam dives deeper into how we can use Civil Engineering to beautify the world. The aesthetics aspect of engineering projects is, at least most of the time, seen as secondary, given the vast utility involved in any sort of engineering project. However, being creative and trying to put out projects differently from how they’ve always been put out would considerably make a big difference in the world. Sam also shares some of the actions we can take to achieve this goal, r...
Engaging the Hispanic Community for Effective Public Involvement with Ericka Aviles
June 16, 2020 08:00 - 42 minutes - 40.1 MBIn this episode, Sam talks with Ericka Aviles of Ericka Aviles Consulting about her work in communications and public involvement in hospitality, transportation and other industries. Ericka also talks about her work in the Hispanic community building trust and effectively involving an important demographic in the Las Vegas community and much more. Connect with Ericka at her website and social media: https://www.erickaaviles.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickaaviles https://www.f...
Where CAD Should Be Going with the CAD Manager Himself, Eric DeLeon
June 09, 2020 08:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBView and Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sPMF40RTNGY In this episode, Sam talks with Eric DeLeon who has been drafting and managing CAD for many years and now has a podcast of his own- the CAD Manager Confessions Eric talks of his path into the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry and how he uses both Microstation (Bentley) and Civil 3D (AutoCAD) products to serve a variety of clients. He also discusses his efforts into 3D visualization using a variety of t...
Building a State DOT Visual Engineering Resource Group (VERG) with Kurt Stiles of WashDOT
June 02, 2020 08:00 - 59 minutes - 52.9 MBIn this episode, Sam talks with Kurt Stiles of Washington State Department of Transportation about how he got started in visual communications, built the Visual Engineering Resource Group (VERG) and continues to deliver 3D visualization and other graphical communication to this day. Watch the conversation on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ANmQFTou4_A Learn more about VERG here: https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/business/visualcommunications/Visualization.htm
Simulation vs Visualization in Civil Engineering
May 26, 2020 08:00 - 48 minutes - 39.5 MBIn this episode, Sam and Wayne talk about how they are integrating simulation into their real-time visualization at Civil FX using slides prepared for a recent presentation. Wayne also walks through 4 current and recent real-time projects that are utilizing simulation elements. The video version will make much more sense! https://youtu.be/QTHHLxp66Wc
A Contractor's Perspective on 3D Visualization to Win Projects and Improve Public Involvement - Jed Wheeler with William Charles
May 19, 2020 08:00 - 38 minutes - 30.1 MBIn this episode, Jed Wheeler joins the podcast to discuss getting into management with a large construction firm (William Charles formerly known as Meadow Valley Contractors), using 3D visualization to win CMAR (Construction Management at Risk) and Design-Build, utilizing interactive visualization for public involvement as well as how technology is changing civil construction. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/lmSZwrQ1sC4 Jed also talks about his side hustle doing project site docu...
The Value of Landscape Architecture for Civil Projects with Geoffrey Schafler of Lage Design
May 12, 2020 08:00 - 36 minutes - 32.6 MBIn this episode, Geoffrey Schafler of Lage Design joins the podcast to discuss how he got into the world of landscape and aesthetics, started a design firm with his wife and how they stand out against the competition by focusing on their niche and utilizing the latest 3D technologies. Geoffrey also shares how they have been successful on large transportation projects, what the difference is between good and bad landscape and aesthetics and how landscape architecture adds tangible value to ...
5 Reasons WHY We Should Make Civil Projects Look Good
May 05, 2020 08:00 - 13 minutes - 16.5 MBIn this solo episode, Sam talks about the reasons why we should invest in making projects look better either through design, outreach or visualization. Learn more about Civil FX: www.civilfx.com
Behind the Project | Centennial Bowl
April 28, 2020 08:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBIn this behind the project edition of the podcast Wayne and Sam discuss the Centennial Bowl project and interactive model built using Unity 3D in 2018-2019. The project included a host of new innovations for Civil FX including smart traffic, colored phasing, a sky box, pathways system and dynamic pedestrian volume adjustment. Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/zwMhwIAiXBk Watch the interactive tour here: https://youtu.be/ZYfYdBdlOAM
What COVID-19 Means for Civil FX, Public Involvement and Government Infrastructure Projects
April 21, 2020 08:00 - 27 minutes - 23.9 MBIn this episode of We Make Civil Engineering Look Good Sam and Wayne discuss how the COVID-19 crisis has affected the Civil FX team as well as the projects they are working on and the clients they are serving. They also discuss how virtual public meetings could be the future of outreach and how new tools could emerge from this pandemic and associated shutdown. They close with a discussion about Civil FX Vision and how it may be an answer to visualization for infrastructure projects if budget...
Why Interactive Visualization is the Future of Public Outreach
April 14, 2020 08:00 - 35 minutes - 31.7 MBIn this episode Sam and Wayne talk about how 3D visualization has been done in the past and how Civil FX got into interactive visualization about 5 years ago. They discuss how interactive visualization is made, why it makes public meetings better and other benefits as well as what the future might hold. Interactive Visualization at CivilFX.com: http://www.civilfx.com/interactive-visualization/ Fully Interactive Project to test out (must have good GPU!) https://drive.google.com/...
