Stephen Romero
Year Graduated: 
1995

Regional Program Manager (Retired)

United States Forest Service

Job Description

As the Dams, Dam Safety, and Geotechnical Engineering program manager for the Pacific Southwest Region I was responsible for dam safety and all aspects of geotechnical engineering-related design support. The position included oversight and management of approximately 40 dams, scoping and execution of geotechnical studies, hydrologic studies in support of dam safety, hydraulic engineering, road design, bridge foundation design, landslide remediation and design, climate related risk evaluations and remediation's (glacial outburst floods, intense storms/floods, post-wildfire flooding), post wildfire risk abatement, and emergency storm damage response.

Why did you choose this program?

I was an 'older' student returning to school after Desert Shield/Storm as a US Marine. My hometown was Eureka, Ca. Cal Poly Humboldt made sense economically. As it turned out the program was a perfect fit for my personality. I like variety and, above all, being in the field/outdoors solving problems and design.

How did this program prepare you for your job?

It's hard to elaborate how much this program prepared me. Where to begin. The fairly in depth hydraulics engineering foundation at Humboldt was utilized in dam spillway design, overtopping protection, dam breach analysis, open channel hydraulics for fish passage, AOP structure design, HEC and HMS modeling. Eventually it morphed into two phase and viscous debris flow modeling. The heavy emphasis on computer skills evolved into 2D seismic analysis and modeling and development of unique finite difference and element solution schemes related to new types of low modulus piles used for the rapid stabilization of road prisms and walls on steep slopes. The stats background was extensively utilized in portfolio risk assessments on dams and levees and risk assessments in general.

What did you enjoy most about the program?

Making many friends. Wonderful and colorful professors.

What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?

Step back and take a look at where engineering needs across the world are heading. Try and focus yourself to get ahead of those trends. Wildfires, sea level rise, artic engineering, storm intensification as the atmosphere warms....risk is the keyword. AI will have a greater impact on engineering. No doubt the program at Humboldt will adjust so that students can maximize its potential.