Project Team

Found below is a list of qualifications for project engineers on the Schultz Creek Restoration Project (SCRP) design team. The SCRP team is composed of four senior environmental engineering students from Northern Arizona University. Prior to beginning work on this project, team members completed a graduate level rivers and streams restoration course in which a local wash was surveyed for topography, modeled using HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling software, and classified using Rosgen’s Channel Classifications. Moreover, the SCRP team has completed relevant project coursework in geotechnical and hydraulic engineering, encompassing the use of computer modeling programs such as AutoCAD Civil 3D and Bentley FlowMaster, and Microsoft Excel. In addition, all members of the SCRP team are on track to becoming ABET, EIT certified by May 2013, before graduating in December of the same year.

Chris Janigo

Mr. Chris Janigo saw the benefits of excelling in his desired field early on in his career. The designs of how we manage our environment and environmental protection have been a fascinating study for him since he was young. Most of his engineering courses have had a strong emphasis on teamwork. What he has learned working on group design projects is that communication and reliability come hand in hand with the success of the project.

His past work history includes working with Weston Solutions, an environmental consulting firm in Anchorage, Alaska. He worked with groundwater monitoring, as well as fuel spill site remediation. He worked for Northern Arizona University’s planning and development department, overseeing services from architects, engineers, special consultants and contractors. He performed coordination and interfacing among all project stakeholders, and formally documented the design and construction progress.

This past summer he worked for Brailey Hydrologic conducting hydrographic surveying of the Susitna River in Denali National Park. He hopes to bring his skills learned in his work history to the Schultz Creek restoration project. He is very excited and motivated to get to work on a project close to home. He is inspired by the project location’s hydrological and geological history. By the success of the Schultz Creek project, he hopes to propel future natural river restoration projects forward.

Mikey Sowadski

During Mr. Mikey Sowadski’s senior year of high school, he participated in a native plant restoration project at the Miramar Landfill located in San Diego. Over a period of 4 months, he propagated and monitored several native plant species to the location. From the newly established native habitats, as he monitored he found an increase in native animal life, especially birds and bees. From his experience he learned the importance of establishing a native habitat to a location. He also learned the importance of communication and public interest, as he had to schedule meetings and teach other high school students from various schools how to propagate native plants and the importance of native species to the environment.

While studying at Northern Arizona University, Mr. Sowadski has been enrolled in the Botany Club from Fall 2011 to present. During club hours, time was spent propagating plants and learning about the different species of plants located in the North Campus Greenhouse. From his experience in Botany Club he has learned the effects of native and foreign plants and how foreign species can be invasive. He has also learned about public outreach and participated in club tours of the greenhouse for elementary students and parents, and plant sales to make people aware of the greenhouse.

Henry Ross

The study focus and general interests of Mr. Henry Ross are a direct result of his experiences working on outdoor related projects, such as a Student Conservation Association 30-day backcountry trail crew, and seasonal work as recreation and engineering technicians with the United States Forest Service. From these experiences, he has gained an intense interest in earth systems and how to manage human impact on the environment. Moreover, he has recently returned from a trip to Malawi, Africa, where he traveled with his sister who was working as a Community Health Advisor for Peace Corps Malawi. Throughout his travels, he experienced living conditions in which access to clean water and resource degradation was a serious problem. While there, he had the opportunity to talk with volunteers working for Engineers without Borders, who inspired him to pursue work in water quality, protection and management. Furthermore, Mr. Ross brings a number of important skills to the table including strong leadership and communication, as well as the ability to work hard and produce high quality results.

Sean Zimmerman

Mr. Sean Zimmerman grew up in rural Scottsdale, Arizona where a lot of time was spent hiking, biking, and horseback riding. He declared environmental engineering as his major in August 2009, and has since taken a variety of relevant courses, as previously stated. He currently maintains a GPA of 3.22 and has been on the Dean’s List for three semesters. Upon graduating in December 2013, he aspires to attend graduate school in order to obtain a Master's Degree. He has over 100 hours of lab experience in which he has learned to collect soil samples and test for soil properties. Coursework for the aforementioned graduate level rivers and streams restoration course included the development of a complete topographic map of Sinclair Wash, which was used with the flow modeling software HEC-RAS. Sean Zimmerman is known for having strong writing skills, networking abilities, design-problem solving skills, and team building skills.