Joseph S. Schuster, SE, PE, is a practicing structural engineer licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois. He obtained a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Cornell University and a master of science in structural engineering from Stanford University. Mr. Schuster works in New York City, New York for the national engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., where he is involved in the structural design and renovation of steel, concrete, masonry, and wood buildings. He has also worked extensively on projects involving the repair and adaptive reuse of historic structures and has investigated several building collapses. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm that designs, investigates, and rehabilitates structures and building enclosures. SGH's award-winning work includes building, nuclear, transportation, water/wastewater, and science/defense projects throughout the United States and in more than 30 other countries.