Instructor Spotlight: Dan Howell, PE

At School of PE, we employ multiple instructors to teach the material in their areas of expertise-this sets us apart from our competitors. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our students, and we believe that learning from experts in their respective areas provides the most comprehensive learning experience.

Our Instructor Spotlight series gives you a peek behind the scenes with some of School of PE's highly acclaimed instructors. Read on to find out more about our very own Dan Howell.

Author Bio:

Dr. Howell has a BS, MS, and PhD in Civil Engineering with a Structural Engineering focus. He has been practicing structural engineering for over 16 years, which includes nine years of teaching experience. At School of PE, Dr. Howell has proven experience in teaching Seismic and Structures.

What is your best advice for someone seeking their FE/PE licensure?

Licensure is an industry-accepted measure of your ability as a responsible engineer to sign and seal construction plans. In addition, it provides you, as an individual, with future marketability to add to your list of advancing skill sets for current or future employment. It is a critical step in your growth as an engineer.

What is the best way to prepare for the PE exam?

For the PE Civil exam, there are many avenues to investigate when initially looking at the available subject matter, which can be somewhat overwhelming. Narrowing down what is important to study is the benefit of a review course.

What is the most important skill for an engineer to have?

In my experience, the most successful engineers are those who are detail-oriented when it comes to calculations and general housekeeping. In addition, engineers with a construction background benefit from looking beyond the equations in the various codes and into what it takes to actually construct a project.

What are the biggest challenges with obtaining FE/PE licensure?

As noted, there is a large amount of material that goes into each exam, and preparing for each potential topic can be overwhelming. Also, some engineers are just not natural test takers, which can be a hindrance when approaching the exam. Repeat test takers also bear the burden of preparing for an exam that takes months out of your schedule in hopes of passing on the next round. It can be an emotional rollercoaster in addition to the technical challenges of solving problems.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone starting out in your career?

Be an active listener as you start your career, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I have been a part of companies that provided a welcoming open-door policy for questions and discussions of topics/code interpretation and some that have been very poor. Having an open management that is willing to take the time to invest in your development is crucial for your growth in the first few years of your career.

How do you make sure to stay up to date on skills and technology?

Attending conferences and webinars are the best options to not only keep your licensure current based on continuing education credits but also to stay current on the latest technologies. Conferences also play a role in establishing working relationships with other engineers/consultants/owners that are invaluable for future projects.

What attracted you to structural engineering?

I was always drawn to topics that were technically driven, and I was always interested in advanced mathematics. I enjoy the challenge of an engineering project as well as managing multiple projects at one time; each one is different and presents unique challenges that may include budget, product availability, or contractor preference.

What was your favorite engineering project?

I was fortunate to be part of an inspection team for a large civil engineering project that crossed a bay subjected to tidal movements that included several tunnels, man-made islands with facilities, and several miles of approach bridges. It was interesting to view design decisions that held up well over decades of use while others could have been approached differently for the longevity of the facility. That is not something that is taught well at the university level. Thus, real-world experience was invaluable.

What is the best thing about being a structural engineer?

You view things through a different lens when exploring the world around you. You may inquire about how a specific structure was built or designed to take specific loads or simply admire complex projects that were completed in difficult-to-build locations.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment during your career as a professional engineer?

I have worked both as a consulting engineer in the private sector as well as for public entities, which gave me a well-rounded view as an owner and as an engineer working for the owner.

What is something people might be surprised to know about you?

I love the outdoors and exploring nature. My favorite time of year is fall, when the leaves change colors, and you are on a trail just listening to the birds and animals around you. It is easy to stop and smell the roses - so to speak.

What was your most challenging engineering project?

I was the lead designer for a trail project that traversed a large river, which included attaching the trail to an existing truss bridge. The project had several stakeholders with options for three different path widths depending on the material used. The narrowest path was the heaviest with concrete construction; the middle width was a stiffened steel plate option, while the widest path utilized fiber-reinforced plastic due to the lighter material. It was challenging from a technical aspect to attach the path to the bridge as well as accommodate three different materials/widths. Ultimately, the wider FRP option was the cheapest to build and ultimately got built.

If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self some professional advice, what would it be?

Licensure and what impact it has on future job prospects are integrally linked. I was fortunate to obtain work out of college for a consulting firm that provided a good knowledge base. However, the company was structured such that younger engineers were not exposed much to real-world design. I would advise my younger self to chart a career arc that included several potential employers as experience and to think outside the box in terms of where you could work in the world. Structural engineering is in demand throughout the world; thus, thinking of destinations not normally encountered would be a great adventure.

What is the most important lesson you've learned in your career?

Engineers provide solutions for the world to function and prosper in a time of dwindling resources and funding. Often, engineers are tasked with doing more with less. I have learned to be a proponent of the profession to espouse its benefits for future generations as well as educate the general public about how engineers positively change their lives for the better.

What is the most rewarding thing about being an instructor for School of PE?

Teaching requires an extensive knowledge base of the subject matter due to questions that could be well outside of the written study material. I enjoy providing answers to questions that are unique to the subject matter, as well as taking a measured approach to general exam preparation and exam execution that maximizes time spent on problems.

What is your approach to teaching exam prep?

I include as many real-world scenarios and visual representations as possible to reinforce concepts in the exam - mainly because it is easier to recall an object or picture versus written text in the exam. I also place myself in the shoes of the student for any questions that I come across during the session. In that regard, I address questions as they are received to keep the flow of information moving throughout each class.

Why would you recommend taking an exam review course to prepare for the FE/PE exam?

There are many advantages to taking a review course. One is that there is a specific timeframe that you must block off in order to attend a class. This is somewhat more difficult for the Ondemand versions of the subjects as they are paced with the student's availability. For the live classes, this also lets you interact with a live instructor; thus, getting any questions you may have answered at that time is a great addition. Lastly, review courses narrow down the potential subject matter into topics that have a higher probability of being on the exam versus getting lost in subjects/topics that may not appear.