Interview with a Survivor
Broadcasting Common Ground presents Interview with a Survivor, a podcast series focusing on the frustrations and failures we learn the most from. Our hosts interview experts throughout the industry about their near misses, problem projects and resolutions.
The final episode of Interview with a Survivor was recorded in 2022. All episodes are available to stream on your favorite platforms.
Latest Episode
Bonus Episode: Communications Special
Join hosts Lucky Nagarajan and Tim Siegel with guest, Sebastian Lobo-Guerrero Ph.D., P.E., of AGES, as they conclude discussions on Sebastian’s adventures in Colombia.
Hosts Lucky Nagarajan and Tim Siegel
Lucky Nagarajan
Lucky Nagarajan is the general manager-engineering and business development at Geocomp. She is a member of the DFI Board of Trustees and the chair of DFI’s Women in Deep Foundations Committee.
Tim Siegel
Tim Siegel is CEO/senior principal engineer at Dan Brown & Associates. As chair of the DFI Ground Improvement Committee and co-editor of the DFI Journal, Tim brings his considerable expertise to DFI publications. You can also find him hosting some of our series of educational podcasts.
Episode List
The final episode of Interview with a Survivor was recorded in 2022.
Bonus Episode
Communications Special
In this episode, Lucky and Tim talk with all of our series guest about problems with communication.
Episode 6
Beware the Water
Tom Richards, former chief engineer with Nicholson Construction Company, talks about a joint venture to install micropiles for a bridge. With the best of intentions when accepting the offer to joint venture, Tom and his team encountered problems ranging from an unexpected aquifer to difficulties implementing new design details. Listen as Tom shares his exasperation – even several years after the fact.
Episode 5
Suits with Integrity
This episode features David Wilshaw, President of Integrity Drilling and Geophysical Services, LLC, who shares his insight on being an expert witness and adventures of legal system which is not everyone’s cup of tea. He has testified about 40 trials and given over 160 depositions. The episode covers challenges of being a valued expert witness, differences between trials and depositions, why are they important, cross examinations and much more.
Episode 4
Putting on the Owner's Shoes
Listen to a discussion with Cassandra Wetzel, District Office Manager & Principal at GZA. Cassandra brings an owners perspective and will share challenges of stabilizing and repairing a retaining wall in a tight, urban location like Bronx. What it means to work for a non-technical client and also when a retaining wall is shared by two owners. Cassandra is a subject matter expert and known for creative problem solving also a well known rock star in the Metro NY area.
Episode 3
Claims, Trains, and Automobiles
This episode features a discussion with Greg Righter, President and CEO of Berkel and Company Contractors with an emphasis on the business side of the deep foundation industry. Greg shares his story about design, construction, and an eventual claim for a support-of-excavation project located between a roadway and a railway line. We talk about shared goals, trust, expectations, disappointment, and trying (and succeeding) to getting paid.
Bonus Episode
Adventures in Columbia Pt. 2
Join hosts Lucky Nagarajan and Tim Siegel with guest, Sebastian Lobo-Guerrero Ph.D., P.E. of AGES, as they conclude discussions on Sebastian’s adventures in Colombia.
Bonus Episode
Adventures in Columbia Pt. 1
Join hosts Lucky Nagarajan and Tim Siegel with guest, Sebastian Lobo-Guerrero Ph.D., P.E. of AGES, who will discuss his adventures in Colombia.
Episode 2
There will be Rocks Ahead
In Episode 2, our guest, Kord Wissmann, will share a few of his professional highs along with a significant low. Kord, with Geopier, is credited with 28 patents and has played a major role in changing the landscape of ground improvement contracting. But he also faced the challenge of working through the failure of a ground improvement system below an MSE wall in the US Midwest.
Episode 1
Getting Sued: An Engineers Tale
A discussion about an impending failure of a sheet pile wall at the North Charleston port. Billy Camp went through the proverbial “gauntlet” on this project. We step through the project, the challenges and Billy’s role. Sponsored by Berkel.