Melanie Mercier
Graduate Engineer, Las Vegas
Joined the firm in 2006
Home country: France
What has been the most interesting work you’ve done here so far?Projects such as an airport terminal, an exposition center expansion and a resort-casino have each had their own challenges. I’ve had the opportunity to study vibrations of long-span trusses and to model a portion of a steel retail area. And I designed two concrete buildings: a parking garage and the central plant. But especially, working in a seismic zone offers challenges every day, such as designing seismic resisting frames, shear walls or the diaphragm of complex buildings.
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How does engineering make a difference in the world?
Engineering shaped the world as it is now, changing our lives as well as our thinking. Structural engineering allows us to have better, safer and more comfortable facilities, houses and offices. These buildings are also designed to resist earthquakes and hurricanes and to save lives. As structural engineering progresses, it is possible to design and build structures with astonishing architectures that change the shape of cities.
What inspired you to go into engineering?
I chose structural engineering because it has always fascinated me how buildings hold together and can resist events such as hurricanes or earthquakes. Now, I am waiting to see something I design being constructed, or people using the facilities, so that I can say that I did it, that it is what I created.
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