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Current Career Position: I am a coastal engineer with a small team-oriented consulting firm specializing in all phases of waterfront engineering. My work mostly includes coastal engineering analyses to develop wave climates and corresponding forces to be used for beach stability, flood evaluations, inlet design, port and harbor site planning, marina and coastal structure design and coastal permitting. Other duties include supervision, surveying, site investigations, and regulatory compliance. Recent project experience includes the analysis of a marina floating dock and mooring system; determination of wave forces on timber piers and breakwaters, and design concepts to stabilize an eroding sea cliff and beach. I am currently learning complex wave modeling software to model the wave environment in Charleston, SC and within Long Island Sound. I recently became a certified SCUBA diver so that I may participate in underwater inspections. Education: I received a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental engineering from Syracuse University in 1998. Environmental engineering covered a broad range of topics such as air pollution, water and wastewater treatment, waste management and water resources. I became most interested in water resources and after doing research for a term paper on beach erosion. I became fascinated by waves and the forces they can produce to cause erosion. So I set out to graduate school to learn about the physical processes of ocean waves and ways reduce the impacts of erosion. I earned my Master of Science degree in Ocean Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology in 2000. Immediately after graduation, I moved to CT for my current position at Ocean and Coastal Consultants, Inc. Most Exciting Part of My Career: The most exciting part of my career is the field work. As a coastal engineer I spend a great deal of time out on the water and on the beach. Approximately 20% of my work is out of the office, whether it be a site inspection or beach survey. It keeps my job interesting and the fresh air is always a plus! Learning how to SCUBA dive for the job was equally exciting. Toughest
Barriers to Overcome: The toughest thing for me is being both
the only woman engineer and youngest person in this company. I have
been lucky because no one looks down upon me for being a woman and
they treat me with a lot of respect, especially when I perform my
equal share both out in the field and in the office. This is my
first job after college, and I thought my inexperience and gender
would keep me from reaching my fullest potential. I was wrong to
think that way. My boss actually urged me to join the Society of
Women Engineers and encourages me to keep learning and growing,
both professionally and personally, by attending seminars and classes
and becoming active in associations for my profession. The next
barrier I have to overcome is obtaining my Professional Engineer
(PE) license. I am currently an Engineer-In-Training (EIT) and I
have one more year to gain on the job experience before I am eligible
to take the PE exam.
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