Hard Hats and High Tech: Bringing AI and Engineering Innovation to Miami
What do you get when you mix seasoned engineering expertise, cutting-edge AI technology, and a dash of humor? You get an entertaining AI and Engineering presentation at the Florida Engineering Society’s Annual Conference.
Held at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry, this event was a melting pot of professionals — engineers, construction leaders, municipal leaders, clients, and lawyers — all eager to explore the future of engineering. Our session on “Ethical and Efficient Use of AI in Engineering” demonstrated how AI can enhance proposal writing and project management in engineering.
For us, veteran civil engineer John Smith from Haley Ward and me, Davar Ardalan, a storytelling technologist (and yes, we’re husband and wife), the conference was a fantastic opportunity to demystify AI while keeping things light and engaging.
It was like blending the mind of Hermione Granger with the flair of Tony Stark — a perfect mix of intellect and creativity as we launched the beta version of the John Smith GPT.
John emphasized the transformative power of AI: “In the engineering field, mastering the art of creating effective proposals is just as crucial as possessing technical skills. But as a PE, I will not put my signature on a design generated by AI without thorough human oversight. These tools can help us be efficient, but we need the human professional to ensure accuracy and integrity.”
I added: “AI’s role in engineering is not just about automation; it’s about augmenting human capabilities and ensuring that our work is both efficient and ethically sound. You can survey your teams to see how they are using AI tools already, then approve a few pilot projects like the beta John Smith GPT just to learn from them and understand your use cases.”
After the session, we heard insightful thoughts on AI from key figures in the engineering community. Trevor Fisher, P.E., MBA Broward County Public Works Director, underscored the importance of adopting AI responsibly: “I do believe that AI is a powerful tool to be adopted, especially by governments. And I do believe that technology can be used to allow you to work smarter, not harder. But we have to be able to govern how it’s used and make sure we are on top of it.”
Michael Ritchie, veteran civil engineer from Wellington Properties LLC, reflected on the gradual integration of AI: “I think engineers, we’re still conservative, we’re old school, we’re still not going to put our seal on something that we don’t do the homework on. It’s going to be a tool and it’s really going to help… I see it going up asymptotically to where it’ll be even better.”
Ann McNeill, better known as “The Master Builder Building Stronger and Better Lives,” was also present at FES and our session on AI and Engineering. She is the President/CEO of MCO Construction, which is the first African American female-owned construction company in the State of Florida. Ann is also the founder of ‘The National Association of Black Women in Construction.’
One particularly notable presentation was by Daniel Johns, GISP from England-Thims & Miller, Inc., who spoke on leveraging AI to enhance operations and asset management. His presentation focused on the use of GIS-based digital twins to improve asset extraction and project delivery, highlighting case studies that illustrated AI’s impact on engineering efficiency and accuracy.
Another impactful session, that we weren’t able to attend, was delivered by Alan Eldridge, PE, and Nicole Cribbs, CE from Faller, Davis and Associates, Inc., on making connections for the Florida Panther. They were addressing the challenge of habitat fragmentation and the innovative engineering solutions implemented to create wildlife passageways under I-75.
The conference also featured a critical presentation by Craig Wells, PE from Freese and Nichols, on creating a path to climate resilience for coastal facilities. This case study on the Bethune Pointe WRF provided valuable insights into assessing vulnerability to climate change and developing resilience strategies for critical infrastructure.
As for our own backgrounds, John brings 40 years of experience in civil engineering, including landfills and solid waste projects in Hong Kong, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. I have extensive experience in AI and content creation, with a resume that includes TulipAI, IVOW AI, AI for Good, National Geographic, NPR News, and a White House Presidential Innovation Fellowship.
We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our fantastic moderator, retired engineer Angelina Fairchild, who kept the session running smoothly, and Meredith Glass of the Florida Engineering Society, whose organizational skills made the event a success. Companies like Arcadis and Kimley Horn were present, adding to the vibrant and diverse professional mix.
The Florida Engineering Society’s Annual Conference was an enriching experience, offering a wealth of knowledge and networking opportunities. Our presentation on the ethical and efficient use of AI in engineering was met with enthusiasm, and we look forward to continuing our work in this transformative field. The event underscored the importance of innovation, collaboration, and ethical considerations in advancing the engineering profession.
And as John thinks, maybe one day we can be the Chip and Joanna Gaines of AI and engineering Fixer Upper!
For more information contact John Smith at Haley Ward: jsmith@haleyward.com
This content was crafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence, which contributed to structuring the narrative, ensuring grammatical accuracy, summarizing key points, and enhancing the readability and coherence of the material. AI was also used for the synthetic voice in the FES highlight video narration.
