Background
Having a construction worker as a father naturally got me interested in the construction field but it wasn’t until I got involved with the ACE Mentor Program at my high school that I was able to further explore my interest in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering industry. As part of the program, industry professionals shared their experiences and we also visited engineering and architecture programs at various universities.
I am currently enrolled in a community college on track to transfer to a four-year university to study Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Structural Engineering. In the future, I would like to help our communities prepare and mitigate damages in the event of an earthquake. As a native Angeleno, I understand the risks we face as a center of major seismic activity. The ACE Mentor Program truly changed my life and I hope to return to it someday as a mentor to teach the next generation of students what the industry has to offer.
As a CAD/Revit specialist at Structural Focus, my job consists of translating the engineers’ designs into construction documents so that the field team knows what they need to build. My work requires a lot of collaboration, especially on historic projects. With the advent of BIM software, I can relay information from the model to the engineer to assist them with their designs. Making sure I model these structures accurately is crucial for understanding the interactions of structural members ultimately leading to a successful project.
What does Structural Design mean to you?
Structural Design allows us to bring artistic visions to life while taking safety, cost, and sustainability into consideration. Although often unknown by the general public, Structural Engineering is a vital part of our society that makes sure our homes, workplaces, and gathering environments are safe and can remain operational.
Favorite Project and Biggest Challenge
The new Sony eight-story Akio Morita Building completed last year has been my favorite project to date. The model was built in Revit and I was the lead modeler from beginning to end. The biggest challenge, as in many projects, was the timeline. As drafters, we are at the very end of the design process so we have to make sure all design changes are done by the submission deadline, therefore, communication and collaboration are essential to deliver a successful project on time.
What’s your favorite part about working at Structural Focus?
I really enjoy our work environment. We are all part of the Structural Focus family. Communication, both internal and external, is practiced throughout the firm which enables us to deliver successful projects and build great relationships. Whenever I have questions about our work, whether it’s a question about permits, why they’ve chosen one design over another, or simply what some structural members do, I’m never afraid to ask any engineer.
What would we be surprised to learn about you?
I was a drummer in a ska/rock band. The peak of our success was playing for a crowd of about 500 people at an industrial park in Los Angeles. Seeing hundreds of people dancing and “mosh-pitting” to music you and your friends created gives you a unique feeling. It’s a combination of adrenaline and happiness sprinkled with a confidence boost.