For my practicum, I interned at DCWater located in DC. I worked in the Department of Clean Rivers, alongside experienced Civil Engineers. I found this site through family connections actually - My father currently has been employed by DC Water for almost a decade, and I was encouraged to apply to the site through listening to my father's passion and my own interest. After going through a long application process, I was luckily able to land a position.

          Over the summer I was tasked with working alonside a variety of coworkers in a variety of fields, ranging from GIS to Public Outreach. However, I spent the most time working alongside contractors creating a Bio-Retention Garden to off-set flooding that happened quite often alonside Rhode Island Avenue, located in the heart of DC. To do this I worked alongside CAD specialists, Senior Engineers, and Designers and surveyed how much water was drained in that area based off the elevation maps, then utilizing advanced calculation models and plenty of excel to determine the optimal amount of pervious soil needed for the site. While doing so I also got the chance to visit completed Bio-retention sites scattered throughout DC and draw inspiration from their design.

          Through working alonside talented individuals in the field of Engineering, Environmental Policy, and many other specialties, I was able to learn more about the science behind Civil Engineering - The daily trials and tasks that were undertaken, what exactly a Civil Engineer does, and multiple guidelines and calculations needed for Green Infrastructure Design. By completing a design of a Bio-Retention garden from the start to the finish, I was able to see the practical thought process and coordination with other engineers vital to achieving a succesful design process, something that many non-engineers take for granted. Entering DC Water I did not know which branch I wanted to head into in terms of Civil Engineering, caught between the Water & Environmental Track and the Structural Design track, but after spending a summer working alonside a plethora of wonderful, smart, and determined engineers in a personal project, I decided to choose the Water Resources and Environmental Track. Working to better human/environment relations while also getting the chance to apply my own Engineering knowledge is a wonderful feeling, and I hope to keep on doing it. In the future I will definitely be thinking into becoming a Professional Engineer (PE), and that is a task that is both exhilarating and daunting.