Ask an Engineer a Question
This area of our website
is designed exclusively for students and those interested in entering
the engineering field. Questions are answered by Jason
Loo, PE,
SE (Structural Engineer) and David Moses, PE (Civil Engineer) with
Bowman, Barrett & Associates Inc.
Please email all relevant
questions to askanengineer@bbandainc.com
What was your best day as an engineer?
Jason: Engineering is all about making a plan work and problem
solving. While it is difficult to single out a specific 'best
day', any day where a project is underway or a potential
crisis has been averted is a successful day. And, anytime a project
is completed, that sense of accomplishment makes for a good day.
David: That is a pretty tough question to answer. I like to think
that the majority of my 'best days' are still ahead
of me. So far, I would say the best days are when you get to see
something that you've spent months or even years designing
take form in actual concrete and steel. There is a tremendous sense
of accomplishment in seeing something that you have spent months
planning, designing, and engineering be constructed and function
just like you planned.
When and why did you decide to become an engineer?
Jason: The combination of an analytical mind and the interest in
building things makes for an easy career choice. It was in college
that I decided on structural engineering. My interests had always
been with architecture and building structures. In high school,
I had a lot of fun building a model home. So, I suppose the interest
goes back a ways. The interest has continued in travels to other
places as well. Going to other cities and seeing the old and new
buildings, monuments and infrastructure is fascinating. It amazes
me to see what we as a society have built in the last 1000, 100
and even 10 years.
David: While in high school, I began to consider a career in an
engineering field due to an aptitude for science and mathematics.
I learned a little bit about engineering from an uncle who is a
Civil Engineer and an older cousin who was completing a Mechanical
Engineering degree at the time. I felt that engineering would be
a good match for me because I enjoy the challenge of solving difficult
problems and improving the design of things.
I actually took a round-about path to becoming a Civil Engineer by first investigating
Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering programs. By taking a Transportation
Engineering course as an elective for the Environmental Engineering program,
I discovered the possibilities of Civil Engineering. I completed college with
a major in Civil Engineering with a Transportation Engineering specialty, and
I have enjoyed it ever since.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Jason: I enjoy seeing a project through to its successful completion.
I enjoy going to a site during and after construction, to document
its progress and seeing the final product.
David: I enjoy consulting engineering for transportation projects
because it offers a good mix of team and individual work efforts
and a seemingly endless stream of challenging transportation problems,
where improvements can have significant impacts on quality of life
issues for the facility users. I enjoy the complex projects because
they really challenge your mind in determining optimal solutions.
I enjoy the mix of team and individual work because it allows independent
creativity and freedom in design, starting with small pieces of
projects early in the engineer's career and progressing to
larger pieces as experience is gained.
What is a typical day for a new engineer?
Jason: New engineers work with a project supervisor and are usually
given a specific design task in the project. Typically, shop drawing
review would be a start, since it familiarizes them with design
plans, specifications and fabrication details. Design of the steel
floor beams or concrete slabs would be individual tasks in the
building design process.
David: The typical day for a new engineer involves design work
on relatively small portions of larger overall projects under the
supervision of a project manager. The project manager will divide
the overall project into smaller, more manageable portions for
the project engineer(s) to develop. This affords the relatively
inexperienced project engineers some creative freedom to develop
solutions for the individual portions and to allow the project
manager to confirm that design development is still progressing
in the right direction. Assignments for new engineers can vary
from relatively simple design tasks that can be completed in only
a few hours, to more involved tasks that may take months to complete.
What advice would you give to an engineering student?
Jason: Enjoy school while you are still there! Work hard in your
studies. Take every opportunity to gain real world work experience
and diversify yourself with some creative classes. That is difficult
with the requirements for engineering graduates, but it is so important
in day-to-day situations to be able to speak well, manage projects
and think creatively.
David: Make a conscious effort to explore all your options and
don't be afraid to try different things. The earlier you
are in your student career, the easier it is to make adjustments
to your course, but it will always be much more efficient to refine
your career path while still in school than to make major changes
once you've finished and joined the workforce. If there's
a specialty area you think you might be interested in, don't
be afraid to seek out information and advice from people in that
specialty. Lastly, volunteer and get involved in student organizations
as much as you possibly can. Student organizations offer great
rewards in exposure to different career opportunities and developing
skills that are not specifically taught in engineering curriculums,
but will be extremely valuable throughout your engineering career.
