Program Schedule

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Conference Opening & Keynote Session

Chair’s Opening Remarks
Mike Roach, Traylor Bros.

KEYNOTE: Progressing the DART D2 Project
Timothy McKay, Dallas Area Rapid Transit

KEYNOTE: A Defensible Business Case for Your Program, but Where Will the Money Come From?
Mike Weaver, HNTB

11:30 am - Noon

Interactive Coffee Discussion

Grab a coffee and join us for the first of two interactive Zoom-based chat sessions (accessed via the UCA of SME event page). This networking discussion session – brought to you by our high-level event sponsors – is a great opportunity for delegates to catch-up with industry colleagues and exchange ideas with other members of the North American tunneling community.

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Session 2 – Innovation in Tunneling

NEBT Project: the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve TBM operations
Daniele Nebbia, Salini Impregilo Healy JV, and Mike Mooney, Colorado School of Mines

Advances in SCL Tunneling
Juergen Laubbichler, Dr Sauer & Partners

Risk Mitigation for The Big Walnut Sewer
Irwan Halim, Aecom, and Heather Marsh, MarshWagner

Complex Monitoring System Management at the NEBT Critical Under-crossings
Pietro Banov, Lane Construction

The Future of Tunnel Boring for Underground Mines
Dennis Ofiara, The Robbins Company

Live Q&A

10:30am – 11:00 am

Interactive Coffee Discussion

Women in Tunneling (WIT) hosted session: “Diversity Matters”

The second of our two interactive Zoom-based chat sessions (accessed via the UCA of SME event page) will be hosted by the UCA of SME’s Women in Tunneling (WIT) group, who will lead a discussion on diversity and mentorship. Another great opportunity for delegates to catch-up with industry colleagues and exchange ideas with other members of the North American tunneling community.

11:15 am – 12:30 pm

Session 3 – New Faces: UCA Young Members

Restoring New York City’s Lower Catskill Aqueduct with BIM and GIS
Maria Kontari, Mott MacDonald

Rondout Bypass: The Big Trip
Andrew Russell, Kiewit

Building from the Bottom: UCA Young Members
Shaun McDonald, Jay Dee

Live Q&A

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Session 4 – Advances in Alternative Delivery

Experience with Bond Market Investors on P3 with Large Tunnels
Dave Mast, Aecom, and Tom DiPonio, Jay Dee

Progressive DB in Silicon Valley
Mike Jaeger, Tanner Pacific

CM/GC Delivery for Federally-Procured Projects
Jeff Wallace, Mott MacDonald

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

[LIVE] Session 5 – Alternative Delivery Panel

A panel of industry figures will discuss developments in approaches to project procurement, financing opportunities and risk management and look at how the industry can and should adapt.