PEER Employee presents research work to cohort at University of Delaware.

10/10/2024

PEER’s Prathyaj Mantha had the privilege of speaking to a cohort of environmental engineering and sustainability students at the University of Delaware, led by Professor Dr Jennie Saxe.

During the session, he highlighted our ongoing partnership with the BlackBelt Unincorporated Wastewater Program (BBUWP), a critical initiative aimed at addressing wastewater management challenges in underserved communities across Alabama.
To date, we’ve installed over 150 septic systems, with plans to install 300 more, bringing environmental solutions to those in need.

PEER has been working on supporting WASH initiatives and strengthen Community Based Organizations. His work along with our dedicated staff is helping provide sanitation access to thousands of Americans across the Black Belt.

His presentation focused on highlighting our work and inspire the next generation of environmental engineers to solve tomorrow’s environmental challenges today!

The Somerville Avenue Project was honored at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Galla in Washington.

On Wednesday May 15th, Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer John Corliss joined representatives of other firms on the WSP Somerville Avenue Utility and Streetscape project at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) annual National Engineering Excellence Awards Gala in Washington, DC.  The decade long Union Square improvement project was the largest infrastructure project in the City of Somerville's history. The project was truly transformative in terms of massive stormwater infrastructure, the support of transit-oriented-development (TOD), the creation of state-of-the art bicycle facilities, and the sustainability enhancements. PEER was the environmental consultant on the team conducting Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site assessments, soil and groundwater investigations, project monitoring and oversite and other services.

At the Galla the project received an Engineering Excellence National Recognition Award.  In May, the project was recognized by the ACEC Massachusetts with a 2024 Silver Engineering Excellence Award.  On June 3rd, the project will also be honored at Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) New England Chapter 2024 Mark H. Hasso Project Excellence and Scholarship Awards dinner in Boston.

Congratulations to our very own Prathyaj Mantha on his publication in the ASEE Journal!

Thrilled to share that our very own Prathyaj Mantha has authored the paper- Increasing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) access and education in the Unincorporated Areas of Lowndes County, Alabama, it has been published in the prestigious ASEE Journal.

This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to Prathyaj's dedication and expertise.

 In the paper, Prathyaj details the work PEER Consultants P.C has done in collaboration with BBUWP to tackle WASH education and Access challenges in the unincorporated areas of Alabama.

We are incredibly proud of all the team members who contributed to the project.

Our warmest Eid wishes to Jam Khan

While Eid al-Fitr has already passed, we at PEER Consultants want to extend our heartfelt greetings to our valued team member, Jam Khan who dressed in the traditional Pakistani Salwar Kameez celebrated Eid.

We recognize the importance of Ramadan as a time for spiritual reflection, sacrifice, and community. We appreciate Jam Khan's dedication and perseverance throughout this holy month.

Eid al-Fitr is a joyous occasion to celebrate with family and friends, and we hope everyone was able to enjoy delicious meals, laughter, and cherished moments.

We're grateful for the cultural richness Jam brings to PEER.

Eid Mubarak!

PEER is Exhibiting at Tri-Con 2023

We are excited to announce that this year, PEER will be returning as an exhibitor at Tri-Con 2023, starting on August 30th in Ocean City, MD. If you are not already familiar with Tri-Con, it is a conference that brings together professionals in the water industry from across the Chesapeake region. The goal is to get attendees to learn, network, and share information on how we can all keep the waters flowing safe and clean. Please be sure to stop by our booth #120 if you are in attendance - we would love to see you there!

We look forward to seeing old colleagues and meeting new ones along the way; let’s make sure to connect at Booth #58.

Celebrating Women's History Month

To commemorate National Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the work of our very own President and CEO, Dr. Lilia Abron.

She recently gave two important talks: The first – virtually – for Tau Beta Pi, The Engineering Honor Society, to which Dr. Abron was inducted as an Eminent Engineer for the DC Alpha Chapter in 2016. The second presentation was at the University of South Carolina where Dr. Abron was welcomed to as the inaugural guest in the new series: Preston Residential College Leadership Conversations hosted by Dr. Armen Shaomian.

