Seth Thompson Named ASDSO’s Young Professional of the Year

From his early days at Utah State University, where he studied hydraulic structures and conducted scale model testing at the Utah Water Research Lab, Thompson has been deeply committed to improving dam safety. Now a project manager at GFT, he’s contributed to the design and assessment of over 30 dams across the country and led design efforts on innovative structures like the arced labyrinth weir at Aqua Pennsylvania’s Springton Dam, a project he presented on at the 4th International Workshop on Labyrinth and Piano Key Weirs. 

“I feel incredibly honored to receive this award from ASDSO,” Thompson said. “Dam safety is one of those fields where your work has real, tangible impact on people’s lives. Being part of that and getting to learn and innovate alongside such great mentors and colleagues makes the work deeply meaningful.” 

That mindset has driven Thompson to contribute far beyond project delivery. He’s led the development of technical guidance and tools for state agencies in New Mexico and Montana, created GFT’s in-house computational fluid dynamics modeling group, and earned a SPRAT Level I certification to support structural inspections in challenging environments. His work with the state of Montana to develop modeling communication best practices has been added to ASDSO’s Dam Safety Toolbox as a resource for dam professionals nationwide. 

Within the larger dam safety community, Thompson is an active member of both ASDSO and the United States Society on Dams (USSD). He currently serves on ASDSO’s Dam Failure and Incidents Committee and co-chairs the DamFailures.org subcommittee. He has authored case studies for the DamFailures.org website, contributed to over 10 technical presentations at ASDSO and USSD events, and helped plan the 2025 ASDSO West Regional Conference. 

“Whether it’s pushing the boundaries of design or mentoring someone through their first assignment, I’ve always tried to create value beyond the task at hand,” Thompson said. “This recognition is a reminder of the bigger purpose behind the work, and I’m grateful to be part of a community that shares that vision.”