Face to Face
Steve Sorensen
Engineering Coordinator

Decisions, decisions: saddles and spurs, electron microscopes and chemicals, or blueprints and calculators? As a bit of a renaissance man who finds many things interesting, these were some of the professional paths Steve Sorensen milled around before deciding to become an engineer.

Shortly after earning a chemistry degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, he worked at the University of Utah Medical School doing cancer research. That led him to apply to the school’s PhD program, which connected him with a group of “eclectic” engineer personalities who worked with artificial organs. To pursue an advanced medical degree or take on the new challenge of engineering: that was his dilemma. (He’d since abandoned the cowboy world)

As any critical thinker would do, Steve decided to contemplate his decision while hitchhiking his way to Alaska to “see new country, go fishing and hiking, and basically–just think.” That was in 1973. As these “how I ended up in Alaska” stories always seem to go, he fell in love with the place and staked a homestead in the 20 Mile Valley near Portage, Alaska, where he built a cabin and began guiding heli skiing, and coaching alpine and cross country in the winter, then working construction in the summer.

That was in 1973. Five years later, he earned his engineering degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This year, he was recognized as Engineer of the Year by the Alaska Society of Professional Engineers (ASPE) Fairbanks Chapter.

Q: What attracted you to pursuing engineering and what is your educational background?

I didn’t start out in engineering, though I was probably meant to be one all along. As a kid I wanted to be a cowboy. My mother was the hard working daughter of a rancher and had other ideas.

I found that I was naturally oriented to apply scientific principles and organizational skills to solve complex problems. Over the years I have been very fortunate to be successful in a wide range of assignments and projects in design, construction, and operations and maintenance. I have also had the benefit of working with a few selfless engineering leaders who have always put truth, fairness, goodwill, and the safety of the public foremost in their projects.

Q: What types of activities do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I still enjoy skiing and ski competition but have migrated from downhill racing and skiing big mountains to cross-country marathons. Being from Colorado, I have always been around horses and we still train and ride them. My wife and daughters also like outdoor adventure. We have a small ranch in Delta Junction that keeps us busy working together all summer. I have recently started cowboy-mounted shooting which is a very fast activity that incorporates both good equestrian riding and shooting skills.