For both, she presented on how “Social Entrepreneurs Tackle the Sanitation Economy.” She discussed the issues surrounding access to water and sanitation in the U.S. and globally, as well as how sustainable methods can be used to help resolve this problem.

During her visit to South Carolina, she had the opportunity to engage with 50 USC students, faculty, and staff discussing her life, career, and leadership, Dr. Abron met with members of the Preston Black Caucus and the Association of African-American Students. Dr. Abron also engaged with campus dignitaries from various offices including the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, as well as the Vice President for Student Affairs. She imparted her wisdom to a chemical engineering class at USC. Lastly, Dr. Abron also visited with Dr. Robert N. Garner, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering at Benedict College, an HBCU.

The National Women’s History Alliance, which spearheaded the movement to declare March as National Women’s History Month, recently announced the women’s history theme for 2023: “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” Here at PEER, Dr. Abron is a fierce advocate for teaching the lessons learned in the engineering and sustainability fields that help promote women and minorities.

To learn more and to view a recording of the presentation, please click on the following link: Lilia Abron Presentation - Feb 2023

Dr. Abron Presenting at USC on February 27, 2023.

Meaning Behind PEER's Name, Logo and its Colors

Ever wonder how PEER got its name, logo, and colors? Read on to find out.

The word PEER has a double meaning: the word itself means “your equal”; and, each letter that spells the word stands for our four focus areas – Pollution, Environment, Energy and Resources.

PEER's logo with its vibrant colors and leaf design is symbolic of Dr. Abron’s (PEER’s President & CEO) vision for PEER, since its founding in 1978. It is based on a culture of diversity and inclusivity, where humans and the environment coexist on this planet to the mutual benefit of both. This vision and culture shape PEER’s problem solving approach of taking every asset of the natural and built environments into consideration to provide engineered solutions that are transformative, sustainable and appropriate.

The vibrant colors originate from the sacred, Ghanaian Kente cloth, used only on special, auspicious occasions. 

• Red in the Kente cloth denotes political strength and spiritualism – both required to protect our planet.

• Yellow gold in the Kente cloth denotes things that are beautiful and precious – just like planet earth and all of her inhabitants.

The leaf design symbolizes ‘planet earth’, since a plant releases oxygen – earth’s life-supporting component – through the leaf. The leaf also represents growth to preserve a healthy planet for current and future generations, which represents PEER’s mission.

Follow us on PEER’s website and on our social media pages to learn more about PEER’s history, present work, and future goals.

Happy P.E. Day!

Our engineers hard at work for our City of Baltimore MS4 Program Management Services (# 1277) contract.

PEER is thrilled to celebrate Professional Engineers (P.E.s) around the world today for Professional Engineers Day!

Thomas Chase (pictured below), an ENV SP - Environmental Engineer in our Burlington, MA, office, is one of our newest PEs. We want to congratulate all of our PEs here at PEER on this special day. We’re so proud of you and the work you all do to protect the environment and create a better world for future generations.

• Lilia A. Abron, Ph.D., PE, BCEE - President and CEO

• Ziad Alem, P.E. - Director, Engineering Services (Mid-Atlantic)

• Nader Bazzazieh, PE, BCEE - Principal Environmental Engineer

• Paul Carey, PE - Environmental Engineer

• Thomas Chase, PE, ENV SP - Environmental Engineer

• John Corliss, PE - Chief Engineer & Sr. Vice President

• Jim Golden, PE - Structural Engineer

• Tom Gustafson, PE - Vice President, New England Operations

• Ken Hodgson, PE - Sr. Resident Engineer

• Ricardo Martinez, PE, BCEE - Director, Environmental Services (Mid-Atlantic)

• Lori Melroy, PE - Environmental Engineer

• Sairam Palley, PE - Environmental Engineer

• Bill Rodger, PE - Sr. Resident Engineer

Fun Fact: On August 8, 1907, the first professional engineering license was issued to Charles Bellamy in Wyoming. Since that time, licensure has expanded and professional engineers across the U.S. have made the commitment to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

Congratulations Stephanie for 'Best Track Paper' Award

At this year’s Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference & Expo 2022, in Seattle, Stephanie González Llamas, PEER’s Energy Engineering Consultant for our DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) contract, delivered a presentation and track paper, titled “How Can Systemic Thinking be Applied to Building Energy Efficiency?” We are proud and excited to announce that Stephanie was awarded ‘Best Track Paper’ by Sustainable Development Division President, Gokhan Egilmez, at the conference.

