Securing the Network, US Embassy Moscow

Jose Moreno '96 sometimes ends his day with a stroll through Moscow’s Red Square, perhaps picking up cup of tea on the way. Although at six dollars a cup, he admits it’s a fairly rare treat. Jose is now in his eighth month working at the U.S. Embassy Moscow as a security engineering officer. When Jose first applied to the State Department, he was looking for an exciting job that would enable him to travel. He’s clearly fulfilled the travel objective. And with U.S.–Russian relations getting downright chilly, there’s plenty of excitement too. "It’s a tense place, especially during elections," Jose says. "Leadership approval ratings go up when a tough stance is taken toward the West, which makes the mission more challenging." From his office, Jose looks directly at the Russian White House where the new president, Dmitry Medvedev, has his office, and where Putin will soon move in (and where anti-Yeltsin protesters were shelled in 1993). "It’s really quite captivating the way there’s always a clear sense that the two governments are watchful of each other," Jose remarks. For an upcoming visit from both U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Jose’s department will be providing technical security and support for their hotel and the high profile meetings.

While Jose’s professional life may seem a little outside the norm, his family life is quite down to earth. His wife, Tracy, is a teacher. His two boys, Alex (10) and Daniel (8), attend the Anglo American School. Their social life revolves around work and their children’s school. "We take the kids ice skating at Red Square, swimming on the compound and for walks through this lively city of approximately 12 million. There is plenty to do," he says.

Moreno began his technical career soon after high school while he was in the U.S. Army. "I scored high in the electronics portion of a standardized test, so I was sent to technical school in Georgia to study avionics and then to Germany to work on Apache helicopters," he said. After his tour of duty, he came to Mines by way of Front Range Community College, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering in 1996. He worked in Arizona for Lucent Technologies and then General Dynamics before applying for the position with the State Department. His first posting took him to Washington, DC, to work on network security. When the opportunity to go to Moscow came up, he jumped at the chance. Ironically, Jose was in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down. "I literally helped chisel it down," he chuckles. "At the time, the idea of working in Moscow in an era of tremendous change and peace was only something to contemplate. Now we’re living it and the challenge is to keep those walls down." Jose is keen to point out that the State Department has lots of opportunities for engineers. "They seem to be recruiting at Texas A & M for some reason and I’d like to change that," he jokes. Rotations take place every two to three years, so the job provides a truly global experience. For information visit www.state.gov.

Grad Recognized with Two "Young Engineer" Awards

Travis Attanasio ’02, who holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Mines, has been named Young Engineer of the Year by the Fort Worth Branch of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. He was also named the Fort Worth Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers 2008 Edmund Friedman Young Engineer of the Year. Both awards recognize engineers under the age of 34 for contributions to public welfare and for advancing the profession of engineering. Travis is an active member of the Fort Worth Chapter of TSPE, where
he currently holds the position of secretary of the board. He is also the finance chair for their MATHCOUNTS competition, which promotes interest in math among middle-schoolers. On behalf of his chapter, he visits area schools to speak about engineering: "Kids can really connect with the idea of building bridges for a living, so that’s what I tend to talk about," says Travis.

Community involvement has been a theme in Travis’ life. At the age of 15 he joined his father as a volunteer firefighter for Inter Canyon Fire/Rescue. After getting state and National Forest Service firefighter certifications, he helped fight the Bear Track fire in 1998, and the Hi Meadow Fire in 2000, the latter of which burned 10,970 acres and destroyed 51 homes. He enjoyed the excitement of firefighting and at one point thought he’d make a career of it.

Working for A.N.A. Consultants in Fort Worth, Travis is focused on a different element—water. He’s developed specialized expertise in water management and reuse—skills that have been in particularly high demand since last summer’s floods. "Water fascinates me," he says. "We have equations that describe how it is supposed to behave, but it can be hard to really predict, particularly in drainage where there are often numerous variables. In that sense, it’s a little like firefighting—trying to predict an outcome from a highly complex system." Travis has contributed to some high-profile projects in his region, including waterlines and sewer systems for the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium; detention ponds for Montserrat, a multi-million dollar residential subdivision in Fort Worth; and a $9 million Dallas Fort Worth Airport hangar drainage project that he personally secured. Travis is married to Alison (Myers) ’02, a software engineer working for Motorola, whom he met during his sophomore year. Without mountains to climb nearby, they enjoy exploring the lakes and estuaries of Texas in their canoe.

Putting Down Roots in Anchorage

Olivia Bommarito ’03, ME ’05 was recently presented with the 2007 Society of Petroleum Engineers Western Region Outstanding Young Member Award, recognizing contributions and leadership in the energy industry and local community. The award was given at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Anaheim, CA, in November. Three faculty members from the Petroleum Engineering Department attended the awards luncheon in her support: Jennifer Miskimins, assistant professor; Bill Eustes, associate professor; and Ramona Graves, professor and interim department head.


Based in Anchorage, AK, Olivia is a production engineer for BP, a job she’s held since graduating with her master’s degree in petroleum engineering in 2005. After only three years, she oversees production for two drill sites located in the Prudhoe Bay oil field, 850 miles north of Anchorage. She enjoys her job. "I am faced with new challenges daily," she says. She’s also enjoying Alaska. When she first moved to Anchorage with her husband Forest ’03, ME ’05, they were anticipating about a three-year stay, but that has changed. "We want to be here for another five to ten years," she says. "We love it here, and it’s great to feel settled and a part of the community."

And Olivia has managed to make lots of connections. "There’s a large community of Mines alumni in Anchorage. It’s been a great network for us," she says. She’s also volunteering for several organizations. She is the current treasurer for the SPE Alaska Section and has held positions as the golf tournament and scholarship BBQ committee chairs. As a crew chief for Habitat for Humanity, she coordinated 15 volunteers on a housing project for low income families in Anchorage. And every Thursday evening during the winter she heads to a local ski hill where she is a Special Olympics downhill coach. "I enjoy teaching others a sport I love. Their enthusiasm is contagious and I always leave with a smile on my face," she says. Olivia and Forest also ski most winter weekends, but not at the local ski hill. "We do a lot of backcountry skiing. In the summer months we hike and bike, but I can’t get enough skiing," she says, adding that she’s getting ready for her first heli-trip at the end of March.

Having met at Mines in their freshman year chemistry lab, Olivia and Forest enjoy returning to campus for work, but when they do, it’s on different teams. "Forest works for ConocoPhillips and we are both on recruiting teams for our companies," she explains, "But we don’t fight over candidates. A Mines graduate coming to Alaska is a win-win for everybody. We just hope every new hire feels challenged and rewarded in his or her new position."