MNSEA Monthly Meeting: Ethical and Legal Considerations in the Use of AI by Structural Engineers (2/10/26)
Date and Time
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM CST
Breakfast & Registration - 7:00 AM
General Meeting - 7:30 – 8:00 AM
Presentation - 8:00 – 9:45 AM
Q & A - 9:45-10:00AM
Location
MNCPA 1650 West 82nd Street, Suite 600,
SouthPoint Office Center - 6th Floor
Bloomington, MN 55431
Fees/Admission
In-Person: $70 for members / $80 for non-members
Virtual: $60 for members / $70 for non-members
$25 for YMG
$40 for unemployed members
Free for student attendees
Hot breakfast will be served
Participants will receive 2.0 PDHs.
Description
Presentation: Ethical and Legal Considerations in the Use of AI by Structural Engineers
The practice of engineering is facing rapid change and even potential transformation through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which when used well could increase efficiency, safety, and quality in engineering services. Still, engineers must consider the legal and ethical issues that accompany the use of AI, including: confirming the reliability and accuracy of AI output, demonstrating competence and maintaining responsible charge in the practice of engineering, considering implications for the ownership of intellectual property, maintaining confidentiality of records, and more. This 2 PDH seminar will equip structural engineers with the considerations for leveraging AI tools in the practice of engineering and for other uses while also maintaining compliance with their ethical and legal obligations.
Learning Objectives
- Identify ethical and legal considerations for the use of AI tools in the practice of engineering, including considerations of competence and responsible charge.
- Develop an understanding of other ethical and legal issues related to the creation of intellectual property, the use of efficient tools such as automated meeting notes or avatars attending meetings, and other uses of AI tools.
Participants will receive 2.0 PDHs.
Presenter
Kate Golden
M. A. Mortenson Company
Kate Golden is Senior Vice President, General Counsel, for M. A. Mortenson Company, a commercial builder and developer headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that engages in a variety of complex construction projects throughout North America, including commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels, sports facilities, wind and solar energy generation facilities, battery storage and power transmission, and other public and private projects.
Kate received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Iowa and her master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensed in Minnesota. She obtained her law degree from Mitchell | Hamline College of Law; clerked for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz; and practiced construction law at a national law firm before joining Mortenson in 2006. She is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers.
Kate taught "Construction Law" as an adjunct professor in Minnesota law schools, and "Legal and Ethical Issues in Construction" to undergraduates in the construction management program at the University of Minnesota. She regularly presents engineering ethics, compliance, and other topics to construction and engineering industry associations, and to students in engineering classes at the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota.