student profiles

Gabrielle Dunn: Water resource/stormwater engineer

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 04:02:39 +0000

Gabrielle Dunn: Water resource/stormwater engineer Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/19/2023 - 21:02

Susan Glairon

Learn more about CU Boulder

Architectural Engineering

Civil Engineering

. Environmental Engineering

How to apply

Gabrielle Dunn

Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Year and major: Junior in civil engineering with a water resource/stormwater engineering focus

Gabrielle Dunn was introduced to civil engineering as a child hanging out at her parents’ civil engineering office.

Now a junior in CU Boulder’s civil engineering program with a focus on water, Dunn has one professional paid internship under her belt and will complete another one this summer. In fall 2023, Dunn will move into the Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s program. She’s also a Kiewit Scholar, works at CU Boulder’s BOLD Center as a peer mentor and develops DEI curriculum and infrastructure for CU Boulder’s SpectrumX.

How did you become interested in engineering?
When I was really little, I hung out at my parents’ office and played with their tools, like measuring wheels and scales. And now I am using those tools! I would look at their house plans, and it was interesting to see how things fit together. Then in high school, I took drafting and architecture classes, and those classes helped me understand how project elements fit together and what’s important to keep in mind when designing, such as constructability, aesthetic and flow.

Why did you choose to study at CU Boulder?
I wanted to leave Fort Collins, but I also wanted to stay in Colorado. CU Boulder’s civil engineering department focuses on improving infrastructure, which I really like. There’s a lot of interesting research being done in the CIEST lab, specifically on new construction materials and improving pipe infrastructures.

Why did you choose to focus on water?
When I interned at Manhard Consulting (in Greenwood Village) last summer, I really enjoyed the water aspect because everything else — fire protection, drinking water, wastewater and other utilities — would be impacted if the storm design didn’t work. Most people think of “civil” as transportation or structural, but water and geotech are super-critical to design.

How did you get your summer internships?
I attended the civil engineering career fair last year. I just started chatting with one of the recruiters, and the recruiter said, “Why don't you come down for an interview?” Not enough students take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions at career fairs.

What enrichment activities have you been involved in at CU?
Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program
Spring of my freshman year I was accepted into the Kiewit program, and since then I've received opportunities from Kiewit to learn about the construction industry. Kiewit helped me decide between field engineering and design, and I decided to stick with the design side. We also have a Kiewit industry mentor who gives advice about how to move forward in our careers and how to prepare for entering industry and the skills they look for, so that’s been very helpful.

BOLD Peer Mentor
I am a peer mentor with the BOLD Center, mentoring incoming freshmen who are BOLD scholars. I organize programs for students, such as study sessions, game nights and movie nights. I also keep track of whether students are meeting their scholarship requirements.

SpectrumX
I also work in the SpectrumX center focusing on developing DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) curriculum and infrastructure. Many universities are involved in the broadband mapping project, and they bring students into the program to do research. We’re encouraging universities to bring in students from diverse backgrounds. We then organize workshops so when students enter the program they feel included and welcome.

INSTAAR undergraduate research assistant
I worked on a project for Professor Michael Gooseff, one of the lead PIs at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. We ran water through three sites at different rates. I organized the data that tracked the water flow and temperature. Another group looked at how the water and temperature impacted the soil biomes.

American Society of Civil Engineers
I’m the president of the CU Boulder chapter of ASCE. We invite companies to speak to students, and each week the students hear about internships and learn about different areas of civil engineering. We just had NewFields come in. They work on mining, and that was something I wasn’t familiar with, so that was pretty cool.

We also do the Concrete Canoe Competition, which is one of ASCE’s biggest draws.

Society of Women Engineers
With all our classes being so male- dominated, it’s nice to see how other women engineers are doing and hear about situations that might arise, like not being listened to in classes or group projects. SWE invites a lot of companies to speak, so it offers a professional development aspect as well.

You do a lot! How do you fit everything in?
I don’t overload myself. Two of my classes are difficult and two are more straightforward. I finished most of my college math class requirements in high school, which was super helpful.

What is a highlight of your academic career at CU?
My favorite activity is the concrete canoe competition. It’s fun to use concrete in a way that you wouldn’t normally use it. Last year we built the canoe and raced it, and we placed third in our region. The activity is outside the classroom, so if you mess up, you mess up. And you get to be creative and compete with other schools.

What do you plan to do after graduating from CU?
I’ll be doing the Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s program in Fall 2023. After that I’ll probably go into the land development sector with a focus on drainage and water resources.

How has your educational experience helped you prepare for this?
CU Boulder has given me opportunities. You can ask your professors questions, especially with the program being so small. There’s always some way to get involved or something to pique your interest.

