James Newell, PhD, PE, SE, has over eight years of structural engineering and earthquake engineering consulting experience. He has worked on numerous new design, seismic evaluation/upgrade, and peer review projects in the healthcare, higher education, high-tech, water/wastewater, and private market sectors focusing on the use of advanced analysis techniques and application of emerging technologies.
Dr. Newell has extensive experience in large-scale structural testing and finite element analysis, along with incorporating these results into design and evaluation. Through his experiences in the laboratory, Jim has seen how structures fail. He has developed an understanding of probable mechanisms for structural failure and he leverages this knowledge in his design and evaluation work. This hands-on laboratory experience has also provided Jim with a unique perspective and insight into constructability challenges faced in the field. Having tied rebar cages and erected structural steel himself provides Jim a unique perspective when developing construction details in the office.
Jim is also an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Portland where he has taught course in structural steel design and earthquake engineering as well as served as an industry mentor for seniors completing their capstone design projects.
Prior to joining SEFT Consulting Group, Jim was a Project Engineer with Degenkolb Engineers in Portland, Oregon.
EDUCATION
B.S. in Civil Engineering
Clarkson University, 2001
M.S. in Civil Engineering
Oregon State University, 2003
Ph.D. in Structural Engineering
University of California, San Diego, 2008
REGISTRATIONS
CA – Structural Engineer, License No. 6194
CA – Civil Engineer, License No. 76286
HONORS AND AWARDS
American Institute of Steel Construction Klingelhofer Fellowship, 2002
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Institute of Steel Construction
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Water Works Association
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Structural Engineers Association of Oregon
COMMITTEES
ASCE/American Wind Energy Association, Wind Turbine Support Structures, 2010-11
ASCE Infrastructure Resilience Division, Disaster Response and Recovery Committee
AWWA Pacific Northwest Section, Engineering Committee
Oregon Resiliency Planning, Water and Wastewater Task Group, 2012
