Diversity in SE Scholarship Recipients

Sarah Soto

University of California, Los Angeles

Sarah Soto is originally from Riverbank, California and is a first-generation Latina working towards her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She is passionate about structures and her goal is to continue on to earn her master’s degree in structural engineering. At UCLA, she is a member of the Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED), the Society of Latinx Engineers and Scientists (SOLES|SHPE), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She enjoys being involved in her community and hopes to uplift those around her.

Ibrahima Fall

The City College of New York

Ibrahima Fall, a dedicated civil engineering student at City College of New York, is poised to
revolutionize infrastructure development in underserved communities. With a keen eye for structural
design principles honed through his upbringing in Senegal and academic prowess, Fall’s passion for
engineering is matched only by his commitment to making a positive impact. As a 2024 fellow in the
prestigious Transportation Research Board Student Fellowship, Fall is not just studying transportation
Structure Problems – he’s actively trying to shape solutions from diverse perspectives. His journey is
propelled by mentors like Professor Naresh Devineni and support from CCNY’s Grove School of
Engineering. Engaged in various professional associations and fellowships, including The institute for
responsible citizenship and SEAoNY which he is leading the chapter in his school, Fall is set to graduate
in 2025 with aspirations to pursue a master’s degree in Structure engineering. His vision to ascend to
partnership positions within engineering firms and establish branches in his homeland underscores Fall’s
commitment to uplifting communities through innovative engineering solutions

Eduardo Montalto

University of California, Berkeley

Eduardo Montalto is a PhD candidate in the Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials Program at UC Berkeley, where he also obtained his MS degree in 2020. Before joining Cal, he obtained a BS in Civil Engineering in his home country Costa Rica and worked as a structural designer for three years. Eduardo’s current research interests lie in the development and implementation of innovative earthquake-resistant design technologies that can enhance structural performance and resilience in an affordable way. At Berkeley, Eduardo is the co-lead of a mentoring program that connects graduate students with professionals from academia and the industry to aid them in their early-career decisions. He is also the president of Berkeley’s EERI Student Chapter and an advisor for Berkeley’s undergraduate Seismic Design Team.

Maria Emilia Clavijo Calderon

Auburn University

Emilia Clavijo, a Latina born and raised in Ecuador, is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Civil Engineering at Auburn University where she also serves as the President of the ACI Student Chapter. Her research at the Auburn University Advanced Structural Engineering Laboratory is focused on effective composite concrete-steel connections in bridge substructures.

Growing up in Ecuador, Emilia experienced firsthand the critical role of structural engineering in creating safe and resilient communities, which inspired her passion for the field. Her future objectives include contributing innovative solutions to infrastructure challenges, advocating for diversity and inclusivity within engineering, and making a positive impact on communities worldwide.

Geraldine Lynch

California State University, Chico

I’m a first-generation college student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. After completing my studies at Santa Rosa Junior College, where I earned two associate degrees in Engineering and Mathematics, I transferred to California State University, Chico in 2022. On campus, I’m deeply involved in various leadership roles. I serve as the President of Chi Epsilon, the Civil Engineering Honors Society, and hold the position of Publicity Chair in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Additionally, I have been a part of the Concrete Canoe team for two years, where I’ve gained valuable hands-on experience and am looking forward to becoming the 2024-2025 Project Manager. My academic journey has also been enriched by the experience gained from multiple internships and my research work titled “The Influence of Building Damage Prediction Models on Regional Scale Seismic Risk Estimates” with the NHERI SimCenter which greatly influenced my interest in seismic resilience.

Divino Gonzales

San Francisco State University

Divino Gonzales is a graduate student at San Francisco State University, majoring in Civil Engineering. Born and raised in the Philippines, he now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where earthquakes are a frequent occurrence, posing concerns for everyday life. Divino aims to utilize his knowledge and skills in Civil Engineering to design safer and more sustainable infrastructure in communities affected by earthquakes.

Edwin Reyes

University of California, Berkeley

Edwin Reyes Barreras is a first-generation Mexican-American student at UC Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He has gained professional working experience in the San Francisco Bay Area, varying from civil and environmental engineering, design and architecture, as well as sub-contracting and general contracting. Edwin is finishing up his internship as a consultant as a Project Analyst and will intern as a Technical Intern/Co-op in the Building Technology Division, before starting graduate school in the fall. Edwin will embark on his journey to be the first in his family to earn a Master’s degree at UC Berkeley, pursuing a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering.