What advice would you give other CEAE students?
Don’t be afraid to ask your professors questions or to ask questions during your internships. If you want more experience or to learn more about a certain topic, advocate for yourself. More often than not, people will want to support you and encourage your growth, and asking for help is the best place to start.

And find ways to be involved in engineering outside the classroom; it will give you an edge over students who don’t take advantage of those opportunities.

Gabrielle Dunn has one professional paid internship under her belt, will complete another one this summer, and in the fall will move into the Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s program.

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Emma Andreasen: The road to Outstanding Undergraduate

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 15:08:52 +0000

Emma Andreasen: The road to Outstanding Undergraduate Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/02/2022 - 08:08

Susan Glairon

Learn more about CU Boulder

Architectural Engineering

Civil Engineering

. Environmental Engineering

How to apply

Emma Andreasen

Hometown: Delano, Minnesota
Year and major: Senior in structural engineering

While growing up in the small rural town of Delano, Minnesota (population 5,000), Emma Andreasen wasn’t exposed to common software, such as Microsoft Excel. Today the senior is a teaching assistant for the civil engineering department’s Intro to Engineering Computing course, which uses an array of programming tools, including MATLAB and Python.

She's also the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Undergraduate of the College of Engineering and Applied Science Award.

“I never imagined programming when I was in high school,” says Andreasen, who will graduate in December with a BS in civil engineering.

Next summer, Andreasen will begin working at Kiewit Corporation as a structural engineer. And as a student in the Bachelor’s-Accelerated Master’s (BAM) program, she’s on course to finish her master’s degree in structural engineering in December 2023.

Why did you choose to major in civil engineering?

Professor Abbie Liel described how civil engineering allowed her to be “an engineer for people,” and directly see the impact on the world. She emphasized that civil engineers are responsible for designing and constructing the buildings and bridges we use every day. That resonated with me a lot.

Why did you choose to study civil engineering at CU Boulder?

I wanted to leave Minnesota and see something new. CU Boulder has a highly ranked engineering program that is very competitive. I came in as both a BOLD Leadership Scholar and a Norlin Scholar, and I knew I would have a lot of opportunities here. So I decided to move to beautiful Boulder.

Norlin required two courses that focused on finding our passions and professional development. It helped me see what’s out there, relate that back to myself and decide what’s next. BOLD encourages you to participate in different engineering groups. So I have been involved with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program.

Tell me more about some of the enrichment activities have you been involved in at CU.

Kiewit Design-Build Scholar Program
I joined the Kiewit program in January 2020, during COVID, but even then, Kiewit provided support and opportunities. They took us on site visits and connected us with industry leaders, which led to one-on-one mentorship meetings. They also connected us with HR advisors who guided us through the interview process for internships. One cool site visit during COVID was the I-70 (Denver) project. I visited it in spring 2020, and subsequently saw it three other times—all the way to its completion. Seeing the progression on such a massive project was a great experience.

I met my first Kiewit mentor online, as she worked in the California Kiewit office. She talked a lot about professional development and resume building, and connected us with HR advisors to get the interview process going. My second advisor was a structural engineer, and he was also big on professional development. He connected me with the right people to get a structural internship, and this past summer I was able to intern with Kiewit because of the connections I made in the Kiewit Scholars program. Both mentors would talk from a very personal perspective about the benefits that Kiewit offered—they weren’t trying to sway me one way or another. They gave me the facts, and that was very helpful in figuring out what's next.

CU Boulder women’s rugby—president and team captain
I was in a D1 Club team so we competed in the Rocky Mountain Division against the Air Force Academy, Colorado State University, and the universities of Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. 2021 was the first time CU beat the Air Force Academy in decades. Winning was an incredible achievement for our team. In 2021 we earned a spot in the Elite 8 at CRAA Women’s D1 Regionals in Oklahoma. We didn’t win, but it was a cool experience.

Club intramural sports are a great way to destress. Also, it’s a great community; my rugby team are some of my best friends. Having that support system has been crucial in engineering. Many of them are also civil engineers, and I encouraged them to apply for the Kiewit Design Build Scholar Program, and now, they too, are Kiewit scholars.

Emma Andreasen

Scholarships

Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program
Kiita Student Employee Scholarship Fund
Norlin Scholars Program
BOLD Leadership Scholarship
Dorothy Martin Endowment Fund, 2021-2022 & 2022-2023
Ernest R. and Bernice N. Schultz scholarship, 2022-2023

Enrichment Activities

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Chi Epsilon (civil engineering honors fraternity)
University of Colorado Women’s Rugby, president and team captain

What were some of your most meaningful projects at CU?

