Kevin Wright, of the Suwannee River Water Management District (District), is one of 16 young engineers across the nation nominated by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) for the National Engineers Week Foundation New Faces of Engineering 2010. Of that group, Wright was among five selected to represent their profession as top engineers.
The New Faces of Engineering program highlights the interesting and unique work of young engineers and the resulting impact on society. Young engineers two to five years out of school are the focus of the program.
Wright was hired by the District in 2006 to review environmental resource permits, which consider stormwater runoff quality and flooding potential. He later became the project coordinator for the District’s efforts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Map Modernization Program, managing a budget of more than $4.2 million. While working with FEMA, Wright helped develop several website applications, enabling residents to view and print flood zone maps, determine flood elevations and answer common questions about the National Flood Insurance Program.
Wright’s current duties include working on water supply planning in order to plan for future water supplies and assisting with the formation of the Nature Coast Regional Water Authority, which will connect four municipalities and two counties with drinking water and wastewater.
A member of ASABE since 2004, Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and biological engineering from the University of Florida, where he is pursuing a master’s of engineering and where as an undergraduate he served as president of the ASABE student chapter.
“It is an honor to be nominated for the New Faces of Engineering program, considering the high caliber of agricultural and biological engineers in the nation,” Wright said. “I would like to thank the District for supporting my continued education and allowing my diverse workload.”
Wright said he encourages any student interested in engineering to visit www.DiscoverEngineering.org.
“Our nation needs young engineers to help solve the problems our country will face in the future,” he said.
The ASABE is an educational and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in St. Joseph, Mich., ASABE comprises 9,000 members in more than 100 countries.