Writing

Engineering & Commissioning publications

Technical papers & reports

writing samples

Better Prosthetics Through Magnets

For many patients with limb loss, the remaining arm muscles still function as if the hand remained. A research team has taken advantage of this ghost function to develop a myokinetic trans-radial prosthesis using magnets embedded in arm muscles to control the prosthetic hand.  

https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/better-prosthetics-through-magnets 

Failures of Ongoing Commissioning (OCx)

Ongoing commissioning (OCx) mirrors a marathon runner’s training regimen. Just as a runner needs regular conditioning, monitoring, and adjustments to stay at peak performance, a building requires OCx to maintain efficiency over its lifecycle. 

https://www.bcxa.org/blog/failures-of-ongoing-commissioning-(ocx).html 

Balancing the Scales: Effective Balancing Compliments the Commissioning Process

Air and water balancing, or testing, adjustment, and balancing (TAB), fine-tunes a system's performance to match the flow rates in the design documents and equipment submittals.  

https://www.bcxa.org/blog/balancing-the-scales-effective-balancing-compliments-the-commissioning-process.html 

Oxidation Study May Lead to Advanced Alloys

The hope is that a tool developed by researchers may provide the ability for rapid design and testing cycles for oxidation-resistant complex metal alloys.

https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/oxidation-study-may-lead-to-advanced-alloys 

Low-Temperature Production Could Lead to More Uses for Ammonia

Researchers at a national laboratory have developed a method that doesn't require high temperatures or pressures, which could make the chemical even more widely available.

https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/low-temperature-production-could-lead-to-more-uses-for-ammonia 

Silver Bullets: Optimizing Existing Buildings Through Commissioning

Existing Building Commissioning improves building performance, efficiency, and sustainability while also playing a role in decarbonization. Understanding building dynamics and implementing tailored solutions unlocks substantial energy savings without major capital investments.  

https://www.bcxa.org/blog/silver-bullets-optimizing-existing-buildings-through-commissioning.html 

The Power of Parental Leave for Engineers

Engineering employers are increasingly challenged to attract and retain talent. Here’s a compelling (and counterintuitive) case for helping new moms and dads stay off work longer. 

https://www.engineering.com/the-power-of-parental-leave/ 

Commissioning Levels ≠ Commissioning Process

Mission critical / data center commissioning providers (CxP) have relied on commissioning levels to track the testing progress of critical equipment within the facility for many years. However, the levels offer only a partial perspective, not the complete picture.    

https://www.bcxa.org/blog/commissioning-levels-%E2%89%A0-commissioning-process.html 

Integrated Systems Testing (IST)

What is integrated systems testing and how does it impact the owner, engineer, and consultant for a construction project?

https://www.verticaeng.ca/media/integrated-systems-testing-ist