My junior year I became involved with the Kiita Foundation Student Employee Scholarship, and Kiita scholarship recipients travel to Mexico twice each year. A lot of refugees get sent to Agua Preita even if they aren’t from there. They don’t speak the same language as their neighbors. They are put in the city with absolutely nothing. The foundation provides support for the community, including food drives and scholarships for kids to attend private school. Last year we poured a house foundation and did a massive food distribution.Another meaningful project was my internship with Milender White, where I worked as a field engineer on the Stout Street Recuperative Care and Legacy Lofts project in downtown Denver. We were constructing a nine-story assisted living center aimed at providing affordable housing for community members experiencing homelessness or in need of medically supportive housing. There was a large tent encampment around the site, and we could see people struggling. The completed project will help people who are struggling get back up on their feet. At Stout Street I assisted with quality-control/inspections of pipe sleeves, block-outs, rebar, embeds and concrete in a slab-on-grade, three post-tensioned decks and six Infinity framed decks; maintained safety on-site through daily observations, weekly inspections, and monthly audits and documented progress of subcontractors through comprehensive trend charts and daily logs.

Is there anything you want to tell students who are considering CU Boulder?

Students are drawn to CU for the mountains and this vibe of CU Boulder.

The engineering program has many opportunities. You can come to CU, take classes and get a degree. Or you can also immerse yourself in the opportunities, and in doing that, your experience will be completely different. These programs are here to help you. The mentors, the groups that run these programs want to see you succeed.

As a prospective student, get involved in as many programs as possible—the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Kiewit program, the Society of Women Engineers or any of the other diversity engineering programs and clubs. And don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Take it one day at a time. You are going to get stressed—it’s engineering. Don’t focus on school for an hour. Get lunch, get coffee, go to the rec center. Take that time for yourself, because the moments you take now will propel you tomorrow and the next day and the next.

Raised in a small rural town with limited exposure to computing, Emma Andreasen has achieved remarkable recognition as the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Undergraduate of the College of Engineering and Applied Science award.

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Kate MacKeigan: Architectural engineers are responsible for designing sustainably

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 16:04:01 +0000

Kate MacKeigan: Architectural engineers are responsible for designing sustainably Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/02/2022 - 10:04

Susan Glairon

Learn more about CU Boulder

Architectural Engineering

Civil Engineering

. Environmental Engineering

How to apply

Kate MacKeigan

Hometown: East Grand Rapids, Michigan
Year and major: Senior in architectural engineering

While growing up in Michigan, Kate MacKeigan enjoyed science and math. In high school she took an engineering systems class where students built a hydraulic pump and then worked on improving the design.

“That’s how I got introduced to engineering,” says MacKeigan, the first in her family to become an engineer. “I liked that it was hands on.”

Now a senior in architectural engineering (AREN) focusing on construction, MacKeigan will move to Hawaii after she graduates in May, having secured a full-time position as a field engineer for Hensel Phelps, the same large contractor she interned with in O‘ahu in the summer of 2022.

As a field engineer, MacKeigan will be surveying, performing inspections and doing Building Information Modeling (BIM) in a simulated environment, combining structural, mechanical, architectural and electrical models to help identify potential design or construction issues.

“I am so excited about my job!” she says.

The road to AREN
MacKeigan arrived on the CU Boulder campus enrolled in architectural engineering, but wasn’t sure if it was the right engineering area for her to pursue. While at CU, she attended many career information sessions through the Associated General Contractors of America (ACG) club and the Society of Women Engineers. “The information sessions gave me clarity, and confirmed that I had chosen the right area,” she says.

Then she attended more information sessions and career fairs to learn about the five possible specializations within AREN: lighting, electrical, mechanical, and structural design, and construction management; she decided to hone in on construction management because of its “hands-on aspect.”

The ability to help the environment through architectural engineering also drew her to the major. Buildings account for 40 percent of energy and 60 percent of electricity use worldwide, she says. Over the next nine years two trillion square feet of new buildings will be constructed.

“Architectural engineers have the opportunity to change the world through mitigating climate change," MacKeigan says. "We will be the ones responsible for designing sustainably, using our in-depth knowledge of each building sector and the efficiency measures behind them.”

What enrichment activities have you been involved with at CU? How have these affected your experience here?
I am the AGC president. AGC is very helpful for networking and bridging the gap between education and industry. Through AGC’s networking opportunities, I received an internship which led to a full-time job.

I was a BOLD scholar. The BOLD Center is a space of inclusion and support. Because of BOLD I joined the Society of Women Engineers, which provides support, additional networking opportunities and career advice.

