HEATHER GILMER, P.E.
1-813-434-0171
∙ gilmer@alumni.utexas.net
EDUCATION
M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
B.S., Summa cum Laude, Civil Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
M.A., Linguistics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
B.A., Linguistics with concentration in Cognitive Studies, Cornell University
LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION:
Licensed Professional Engineer: Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, New York (and NCEES experience record)
AWS Certified Welding Inspector
WORK HISTORY
Tampa Tank/Florida Structural Steel: QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER (1/12-12/14), DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES (1/15-present)
Establish and enforce bridge, tank, and other structural quality assurance standards for the fabrication and erection services within the organization. Oversee the quality control department. Review & write welding procedures and qualification test reports, and oversee qualification testing for welding procedures and welders. Maintain corporate quality manual. Develop other manuals to standardize and improve various functions within the company. Provide technical training. Review specifications for new projects. Provide on-site Specialty Engineer services for erection.
PDM Bridge: DIRECTOR OF QUALITY (10/10-8/11)
Supervised quality control managers at several facilities. Drove quality “best practices” across multiple plants. Recruited and hired quality management staff. Assisted project management and operations in dealing effectively with quality claims and disputes. Upgraded quality system for newly acquired facility to bridge-level quality. Developed and maintained effective working relationships with customers and suppliers. Applied technical expertise to help resolve issues in plants and field. Performed occasional inspections.
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Construction Division, Materials and Pavements Section, Structural Steel Fabrication Branch: ENGINEER (6/03–8/10), ENGINEERING ASSISTANT (8/99–7/02 and 3/03–6/03)
Reviewed and analyzed steel bridge fabrication nonconformances; developed, modified, interpreted, and enforced steel-related specifications, testing methods, inspection practices, acceptance criteria, and suitability of materials and methods for service based on actual conditions; reviewed and approved fabrication procedures, welding procedures and procedure qualification reports, material test reports, and welding consumable certifications; built and maintained effective working relationships with steel bridge fabricators and erectors, shop and field inspectors, designers, and District offices; provided fabrication and materials advice and other technical service to District offices; supervised and trained other workers (including development of performance plans and training courses); oversaw TxDOT-funded research projects; served as assistant chair of Texas Steel Quality Council; served as Special Assistant to Director of Construction for 10-year rewrite of TxDOT Standard Specifications. Implemented pioneering use of electroslag welding for bridges.
SHOWCASE PROJECT: Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (Dallas, TX), 2006-2010
Cable-stayed bridge with steel arch pylon (Santiago Calatrava, architect). Worked with Texas engineer of record (EOR) to revise design for constructability and code compliance and to ensure exceptional circumstances were addressed. Reviewed Italian fabricator operations and worked with the fabricator to ensure code compliance and develop fabrication procedures. Interacted with fabricator, EOR, architect, TxDOT, City of Dallas to resolve conflicts among contract and code requirements, fabricator & architect customs, and aesthetic requirements. Spearheaded innovative use of phased-array ultrasonic testing.
Texas Department of Transportation, Bridge Division, Design Section: ENGINEERING ASSISTANT (7/02–3/03)
Designed highway bridges; analyzed and reviewed design calculations; checked design drawings; provided steel-related technical support to professional engineers on material, fabrication, and specification issues.
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin: GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT (9/97–8/99). Thesis topic: “Evaluation of Fillet Weld Qualification Requirements”. Researched alternative tests that may replace or obviate current code requirements for procedure qualification. Advisor: Dr. Karl Frank.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT (4/95–8/97). Wrote computer programs, edited reports, processed data, and performed lab and field work for projects in railway geotechnology, including a track maintenance management system later implemented at Amtrak.
SELECTED CODE COMMITTEE EXPERIENCE
AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration: Chair of Fabrication Task Groups. Member of other task groups (QC/QA, Coatings).
American Welding Society (AWS) Committee on Structural Welding: Member of Bridge and Structural Subcommittees (AWS D1.5 and D1.1 codes). Chair of Fabrication Task Group. Member of Inspection Task Group.
AREMA: Member of Committee on Steel Structures. Chair of Subcommittee on Fabrication. Vice Chair of Subcommittee on Painting and Special Construction. Member of Subcommittees on Materials.
Transportation Research Board: Member of Committee AFH70 on Fabrication and Inspection of Metal Structures.
AISC: Past member of Committee on Certification, vice chair of bridge fabricator certification task group, member of joint AISC/SSPC task group for shop painting certification.
LANGUAGES: English: fluent; Hebrew: near-fluent; French: 3rd-year university level; German: 2nd-year university level; Italian: beginner, with basic steel fabrication vocabulary. Excellent language-learning skills.
CITIZENSHIP: U.S.