Why the Future of Flood Engineering Depends on Data, Passion & Digital Twins
In Episode 7 of The 21st Century Engineer , we sit down with Sarah McEwen — PE, CFM, and Central Region Hydrology & Hydraulics Discipline Lead at Neel-Schaffer — to discuss what it means to lead the future of water resource engineering. From the Mississippi River Basin Model to AI, digital twins, and real-world resilience, Sarah reveals how old-school engineering marvels can inspire next-gen STEM education, and why software literacy matters just as much as foundational theory.
We explore:
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Her family's engineering legacy and what led her to civil engineering.
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The critical skills universities aren’t teaching (yet).
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Why engineers must continuously evolve alongside emerging tech.
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The historic 60-acre concrete map that shaped America’s flood policy.
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How preserving the past can unlock new pathways for students of the future.
🎧 Listen to this candid, wide-ranging conversation on how engineers like Sarah are shaping the 22nd century.