The opening program of our series will focus on “Engineers’ Stories,” which is an aspect of the history of 9/11 and its aftermath that has not been well documented. Engineers played a critical part in the efforts of first responders in the hours and days after the collapse of the Twin Towers into the apocalyptic scene of Ground Zero. Assessing the danger or relative safety of debris on the Pile and the stability of damaged structures surrounding the site was the job of engineers on whose judgments the lives of rescue workers depended.
This program brings together engineers who devoted months or years to the recovery and rebuilding work to remember and reflect on their experiences. The panel will be moderated by Najib Abboud, a Managing Principal of Thornton Tomasetti, who led the team in the forensic analysis of the collapse of the towers.
PANELISTS:
Frank Lombardi, former Chief Engineer, PANYNJ, 1995-2010
George Tamaro, civil engineer and specialist in foundation construction; partner MRCE, 1980-2006
Richard Tomasetti, a founding partner and chairman of Thornton Tomasetti until 2007
Rick Zottola, Partner of LERA Consulting Structural Engineers
The program begins with an introduction to the “Remembering 9/11” series and the evening’s program by Museum Director Carol Willis. It is followed by structural engineer Najib Abboud, who serves as the moderator and offers more complete introductions of each of the four principal speakers: these have been placed in the edited video before the introductory statements of each man.