As an aspiring structural engineer, I need to obtain a Master of Science in Civil or Structural Engineering before I can begin my job search. As a senior in the University of Washington’s (UW) Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) department, I came to understand why UW’s CEE program is one of the most rigorous in the nation with a faculty well-known for their seismic engineering research. With UW as a potential graduate program in mind, I interviewed the aged Dr. Charles Roeder, my current Design of Metal Structures professor, and the ever-in-trouble Travis Thonstad, a PhD student and my Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures teacher assistant (TA). By interviewing Roeder, I soon came to understand why he is so well-recognized in …show more content…
When Roeder reviews applications, grades and GRE scores trumped the personal statement and letter of recommendations. He preferred students with a GPA above 3.3 and GRE scores above the 80% percentile, although he acknowledged engineering students tend to struggle with the verbal or writing sections of the test. Given two students with similar GPA’s and GRE scores, the personal statement and letter of recommendation would be used as a tie-breaker. In the personal statement, faculty search for why the applicant wants to do what they want to do and where his or her research interests lay. Since letters of recommendations tend to be positive, whether or not Roeder knew the recommender and in a positive or negative manner is important. The structural engineering field is small. All these factor into how “fundable” a student is. He would then rank the application from 1 to 5, with 5 being an applicant who was very likely to receive funding—and, as a result, an offer of …show more content…
Engineering is sort of an art. We follow a code book for the design of different systems, but very often, we’re called on to use our experience and intuition when something isn’t covered by the code. Then we apply a factor of safety—just in case. In the time Travis has been at UW, the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Steel Construction Manual has changed from a black cover book to a maroon cover book with new topics and procedures such as the Direct Analysis Method. As a structural engineer, it is important to recognize the code isn’t perfect. It is constantly
Sandro A. Carrasco is a Pratt alumnus. He graduated in 2012, with a Bachelors of Architecture degree. He is currently the associate project manager for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), at their Madison Avenue, New York, New York office. I am inspired by the many positions Sandro held, during his tenure at Turner Construction Company. A company, I intend to work for upon graduation. Therefore, I wanted to learn about the transition process. I was also curious to learn more about Sandro and his experiences. Therefore, this desire to establish a mentorship with Sandro motivated my decision to interview him; for the betterment of my career, in the future.
It is somewhat by accident that I find myself drawn towards the field of Construction Science. I have always enjoyed building with an incorporation of moving parts. When I was young, I started building toy cars, airplanes, dinosaurs, and everything an eight-year-old boy would imagine. It was like striking gold! I could build tracks, and cars with wheels to go on the tracks. I could even build towers with moving parts that reached the living room ceiling. Needless to say this unassuming box of used gadgets fostered a growing excitement towards construction and architecture. As my knowledge of the field grew, so did my curiosity about the assembly and preparation it takes to build useful assets like houses, hotels, even parking garages. I am pursuing a degree in Construction Science, which encompasses not only creating new spheres of urban development, but also a supporting a structure that helps a community grow. After attending Blinn College, I feel the need to expand my knowledge in the field of architecture by attending the highly credited University of Texas A&M.
Foremost, Antenna Inc. were fully aware that Riggers Inc. comprised semi-skilled tradesmen who were not engineers by profession. Therefore, the subcontracted workers had no professional expertise in changing the design. In addition, Riggers Inc. engaged in a task that was beyond their area of competence. This led to the collapse of the tower that claimed human lives (DIR-9012252, 1992). Prevention Measures
From nursery rhymes such as the "Three Little Pigs" to the Sampoong Superstore collapse, structural failures are always a threat. In the case of the "Three Little Pigs" nursery rhyme, building material played a key role in preventing the house from collapsing. The Sampoong Superstore, on the other hand, failed due to many factors, but one of the major factors was ethical failure in the construction and maintenance of the structure. The job of an engineer is to prevent these structures from failing. They do so by learning, understanding, and following the basic principles of Statics. Engineers build things stronger than what they were made to handle so that one small mistake will not jeopardize the structure. Although they occur, structural
Now there are skyscrapers that reach thousands of feet into the air. That is a drastic change in the way construction has developed. As I researched further, I realized that the goal may be the same as it was five thousand years ago, however, the ways in which human beings go about doing it is much more different than it was. I know that persistence is one of my key character traits, and this fits perfectly with the needed characteristics of a construction manager.
