"I’d like to use my degree to make cities more liveable and sustainable."
Kira Zulauf
- Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
What got you interested in engineering?
In school I always leaned towards math and physics over things like social studies and biology.
As a kid I enjoyed building things and I was always interested in bridges – I grew up near downtown Portland and I remember being fascinated watching the cable-stayed bridge Tilikum Crossing go up.
![Questions about engineering](/sites/default/files/styles/square_200/public/2024-06/whyeng-set13-square-1080x1080.png?itok=sca5eUUn)
Did you consider other program specializations or was civil engineering always your top choice?
I was originally thinking of mechanical engineering, but I realized that I prefer the courses and projects where I can really visualize the spatial aspects of what we’re studying as opposed to getting into the complicated physics behind something.
Civil engineering is also very broad, so there’s a lot of flexibility with what jobs you can do after graduating.
Do you have any specific goals for your degree or a sense of where you want to go with civil engineering?
I’m honestly just hoping to get as much experience in different areas as I can to help me figure out the specialty of civil that I’d like to go into when I graduate.
Based on the courses we’ve had so far I’m leaning towards structural engineering. But co-op will help me to experience the types of jobs that are out there, so at this point I’m keeping my options open.
At a broader level, I’d like to use my degree to make cities more liveable and sustainable. And given our location in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, I’m very aware of the value engineers can bring to make cities and infrastructure more resilient in the face of an earthquake.
![Why co-op is helpful for students](/sites/default/files/styles/square_200/public/2024-06/whyeng-set10-square-1080x1080_1.jpg?itok=r5ria09z)