Civil Engineering MSE

I started my career as a structural engineer designing offshore platforms, a very challenging assignment for structural engineers given the demands on that type of structure. I was always drawn toward technology and how to leverage it to its best advantage in the design and business process. I did not envision a role in IT earlier in my career, but the important role that Information Technology plays in enabling both design and business process led me down that path, which has been very exciting, challenging, and rewarding. My areas of expertise include implementation of integrated project management systems, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and other related 3D CAD project delivery systems.

At Walter P Moore, I have been able to design and implement our firm’s efforts in managing the interface with other members of the design, construction, and owner teams in project collaboration and coordination in the BIM environment. I have led many multi-discipline BIM Coordination Services projects and lead the firm’s Technology Consulting Group and have been able to present nationally on a variety of subjects pertaining to technology in the AEC industry. This tech focus has led to a patent for improved facilities management systems. 

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

One of my favorite past times was walking on campus during the wee hours of the morning to catch a cup of coffee as a study break at establishments that no longer exist. Too bad Starbucks was not around (in Ann Arbor) back then!

Favorite Student Orgs

Participation in the student chapters of ASCE, Chi Epsilon, and the Vulcans played a very formative role in developing the skill and passion for leadership and social activities. These skills are critical to professional success and should be nurtured along with technical competency. Even as a student I was always drawn to technology and enjoyed learning computer programing skills as a part of my engineering classwork. 

Advice to Students

It is very important to develop good written and oral communication skills as a student. You will learn that success in professional practice is oftentimes just as dependent on these skills as a blue-chip understanding of the engineering basics. Keep engaged with Michigan and your department after graduation, you will appreciate the opportunity and insight it provides.

Before I graduated, I had three summers of internships. The summer between my junior and senior years I spent with a construction management company where I was out on sight every day. The next two summers I spent at an Architect/Engineer firm in Dearborn, MI. From there I was offered a full-time position at the company and stayed for just over two years. Recently I made the jump to the structural contracting world working for a small company in Detroit. Being at a large Architect/Engineer firm, I was able to see a very large project and gain experience with different disciplines. Overall it was a great experience to learn how a building is put together and the coordination between engineers, architects, contractors, owners, etc. Now I am in a position where I am seeing smaller but faster pace projects with lots of variety. I am also currently working to become a PE and have a plan in the future to become an SE.

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

Favorite Student Orgs: During my time at UM I tried out multiple different student orgs, but my favorite was the Steel Bridge Team. On the team, I gained experience with programs used in the working world and it actually helped me secure an internship that landed me a full-time job. Having this on my resume and being able to talk about my experience on the team has given me a bump over other people trying for the same job. 

Advice to Students

Join an organization that would help you stand out, but don’t just put something on your resume (we can tell who actually was involved).

I started working in 2003 after my bachelor’s graduation in a structural engineering firm, led by one of my undergrad professors. After two years, I started working at a steel construction firm, where I decided I needed to complete my studies. In 2008 I began my masters at the University of Michigan.  

When I returned to Colombia in 2011 I started teaching a concrete course at the Universidad Piloto de Colombia, and I had a full-time job in a consulting firm called INGETEC. In INGETEC. I was able to do concrete and steel structural design. In 2016 I was selected to be an assistant professor at Universidad Nacional, which is an important position in the academic world since Universidad Nacional is one of the best universities in Colombia. After winning that position, I decided to become a full-time professor and in the summer of 2017 I started as a full-time Professor in Universidad Piloto and continued teaching at Universidad Nacional.

Having almost 12 years of structural design experience, gave me the background to share real-life experiences with the students, and being able to tell how real-life designs are developed has been the key to my courses.

Reflection on Time Spent at UM

I am a person who likes to be around people and I like to interact in different ways. I love to dance, go to the movies, and gather with my friends. I belong to the Sociedad Colombiana de Ingenieros (Society of Colombian Engineers), and I work in their academic committee of a structural and geotechnical engineering event. I help a female organization, where I participate in STEM events for schoolgirls, in which I encourage them to study civil engineering. I also participate in the events organized by the civil engineering association in the Universidad Nacional. (AICUN). Moreover, I try to keep in touch with all the Michigan Alumni members in Colombia, since I am the university contact for Colombia.

Advice to students

My advice for the students is to keep in touch with all the people they have met in their life. You will never know when you will need them and how they can help you.

I spent two years in New York City working with the American Bureau of Shipping on offshore structures prior to returning to Michigan to complete my MSE.  This provided much insight into actual work and gave relevance to my additional studies.  I worked across the U.S. in multiple locations in consulting and design including NY, CO, TX, MD, VA, MD, and NJ before finally settling in Pennsylvania.  The diversity of locations and geologic conditions helped me develop an understanding of the influence of regional geology and climate on soils and geotechnical design, as well as, variations in local practices.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

My extended undergraduate degree enabled me to complete a large proportion of the master’s courses in geotechnical engineering as a part of my BSE.  Changing programs from chemistry to engineering gave me a depth of background and opportunity for free electives that increased my breadth of understanding beyond the basic civil engineering programs.  This prelude enabled me to have completed nearly all of the graduate courses offered at UofM by the time I finished my MSE.  This gave me a huge leg up and an ability to apply the knowledge I learned to projects involving more than just geotechnical engineering.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

I am a big fan of the Student Chapter of ASCE.  I served as an officer and it enabled me to get to know area professionals and practice leadership in a student role.  I enjoyed the collegial feel of the Civil Engineering Department and established relationships with professors that have endured decades after I left.

After earning my Master’s degree at the University of Michigan, I returned to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado to join the Dean of Faculty as a Civil Engineering Assistant Professor. I taught undergraduate engineering mechanics, structural analysis, concrete and steel design, and other engineering-related courses. In 2016, I moved back to Michigan and worked as a bridge engineer for Tetra Tech in Brighton, MI. As a bridge engineer, my main responsibilities were load-rating and designing MDOT bridges. In 2019, I started working full time at Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a Project Manager. I have been in the Michigan Air National Guard part-time since 2016 and I currently have approximately 13 years of US Air Force experience as a Civil Engineering Officer. In my current role, I am actively managing the design and construction of roads, taxiways, and runway projects at Selfridge. 

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

I have found that the two most important credentials that differentiate me from my peers is my Master’s degree from the University of Michigan and my Professional Engineering license. My undergraduate degree is from the US Air Force Academy and not everyone (especially in Michigan) is familiar with the Air Force Academy and its rigorous academic requirements. However, everyone is fully aware of the high standards at the University of Michigan and I believe a degree from the University of Michigan gives me instant credibility as an engineer. In addition, some of my peers do not have a PE license. In my opinion, even as a government employee, a PE is essential as an engineer because it adds an additional layer of credibility that is critical when interacting with AE firms. 

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

My advice to students is to learn all you can, build relationships with your peers, and find out as early as you can what career you really want to pursue. It has only been 13 years since I finished my undergraduate education yet it would be extremely difficult for me to switch career paths now. I love civil engineering and I wouldn’t want to be in any other field. However, some of my peers are looking to go in a different direction with their careers and it is hard to make the switch after you have invested so much time, energy, and education into a certain field. 

My education at the university prepared me for the challenges that would be encountered while pursuing a career in structural engineering. I have worked professionally in the private and public sectors. These experiences have provided me the projects to have worked on that help me to be a better consultant.

Favorite Classes

I enjoyed mathematics and chose to take as many academic courses as I could while obtaining my degrees. If someone wants to choose structural engineering as a career, then mathematics is very important to you.