What did you study and where?

I studied international business for my undergraduate degree, which led me to project management-related roles. However, I’ve always quietly wanted to be an architect, and a couple years out of college I decided that I wanted to pursue that dream. Using the skills from my business background, I began working in project management in the construction industry, while preparing to apply to graduate school. Ultimately, I enrolled at SCI-Arc’s Master of Architecture program and interned at Arup while pursuing my degree.

How did you discover Arup’s internship program, and what made you join the firm?

I’ve always known a little bit about Arup – I quickly learned that a lot of my favorite projects around the world involve Arup as the engineers or consultants. However, I truly began to learn more about Arup at SCI-Arc. One of my instructors, Russell Fortmeyer, leads Arup’s consulting practice in Los Angeles, and he often talks about Arup projects in his classes.

At Arup, I initially interned in project controls, where I was able to use my previous education and experience to work on project finance, budgeting, and forecasting. When I graduated from SCI-Arc, I joined Arup’s BIM team. What I think is amazing is how connected everything is – each person’s work affects another. Here at Arup, we have a philosophy of Total Design, where all disciplines collaborate to deliver the best quality work. When I joined Arup full-time, I realized that my experience as a project controls intern helps me with my current role, allowing me to understand the budget and finance aspects of projects. Coupled with my architectural education, these different yet relevant perspectives help me contribute to projects in meaningful ways.

“

When I joined Arup full-time, I realized that my experience as a project controls intern helps me with my current role, allowing me to understand the budget and finance aspects of projects. ”

What do you do in your day to day?

As part of the BIM team, I work with all the disciplines within Arup to set up a project’s discipline-specific models, typically in Revit. Our team makes sure that our multidisciplinary project teams can collaborate and see each other’s work. All the models feed into each other, which allows different disciplines to see the project in a holistic way. BIM management and the use of advanced digital technology really enables us to understand how systems work together.

What has been your most enjoyable moment so far?

I think architects and engineers can all relate to the feeling we get when we see our vision coming to life. For example, in the new Los Angeles office, I had the opportunity to design some floor graphics and glass decals with the Arup logo for our reception area. It was great to have my ideas supported by the office’s leadership, and to have it realized in a space that I get to witness every day.

What are your future aspirations?

I can easily see myself at Arup for the rest of my professional life. I want to continue to grow with the firm, and it’s so exciting to see the resources and skills I can tap into globally. Maybe I would move to a different Arup office, or to a different country, but there is no place else I would rather be.