One of Civiltec’s core values is to foster talent. Each summer, the firm takes on a number of interns to achieve this goal while supplementing the team’s increased workload. For Summer 2018, Civiltec is happy to welcome five interns: Kayla Cross, Tanner Howe, Michael Brinkman, Isaac Gotlieb, and Jonathan Williams. Rounding out the Internship Program is Gray Garrison, who began his internship at Civiltec in Winter 2017.
The Civiltec team is enjoying working with our interns and we look forward to seeing where their career paths lead them.
Kayla Cross currently attends Northern Arizona University, majoring in both Civil and Environmental Engineering. She was drawn to Civiltec due to its location in Prescott as well as the firm’s commitment to customer service. Since her start in May, Kayla has ramped up on tips and tricks for Civil 3D (a design software), as well as civil engineering as a whole. She recently completed her first set of grading plans for a lot in southern Arizona.
I have lived in three states: Indiana, Wyoming and Arizona. Projects that focus on the environment are my favorite to work on. I am very passionate about conservation and preservation of our environment, and I am excited to use my skills to improve it.
Tanner Howe is a Southern California local, having grown up in Chino Hills. He is studying Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Water and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, ID, and plans on continuing his education to earn a Master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering. This summer, he is working on a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) absorption system to be installed at an existing well in East Pasadena and also learning more about hydraulic analyses.
I speak Russian and spent two years in eastern Russia as a volunteer representative of the church I attend. I spent time serving the people, appreciating the culture, and learning the old Slavic tongue. Much of that experience led me in the direction of civil engineering, as I witnessed occasional lows in services and infrastructure.
Michael Brinkman is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. During his internship, he has learned how to use Civil 3D software and perform conflict reviews. His favorite project has been aerial surveying – taking photos and piecing them together to create a topography of the land that is accurate within a foot horizontally and vertically.
I have always wanted to be an engineer in order to help others and make the world a better place to live. When I am not focusing on enhancing my engineering capabilities, I am an avid golfer and have competed in State Tournaments throughout high school. Phil Mickelson, legendary golfer and three-time Masters Champion, once invited me to sit and chat with him and his wife during a tournament!
Isaac Gotlieb graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona in May 2018. He was interested in working at Civiltec due to the diversity of projects undertaken, as well as the firm’s location in his hometown of Phoenix. Isaac is currently a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Reserve.
I hope to gain fieldwork experience and learn more about managing an engineering project while I am a part of the Civiltec team. I enjoy working on anything related to transportation. Roadway plans are my favorite projects.
Jonathan Williamson is currently studying Civil Engineering with a Mechanical Engineering minor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Since joining the team in June, Jonathan has gained experience in the programs that are crucial to designing citywide water systems, such as InfoWater. In the future, he hopes to work on the design and planning of reservoirs and city water planning.
The area of engineering I am most interested in is Water Resources. Outside of engineering, I enjoy the outdoors and know how to fly fish, ride horses, skeet shoot, ski, surf, and anything else that involves the wilderness.
Tim Kwan is a 4th year student at Cal Poly Pomona studying Civil Engineering. This summer, he has honed his drafting skills on AutoCAD for a variety of different projects such as reservoirs, irrigation systems, topographic maps, and others. Tim also went out surveying in the field, which gave him exposure to different working environments. Tim was glad for the opportunity to learn something everyday, whether it was in the office, or out in the field.
I am part of SEACPP, which is the Structural Engineering Association at Cal Poly Pomona. My officer position is Webmaster, which plays a role in updating social media for our student viewers and members. Some platforms that I use for this club are Facebook and Instagram, but I’m thinking about expanding!
Since Gray Garrison began his internship last year, he has significantly improved his AutoCAD skills and is gaining experience using InfoWater. He has worked on treatment plants, lift stations, and chemical storage facilities over the last few months, and is currently working on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Tidewater wells and the City of La Verne Amherst Treatment Plant.
I hope to eventually become more involved with the structural sheets of a given project. I have enjoyed learning about retaining walls, concrete masonry units (CMU), and concrete in school so it has been fun to see what I’ve been taught show up in the drawings I’m working on.