Background

I’m a first year MS student at Stanford studying structural engineering. Previously, I completed my Bachelors in Civil Engineering with a minor in business at the University of Michigan. I chose to study structural engineering to contribute to the construction of a safe, energizing built environment that stands harmoniously with the natural and drives people to prosper. I feel that the MS program add Stanford has been the perfect next step in working towards this goal.

I grew up in Michigan, so moving west and exploring California over the last 6 months has been a lot of fun! At Stanford, I’ve really enjoyed new & old hobbies including hiking, climbing at the gym (though I hope to get outside soon too!), skiing, exploring the city, and taking yoga classes.

Industry Experience

I have had a couple structural engineering industry experiences that I’ve really enjoyed. In the summer of 2021, I worked for Arup’s LA Structures group and enjoyed working on some large building projects, getting started with digital tools like Revit and Grasshopper, and working on an LCA for a renovation project. Most recently, I worked for Silman in Ann Arbor, MI, from February - August 2022. I took on the typical role of an entry level structural engineer and grew a lot in my capabilities as an engineer by working on all design phases of both new and existing structures with many different materials. In this role, my interest in digital tools for optimizing the design process grew even more! I also found a love for working on existing and historic buildings. Below is one of my favorite pictures of myself from the summer - on site at a historic church investigating the bell tower structural system.

This coming summer, I’m looking forward to working with Arup again. I’ll be joining the San Francisco office and an Advanced Technology and Research Intern.

Interest & Goals for the Course

Through this course, I’m hoping to get a strong understanding of how to use Revit/Dynamo and Grasshopper, especially for early-stage design optimization. I’d like to build some fluency in using these tools and begin to explore how they can be implemented to design more creative, more sustainable, more efficient structures.