Cawsie Jijina Honored – June 6, 2024

Most people who know Cawsie Jijina would agree that he is an inspirational leader with an upbeat spirit.  The more challenging a project, the more enthusiastic he is about conquering it.  Cawsie is also a fierce proponent of the structural engineering profession and a tireless promoter of its contributions to the built environment.  His enthusiasm is infectious and he has “converted” many people to appreciate the value of engineering, to the great benefit of clients, the profession, and the firm.

And from his start at Severud Associates in 1979 and throughout his career—45 years and counting—Cawsie has been significantly involved in projects of national prominence that expand the limits of structural engineering potential.  A prime example is the recently completed Sphere, a next-generation entertainment venue in Las Vegas, Nevada.  A 516-ft-diameter semi-spherical building rising 366 ft above ground, it is now the largest spherical structure in the world.  Sphere and many of his other buildings have won awards from professional and trade organizations.

It should be no surprise, then, that today the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACECNY) honored Cawsie Jijina with its prestigious Engineer of the Year award for 2024.  The award recognizes his leadership, commitment, innovation, and service to the consulting engineering industry and the greater New York community.

Cawsie has served ACECNY for many years since becoming a principal and has actively participated in the organization’s leadership and management through membership in several committees.  As a bold visionary, effective implementer, and enthusiastic supporter of the profession, Cawsie has often chaired his committees.  He is not one to merely show up and has always generated positive results.

Cawsie shares his technical expertise with other organizations as well.  He is particularly knowledgeable in concrete design and construction—he was named a Leader of Industry by the Concrete Industry Board of NYC in 2017—and serves on several committees of the American Concrete Institute.  Coupled with this is Cawsie’s firm commitment to making concrete more sustainable.  Since 2014, he has been lead structural engineer for an ongoing study into the use of ground recycled glass as a replacement for cement.

Cawsie initiated the firm’s parametric and algorithmic design team, a group of engineers whose analyses inform critical engineering decisions for major projects, such as Sphere.  The team’s work keeps them abreast of emerging structural systems, analysis methods, and software, which allows them to cultivate new ideas and implement innovative solutions that might not otherwise be attempted.

Another extraordinary example is TSX Broadway, which was created by shifting and reassembling portions of an existing structure and combining them with new elements to produce a revitalized mixed-use complex in New York City’s Times Square.  The century-old Palace Theater was lifted an astonishing 31 feet into the air and topped by massive post-tensioned concrete girders that allowed street-level and cellar commercial space and a hotel tower to be added.  Cawsie’s clear vision of the possible and expert grasp of the engineering led to the project’s successful completion.

Cawsie is an enthusiastic mentor who encourages young engineers to take active roles in the firm and its leadership.   He cares about the staff’s professional development and provides opportunities for their career advancement.  When presenting high-profile projects—through podcasts, magazine articles, tours, etc.—Cawsie encourages members of his team to present with him or in his stead.  Although these projects are his brainchildren, he always shares the credit and limelight.

Cawsie’s tutelage and guidance preserve his legacy of innovation and excellence for the future of Severud Associates while his technical leadership ensures that the firm remains at the forefront of the structural engineering profession.  His other recent projects include the mixed-use development 20 Times Square in Manhattan, the Louis Armstrong House Museum Education Center in Queens, and renovation of the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.  Currently, Cawsie leads the structural design of the new Terminal 6 at JFK International Airport in Queens, which is under construction.