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Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

(OP)
I would like to create a small engineering Peer Review group where we can meet monthly to review projects and other information.  It would consist of approximately 6 engineers, meeting the 1st Thursday of the month, in the evening, at a local university, in a non-competitive atmoshere.  The benefits can be enormous.  You can gain alot of knowledge and experience in a short period of time. I'm realizing in the middle of my career that my time, efforts,and resources are limited.  The only way I can keep up and be effective is to team up with others.  I am the only design engineer at a design-build co. and I have to deal with almost all the civil/structural methods.  I look forward to any time I can discuss engineering stories with other engineers.  Most engineers are excited about the idea, but none put the effort in to make the group work.  I would like to hear from other engineers who have done something simular and how they made it work.

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

wds1

Are you a member of any engineering organization or society,most have a set up where they have monthly meetings with talks on various topics.

What your looking for i would be reluctant to join, it's one thing giving your advise once off for free, but's another when it's been picked all the time with out some reward.


fmara

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

On the contrary I think it is an excellent idea.
I am fortunate in that I have a (very small) group of engineers who are also friends, and we all work in the same industry, for the same company. Our sessions in the pub are hugely enjoyable, and occasionally useful. Worldwide I work with about 5 engineers on the same sort of projects, and find their feedback very useful.

However, I agree with fmara that it would be easy to be taken advantage of, rather like on eng-tips. There's no easy solution to that.

Personally I've always found the professional organisations to be full of denture sucking retirees, who spend most of the time saying "it's amazing what they can do with computers these days" and "bring back slide rules".

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

Incidentally, why at a university? You weren't going to get academics involved were you? or students? Actually the latter might be an interesting move, and the former might learn something.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

In the UK there are various Professional Institutes of Engineers who meet to hear lectures/presentations and presumably ask questions of fellow engineers. Which ever country you're in, find out if there are similar events that may be of more use to you. If not then there's always the pub.

corus

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

I ditto CORUS' comment as it is the same in the US.  I was heavily involved in my local professional society as an officer.  As a first step, why not take advantage of some of your own local professional societies?  You have an audience, a network, and from there you can branch out to your own small groups.

TygerDawg

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

(OP)
Why at the local University?
Because it's centrally located and they have alot of small rooms available for free use.  My intent is not Acadameia, my intent is to keep it to the Practical level.

The intent of the group is to share ideas, methods, and anything that will help each other.  Some are fearful of this concept.  They feel it's information that may help their competitor.  The reality is just the opposite.  It's analogous to being in a ballgame(except baseball).  The enemy is the clock.  We all have to do things faster, better, and more efficiently while the process and codes are getting more complicated.  If we work together, we can make it easier on each other.  Some ask Why not work thru your proffessional societies.  They are good at giving presentations, but they cannot go into the detail a small group can.  
There are Consultants out there that will set your company up with another non-competitive company in a different region doing the same or simular thing. The idea is that you can help each other out without reinventing the wheel.
For those who do Not contribute to the group, they will fall by the wayside.
It's my opinion that those who are Not in a group, will Not be able to compete with those who are IN a group.  There's so much to be gained from a small group.

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

The problem with working onyour own is that you have nobody to consult with, even if you are 90^ sure you know what you are doing. I think that as you're working on your own you are seeking that consultation with others. I don't think you'll get much help going into the details of your work and consulting 'outsiders' with problems you may have. If you want that then use this forum.  

corus

RE: Creating a small Engr. Peer Review group.

Generalizations or specifics?

Consider confidentiality issues before meeting outside the employer or client facilities.

John

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