As a teenager, I had a dramatic introduction to the important role that structural engineers play in our communities. I vividly remember the moment the ground started shaking as I sat in Candlestick Park with my mom and my brother awaiting the start of the third game of the 1989 World Series. It wasn’t too long after the shaking stopped that images of the damage caused by the Loma Prieta Earthquake started appearing on the hand-held TV being watched by the people in front of us. I remember trying to process what just happened: feeling very thankful that the stadium remained standing while thinking about the damaged structures and the lives that were affected. At the time, I did not know if I wanted to become a structural engineer. However, I know that experience ignited a curiosity about what it takes for engineers to design the structures that give us the places in which we live, work, and play. Months of disruption and recovery further demonstrated the impact that structural engineers have on our daily lives and routines.
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