Corinne Arifin

About Corinne Arifin

I’m a recent master’s graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering (specializing in structures) from UIUC who is interested in sustainable practices through cutting edge design and development of structural components and frames, especially seismic design.I think about how relieving it would be to live in a seismically active city with no fear of dying under rubble. Steel and concrete might reign supreme, but that doesn’t mean you can’t explore unconventional materials or building techniques which may lead to a discovery that increases the durability of materials, decreases waste, and ultimately, leads to everyone’s favorite goal: reducing costs. However, this must never be at the cost of safety, and you need someone methodical and measured, yet always ready with an alternative solution when things inevitably fail.For the past year, I’ve helped produce 69•••18 reports that qualify substation equipment for performance in areas of various seismicity. I start off by modeling each component in paying close attention to the size and material properties of each structural element for accurate weight distribution, location of connection points, and which type of additional loading to apply (wind/ice per ASCE 7-16). I then run the model with the appropriate load combinations and apply earthquake loads either with site PGA, or their required response spectra. Based on the highest loads per element and connection, provided engineering drawings allow me to calculate the DCR, usually based on AISC.I spent my years prior to engineering in finance, analyzing portfolios to help determine which ones to purchase, while also optimizing end-to-end data flow from sellers to account managers. I also learnt to navigate the online maze of payments to successfully flow funds from banks to corporations. It’s not often that you find an engineer with a finance background, but here we are-I’m proficient in ENERCALC (foundations), Hilti PROFIS, MATLAB, MS Suite (Excel, Visio, Access), Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, or pretty much anything you throw at me that has some sort of documentation resource. I\'ve played around with AutoCAD/Inventor, but wouldn\'t call myself proficient.My friends have always characterized me as someone upbeat, creative, adventurous, and curious. Figuring out how things work instead of taking them for granted is something I truly enjoy. Fun Fact! I love aviation and enjoy listening to live air traffic control broadcasts. I hope to earn my private pilot license (PPL) one day and soar the skies.

Experience

1. Structural Engineer

   Kiewit

   Jan 2024 — Present · Portland, OR, US

Education

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Master of Science - MS, Civil Engineering (Specialization in Structures)

  2019 — 2021

• UC San Diego

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Management Science and Minor in Engineering Mechanics (AMES)

  2011 — 2014