about me
MAJOR & CAREER GOALS One of the largest factors in my decision to attend to UC was that it is one of only 22 universities in the US that offers Architectural Engineering. In fact, I am a part of the first group of students that will graduate from UC with a degree in Architectural Engineering. Architectural Engineering is a mixture of Structural Engineering, Building Systems Design, and Architecture. As such, a person with a degree in Architectural Engineering can take a variety of paths that vary from HVAC design to historical preservation. Students majoring in Architectural Engineering take classes both in the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) and in the college of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP). With a degree in Architectural Engineering, I'd like to build a career in either Structural Engineering or Architecture. In the design of a building, the architect may be the party responsible for its conception and aesthetic design, but the structural engineer is in charge of practically and efficiently making the building stand. One of the aspects of building design that appeals most to me is that no two projects are the same. While structural engineering appeals to me because of the fact that there is a logical and methodical order for designing the necessary pieces of a structural system, I enjoy the creativity and design aspect of Architecture. Following my bachelor's degree, I can potentially pursue three different career objectives. I could obtain a master's degree in Civil Engineering and eventually become a licensed Professional Engineer and Structural Engineer. I could also obtain a master's degree in Architecture and become a licensed Architect. Alternatively, as the most challenging, unknown, and enticing option, I could find a way to blend the two disciplines into a new career path that is truly Architectural Engineering. |
BACKGROUND
I was born and raised in Columbia, MO where my family lived until I was ten years old. At that time, my father's job was relocated and we spent the next three years living in a suburb of Detroit. In 2007, my family relocated a final time to a quiet suburb in Oldham County outside of Louisville, KY. Growing up, my family spent a lot of time outdoors. We've enjoyed "roughing it" in our hand-me-down pop-up trailer throughout the eastern and Midwestern United States for as long as I can remember. While camping, we love spending time kayaking, biking, fishing, and hanging out around the campfire. We also love hitting the slopes at ski resorts in Utah and Colorado, although my skiing skills pale in comparison to those of my brother and sister. On nice, warm weekends my father, brother, and I enjoy loading up our ATVs and motorcycles to explore the wooded trails of Eastern Kentucky. Spending time outdoors has helped to shape me into a person who appreciates the true, unaffected beauty of nature. I've been fortunate to be a part of a family that values and enjoys traveling as much as me. We've taken many summer vacations to destinations that vary from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, to the Great Lakes of Michigan, to the sunny beaches of Siesta Key, FL. One of the larger trips we've taken was a two week tour of Alaska including a stop in Denali National Park, a wildlife and glacier observation cruise in Seward, and camping and fishing on the Kenai Peninsula. In 2012, we took a vacation to the island of Maui in Hawaii where we spent two weeks snorkeling with exotic fish and sea turtles and soaking up Hawaiian history and culture. As an extension of a study tour I took through the Honors Program, my parents and I traveled to Florence and Venice, Italy where we enjoyed touring monuments, taking in sights, and enjoying the local culture. CO-OP EXPERIENCES Luckett & Farley As a part of the Engineering program at UC, students are required to participate in five semesters worth of co-op experience in which they work for actual employers in their selected field of study. So far, I've completed three co-op rotations, both of which with an architecture and engineering firm named Luckett & Farley. L&F, which was founded in 1853, is the oldest architecture firm in America and has been one of Kentucky's Best Places to Work for the past six years. Some of the company's most notable projects include Churchill Downs (L&F built the original clubhouse in 1895 and continues work today), Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, Jack Daniel's Distillery, Ford Kentucky Truck Plant, and iHeartRadio Theater LA. My work in the Structural Engineering department has focused heavily on modeling projects in 3D using BIM technology and translating these models into construction documents using Autodesk's Revit program. I have completed a variety of preliminary and basic structural calculations varying from snow load calculations to sizing wood and steel beams. I've also reviewed and revised shop drawings from structural steel, reinforcement, and wood suppliers. During the fall of 2013, my biggest project was a design-build feed mill replacement for a local university. I was responsible for modeling and drafting the replacement feed mill based on drawings from the previous building. I studied a lot of process engineering to determine how the feed mill receives, grinds, and mixes corn and identify ways to make the process more efficient. I also had to contact equipment manufacturers, present to the clients in project progress meetings, and prepare project specifications. In the summer of 2014, I acted as a "junior project manager" in the preparation of drawings and documents for a potential project with a large whiskey distiller. This project was a continuation of earlier work I had done beginning with schematic design in my first co-op at Luckett & Farley and followed up with preliminary construction document creation in the fall of 2013. In my third co-op, the client wanted to refine the construction documents and determine an approximate cost for the project. My responsibilities included creating base floor plans and distributing these to various departments in Luckett & Farley to be prepared for the cost estimation. I then had to follow up with these coworkers to determine progress and coordinate scope. I acted primarily independently with occasional direction and advice from my supervisor. Stengel Hill Architecture For my final co-op rotation, I took a position with Stengel Hill Architecture, also located in Louisville, to gain more experience with the architectural side of my degree. At SHA, I completed many of the same tasks as I did at Luckett & Farley, but with a focus on architecture. As a firm that focuses 95% of its work in the field of healthcare design, I have learned an immense amount about hospitals and the processes that occur within. My work has ranged from the creation of construction documents for a new emergency department to the modeling and rendering of interior spaces for a psychiatric unit. I particularly enjoy the exposure I have had to 3D modeling and the implementation of programs like SketchUp to create photorealistic images to assist clients with visualization of their space. As a part of this co-op, I have also had many chances to travel for field verification trips to places like Washington, D.C. and Myrtle Beach, SC. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to travel as a part of my job and these trips have been a wonderful way for me to see and understand many of the healthcare spaces that I draw. |