Liana Wong

Stanford University

Liana Wong is a fourth-year structural engineering student at UC San Diego. Formerly the Mix Design Captain and as this year’s Project Manager of the UCSD Concrete Canoe team, her involvement has deepened her passion for the field. She aspires to become a structural engineer in seismic design, particularly in developing communities. From her personal experiences and volunteer work at Habitat for Humanity, she has recognized how structural engineering may be applied in a humanitarian context through sustainability, material consideration, and constructability. She hopes to continue this approach in her work once obtaining her Master’s at Stanford University and plans to become a licensed structural engineer. 

Ana Mateo Jerez

Columbia University

Ana is a rising junior at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of engineering. She’s studying structural engineering, with a minor in music, and planning to focus on sustainable development and affordable housing. Outside of school, she enjoys playing ice hockey and the violin.

Timi Adeboyejo

University of California, Berkeley

Timi Adeboyejo’s journey into structural engineering began when she moved to the United States from Nigeria at 15 with only her younger sister, leaving their parents behind. Inspired by her father and uncle, both engineers, Timi developed a passion for engineering early on.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in May 2024, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Her academic achievements and dedication to engineering have been driven by a desire to follow in her family’s footsteps and make a meaningful impact.
Beyond academics, Timi is deeply committed to her community. She serves as one of the event coordinators for her church, where she organizes events that bring people together and foster a sense of connection and belonging. Additionally, she co-founded the Nigerian Student Association at CSUF, which has grown into a vibrant community that supports and strengthens the Nigerian student body on campus. Seeing the club grow and thrive has been incredibly rewarding, and it reinforces her belief in the power of community and collaboration.
Through these experiences, Timi has learned the importance of diversity and inclusion, and she is dedicated to promoting these values within the field of structural engineering. She is excited about the opportunity to further her commitment to making the engineering field more diverse and inclusive.

Damario Berry

Howard University

Damario Berry is a student at Howard University in Washington, DC, pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering. He has a strong enthusiasm for structural engineering, aiming to improve structural design by employing principles of structural mechanics and optimization techniques. Damario has gained considerable industry experience, contributing to various construction, machine learning, and structural projects in collaboration with engineering teams at well-known companies. In addition to his academic pursuits, Damario is actively involved in extracurricular activities. He dedicates his time to projects that provide sustainable engineering solutions to communities in need, both as a member of Engineers Without Borders and through his service with Howard Alternative Spring Break.

Afeez Badmus

University of Kansas

Afeez Badmus was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in civil engineering. Currently, he is a PhD student at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, where his research focuses on developing mitigation measures for the effects of tornado winds on residential buildings in tornado-prone regions across the United States. Afeez is a Bill Anderson Fund (BAF) Fellow, a charitable organization dedicated to mitigating disaster through fellowship, mentorship, and research for minority communities. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, cooking, and watching movies.

Baiyu Chen

Northeastern University

Currently pursuing her doctoral degree at Northeastern University, Baiyu is deeply passionate about developing innovative structural systems to tackle contemporary environmental challenges, such as sustainability and extreme weather conditions. Actively engaged in research focused on design for deconstruction and mass timber-steel hybrid systems, she is dedicated to advancing solutions that merge sustainability with structural integrity. Upon completing her studies, she eagerly anticipates disseminating her findings to a broader audience and implementing them in practical contexts. Baiyu hopes to serve as an inspiration for individuals from diverse backgrounds, encouraging them to fearlessly pursue their career aspirations.

Ronald Orellana

University of Virginia

My name is Ronald Orellana and I am a fourth year civil engineering student at the University of Virginia. I am a first generation American and first generation college student. I will be pursuing a masters in structural engineering at the University of Southern California in the fall. I was the treasurer of UVA’s ASCE Student chapter, a mentor in both the Latinx Peer Mentor Program and the Center for Diversity in Engineering, and the Hull Design Captain for the Concrete Canoe team. I plan to pursue my professional engineers license to work in sustainable structural design.

Tiana Noelani Thorp

University of Delaware

Aloha pumehana kākou. Mahalo kēia hui `ana. He Tiana Noelani Thorp ko`u inoa, and I am a third year Distinguished Scholar PhD Fellow at the University of Delaware, where I study engineering & public policy as it relates to structural engineering. I am also a ha`aheo Kanaka Maoli wahine. I previously attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I received a B.S. in civil engineering focused on structural engineering. I then received an M.S. in civil engineering from Oregon State University focused on structural engineering accompanied by a M.S. in wood science and engineering. When I am not busy working on my dissertation, I enjoy spending time with my dog, diving into a good piece of political non-fiction, and feeding my local community. Hoe a mau, hoe a mau, no ka pono sivilia a ho`iho`i hou `ia mai ke kū`oko`a.