IISE is the global association of productivity and efficiency professionals specializing in industrial engineering, healthcare, ergonomics, and other related professions.

Stephanie is an Energy Engineering Consultant with 5 years of experience evaluating the performance of environmental and energy initiatives designed to reduce carbon footprint. She is proficient in analyzing energy consumption data and propose strategies to achieve sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. She is currently working for PEER at the DCSEU, performing energy analysis, systems energy modeling, screen measuring, calculating incentives for projects, and promoting cost-effective efficiency improvements. She manages projects from intake to completion, including solar PV, HVAC systems, and lighting.

Congratulations Stephanie and we look forward to witnessing your future successes at PEER!

Dr. Lilia Abron Becomes a Distinguished Member of the ASCE

Join PEER in celebrating and congratulating our very own President and CEO, Dr. Lilia Abron, on her induction as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nation’s oldest engineering society, and the organization represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Dr. Abron is one of only 10 members to receive this highest honor this year. She is recognized for her distinguished contributions to engineering and for her advanced environmental engineering and sustainable design work in both academia and the private sector. Dr. Abron describes this honor “as a high point of her career,” emphasizing that this achievement is a motivation to continue to do her part to protect our environment and to help deliver a cleaner and healthier planet for future generations. The induction ceremony, titled Celebration of Leaders, will take place virtually on October 6, 2021. Don't forget to leave a congratulatory comment for Dr. Abron.

PEER Shows Support for Engineers Without Borders

Thank you to all who came to visit PEER Consultants' Booth 120 at Tri-Con 2021. At our booth, we included a bowl with a sign that read: “Drop your business card; for every card, PEER will donate $1 to Engineers Without Borders.” Thanks to each and every visitor's generosity, PEER has donated $100 to Engineers Without Borders (EWB). EWB is a non-profit humanitarian organization that collaborates with community partners to design and build sustainable engineering projects. As an environmental engineering firm, PEER supports EWB and its mission to empower communities to meet their basic human needs. PEER continuously strives to support others and donate when and where we can; with your generosity, we are able to continue to do so. If you would like to make a personal donation to Engineers Without Borders, please visit their website here. We hope to see everyone again at Tri-Con 2022, where we can once again collaborate and work to support the greater good.

Tri-Con 2021 Recap

After a missed year of collaboration due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Tri-Association Conference (Tri-Con) was back this year, and the first day could not have gone any better! If you were not already familiar with Tri-Con, it is a conference that brings together professionals in the water industry from across the Chesapeake region. The goal is to get attendees to learn, network, and share information on how we can all keep the waters flowing safe and clean.

On September 1, 2021, the official start of Tri-Con, all the booths were open for attendees to stop by to gather information and share ideas. It was a great turnout with over 1,000 attendees at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. There were many different fun activities, presentations, and even competitions occurring within the Convention Center. The conference started with an early 5K Fun-Run benefit in support of the World Food Program. By 7:30 AM, all the exhibitors had their booths ready to go, including PEER, of course! At our booth, we had a variety of PEER-branded products, such as stainless-steel straws, hand sanitizers, golf balls, pens, and mints. The stainless-steel straws were a big hit since more people are choosing more sustainable options for straws, rather than using plastic or paper.

By 9 AM, the Silent Auction Benefiting Engineers Without Borders (EWB) had already begun. PEER is also supporting EWB; we included a bowl at our booth with a sign that read: “Drop your business card; for every card, PEER will donate $1 to Engineers Without Borders.” We are thankful to the attendees who dropped their cards in the bowl.