Few engineering disasters are as infamous as the collapse of two walkways within the Hyatt Regency Kansas City Hotel on July 17th, 1981. Because of a plethora of ethical violations and poor planning, over one-hundred people lost their lives, and another two-hundred were severely injured as the walkway was overloaded and crumbled under the addition of a large live load. At the time, this was the worst structural engineering failure in US history. A thorough investigation revealed fatal flaws in the design of the walkway which indicated it could not hold such a heavy load. However, it was discovered that the bridge may have prevailed had it not been for carelessness and unethical shortcuts on the part of the engineer in charge of the project.
..., as well as the management experience, to one day open an engineering firm, an aspiration sparked by my parents who ran their own small businesses. I hope to learn how to tackle problems associated with building structures of unorthodox yet sustainable design so that, as a structural engineer, I could bring to reality art that can endure tumultuous storms and dynamic humans. I want to build structures that in turn build the future.
Works Cited Journal articles: • Lane, Thomas. “Crazy Angles, Soaring Steel.” Building vol. 274 no. 8588 (28) 2009, July 17, pp. 40-46.
However, while structural vulnerability has multiple strengths, it also has weaknesses. First and foremost, structural vulnerability is a very abstract concept and, as such, it has “Analytical limitations” (Quesada et al. 2011, 345). As structural vulnerability evokes global forces which impact an individual’s life, examining and reforming these forces can prove to be an arduous task. Secondly, ‘structure’ can be an exceptionally esoteric term which develops more questions than it may solve. By recognizing structural vulnerability and understanding the fact that certain groups or individuals are structurally disadvantaged, Anthropologists may misconstrue the proper way to engage with structurally vulnerable people.
I have conducted my research through interview with someone familiar with construction and development as how geometry is used in these fields.
There are various types of engineering that make the world the way it is. The engineering field is a huge necessity to the world. The field provides a sense of infrastructure and stability to anywhere and everywhere, and without engineers, the world would pretty much fall apart. Lots of people assume that engineering only has to deal with the environment and the external structures that make up where we live, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Other types of engineering include the makeup of the body, and the function of the specific internal organs. This is when we land on the field of biomechanics. The purpose of biomechanics is to study the function and the movement of the human body. This engineering field is very important because
There are 25 major specialties in engineering that are recognized by professional societies. In any one of those 25 specialties, the goal of the engineer is the same. The goal is to be able to come up with a cost effective design that aids people in the tasks they face each day. Whether it be the coffee machine in the morning or the roads and highways we travel, or even the cars we travel in, it was all an idea that started with an engineer. Someone engineered each idea to make it the best solution to a problem. Even though engineer’s goals are similar, there are many different things that engineers do within their selected field of engineering. This paper will focus on the architectural field of engineering.
In conclusion, civil engineers have a responsibility to deal with current issues in a professional and ethical manner for the benefit of society. The topics discusses included: high energy consumption of buildings, the need for efficient water resources, transportation planning, poor infrastructures doomed to failure, the need to have higher standards to become a licensed professional engineer, how globalization has affected all engineers, and the need to have more professional use advance engineering informatics. All these subjects were pondered about how these challenges can be overcome are there effective methods that engineers can apply today. Unfortunately, not all problems are easy to handle.
An ambition to learn and grow and having passion for engineering have prompted me to go in for graduate studies. Chasing my Dreams! While growing up at a young age I was always intrigued by objects that produced mechanical work and energy be it prime movers such as automobiles, construction and mining equipment, turbo machinery such as jet engines, space shuttles or complex mechanisms of mechanical watches, I used to spend a lot of time trying to learn and figure out their basis and propositions, it was necessary for me to explore my inner conscience to understand my fascination towards machines and their ingenuity, Mechanical engineering seemed a direct consequence of my convictions. I have always admired my father as a civil engineer and his hard work and struggles throughout his life; He has always been a role model for me. He motivated me to pursue my dreams so I decided to pursue my undergraduate study in Mechanical Engineering
Throughout my lifetime, I have never had to think very much about the working world and everything that went with it. All through high school I took classes I liked or thought would be interesting to me, but never thought that all of those classes were preparing me for what was to come. Before I knew it, it was time to go to college. The four years of high school had flown by and now it was time to choose a major for college. I had never given much thought as to what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The only real occupations that I had really gotten to experience were teaching, the jobs that my parents had, and others such as doctors, dentist, most of the occupations that everyone sees while they are growing up. When I finally decided on my major, I chose engineering, but I didn’t know if I would like it or not. The only prior knowledge I had about it was the fact that my grandfather was an electrical and chemical engineer, and that my parents and teachers said that I would be good at engineering. Recently I have been interested in civil engineering, but what does one do with such a degree? What opportunities are available to a person with a degree in civil engineering on the job market? The broad curriculum that covers many different fields of engineering make civil engineering a major that allows a person to work in nearly any field they wish.