In high school I always enjoyed my math and science classes. I knew that I would become an engineer one day, but it wasn’t until I was given an opportunity to do a summer internship at H.C. Yu and Associates in the Electrical department that I knew I wanted to be an Electrical Consulting Engineer. I saw at H.C. Yu that the lead engineers were Professional Engineers, and they stamped their own drawings. So, I worked hard to obtain a BSEE at the University of Virginia, studied for the EIT while I was in the Navy, and took the EIT when I got out. I got a job as an Electrical Engineer at H.C. Yu, and passed the PE. I then became a lead engineer, and I felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride when I stamped my own drawings at the end of a project!
The electrical drawings and specifications that I create help the end users of the buildings that we design feel comfortable and safe so that they may work and live more productively. The sustainable electrical designs we implement help the buildings operate in a more energy-efficient manner, ultimately reducing the carbon footprint and hopefully reducing energy costs over the life cycle of the building.
My job entails creating lighting, power, lightning protection, and electrical control drawings as well as specifications and calculations for U.S. Government facilities. I am a Senior Electrical Engineer responsible for overseeing other team members’ work on the electrical designs for these buildings. I also perform electrical surveys on existing buildings for renovations, review contractor submittals and requests for information during construction, and attend coordination meetings with architects and end users of the U.S. Government buildings.
I love the feeling of satisfaction when the building is complete, and the user is satisfied with the lighting and power in the building. I feel that my electrical designs help the user work more comfortably, efficiently, and safely. This give me a great sense of accomplishment with my job.