What is a highlight of your academic career at CU?
I am one of the leads on CU Boulder’s Solar Decathlon team (a competition in which students from across the globe design and build a net-zero energy building in their community). Getting involved with the team has been the biggest contribution to my academic career because we are seeing the positive aspects it's having on Boulder County in addition to the Solar Decathlon’s Department of Energy competition.

We are building a net-zero home, (a building that produces as much energy as it consumes in a year), in partnership with Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, in Boulder’s Ponderosa Mobile Home Park community. The home will be sustainable with an energy-efficient design and will fall under affordable housing.

Ponderosa’s homes were heavily damaged during the 2013 flood. The goal is to have the home completed by March and then be purchased by a family living at Ponderosa. Hopefully the same energy-efficient techniques that we used will also be used when other residents build their new homes.

Our house also uses green hydrogen energy. Hydrogen systems run off of hydrolysis, which uses hydrogen atoms to store energy from solar panels; our Solar Decathlon home can stay off the electrical grid for up to four days.

You often don’t hear “energy efficient” and “affordable'' in the same sentence. Affordable housing is the most economical solution to reducing poverty. And I really like the sustainability aspect. It’s important to me because 40 percent of our carbon footprint is due to buildings. I see the potential for addressing this huge problem through choosing renewable energy, focusing on energy efficiency and using sustainable materials.

How has your educational experience helped you prepare for your new job?
CU Boulder has shown me how to work in a team, and specifically architectural engineering has given me a taste of each sector (lighting, electrical, mechanical, and structural design, and construction management) so when I look at a building, I can understand every aspect of it.

What advice would you give to current CEAE students?
Get involved in clubs and networking events that connect to what you are learning because that is where you will find clarity in your career goals and your purpose.

And the future?
My goal is to design buildings that can positively affect the environment, not just neutralize where the world is going, but give back to our environment through renewable energy and reduced embodied carbon of building products.

“Architectural engineers have the opportunity to change the world through mitigating climate change," says Kate MacKeigan, who will move to Hawaii after she graduates in May, having secured a full-time position as a field engineer for Hensel Phelps.

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Lisa Wang: Environmental Engineering

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 16:21:02 +0000

Lisa Wang: Environmental Engineering Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/01/2019 - 09:21

Name: Yu Hong (Lisa) Wang
Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa
Program: Environmental Engineering

"This department holds a warming place in my heart as I am greeted by smiling faces who genuinely care about each other."

I was born in China, Qingdao, an attractive coastal city with influences from both Germany and Japan. I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, a beautiful country known for its communal diversity. Growing up in a competitive all-girls British school, I had developed a love for reading and baking, alongside swimming and distance running. Recently my friends have convinced me to rock climb with them, which is also an incredibly rewarding sport. I am a senior in the Environmental Engineering Program focusing specifically on Indoor Air Quality, doing research with Professor Shelly Miller.

I plan to graduate with a BS in December 2019 and hope to continue graduate school here at CU. I love working with people, so I would say that the greatest accomplishment of my education so far is being able to build life-lasting relationships with the very people I have the honor to attend classes with. I’m incredibly passionate about God and hope to be used someday in Women’s ministry as a female engineer. My favorite place on campus right now is probably the newly furnished SEEC building. It’s a privilege to accompany research and homework with the magnificent view of the Flatirons right outside your window.

How did you choose to study Environmental Engineering at CU? What sets apart CU’s Environmental Engineering Program?

Besides the gorgeous winter campus pictures all over the internet, I chose CU for our ranking in EVEN and it was the most affordable school for my circumstance.

After the first semester in Environmental Engineering, I switched out to Mechanical, thinking that I could take an alternative route to where I wanted to be. After further inspection of my classes in junior year, I switched back into Environmental Engineering, finally understanding the path I want to pursue. I love solving challenging environmental problems, more than any other problem in the field of Engineering. I realized soon after that the Environmental Engineering Program at CU focuses not only on academia but every single faculty uplifts individual students in our department. When I walk into the Environmental Wing in the Engineering Centre, I am greeted by smiling faces of people who genuinely appreciate another individual outside of their intended academic or career path. That is why this department holds a warming place in my heart.

What enrichment activities (including internships, research, study abroad, etc.) have you been involved in at CU? How have these affected your experience here?