At 5 PM, there was a Women’s Networking Event, in which our very own President and CEO, Dr. Lilia Abron, participated as a panelist. Dr. Abron gave a very raw and authentic speech detailing her experience of how she started PEER from the ground up, all while having children and taking care of her family. Overall, the Women’s Networking Event was a success; it provided guidance and solutions to women in the water infrastructure industry.

The evening ended off with a “Fun Night” where the Tri-Con attendees had another opportunity to network in a more casual and fun setting. There were live performances by the engineers who were also exhibitors at the conference, which was an enjoyable sight.

The next day was much more relaxed, with the attendees getting their last chances to visit the booths. By noon, it was time for all the exhibitors to pack up and say their goodbyes to the Exhibit Hall. The last day of Tri-Con ended off with an evening celebratory awards program. The attendees enjoyed some refreshments as they had their final opportunities to network and form connections for prospective projects, events, and endeavors.

All in all, Tri-Con 2021 was a huge success! PEER was able to rekindle connections with other engineering firms, while also establishing new ones. PEER will participate in next year's Tri-Con as an exhibitor again, and we hope to see you there…until next time at Tri-Con 2022!

President and CEO Dr. Lilia Abron Inducted into the National Academy of Engineering

On Sunday, October 4, 2020, Dr. Lilia Abron, President and CEO of PEER Consultants, P.C., was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering’s Class of 2020. This well-deserved honor recognizes Dr. Abron’s distinguished contributions to engineering and “leadership in providing technology driven sustainable housing and environmental engineering solutions in the United States and South Africa."  

Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. The mission of the National Academy of Engineering is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. 

As you may know, election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.  The Academy honors individual engineers  who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."  

Dr. Abron is one of only 87 members nationally (and 18, internationally) to receive this highest honor. She explains her emotions regarding this achievement: "It is undoubtedly a highpoint of my career. This honor motivates me to continue in PEER’s mission to provide transformative, efficient, and sustainable solutions to challenging environmental problems with a special focus on improving the lives of marginalized people around the world.” 

This, however, represents only one of Dr. Abron’s many achievements throughout her distinguished career as an environmental engineer. She is the first African-American woman in the nation to earn a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, and the first African-American to start an engineering consulting firm focused on environmental issues. She was also one of the first professionals in the field to suggest and demonstrate that sustainability initiatives can rapidly advance the condition of the impoverished sector worldwide. 

For more than two decades, as the Founder of PEER Africa, Dr. Abron, along with her partner Douglas “Mothusi” Guy, has established innovative “best practice solutions” for environmentally sound and sustainable projects in the built environment that contribute to the eradication of poverty, and promote and enhance local economic development in the destitute communities in South Africa. 

We want to take this time to sincerely congratulate Dr. Abron – and the other elected members – on this great achievement. We commend Dr. Abron’s hard work in advancing the engineering field, leading up to this day. We are all very proud to call her our President and CEO and look forward to her future contributions to the environmental engineering world and the community at large. 

Vice President John M. Corliss Earns The Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service Award

Congratulations to our very own Vice President and Chief Engineer, John M. Corliss, on receiving the Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service Award. On November 1, 2020, John was formally announced as the 2020 Honoree for this award from the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). The Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers that have been rendered through long and arduous service at the Institute level. The award is named for Fred C. Crane, who served for many years as the Institute conference coordinator.

No more than one award is granted per year, and PEER couldn’t be more proud that the chosen recipient is one of our own. As an honoree of the Fred C. Crane Distinguished Service Award, John will continue to be a contributor to the IIE and all its efforts, as well as providing service contribution toward specific committees, task forces, and special projects. Join us in congratulating John for this honor and achievement.

PEER Consultants Partners with Grainger

PEER is an authorized, licensed, re-seller of Grainger services, MRO products and Grainger-sourced products. We are able to help end customers meet their economic, as well as social goals through the Grainger Distributor Alliance program. To learn more: visit https://peercpc.com/products for more information.