As temperatures rise, so do the number of seats occupied in the Degenkolb offices thanks to the influx of summer structural engineering interns! These 10 up-and-comers bring a mix of classroom wisdom and a serious passion for all things structural. From Seattle to San Diego, get to know more about these new faces and their unique experiences as summer 2023 interns.

What school are you attending?
I did my undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and am now in my second year at Stanford pursuing my master’s.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I found out about Degenkolb from word of mouth from people at Stanford.

What have you been working on this summer?
This summer I did ATC work where I designed a concrete moment frame building according to the 1994 UBC. The goal of this project is to then evaluate this design to current standards to inform us how older buildings should be retrofitted. I also worked on building Revit tools using the Py Revit API as well as some forensic work.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
The most impactful memory from my time here was completing my ATC project which took me eight weeks to complete.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
I would recommend being vocal about your goals and seeking and meeting the people that are doing the work which you want to do in the future.

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off starts with getting up relatively early say 9am. I would then head to the gym and get a good workout and shower in there, before heading to a lovely breakfast spot and enjoy a quality meal with a nice coffee. I would then take a book to a park with some friends and either just hangout; play some games; or read. Following this would be dinner with friends followed by a fun night out.

What school are you attending?
I attended UC Davis for undergrad and I’m currently a graduate student at Stanford University. I’m heading into my second year in the fall and plan to complete my master’s degree by the spring!

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
One of my classmates at Stanford was an intern last year and he spoke well of his experience. I also had a chance to meet a few engineers from Degenkolb at my school’s career fair last fall.

What have you been working on this summer?
I designed equipment anchorage for a confidential client in the science & tech industry. I’m working on a research project that involves designing a concrete moment frame building according to different codes to see how codes have changed over time. I’ve also had the chance to develop tools for Revit using Python.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
The difference between school and the industry has been eye-opening. I get to apply what I’ve learned from school on a real project while also gaining more practical skills that I could only get in the industry. Overall, I feel like my conceptual knowledge has been solidified through my time at Degenkolb.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
If you have a specific interest that you want to explore, reach out to the people involved! For example, I’m interested in programming, so I let my manager know and I was invited to work on a programming project. Also, the social events are a great way to get to know your coworkers and make connections.

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off starts with getting up relatively early say 9am. I would then head to the gym and get a good workout and shower in there, before heading to a lovely breakfast spot and enjoy a quality meal with a nice coffee. I would then take a book to a park with some friends and either just hangout; play some games; or read. Following this would be dinner with friends followed by a fun night out.

What school are you attending?
My undergrad was at Oregon State. Go Beavs! I’m currently in my 2nd year for my master’s at Stanford.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
At the Stanford Career Fair.

What have you been working on this summer?
I’ve worked on the UCSF PRAB project.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
Going to the Taylor Swift concert with colleague, Andres Acosta!

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
Try hard, and never miss a Forkable lunch order.

Describe your ideal day off.
Good food and exploring a new place with someone I love.

What school are you attending?
I attended UC Davis for my undergraduate degree (just graduated!) and I’ll be attending Cal Poly for my master’s degree after my internship ends.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I found out about Degenkolb through my Steel Design professor at UC Davis who was asked by a Degenkolb engineer to share information about a summer internship opportunity with his students. It just so happened that this Degenkolb engineer was a former UC Davis PhD student (now graduated) who taught my Structural Analysis class!

What have you been working on this summer?
This summer, I’ve been able to see a wide range of projects. I started off the summer visiting reconstruction sites and designing temporary construction shoring for one RCN project. Then, I was able to get into the structural modeling side of things, using software like RAM, ETABS, and EnerCalc—none of which I had seen before—for projects ranging from early-stage planning for a community center, to vibration analysis for mass-timber structures, to footing design for a hospital building.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
Beyond learning a lot about structural engineering practice itself, I think some of the most meaningful memories I’ve made while at Degenkolb are from my interactions with the rest of the office. Chatting (or just listening) to the staff around the office or at lunch and joining social outings with them after work, like painting pottery with the Women’s Group, helped me get to know everyone a little better and feel like a part of the team in Oakland.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
Though this will probably make me sound like a broken record, asking questions is the most important thing you can do to make your time at Degenkolb valuable to yourself and those you work with. Asking questions may not come naturally to everyone (it certainly doesn’t with me), but I’ve always felt encouraged to ask questions and ask them sooner rather than later. If you’re just finishing your undergraduate degree, you might be feeling entirely out of your depth. That’s something that people at Degenkolb understand, and everyone I’ve worked with has been so helpful at explaining concepts or projects to me that I hadn’t seen before or guiding me toward resources to learn about them on my own.

