Engineering Legends

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Mamon Powers, Jr., chairman and CEO of Powers & Sons Construction. Powers shares the story of building one of the Midwest’s leading minority-owned construction firms, from joining his father’s company in the early 1970s to leading major projects across the region. He reflects on key milestones, the mindsets that shaped...

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Mamon Powers, Jr., chairman and CEO of Powers & Sons Construction. Powers shares the story of building one of the Midwest’s leading minority-owned construction firms, from joining his father’s company in the early 1970s to leading major projects across the region. He reflects on key milestones, the mindsets that shaped...

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Benjamin Sells, writer, psychotherapist, lawyer, and former Village President of Riverside, Illinois. Ben shares the story behind key moments in Chicago’s infrastructure history, drawing from his books  The Tunnel Under the Lake  and  The History of the Chicago Portage . He explores the engineering challenges...

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Benjamin Sells, writer, psychotherapist, lawyer, and former Village President of Riverside, Illinois. Ben shares the story behind key moments in Chicago’s infrastructure history, drawing from his books  The Tunnel Under the Lake  and  The History of the Chicago Portage . He explores the engineering challenges...

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Dick Lanyon, longtime leader at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and historian of Chicago’s water infrastructure. Dick shares the story behind the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the bold engineering project that reversed the river and helped save the city from a public health crisis. He reflects on the politica...

In this episode of  Engineering Legends , host Chris Burke talks with Dick Lanyon, longtime leader at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and historian of Chicago’s water infrastructure. Dick shares the story behind the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the bold engineering project that reversed the river and helped save the city from a public health crisis. He reflects on the politica...

Engineering Legends, hosted by Chris Burke and powered by the Western Society of Engineers, features Silviu Livescu, PhD, the 2026 recipient of the Washington Award. Recognized for his pioneering work in low-enthalpy geothermal energy systems, Silviu discusses advancing sustainable, cost-effective building heating and cooling, his work as Co-founder and CTO of Bedrock Energy, and the role eng...

Engineering Legends is a podcast powered by the Western Society of Engineers, celebrating the visionaries who have shaped—and are shaping—the world we live in. Hosted by veteran engineer Chris Burke, the show dives into the often-overlooked stories behind the infrastructure we rely on every day. From the clean water that flows from our faucets to the towering bridges that connect our cities,...