I knew that I wanted to look at a skyline someday and think "I did that. I helped shape that view."

Kelly Levy
Graduate Engineer, Atlanta
Joined Walter P Moore in 2007
Home state: Florida

Why are you an engineer?
I was inspired to go into structural engineering by both my father and grandfather’s passion for engineering and architecture.  I developed an innate appreciation for the beauty and complexity of buildings and their design.  When I continuously caught myself staring up at buildings and wondering how they worked, I realized that structural engineering was the profession I wanted to pursue.  I knew that I wanted to look at a skyline someday and think “I did that…I helped shape that view.”

What’s the most interesting work you’ve done here so far?
One of my most interesting challenges has been the design of the support structure for a two-story spiral escalator for a casino in Las Vegas. Since a spiral escalator’s mechanics are so intricate and sensitive to movement, the support structure had to satisfy extremely strict deflection criteria. Achieving almost negligible deflections within the 60-foot by 60-foot bays of a casino was definitely an exciting challenge.

How does engineering make a difference in the world?
Engineers take that next new idea — whether it is the latest gadget, an engine that runs off alternative fuel, a longer bridge, a faster plane or a taller building — and turn someone’s imagination into reality. Engineers make the “what’s never been done before” happen.

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