Alan Yamada—2010 Technical Engineer of the Year

Alan manages the engineering program at the San Dimas Technology and Development Center (SDTDC) in San Dimas, CA. He takes an active role in technology transfer, helping other Federal land management agencies, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), States, counties, and the international community. Alan is a national leader in finding cost-effective solutions to problems that affect all Forest Service units. Some of these solutions include:

• "Scenic Byways: A Design Guide for Roadside Improvements," a report that assists scenic byway planners, developers, and managers by showing examples of improvements, outlining the planning process, and describing design principles.
  
  
• "Stabilization Selection Guide for Aggregate and Native-Surfaced Low Volume Roads," a report that provides road managers, engineers, and technicians with information on low-cost options for reducing aggregate wear and loss, and road-surface maintenance.
  
  
• "Getting Across—Aquatic Organisms and Road-stream Crossings—General Overview" and "Getting Across—Aquatic Organisms and Road-stream Crossings—A Brief Introduction," videos that illustrate the importance of providing aquatic organism passages at road-stream crossings.
  
  
• "Forest Roads and the Environment," a set of videos that highlights how proper maintenance of low-volume roads will help maintain fish habitat and improve the health of watersheds.
  
  
• "Lifelines," a video that shows how the partnership between the Forest Service, FHWA, State, and local communities provides continued stewardship of and access to our national forests.
  
  
• "Dangerous Travelers: Controlling Invasive Plants Along America's Roadways," a video that helps maintenance crews recognize and control noxious weeds along roadways.

Alan acquired his professional engineering license from Oregon in 1986. He earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Hawaii in 1981 before beginning his Forest Service career at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. He worked on the Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests and served as a zone engineer on the White River National Forest. Alan was a member of the construction team that built the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center and the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Alan also is a leader in finding software and interactive Web-based programs that were used to develop SDTDC training courses. More than 5,000 Forest Service employees have attended these courses.