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off would probably consist of attending another Taylor Swift concert with friends, but while that’s not possible, I enjoy playing The Legend of Zelda and spending time with my cat Louie at home!

What school are you attending?
I graduated Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo this past spring quarter with a degree in Civil Engineering and will be attending UC San Diego to pursue my Masters in Structural Engineering in the fall.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
Degenkolb did a presentation about mass timber structures in one of my undergrad design classes. Afterwards, I was very interested in getting involved with the company’s diverse and complex projects.

What have you been working on this summer?
I’ve worked on a structural non-performance component study for a local hospital, performed equipment anchorage calculations for a new hospital construction, and I’ve also created an ETABS seismic evaluation model of a six-story reinforced masonry hotel structure.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
I had the opportunity to conduct one of Degenkolb’s first hospital survey walks using a new lidar scanner that maps out equipment noncompliance areas of the building. While I did have the great privilege of waking up at 4am to do this survey, I also got to interact with many of the patrons and essential workers onsite who were curious as to what our team was doing. I took pride in knowing that the work I do contributes to ensuring the safety of every patient and hospital worker affiliated with that hospital.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
I would recommend that every Degenkolb intern be prepared to ask a lot of questions. Ask any question that pops into your head, be it big or small, because chances are your co-workers will give you an answer and then some! Everyone in the office, from designer to principal, is very approachable and will go out of their way to help you out with any questions you have! The feedback I received helped me learn more about structural engineering than I could have on my own, so definitely stay curious and ask questions throughout your internship!

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off would start with a morning hike on one of San Diego’s many open space trails, followed by some authentic fish tacos for lunch, then a necessary afternoon nap, and an evening Padres game to wrap it up!

What school are you attending?
I completed my bachelor’s degree at the California State University, Sacramento and now planning on pursuing my master’s degree there.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I heard about Degenkolb at Sac State University during a career fair.

What have you been working on this summer?
I have worked on RCN/IEG, the reconstruction and investigative engineering projects as well as NPC, the nonstructural seismic bracing design. My work included several site visits as part of the forensics and healthcare areas of work.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
My most impactful memory was a site visit I did to Lake Tahoe as part of the IEG, investigative engineering project. I felt like a detective on this site visit while enjoying beautiful views.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
I would advise to get involved with different projects to get a feel for various fields of work. This will give you a complete picture of a possible career path at Degenkolb. Also simply enjoy your stay and have fun while learning!

Describe your ideal day off.
I enjoy hiking and nature. My ideal day off would be to go on a hike and explore nature especially somewhere in the mountains during winter.

What school are you attending?
I just completed undergrad at the University of Washington. I will be returning to UW for a master’s degree this fall.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I found out about Degenkolb through the UW engineering career fair where I enjoyed talking to Clare Terpstra and Brett Cates. Clare came back to the university for an information session during the graduate school perspective student visit day, and I got to hear more about the work and culture at Degenkolb.

What have you been working on this summer?
I’ve been thrilled to work on a wide variety of projects. I had the opportunity to work on two different hospital projects including designing penthouse structures and windscreens and helping model a first-floor slab. I’ve also contributed to several smaller forensic and construction engineering projects, and a large ongoing non-structural seismic assessment. It’s been fantastic working with so many excellent professionals.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
Adding the first things I designed to plan sets. I have worked in construction, and being on the other side of the process was exactly why I decided to go back to school and become an engineer. It was really exciting, and I felt like my decision to change career paths was validated.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
Ask lots of questions. Every time I asked one question, I felt like I got my answer plus two bits of bonus knowledge. Ask different people. While it’s great to have a go-to mentor, it’s also worthwhile to meet different engineers and gather different perspectives. No one ever seems too busy to help the intern.