I have had the privilege to be part of the Engineering Honors Program, where I have encountered many talented, passionate engineering peers and friends. My freshman year, I gained insight on the technical field working for a start-up robotics company. My sophomore and junior years have stimulated my passion for academia and solving problems in a formal institution, learning to collaborate with people who are often older and more experienced than me. A slightly different community, however, has helped me grow from a freshman girl in STEM to a woman in STEM, is my ministry Christian Challenge.
I have gained a new understanding of how to influence and bless others as a Christian in engineering. Stepping out of this department, to a smaller community can sometimes be overwhelming as we lose hope to try to implement change in the world. However, to aim for a larger purpose, I can shift my perspective, putting on a different set of lenses to dream small and look towards the needs of my immediate vicinity to implement change. In my engineering classes, I’ve suddenly understood how to practically view every problem with a step by step mindset starting with changing my own thoughts, engaging my classmates and colleagues in the process before trying to ‘fix and change our society’.

What is a highlight of your academic career at CU? This could be a class, lab, project or research.

In the summer of 2018, through a research program by CU, I was able to work with Professor Shelly Miller. Professor Miller introduced me to the world of air pollution control, specifically focusing on indoor air quality. Currently, I am working on a project with the City of Boulder, trying to understand the benefits of public health relating to indoor air quality with a transition to cleaner energy in Boulder. Americans spend an average of 70-90% of our time indoors, so indoor air is one of the main factors that contribute to respiratory health. I love sharing ideas with people who come from such different backgrounds than I do. It’s been superbly rewarding.

What do you plan to do after graduating from CU? How has your educational experience helped you prepare for this?

I plan to stay at CU for an MS degree and hope to continue this path in academia. Rigorous engineering classes has helped nurture my stamina and time management skills to take on a lot more than I ever thought I could handle. And, of course, EVEN was what started my interest in the field of air pollution in the first place.

"Professor Shelly Miller introduced me to the world of air pollution control, specifically focusing on indoor air quality. I love solving challenging environmental problems."

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Ian Lummis: Civil Engineering

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:55:35 +0000

Ian Lummis: Civil Engineering Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/01/2019 - 08:55

Name: Ian Lummis
Hometown: Grand Junction, Colorado
Program: Civil Engineering

“My favorite thing about civil engineering is the fact that no two projects are the same, with each one carrying a new set of challenges engineers must find solutions for.”

I grew up in Grand Junction, on Colorado’s Western Slope. As a lifelong resident of Colorado, I have always enjoyed the opportunity the state has for outdoor recreation, especially skiing, mountain biking, hiking and camping. Because of this, I knew that I wanted to attend college somewhere that offered similar access to the outdoors as my hometown. I have loved my time at CU. I have had great opportunities to work as an engineering intern and to study abroad. Boulder is well known as a great town to attend college in and I couldn’t recommend it enough. One of the first things I learned about myself in college is that I need to go outside of my house to study and work on homework. My favorite place to do this is the Earth Sciences Library. It always seems to have a quiet, relaxed atmosphere and plenty of available seats. Additionally, they have rotating displays of some really cool maps that are great to look at when you need a break.

How did you choose to study Civil Engineering at CU? What sets apart CU’s Civil Engineering Program?

After considering several universities, I realized that Boulder offered me the best combination of a great location and the ability to study at a great engineering school. I enrolled as an open option engineering student but soon realized that I wanted to study civil engineering, as it offered me a great opportunity to work on designing large scale projects in many different disciplines. I am now a senior specializing in Structural Engineering. I think our CEAE department has both great students and faculty. I also think they work hard to foster good relationships with local and national civil engineering firms. I really appreciate this as it makes me confident in my ability to land a job after I graduate.

What enrichment activities (including internships, research, study abroad, etc) have you been involved in at CU? How have these affected your experience here?

Of all the opportunities I have been offered while at CU my personal favorite was the chance to spend a year abroad. I went to Newcastle University in the UK and had a great year living and experiencing another country. I also made some great friends who came and visited Colorado this summer. After spending nine months bragging about what a great place Colorado is, I was so excited to back up everything I said.

What is a highlight of your academic career at CU? This could be a class, lab, project or research.

I really enjoyed my Engineering Drawing class. We learned first drawing plans by hand and then moved on to creating plans using Revit. The final project of this class was a design project where students got the chance to design either a bridge or a house. I really enjoyed using BIM software and I believe it was great to be exposed to software similar to what practicing engineers use as a sophomore.

What do you plan to do after graduating from CU? How has your educational experience helped you prepare for this?

I really enjoy design work and plan to pursue a career in this after graduation. I am currently applying to both entry level structural engineer positions as well as graduate school. I think a Master’s degree would really benefit my career, especially as a structural engineer but I also am going to see if I have any opportunities immediately after graduation.

"No two projects are the same in civil engineering. Each one carries new challenges that engineers must find solutions for.”

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