Published: April 3, 2025
In February 2025, Geodesy and Geomatics expert and Division Manager, Azadeh Koohzare, was named Chair of ACEC-BC’s newest working group, AI in Engineering Practice.
In addition to Azadeh’s McElhanney presence, the working group includes members from Binnie, COWI, David Nairne & Associates, Hedgehog Technologies, and RAM Consulting. Working group members meet once a month under Azadeh’s direction with an intent to shape the future of AI in engineering practice:
“Our goal is to contribute valuable insights, foster collaboration, and advance the use of AI in solving engineering challenges,” says Azadeh. “We will explore potential collaborations, the role of AI in driving innovation across industries, and the use of AI as a tool to facilitate engineering practice.” The working group will also explore how to maintain quality standards of AI-informed deliverables.
The working group appointed Azadeh Koohzare as Chair after she established herself as an engineering industry leader in AI and deep learning with her ACEC-BC award winning AI LiDAR project. Discussions among the working group have already touched on a range of topics, including; streamlining proposal go / no-go processes; reducing manual labour hours on a range of engineering outputs; in-house AI models; engagement with Engineering Geoscientists BC’s Practice Advisory on AI; and the ethics of signing and sealing AI-informed or AI-produced outputs.
McElhanney contributes to discussions on AI across ACEC-BC’s working group disciplines. In addition to Azadeh Koohzare’s involvement with AI in Engineering Practice, McElhanney’s Marcell Iseli is a member of the BC Hydro Liaison Committee, which plans to host a panel on Advanced Design and Artificial Intelligence in the Electric Utility Industry later this year.