World-renowned structural engineer Ashraf Habibullah will present a fun, informative talk covering a wide range of topics. He’ll discuss structural engineering as a profession, the state of the art of the technology and future software developments, the importance of image and perception, what it takes to create an impact in a competitive global economy, the connection between engineering and the arts, and the exciting impact structural engineers have every day on the lives of people throughout the world.

Ashraf is President and CEO of Computers & Structures, Inc. (CSI), which he founded in 1975 after graduating from UC Berkeley in 1970 with a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering. With users in over 160 countries today, CSI is recognized as the international leader in the field of software for structural and earthquake engineering.

In his talks, Ashraf aims to create a mainstream appreciation for the profession by leveraging the powerful positive social and economic aspects of structural engineering. He reminds us to be aware of the ways that structural engineering brings art, form, and function to our everyday lives and how it is because of structural engineering that monuments reflecting the grandeur of humanity—such as the Burj Dubai in the U.A.E. and the new Freedom Towers in New York—can exist.

Ashraf will also talk about the oft-overlooked artistic aspects of engineering and how his own passion for the arts has fueled his professional success. Ashraf is co-founder and president of Diablo Ballet, a critically acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area-based professional dance company. He is also the founder of the Engineering Alliance for the Arts, an organization that connects school children with technology, focusing on the artistic aspects of structural engineering.

Please join us for this exciting interactive session with one of the most accomplished and dynamic professionals in our field!