White River Interceptor Rehabilitation
City of Muncie, Indiana
As part of an ongoing process to maintain FEMA certification of the White River Flood Control Levee, the Muncie Sanitary District (MSD) is rehabilitating multiple sewers along the levee route.
Recent News
2019 Wessler Food Drive
Concluding our 12th year, the Wessler team wrapped up another successful annual food drive to benefit Hunger Inc. Food Pantry in Indianapolis. Since 2008, Wessler has conducted a food drive every November to benefit those in need by donating hundreds of pounds of food each year.
Established in 2008, Hunger Inc. serves local residents in Perry Township and Beech Grove by distributing donated food items at no cost to those in need. In 2017 alone, Hunger Inc. was able to hand out more than 105,000 lbs. of food to 11,000 individuals in the areas it serves.
To learn more about Hunger Inc. and how you can help, visit hungerinc.org.
Purdue Grads in the Spotlight
Purdue University is home to one of the most well-known engineering schools in the country and the number of Purdue graduates at Wessler Engineering reflects that prominence, including a couple of our outstanding engineers recognized in the College of Engineering’s Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) newsletter.
Bridget Philpott and Kate Hughes received their bachelor's degrees in EEE in 2016, with Kate getting her master's in 2017. Both of these talented professionals were recognized in the newsletter’s Alumni Spotlight section. Check out their profiles below in the republished article, courtesy of the College of Engineering’s EEE.
EEE Alumni Spotlight
Meet Alumni Bridget Philpott and Kate Hughes
Bridget Philpott
Since graduating in 2016 with her BS in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE), Bridget Philpott has been working at Wessler Engineering, an environmental engineering consulting firm in Indianapolis. At Wessler she works in the Wastewater Group as a Project Engineer primarily on the design of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), lift stations, and force mains. Philpott also writes preliminary engineering reports, helps their clients apply for permits, and aides in the optimization of existing WWTP.
Philpott has been a member of the Indiana Water Environmental Association’s (IWEA) Residuals and Resource Recovery (R&RR) Committee for the last three years and served as the committee’s secretary this last year. Through that committee she has had the opportunity to present at the IWEA Annual Conference and at a few of the committee’s Lunch and Learns. Last December she was invited by the Danish Water Technology Alliance to spend a week in Denmark learning about their environmental policies and how their WWTP produces more energy than they require to run. Philpott has also completed two Biowin process modeling training courses.
The EEE program at Purdue encouraged Philpott to take a wide variety of classes that have helped her become a well-rounded environmental engineer. Having courses in not only wastewater treatment and urban hydraulics, but also ecology and water chemistry has allowed her to better understand the biological components of wastewater treatment process and the impact of pollutants on receiving streams. She has also been able to incorporate the systems thinking approach that is taught in the EEE program into her design projects.
“Take a wide variety of classes, especially during your sophomore and junior year,” Philpott advises current students. “This, along with internships and research, will give you the most exposure to the different career paths that are out there. Then senior year you can start to focus your classes on the sector of environmental engineering that you would most like to get a job in after graduation. There are so many different career options for EEE students, some traditional, some non-traditional, the more you look the more opportunities you will find!”
Kate Hughes
Kate Hughes graduated with her BSEEE in 2016 and then her MSEEE in 2017. Since then she also been working at Wessler Engineering in Indianapolis. Hughes works in the wastewater department where she is responsible for preparing preliminary engineering reports (PERs), hydraulics and hydrology design, practices and standards, preparation of plans, and working with clients on day to day basis. She also supports their Environmental Services department where she develops SPCC (Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure) Plans, SWPPPs (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan), generates Environmental Assessment Reviews for PERs, and conducts local limit evaluations.
In addition to presenting and publishing a webinar for Wessler on alternative sewer rehabilitation methods, Hughes has also been active outside of her position at Wessler. She presented at the Indiana Water Environment Association (IWEA) conference and at the National Water Environment Foundation (WEF) conference. Continuing to learn and expand her training has been important to Hughes in furthering her career as a Professional Engineer. She has earned her PACP, MACP, and LACP (Pipeline/Manhole/Lateral Assessment Certification Program) Certifications and is also Confined Space (29 CFR 1910.146) trained and certified. Most recently, she is training to be a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control.
Hughes attributes the education in both the undergraduate and graduate level Engineering programs with providing her the core engineering skills and process thinking that is at the heart of her work. Along with the academic preparation to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, the EEE program’s flexibility with electives enabled her to focus on soil quality and health, which inspired her and aided in her qualifying for the CPESC certification. Hughes highly suggests students consider taking the FE before or very soon after graduating. “In doing so, you will likely have a more flexible time schedule to prepare for the FE,” she says, “and your preparation will be bolstered by recently completing the rigorous engineering curriculum.” She also suggests applying for jobs in a variety of industries. “Whether you are certain about your future goals or if your career path is less clear,” Hughes says, “applying to a variety of industries not only assists in finding where your passion lies, but also creates more choices for your future.”