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off is waking up very early and going backcountry skiing in the North Cascades, hopefully watching the sun rise in the mountains then skiing all day. A second day off to sleep in afterwards is helpful.

What school are you attending?
I’m starting my first year as a grad student at UC San Diego.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I heard about Degenkolb from other students and professors at UCSD.

What have you been working on this summer?
I have mostly been working on FEA modeling of a prototype shear wall side plate connection that would result in a thinner wall with lighter reinforcement.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
Getting to meet and spend time with colleagues through the social events.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
Make sure to ask questions whenever you don’t understand something.

Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off includes spending time with my family, eating my mom’s home cooking, and reading a book or watching a movie.

What school are you attending?
I just completed my undergraduate degree from UC San Diego and will be returning there for my master’s degree after the internship.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
I first heard of Degenkolb through the EERI SDC as I was competing for my school’s team for 2 years and Degenkolb has always been the sponsor for the competition. That left me with a good impression about the company. Later, I got to talk with the representatives at an engineering career fair and listen to great experiences my colleagues have had working at Degenkolb. That made me really want to be a part of Degenkolb. And I am certainly glad I got this opportunity!

What have you been working on this summer?
I have been working on a concept study on lateral force resisting systems for a new hospital building. The focus of my study is to design and analyze the implementation of special moment frame (SMF), buckling restrained braced frame (BRBF), and cross-laminated timber (CLT) on the building. I also worked on smaller projects such as some detailing for UCI medical buildings, PIN 75, and UCSB SAP program.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
The social events like the picnic for the LA and OC offices, and after work dinner/happy hours have really strengthened the bonds between everyone in my office and me. Another cool memory for me is the UCI Topping Ceremony. Not only that I have a great site visit, but it was also a valuable experience to see all the hard work that went into it.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
Be curious, don’t be afraid to take on more challenging opportunities, and make friends/talk to people. There will be tons of new things to learn and the people you know are your greatest resources. The people are the ones that make your experience much more enjoyable.

Describe your ideal day off.
It would be a day where I can spend time by myself or with my friends to relax and do some fun activities like hiking, exploring new food places, enjoying nature, etc. Then I would come home to a delicious homecooked meal with my family and play some games or watch a movie with them.

What school are you attending?
I’m currently pursuing my PhD in structural engineering at the University of California, San Diego, and I’m excited to be entering my third year of studies.

How did you find out about Degenkolb?
Discovering Degenkolb was an exciting moment for me. I had the opportunity to learn about the company during an informative session they hosted at UC San Diego. Hearing about the company’s impactful projects and strong commitment to engineering innovation resonated with my aspirations, leading me to explore the chance to be a part of this wonderful team!

What have you been working on this summer?
This summer, I’ve had the privilege of diving into a fascinating project called the proprietary wall-to-foundation connection. In this endeavor, my focus has been on developing a comprehensive model to study the nonlinear dynamic behavior and fragility of an innovative system geared towards enhancing the seismic resilience of reinforced concrete buildings with shear walls.

What memory stands out to you from your internship?
Among the many valuable experiences during my time at Degenkolb, the lasting memory that stands out is the remarkable kindness extended by the engineers and managers at the OC office. Their unwavering support and guidance have left an indelible mark on my journey. In particular, I’m deeply grateful to Matt, Garrett, Alfred, and Xiaomi for their generous contributions, which have shaped my internship into an exceptional experience.

If you could give future interns any advice on how to get the most out of their internship, what would it be?
To future Degenterns! here’s a pearl of wisdom to embrace: Connect and learn with open-hearted enthusiasm. Engage in the projects that come your way and take pride in assuming ownership of your tasks. When you make a commitment, follow through wholeheartedly. Remember, every resource at your disposal is a tool waiting to amplify your growth—don’t hesitate to tap into them. And, above all, infuse your work with a spirit of enjoyment, transforming each task into a source of satisfaction. This journey is your canvas; paint it with connections, knowledge, and most importantly, a touch of fun!

Describe your ideal day off.
Picture my ideal day off as a blend of exhilaration and tranquility. It starts with the invigorating rhythm of a boxing session, where every punch becomes a cathartic release. As the day unfolds, if time allows, I’m drawn to the allure of adventure. You’d find me off the grid, camping in the heart of untouched landscapes!