October 3, 2011

Reflecting on the Past 30 Years

Dear Colleagues,

As we enter the final quarter of 2011, I reflect not only on the past year but on the past 30 years. Particularly, on the individuals who have helped to shape the field of structural engineering over those decades.

This month, sadly, we lost one of the greatest and most innovative thinkers of our time, a man whose work forever changed the course of earthquake engineering: Joseph Penzien, co-author of the definitive textbook Dynamics of Structures. I first had the honor of meeting Professor Penzien in 1970 while I was a graduate student at UC Berkeley. Over the decades our association developed into a close friendship. Professor Penzien always took a keen interest in CSI's work and offered constructive input and ideas that enhanced the quality of our products.  He gave us unrestricted access to his invaluable knowledge and expertise. I personally mourn the loss of a great friend, a teacher and a colleague.

In September we also celebrated the 80th birthday of another icon of our profession, Professor Edward L. Wilson. Since the 1960s, Professor Wilson has been at the forefront of modern computerized structural analysis, responsible for imagining, creating and implementing numerical methods for static and dynamic analysis that have revolutionized the way structural engineers work. Although Professor Wilson's influence is present in all of CSI's products, perhaps a better measure of the significance of his contributions is that virtually every piece of modern structural analysis software--across the entire industry--contains some technology that can be traced back to his original research and development. Happy Birthday, Ed!

As engineering students head back to campus this fall, I wonder, which of them will become the great innovators and thinkers of their time? Which of them will change the course of the profession over the next thirty years?

Here at CSI, building on the original research and contributions made by pioneers such as Professors Penzien and Wilson, we continue to improve our software products every day. Our newest product, CSiBridge, has quickly become the most sought-after product for bridge engineers. Updates to SAP2000 and ETABS were released in August.

I am particularly proud to announce that CSI was recertified this summer for compliance with ISO 9001:2008 quality system standards. Our quality management system has been in place for three years now and has proven to be an indespensible tool in helping us to exceed customer expectations. The QMS is comprised of procedures that outline the functions of all customer-related processes including software development, testing, customer support, and licensing. It now also includes an error reporting system for customers who wish to comply with nuclear industry regulations. Information about our error reporting service may be obtained by contacting our sales department here. 

Thank you, as always, for your interest in and support of CSI software.  As 2011 draws to a close, I wish you professional success and personal satisfaction in all that you pursue.

Sincerely,

Ashraf Habibullah
President & CEO Computers and Structures, Inc.