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We at ARC strive to be the best, and those
aspirations often lead our students onto successful and
impressive careers. Our very own Eric Shea is a prime example
of how his hard work and determination at our center has directed
his career to many exciting paths.
During his final three and half years at Florida International
University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering, Eric
Shea became a student assistant for the Center, working
directly under Amer Awwad, Program Manager for the Engineering
Services group at FIU’s Hemispheric Center for Environmental
Technology. Here, under this supervision, Shea provided
mechanical engineering support on several important projects,
but it was his senior design project, titled “Tank
Lifter,” which stemmed from a DOE project and an
unanticipated miscalculation, that was his most memorable
feat.
As part of the D&D Technology Assessment Program,
in the spring semester of 2000, a project was undertaken
for the Department of Energy. The task; a study of equipment
size reduction by which an assortment of tank and glove
boxes were cut up using various technologies. Each tank
was sent to our facility in horizontal position; however,
the unanticipated problem was that before any testing could
be done the tanks had to be placed in their normal upright
position. The engineering challenge; each tank measured
10 feet high, weighed a whopping 3,000 pounds and the space
to maneuver in was only 12 feet high! That’s when
Shea stepped in. Using is own innovations, he succeeded
in developing and building a lifting machine which could
maneuver in this confined area and lift an enormous weight
load. Problem solved.
Shea, who now works as a Mechanical Project Engineer at
Gartek Engineering, currently designs HVAC and plumbing
systems for new construction and renovation jobs. He also
performs code compliance reviews for the Broward County
School Board.
Prior to this, some of his other more notable projects
include: the Miami Federal Courthouse in Downtown Miami,
the Miami International Airport’s South Terminal
Expansion, Dadeland Fairfield Apartments, Dania Beach Pier
Restaurant, Little Haiti Cultural Center and Theater, Broward
County Community College’s Chemistry and Physics
Building, Greynold’s Park Boathouse Renovation, Palm
Beach County Airport’s Concourse ‘C’ Expansion,
and the International Design Center at Fort Myers.
Recently Shea received notification that he passed the
State of Florida’s Professional Engineer License
examination which will officially allow him to practice
engineering in the state, as well as use the estimable
designation “Professional Engineer.”
Shea is happily married to his wife Christina, with two
children, Joshua and Zachary. A new addition, Elias, is
due on May 22nd.
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