ning. You can walk the show and compare machines and really get a feel for what you might next want to purchase for your shop. Likewise, structural engineers and detailers can talk with and see demos of the major software offer- ings.” Melnick suggested three “must attend” programs and activities at the conference: David Zweig “This year’s general session features David Zweig, au- thor of Invincibles,” he said. “In addition to being a great speaker, his topic should really resonate with our atten- dees, especially the structural engineers.” The conference dinner The conference dinner is always a highlight, Melnick said. “This year we’re expecting a fantastic evening and we’re renting out three adjacent venues including a Blues club, a country music venue and a piano bar. There’ll be great food, great entertainment and 1,500 of your closest friends to talk to.” The most powerful session “If I had to pick one session to attend, I’d go with ‘Lessons I wish I had known starting out: The engineer edi- tion’. This fast paced 90-minute session features five top engineers each presenting for eight minutes and then a rollicking question and answer session. We offered a sim- ilar session last year and it was standing room only.” This year, the Steel Conference is co-located with the World Steel Bridge Symposium, offering 21 sessions specifically for bridge designers and highway officials. Ses- sions range from “Accelerated Bridge Construction” to “Ad- vanced Analysis Techniques for Design and Erection.” The conference also incorporates the Structural Stability Re- search Council’s Annual Stability Conference. For information about conference registration and the event program, visit www.aisc.org/nascc. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — January 2016 – 27