Alumni Profile
Damian Andreani
All the long nights, all the nights not hanging out with my friends in other majors, all the confusion going through Statics and all the classes afterward. Yes, it all was worth it. I built an engineering mindset that helps me with any problem I face. I always remember what Professor Wild said, "they would not hire us if the answer was clear."
Where I've Been
Cities
- Buffalo, NY
- Portland, OR
Organizations
- Catena Consulting Engineers
Positions
- Structural Engineer
What I've Done
What types of work have you performed? What projects have you worked on?
Anything from helping design, model, and detail mid-rise buildings to designing the structural support of outdoor free-form artwork.
What have been some favorite aspects of your work?
Realizing how much more problem solving an engineer does versus how much math and physics an engineer does. Usually, the math is the easy part. figuring out what your client wants is the difficult part. Unlike EAS199, the real world does not have clear specifications.
What was one of your most satisfying days as an engineer?
As an intern, I joined two of my bosses in a meeting with the client and the architect of a project I had worked on all summer. I was surprised when my two bosses looked at me and expected me to have answers questions on the spot from both the client and the architects about the project. Being trusted and expected to discuss with a client was nerve-racking, but helped me build my confidence that yes, I do know what I am doing.
Was it worth it? What has your engineering background made possible for you? What value has it added to your overall life?
YES! All the long nights, all the nights not hanging out with my friends in other majors, all the confusion going through Statics and all the classes afterward. Yes, it all was worth it. I built an engineering mindset that helps me with any problem I face (engineering or non-engineering related). I always remember what Professor Wild loves to say: "They would not hire us if the answer was clear."
Why it Matters
What would you say to the first-year students currently sitting in your shoes?
I remember sitting in my first class of EAS199 talking about the city gardens and being overwhelmed because "I had no clue what the answer was." Little did I know, there was not a right answer. This didn't really sink in until later in the semester when we were presented our final project with minimal direction of what to do. I realized that we as engineers are here to come up with solutions to vague problems and that city garden problem was just my first taste of it.