Raman Venkata is a structural safety system oversight engineer at EM’s Office of River Protection.

RICHLAND, Wash.EM Office of River Protection’s (ORP) Raman Venkata, a structural safety system oversight engineer, was selected as an American Society of Civil Engineers fellow.   

   The fellow designation, according to the society’s website, is given to those who “have made celebrated contributions and developed creative solutions that change lives around the world.”   

   Fewer than 3.5 percent of ASCE members have attained this status.  

   “ASCE fellows have made celebrated contributions and developed creative solutions that change lives around the world,” said Elaine Diaz, ORP chief engineer.   

   Venkata said that three to five highly-respected fellows have to provide professional references for a nomination, which is then voted upon by a review board. 

   To even be nominated, a member must have at least 10 years of “responsible charge in the grade of member, and [have a] a professional engineer or professional land surveyor license,” according to the ASCE site. Venkata is a registered professional engineer in civil/structural engineering.

   He said he knew he had been nominated, but was surprised and honored to be selected.  

“This is an honor for me,” said Venkata. “I came from a small village and grew up in total obscurity since my childhood in the southern Indian states. I feel really humbled. The United States of America has given me so much that I cannot thank our country enough.”

   Venkata has been with ORP for eight years, having previously worked in commercial, chemical, and nuclear engineering and construction, and now nuclear waste treatment engineering fields.   

   Since entering the engineering field in 1974, he has worked as a designer, responsible engineer, professional engineer, supervisory engineer, manager and senior technical engineer at various locations and reputable companies throughout the country.

   “In addition to [his] long list of contributions, he has remained involved in national codes development and participates in several committees to advance structural and seismic engineering design methods for nuclear safety-related structures,” said Diaz. He also “has continuously contributed to advancement of structural engineering design at ORP and across the nuclear complex.”  

   “I have worked through all the ‘ranks,’ literally,” he said. “It has been very challenging and gratifying.”

   While his selection as an ASCE fellow is the culmination of his nearly 45-year career, Venkata said, it comes on the cusp of what he said is another professional highlight — working to complete the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford site.

   “I came here simply because I love the challenge and idea of being responsible for protection [of the environment],” he explained.

   Diaz noted that Venkata was named the ORP Safety Systems Oversight Officer of the Year in 2014 for his contributions to the WTP project.