James Starace
Date

James Starace ’81, Chief Engineer at the Port Authority of NY/NJ,  to speak on April 11 at 3:00 pm in the ABS Lecture Hall (S&E Building).

 

The inaugural Dr. Joseph G. McNeill '48 Distinguished Engineering Lecture will take place on April 11 at 3:00 PM with Chief Engineer at the Port Authority of NY/NJ James Starace '81as its first featured speaker. Starace is a veteran engineer who was appointed in August 2015 to oversee the Port Authority’s critical transportation projects. 

The lecture will take place in the ABS Lecture Hall (S&E Building) multipurpose room and will be followed by a reception. 

Jim Starace is Chief Engineer and the Director of Engineering for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, with responsibility for the Engineering Department’s design, structural integrity, construction, and quality assurance services to support the Port Authority’s Capital and Operating programs. The programs involve major projects at the Port Authority facilities, which include airports; tunnels, bridges, and terminals; ports; and the PATH rail system.

Mr. Starace holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from SUNY Maritime College, a Master of Engineering Degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York and New Jersey. His Port Authority career spans 33 years and includes various assignments: overseeing many PATH and Tunnels and Bridges projects, serving as Resident Engineer for the construction of the Newark Liberty International Airport International Arrivals Building, Resident Engineer for LaGuardia Airport, Engineer of Construction for the AirTrain Terminal at Jamaica Station and New Jersey Airports, Manager of the Construction Management Division and Deputy Chief Engineer. 

Established through an endowment in 2018 by the McNeill-Tanella family, The Dr. Joseph G. McNeill ’48 Distinguished Engineering Speaker Series recognized Dr. Joe McNeill's 90th birthday and his 70th reunion anniversary. It honors Dr. McNeill and his lifelong commitment to students and to teaching excellence, which was demonstrated throughout his outstanding 35-year career. 

The Dr. Joseph G. McNeill ’48 Distinguished Engineering Speaker Series resides within the engineering department.  Speakers will address wide-ranging and consequential topics in engineering and its role in society, with the intention of stimulating the imagination of students and faculty and leading to positive impact on teaching, program development, career choices, and research.