Matthew Cristi is a structural engineering project manager at Los Angeles Air Force Base and a Civil Engineering Officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He earned his degrees from CSUN and Stanford and has worked at KPFF and Los Angeles Air Force Base. Matthew first connected with Simpson Strong-Tie through a scholarship and continues to value their support and resources in his professional work.
Category: Engineering Fellowship
A No-Equal Experience: The Simpson Strong-Tie® Student Scholarship Trip
Hear from Koby Stewart, a civil engineering senior at the University of Michigan, as he shares his experience as a Simpson Strong-Tie Student Scholarship recipient. Koby dives into his background in construction and his introduction to Simpson Strong-Tie’s “No Equal” philosophy of excellence. Koby discusses how the experience broadened his professional network and influenced his career plans, including participation in ASCE competitions and pursuing a master’s degree in structural engineering.
Learning Beyond the Classroom: The Simpson Fellowship Experience
Steinar Goheen, a fourth-year architecture student at Washington State University, is passionate about historical preservation and aims to work in that field. Recently, they (Steinar) participated in the week-long Strong-Tie Undergraduate Fellowship trip, which comprises educational visits to various Simpson Strong-Tie branches in California, witnessing product manufacturing, and exploring San Francisco, including a visit to Alcatraz. Join Steinar as they recount their educational journey and share memorable moments from the trip.
The Simpson Strong-Tie Excellence in Engineering Fellowship, A Grateful Adventure
Before starting my fellowship, a year seemed like a very long time to be away from my day-to-day life, my clients, and my comfort zone. I started with many questions about how I could support the Build Change team to make the biggest possible impact with this fellowship. Once I started, however, I found more than a great team; I found a family. I would like to start this blog by praising the support of every member of the teams that I worked with, including the Build Change headquarters staff, as well as the staffs of the programs in Colombia and the Philippines.
The Role of Microfinance Institutions in Build Change’s Retrofitting Strategy
The year is moving fast; my time supporting the team in Colombia is over. My time is now fully committed to the program in the Philippines.
During my initial trip, I had the chance to visit some of the communities where Build Change has been working and become familiar with the existing tools used in these communities. Also, I was introduced to the crucial role that microfinance institutions (MFIs) play in Build Change’s strategy to retrofit vulnerable houses in the Philippines.
Build Change: Easier, Never Simple
When I think about my time working with Build Change so far, the phrase that comes to mind is “Easier, never simple.”
When I started my fellowship, several limitations for seismically retrofitting homes in Colombia quickly became apparent. These included delays in approvals by the local municipality, as well as an innovative Evaluation and Retrofit Manual that was not always well understood by local officials. Staff who conducted field surveys had a long list of items to verify, many of which were not easy to identify, resulting in reduced efficiency. It was common for staff to go back and re-survey in order to complete a full analysis.
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Introducing Excellence in Engineering Fellow: Juan Carlos Restrepo
We’re excited to introduce the recipient of the 2018–2019 Excellence in Engineering Fellowship: Juan Carlos Restrepo.
This is the second year of the fellowship, a successful partnership between Build Change, a Denver-based international nonprofit social enterprise, and Simpson Strong-Tie, a global leader in innovative structural solutions.
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