Alberto Diaz Loza

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Alberto is a Mexican-American born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He grew up half of his life in Chicago and the other half in Aguascalientes, Mexico. He is a first-generation college student, just receiving his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Panamericana and going to UIUC in the fall term for his master’s in structural engineering. Alberto has interned for 5 summers in Chicago with major AEC companies. His father and uncle worked in construction in the Chicago Area for 25 years, which ignited his passion for engineering and architecture.

Emily Cheng Kerstetter

Penn State University

Emily is a senior graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cornell University in May 2024. Since the fall of her junior year, Emily has served as a co-lead for the Cornell University Sustainable Design (CUSD) team Sustainable City, an interdisciplinary project team that aims to implement projects that assist Ithaca’s efforts in creating a more equitable and sustainable world. She has worked multiple professional structural engineering internships in Chicago and is excited to continue her pursuit of structural engineering at Penn State University this fall, where she will be getting an M.Eng. in Architectural Engineering.

Emily Cross

The University of Kansas

Emily Cross is a junior pursuing a bachelor of science in architectural engineering at the University of Kansas. She is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and a proud member of the Choctaw Nation. Emily is passionate about furthering her academic and professional career in structural engineering with a special interest in sustainability. In her free time she enjoys listening to music and doing anything outdoors.

Grace Lynn Pluemacher

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Grace Pluemacher is a junior studying civil engineering and structural engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. She is excited to use her civil engineering degree to design equitable infrastructure to suit the needs of different communities. After graduating, Grace plans on pursuing a master’s degree in construction management and becoming a licensed professional engineer.

Javier Andres Chininin

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Javier Chininin is an Ecuadorian graduate student who earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cuenca, Ecuador. He is currently pursuing his Master of Science in Structural Engineering at Virginia Tech. Simultaneously, he works as a research assistant, focusing on earthquake engineering and resilient structures. Javier’s upbringing in Ecuador, a country with high seismic hazards, influenced his interest in seismic design and non-linear models. He intends to continue working and contributing to this field by immersing himself in performance-based design methodologies.

Leon Crawford

Columbia University

Leon Crawford is a 2024 graduate of the University of Virginia’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. During his time at UVA, he has served his class as the President of his university’s ASCE student chapter and Team Captain of the Concrete Canoe Team. Leon will be continuing his education in the Fall by pursuing a M.S. Civil Engineering degree at Columbia University. After completing his graduate education, Leon plans to become a licensed structural engineer and work on vertical structures across the nation.

Santa Flores Alvarez

Northeastern University

Born and raised in Honduras, Santa moved to New York City at the age of 14. Inspired by the New York skyline and its people, she is now a second-year graduate student working towards a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. Santa aims to contribute to the city’s landscape as a structural engineer, by designing safe and sustainable infrastructure. When she’s not immersed in her studies, she enjoys cooking, exploring new cuisines, and spending time with friends.

Shun Lei Yee

Northeastern University

Shun Lei Yee is a rising fourth-year Burmese student, studying civil engineering at Northeastern University. She is currently on Northeastern’s spring co-op program working as an intern at a structural design firm in Boston. Shun has been involved with research since her freshman year, focusing on sustainable resilient structural systems, and assisted graduate students with programming, modeling test setups and building electronic systems. She has been away from home for almost 3 years and misses eating Nangyi Thoke from Myanmar.

Tyler Kleinsasser

SD School of Mines and Technology

Tyler Kleinsasser is a student at the SD School of Mines and Technology. His interest in engineering and construction developed early through family influence, with several family members in the industry. Beyond academics, he actively participates in community initiatives, volunteer projects, and professional development events. After graduation, Tyler strives to pursue a challenging and rewarding career and eventually start his own engineering consulting company.

Victoria Abigail Maidana Dure

Columbia University

I’m an international student from Paraguay studying Civil Engineering, concentrating on Structural Engineering. I was initially more interested in Construction Management, but my Structural Design and Analysis classes helped me discover how much I like working with structures and getting to learn and experiment with this side of the industry!

I’m particularly interested in underground structures related to transportation and hope to join our industry and work in the structural aspect of the expansion of our underground transportation systems.