Anthony Fasano of Engineering Management Institute on Training the Next Generation of Leaders
April 07, 2020 08:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBAnthony Fasano is a best selling author, TEDx speaker, keynote speaker, blogger, podcaster and founder of Engineering Management Institute. He has helped train leadership and project management to thousands of engineers and has had millions of downloads to his podcasts. Anthony joins the podcast to discuss his journey into engineering, finding his niche in 'soft skills' in engineering and building and growing what eventually became the Engineering Management Institute. Learn more about ...
Now is the Time for Virtual Public Meetings with Susan Berkley, Senior Public Information Officer for Atkins
April 01, 2020 17:05 - 35 minutes - 28.5 MBSusan Berkley is a Senior Public Information Officer (PIO) for Atkins North America and has nearly two decades in communications and outreach. Susan lead the involvement efforts on Project Neon, the largest public works project in the history of Nevada. It was on this project that Sam and Susan first met. In this episode, Sam and Susan discuss Project Neon, the coronavirus shutdown and how this might be a unique opportunity to move the infrastructure outreach industry into virtual public i...
Making Civil ENGINEERS Look Good with Josh Roberts of Rainmaker Productions
March 24, 2020 08:00 - 36 minutes - 32.4 MBIn this episode, Josh Robert's of Rainmaker Productions joins Sam to discuss how he helps clients win work, look good and stand out in a crowded civil engineering and AEC world. They also discuss 3D visualization, leaving a secure job to start a business and the challenge of helping technical individuals present themselves well. Rainmaker Productions Inc Website: https://www.rainmakeraec.com/
Behind the Project - Elevated Expressway
March 17, 2020 08:00 - 31 minutes - 28.3 MBIn this episode Sam and Wayne break down the Elevated Expressway project which they've both been working on for years over several phases. This journey has included multiple iterations of 3D visualization, making up some landscape and aesthetics, contentious public meetings and more. Wayne's original renders: https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/news-columns/road-warrior/elevated-expressways-vs-light-rail-system-which-is-best-for-las-vegas/ Project Info: http://www.clarkcountynv....
The Future of Civil Design Software with Andy Carter
March 10, 2020 08:00 - 39 minutes - 39.8 MBSam welcomes guest Andy Carter, PE, founder of CivilE and they discuss where civil design software may be headed- and how design and visualization may eventually be one in the same. Andy also talks about how he used InfraWorks and Lumion to bring his civil projects to life and how the virtual reality project he developed was seen by former president Bill Clinton.
How Fortnite and Virtual Reality Will (Hopefully) Help Save Lives
March 04, 2020 23:31 - 31 minutes - 25.3 MBWayne and Sam tell the story of how the creators of the hit video game, Fortnite, developed a 'Megagrant' to help developers of their game engine UE4. Civil FX developed an application and received a grant to develop a virtual reality application that will hopefully increase public awareness and maybe even save lives. http://www.civilfx.com/civil-fx-awarded-megagrant-distracted-driving-outreach/ https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/epic-megagrants-reaches-13-million-milestone-i...
From Movie Production Workflow to Video Game Development Workflow with Wayne Sullivan of Civil FX
March 02, 2020 20:13 - 38 minutes - 42.2 MBNearly 3 years ago Wayne Sullivan joined Civil FX and brought his 20 years of experience in 3D visualization with him. Since then Wayne has taken over most of the client services side of Civil FX and blended his experience of render farms and 3ds Max with the Civil FX way of interactive visualization using game engines such as Unity 3D and Unreal Engine (UE4). Wayne has started the Civil FX office in Las Vegas and now runs an office of 10 full time employees. Dragon Bridge Animation ...
02 | From Movie Production Workflow to Video Game Development Workflow with Wayne Sullivan of Civil FX
March 02, 2020 20:13 - 38 minutes - 42.2 MBNearly 3 years ago Wayne Sullivan joined Civil FX and brought his 20 years of experience in 3D visualization with him. Since then Wayne has taken over most of the client services side of Civil FX and blended his experience of render farms and 3ds Max with the Civil FX way of interactive visualization using game engines such as Unity 3D and Unreal Engine (UE4). Wayne has started the Civil FX office in Las Vegas and now runs an office of 10 full time employees.
01 | Town Hall Meetings Don't Have to Be Terrifying
March 02, 2020 20:02 - 14 minutes - 14.9 MBIn this episode Sam talks about what this podcast will be about and how maybe we can make our public meetings a little better.
Town Hall Meetings Don't Have to Be Terrifying
March 02, 2020 20:02 - 14 minutes - 14.9 MBIn this episode Sam talks about what this podcast will be about and how maybe we can make our public meetings a little better.
Even Boring Civil Engineers Have an Origin Story
March 02, 2020 19:56 - 34 minutes - 38.6 MBIn this episode Sam talks about what led him into civil engineering and then eventually in 3D visualization as part of public outreach. Transcript: Me and my brothers there were four of us close in age and we were each assigned one de facto and mine was Donatello and Donatello was the inventor of course. And so, I was the inventor and I wanted to grow up and be an inventor and so I told this to my dad and he said well in the real world inventors are engineers. And so that kind...
00 | Even Boring Civil Engineers Have an Origin Story
March 02, 2020 19:56 - 34 minutes - 38.6 MBIn this episode Sam talks about what led him into civil engineering and then eventually in 3D visualization as part of public outreach.