Ms. Roberts joined Sebago Technics in June of 2021 and is a graduate of Northeastern University with a degree in Civil Engineering. She has done an internship with the Massachusetts DOT inventorying crash locations using ArcGIS. Her senior design project, in conjunction with Kleinfelder, was to design a climate resiliency plan using gray and green infrastructure to mitigate flooding from precipitation events for the next 50 years in Medford, MA.
How many years of experience do you have as an engineer and where did you graduate from?
About one year of experience, counting internships, and I graduated from Northeastern University.
When/how did you discover that you wanted to become a civil engineer?
I knew I wanted to do engineering of some kind, because I liked the hands-on problem solving and how applicable the work is. I chose civil engineering because I’ve always liked architecture, and because civil engineers really are a (sometimes overlooked) backbone of society. We need roads and bridges that can handle millions of cars, and buildings that keep people safe, for modern society to work.
What do you like most about the work you do?
I like how the problems are kind of like puzzles; often there are several competing design goals and requirements, and it take time and effort to find out how to fit everything needed.
What is your favorite/most notable project and why?
While I never worked on it, the Edge in Berwick is a really cool project that Sebago Technics is involved in, which highlights how impactful engineering work can be for a community. Taking a vacant lot in the center of downtown, remediating it, and creating a new City center with shops and housing, not only makes downtown safer, but revitalizes it.
When you think about working at Sebago Technics, what makes you proudest or most excited?
The people here work really hard to create the best solutions. I know whatever the project, the time, energy, and thought has been put in to make the design as best as possible.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about becoming an engineer?
Explore. There’s lots of different work that engineers do. Try to find your niche, but don’t be afraid of trying something because you might not like it. Knowing what you don’t like is almost as important as knowing what you like when looking for a career.
