Business Unit News - Power Generation & Energy Group

Barnes to lead veteran team as Commonwealth 

expands power generation services

JACKSON, MI – Commonwealth Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Samuel R. Barnes, P.E. has joined the company as Vice President of the Power Generation & Energy Group.  “With over 21 years’ experience in the design, installation, and project management of power generation projects, Sam is a tremendous asset to our team,” stated Commonwealth President, Dennis F. DeCosta, P.E. 

Barnes is a registered professional mechanical engineer in the state of Michigan and received his B.S. from the University of Michigan.  Prior to joining Commonwealth, he served as Vice President and Director of Engineering at HDR Engineering/Cummins & Barnard, Inc., in Ann Arbor.  DeCosta continued, “Sam brings the level of expertise in power generation that our clients have come to trust and expect from us in our other service areas, most notably our transmission and distribution work.  He was the obvious choice to lead our expansion in this area.”  “Commonwealth is an exceptional organization known in the industry for its technical excellence, strong client relationships, and professional integrity.  I am pleased to be able to serve in this new capacity and to build a best-in-class group for our clients,” commented Barnes.  Senior Consultant Steven P. Yambor, P.E., widely considered a veteran in the power generation industry, stated, “Personally, I saw the vision, knew the potential, and, having previously worked with Sam, knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Mr. Barnes can be reached at sam.barnes@cai-engr.com or by telephone at 517-817-1616.


Commonwealth offers a complete package of engineering and consulting services for clients and is proud to be listed among the 2011 Top 40 Design Firms by EC&M Magazine and the 2011 Top 500 Design Firms by ENR.com.  The company maintains principal offices in Mount Vernon, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; and Jackson, Michigan, along with satellites in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio and Roanoke, Virginia.

For more information:, please visit: www.cai-engr.com.

On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/commonwealthassociates

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/caiengr_dot_com

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A note of thanks...

Today we recognize and applaud the brave men and women who selflessly serve and have served this country so courageously and honorably.  We owe you so much more than words can express. 

Please accept our most heartfelt "Thanks."
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Education...Engineering the Future

Today's headlines shone a clear spotlight on the importance of introducing engineering education to children and young adults as early and often as possible. They are worth sharing here.

Raytheon Donates $1 Million to Expand Engineering is Elementary® Teacher Training

"By helping teachers bring the basic concepts of engineering and technology to life, they will be able to excite future generations of students to become the innovators of tomorrow," said Raytheon Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson. "We share the Museum of Science's desire to accelerate the adoption of its Engineering is Elementary program, and to support teachers throughout the nation who are committed to instilling a passion for STEM among America's young students."

Elementary schools commonly lack compelling activities and reliable materials for fostering literacy among students in the "E" and "T" of STEM education. The Engineering is Elementary program is designed to fill that gap.

Read complete article here.


Broadcom MASTERS™ 2011 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Competition Winners Announced in Washington, DC

Through his research, first place winner DANIEL FEENY noticed that some sections of the intertidal zone at Pescadero Beach were rich in species, while other sections of the beach were bare. The difference intrigued him, and he wondered if the force of waves striking the shore affects the diversity and number of organisms living there. He designed an experiment to quantify wave forces in different sections of the intertidal zone and correlate this data with the diversity of organisms in each location.

Second place honors and $10,000 goes to BENJAMIN HYLAK, 14, of West Grove, Penn., for his project on the practical application of a telepresence robot. Benjamin's grandmother lives in a senior residence facility, and he noticed that some of her fellow residents had few or no visitors. He wanted to find a new way for residents to connect with family and friends and decided to build an interactive robot, through which people could virtually visit their loved ones at the facility.

Third place honors and $5,000 goes to I-CHUN LIN, 14, of Plano, Texas for her project on dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency and lifespan. As an active member of her school's recycling club, I-Chun wanted to find an inexpensive, eco-friendly way to harness solar power. She learned that dye-sensitized solar cells are cheaper to manufacture than solar panels, but are not nearly as efficient. She hypothesized that a mixture of dyes would be most efficient, helping the cell to increase its voltage output.

Read complete article here.


Students take adventure in Army engineering

More than 400 local high school students visited Redstone Arsenal Sept. 28 for the 11th annual Adventures in Engineering Day.

Aimed at high school juniors, the purpose of this event was to promote science and engineering disciplines as a career choice. It offered the students an opportunity to observe what engineers do on a daily basis, provided them with hands-on knowledge and encouraged their pursuit of a science.

Read complete article here.


Engineering camp for girls lacks necessary funds

The four-week program, which held its first session this July, aims to introduce high school girls to engineering and provide them the fundamentals and camaraderie necessary to pursue engineering through college. Many of the campers could be the first in their families to attend college.

Serrino said she has noticed more and more women dropping out of the engineering program during her three years at Brown. Women often lack confidence in their intellectual abilities, especially in math and science, she said. Confidence is a key factor for success in higher levels of engineering, she said.

Read complete article here.