The Engineering Student

A bridge truss was the first structure I ever analyzed. I was fascinated by this simple combination of beams that could support its own weight and the weight of crossing vehicles over long spans of water. How did its designers account for wind loads? Why had trusses fallen out of favor? Learning to analyze the loads on trusses ignited my interest in designing structures, eventually leading me to pursue a master’s degree in structural engineering at First Choice U.

I encountered the bridge truss in a textbook for my first engineering class. I’d just arrived at UC from Belize and was determined to succeed. I had heard that Professor Doe was a tough teacher, so I asked him for the textbook so I could prepare for the class over the summer.

In class, we learned about forces on simple members, and then we put the members together to form a simple truss. From there, we advanced to frames, distributed loads, considered friction; basically, we were incorporating real world considerations into structural members. I loved the practical, problem solving aspect of the field. By the end of Professor Doe’s course, I decided that structural engineering was the career for me.

My next analysis and design classes were even more complex. I loved studying steel design because I not only learned the use of load resistance factor design but also applied that knowledge by designing a four-story building. My professor was a practicing engineer, so he always referenced existing steel structures he had engineered, like the SB Medical Center, an all-steel building with a base-isolated campus to protect against earthquakes. That was the kind of project I wanted to work on, designing a structure and considering how it would respond to ground motion. After two quarters of structural analysis, I had come close to analyzing real-world structures. But my tool box was still incomplete. I lacked a very important skill: finite element analysis or FEA, the process of predicting an object’s behavior through mathematical modeling. According to my professor, FEA has revolutionized structural analysis.

Beyond my classes, my internship experiences confirmed my passion for structural engineering. As a student volunteer at Caltrans, I reviewed computer grading outputs for streets under construction. The computer suggested numbers for the road grading, and I had to plot the numbers to make sure there were no abrupt grade changes so that water could easily drain off the sides of the road. It was exciting to know that I was the last reviewer before the whole project was submitted for approval. I enjoyed working on real streets that people would walk and drive on, but I was disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to work on any structures.

At UC, I applied for a Student Research Program fellowship to work in the geotechnical library. I assisted a doctoral student in developing a geotechnical database for the local area. I interpreted the data Caltrans had collected and recorded it in a form that computers could read and analyze. It took hours to finish the project, but I enjoyed the precision involved, so I didn’t mind putting in the time. My supervisor appreciated my work so much that he hired me to continue the project over the summer. Working with him taught me the importance of soil strength in determining where and how to build a structure. Furthermore, assessing a building’s response to earthquakes added to what I’d learned about base-isolated structures and deepened my interest in a skyscraper’s tolerance for seismic stress and movement.

After completing my engineering degree, I want to design structures, a subject that has fascinated me since Professor Doe’s class. I know, however, that complex design requires a master’s degree to be competent and competitive.

At First Choice U, I plan to enroll in the structural engineering and geomechanics program, which would enable me to draw on my background in structural analysis and geotechnical research as a foundation for studying more advanced concepts. I’m particularly interested in the ties between structural engineering, geomechanics, and applied mechanics. I believe research is necessary to acquire data and formulate theories, but it is just as important to know how to apply those theories and use that data in the real world. I also hope to get involved in structural research at First Choice U, particularly in The Structures and Composites Laboratory or the Earthquake Engineering Center.

After completing my master’s, I plan to work for an American engineering consulting firm, designing complex structures and tall buildings, perhaps with a focus on the challenges surrounding earthquake-resistant design. My long-term goal is to open my own engineering consulting firm in Belize.

Structural engineering will enable me to pursue a career where I can creatively problem solve and design functional structures like the simple truss bridge that initially captivated me in Professor Doe’s class. My classes, work at Caltrans, and fellowship in geotechnical engineering have increased my knowledge of and interest in structural engineering since I read that first engineering textbook shortly after my arrival in the United States. I’m confident that the master’s program at First Choice U will equip me with the skills I need to advance in my career and achieve my goals.