CAREER PROFILE:
BRIDGE ENGINEER
NAME: Lindsey Renner, P.E., 32
OCCUPATION: Bridge Engineer
SO YOU’RE A BRIDGE ENGINEER,
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN?
Technically it could mean a number of
things. Some bridge engineers design
bridges, some construct bridges, and
some (like me) inspect them and plan
for their maintenance. I had done both
construction and design and found them
to be either too much office work or too
much field work, and this is a perfect
compromise.The region I work in has
an inventory of nearly a thousand bridges and culverts that are required to be
inspected every 2 years, or more frequently, depending on their condition.
I am looking for things that would jeopardize the safety of the motoring public
on or under these bridges. In addition, I
look for ways that we can perform preventative maintenance or contract work
to extend the life of the structure. I still
get opportunities to be involved with construction and design, so this job plays
nicely on some of my past strengths.
WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOLING AND
TRAINING DID YOU HAVE TO GO
THROUGH TO GET TO YOUR CURRENT
POSITION?
I stumbled into Bridges by accident, so
there are probably more direct ways to
get to where I am than the path that I followed. I graduated in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in