Client Comments:
"Our experience with Wessler is always positive. They treat you as a friend, and they’re as good as their word.” -City of Frankfort, Indiana
Recent News
Employee Spotlight: Bridget Philpott
Wessler is proud to announce Bridget Philpott, E.I., as the July Employee of the Month! Bridget joined Wessler in 2016 and serves as an engineer in the Indianapolis office. She works in the areas of designing and evaluating wastewater treatment facilities and sewer and sanitary collection systems. She is also an expert on where and what to do in Europe! We had her answer some questions so that we can get to know her better.
What are your roles and responsibilities at Wessler?
My roles and responsibilities as an Engineer in the Wastewater Group include assisting in the design of wastewater treatment plants and collection systems, performing preliminary studies and providing construction administration services.
What does the “Wessler Way” mean to you?
To me the “Wessler Way” means understanding each client’s unique needs and doing everything you can to provide them with the highest quality work.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned?
Since starting at Wessler I feel like I have learned something new every day. One of the most important being that there is always more than one way to do something and to make sure you think of the end user when deciding between alternatives. The choices you make when designing their system will affect them for years to come.
Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy baking, hiking, traveling and playing lacrosse. I also love to read and joined a book club at the beginning of this year to make sure I actually take the time to do it. If anyone has any book suggestions let me know, I’m always looking for my next book!
Rumor has it you have travelled to Europe – what are some of your favorite places? And where do you plan to travel to next and why?
I’m lucky enough to have travelled to Europe four times, with the most recent trip being when I went to Spain earlier this year. It’s hard to pick a favorite but Santorini, Greece is the most beautiful place I have ever visited and Prague, Czech Republic is the most unique! I’ve always wanted to see the northern lights, so for my next international trip I am planning on going to the few of the Nordic countries.
What are some must-do activities when visiting the Chicago area?
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago I was often able to go downtown and explore all that Chicago has to offer. As some of you already know, I could go on for days about things to do and particularly what to eat while in Chicago, but here are a few of favorites:
And of course, going to a baseball game for Chicago’s best team…the White Sox!
Employee Spotlight: Brian Sahm
We are proud to announce Brian Sahm, Project Engineer I, as our April Employee of the Month!
Brian interned with Wessler in 2013, before being hired on full time the following year to join our Electrical group. Brian employs his technical knowledge to plan, design, and bid sophisticated power systems and controls for low and medium voltage equipment, as well as standby power systems.
We had him answer some questions on his time at Wessler, as well as what he likes to do in his spare time.
I currently work in the electrical and I&C group for Wessler. My job is to provide a complete electrical system including power, standby power, controls and instrumentation to allow plant equipment to communicate.
What does the “Wessler Way” mean to you?
The Wessler Way to me means providing not only a complete and functioning project, but building relationships with clients. We are here to help not only in the design phase, but we want to make sure the client gets exactly what they need and that they feel comfortable working together to find a solution. Our clients are part of the Wessler family.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned?
There is always another way. Like every discipline, there are multiple pathways to achieve a solution. It is imperative that everyone takes the time to hear alternative solutions because they can be extremely valuable for future designs. I also believe that you should learn something new every day. No matter your age, if you do not take something new from your job each day, then you are not bettering yourself as an engineer. Knowledge is the key to success.
Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy hunting, fishing, and scuba diving. Many times I may come back empty handed, but the escape from society and the relaxation that comes from sitting alone in the woods is second to none.
You own a landscaping company. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
I started “Sahmscapes” when I was 15 years old with just a push mower and some miscellaneous equipment. My hunting and fishing hobbies required financial backing, so each spring I would celebrate as the cash flow returned to go and buy the new gear. Slowly I began to grow the company and ended up hiring high school friends to help complete my larger landscaping projects. I had not intended for the company to become more than just some side income, but eventually I found myself landscaping every night after school and on the weekends. College came around and I would return home on the weekends during mowing season to complete my projects. The company I had intended to end when I went to college continued to grow and, to this day, Sahmscapes continues to help provide mowing and landscaping solutions on the south side of Indianapolis.
You are a certified rescue diver. How did this come about? Any interesting stories?
My father and Uncle picked up the hobby back in the day, so when I saw classes being offered while in college I jumped on the opportunity to learn. My girlfriend Karina also scuba dives, but she is a scuba instructor. When it came time that I could continue my training and move up to Rescue Diver, Karina and her mom certified me, along with the help of my uncle who acted as the victim I had to rescue. I do not recommend to anyone that you receive a rescue diver certification from your significant other or family member, as I was nearly the one that had to be saved by the time that course was complete.
If you could do anything or wish for something, what would it be?
I wish that my father’s golf skills could have rubbed off on me. He was a runner-up in State in high school and conducted many of his business meetings on the course. Now that I have ventured into the business world I see that the golf course can be used as an excellent tool for productive meetings. My meetings usually run over, though, as I have trouble keeping the ball in the fairway. Maybe one day I will take up lessons and straighten out the stroke, but, until then, I will have to live with the fact that golf is not an inheritable genetic trait.